Who is Steve? I am an early retired attorney and proud author of The Cheapskate’s Guide to Vacations and The Cheapskate’s Guide to Cruises (Citadel-Kensington Press). My books prompted creation of my free, online, CTN quarterly newsletter. Steve's CTN proudly published from 1999 until 2020 when it sadly went into a Covid hiatus. I am happy to announce that my CTN newsletter is back with new and exciting tales 'n' TIPS beginning with my post covid return to global travel.\
My mini bio: owing to welcome personal circumstances I was able to early retire from 'the law' in 2000. Then, my former wife and I gleefully embarked on a seven year travel odyssey. We globe-trotted planet Earth six months per year. Afterwards, we took at least one yearly three months long globe adventure. My recent post covid travels include two one-month visits to Barcelona, cruises to Alaska, a transatlantic cruise to Europe, a mini Caribbean cruise and my return to the awesome Valley Isle (Maui). Anyone familiar with humpback whale 'mugging.?
My free online CTN has allowed me to share not only travel 'tales' but also travel related comfort, convenience, safety and money saving TIPS. My favorite travel ‘motto’ has always been: NOTHING BEATS FREE TRAVEL! I 'lived' my motto as I enjoyed free airline travel on 95% of my journeys. In the last couple of years my flights to Maui, Florida and Barcelona were FREE! My CTN strives to enable readers to do the same!
EDITION HIGHLIGHTS
*Repositioning cruises ROCK!
* Notes on our RETURN TO PARIS, June 2025
* How to rent an amenity laden 1BR Paris apartment
for a fraction of the cost of a small hotel room
* TALES OF MAGIC and a Music Festival -
Our pre-visit report on Disneyland Paris 2025!!*
* Steve's infamous GIZMO column
REPOSITIONING CRUSES ROCK!
Post covid I happily returned to my favorite world to wit: global travel!As CTN readers already know my pre-covid MI for global travel was at least onethree month trip per year. After my inital post-covid jaunts to Maui (16 days) and a marvelous 11 days cruise from San Francisco to Alaska. I was ready and the time was right. I began planning my first post-covid, major twomonth global jaunt!
My
master plan: visit my close friends in Floriad for a week and then use a
tranatntic cruise as my 'taxi' to my second favorite foreign city,
glorious BARCELONA! A wonderful rental apartments would be waiting for me upon my arrival in Barcelona.
To this end, in the winter of 2023, I did what I do best. I searched for the perfect transatlantic re-positioning cruise.
Over the years I enjoyed three repositioning cruises, one amzing cruise from Montreal (in October) repositioning to Ft Lauderdal, florida! I 100% recommend that amazing cruise to everyone. I took two transatlanic cuirse, one to Barcelona and one to Paris. The latter involved
disembarking a bit early in Le havre and then traveling to the Paris apartment. All told, I had visited Barcelona . for one-month apartments stays, four time in rcent pre-covid years. I had done eight one-month aprtment rentals in Paris!
My research led me to MSC Cruise line. What I saw on my screen seemed unreal. Within
minutes I confirmed MSC's reputation, confirmed the booking was 100% refundable and so I
ASAP booked the followng mind boggling deal:
* 17 days transAt;amtoc cruise that inlcluded a mini Carbeean cruise to FOUR islands, before heading across the Atlantic
* I was traveling 'solo' and zero single occupany surcharge
* Unobstructed balcony cabi
* Mind numbing PRICE: $975
Shortly after my lightening effort immediately snag a cabin the ship was SOLD OUT
Example of similar insane bargain 2025 MSC cruise:
* whopping 23 nights Miami to Barcelona
* Mini Caribbean crujise to three islands
* Amazing ports of call after saiing from three Carbbean islands includes:
Valencia, Spain, Mallorca, Spain, Naples and Lavorno, Italy, Mrseille, France and
Barcelona
* Leaves Miami April 4th
* Prices INCLUDE all TAXES AND PORT CHARGES!!!
* inside cabin: $45/day total price $1,029
* Balcony cabin: $,1759 which is an incredible $76/day including taxes and port fees!!!
* The ship was my 'taxi' to Barcelona - I save the cost of air fare!
* Say 'no' if you can not tolerate extra (six or more) days at sea
* Say 'no' if your travel is 'time limited i.e. you only have two weeks for your vacation
This MSC sailing is close to the $975 I paid for a balcony cabin since my cruise was 17 days
and this cruise is a whopping 23 days and its price includes taxes and port charges.
STEVE's TIP: I alwasy say: Do your homework! Research all repositioning web sites to find the best deal. You may book directly with most any cruise line OR use any booking or travel service.
If using a web based travel agency be sure to check their credentials and 'reviews'. Always keep an eye out for extra benefits i.e. ship board credits
Link to above MSC cruise deal:
STEVE's TIP: There are scores of articles describint the pros and cons and details regarding repositioning cruises.
STEVE'S WEB SITE TIP: Here is a link to possibly the best web site source for finding all avaialable repositioning cruises! The site is super user friendly offering selections such as
Cheapest rates for singles
, cheapest balcony price and price per day.
Comments
Post a Comment