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Lynn Lundstrom Belles

Who wants to Cruise with us - Where? When? & How Much?

Updated: Apr 22

Who wants to cruise with us? This post is for people we know. In this post you will learn how to find out where we are going next, when we are going, and how much it would cost if you wanted to join us.


Many people know that we are experienced Cruise Travelers. It is often the first thing people say when we see them. It's either "Have you been on a cruise lately?" or "Where are you going next?" And we want you all to know - you are always welcome to join us.


Holland America Line Rotterdam - docked at Curacao

WHO WANTS TO CRUISE WITH US?

BUT FIRST, WHY?

We choose Cruise Vacations for various reasons, but a few of those really stand out. Perhaps some of the reasons resonate with you too. We call what we do "Travel Like an Architect".


  1. We own a business or two. People need to communicate with us. We don't believe in "sorry, I'm on vacation - You have to wait until I return". In this way we are accountable to our clients and vendors. While on a Cruise Vacation, we are always just an email, text, or phone call away. (in that order)

  2. We can and do work while on a Cruise Vacation. When cruising there are "sea days". On these days we are sailing from one place to the next, so why not work a little? We sleep in, eat in the ship's restaurants, exercise, check email and take care of business that crops up. One time we emailed a drawing to the print house, and had it delivered to the client's desk by the next morning.

  3. We love to visit exotic destinations. Some of these places don't have accommodations that meet our criteria. So we are happy to visit for a day, and return to the ship, where there are 5 star accommodations.

  4. We enjoy the assurance that everything we need is available on the ship. All of these amenities travel with us! We don't have to budget our money to make sure we can eat on the last day of the trip - because everything is paid for, up front, most is built into the cruise fare.

  5. We LOVE to live on the ship between destinations. It's much better than living on a tour bus. We don't live out of suitcases either. We put our belongings away in the closet and drawers in our stateroom.


typical balcony stateroom on holland america line rotterdam

WHERE?

You can cruise ANYWHERE there is water!

Our next trip is in Search of the Norther Lights, 14 Nights roundtrip from London [affiliate link] up to the Arctic Circle and back.


northern lights in norway

Generally speaking our Cruise Vacations are booked about two years in advance. By booking early, we are able to be picky about which room we want because most of them are available. We can read floor plans and understand how to be near something specific. Or guaranteed a quiet room at night. Booking early is also when the BEST promotional offers are available. We almost always have 2 future cruises booked. Who wants to cruise with us?


WHERE NEXT?

FUTURE CRUISES ARE ALWAYS PUBLISHED ON OUR TRAVEL BLOG!

Click the logo below to go there

travel like an architect logo

There is a Tab on the main menu bar.

TLAA home page screenshot

When we book early we have time to watch airfare and book when it goes down. We lock in good airfare before we make our final Cruise payment. Sometimes airfare is a deal-breaker. Airfare, can definitely turn a last minute deal into no deal at all! We cancelled a cruise once when air was twice the value of the cruise itself. Book early and it usually works out fine. We have cruised about 35 times. Air was only a deal breaker ONCE.


O'hare Take Off

When we book early we have time to study the destinations to figure out what we want to do in each place. Rob loves connecting with other cruisers on Cruise Critic for better excursion experiences. Imagine not having to figure out how you are getting there, only what you will do once you are there at multiple different places. One of the best parts of Cruising. YOU just ride along... Who wants to cruise with us?


We have a nice affiliate link for less crowded excursions. The company is called Venture Ashore. You can shop and book there, on your own. Even if you booked direct or with another agent.


venture ashore logo

Venture Ashore offers city experiences all over the world. We have booked a transfer to the ship with them in London that goes to Stonehenge first!


OUR FUTURE CRUISES

ARE ALSO PUBLISHED ON THE "Travel With an Architect" TAB

on our Booking & Shopping website menu.

planning to cruise logo

just to the right of center on the main menu bar.


To book, all you pay is a small deposit. The remainder isn't due until 90 days prior to the sail date. Historically the "deposit" has always been fully refundable at the final payment day mark. Now, some brands are getting creative and deposits are not refundable. So be sure you are fully informed. You can make regular payments or just save up for the final payment - it doesn't matter. Any Cruise Travel Agent can create a booking with a "courtesy hold" so you can see and read the confirmation first. Today I can find cruise fares that are as little as $54/ day, or as much as $350/day and up. Considering the price per day is a good reliable way to compare them.


HOW MUCH

ARE EACH OF YOUR NEXT TWO CRUISES?

Our Cruise Vacation shopping website is connected directly to the cruise line brands, so if you use the search engine to find a cruise you will get "live pricing". Yes, you can book through the site, but if you do PLEASE LET US KNOW! I will want to look over your booking to make sure everything is perfect. I can also add you to an agency group to get extra pleasures for you! Money to spend onboard, free excursions, complimentary sparkling wine, to name a few. Here is live pricing for the very next cruise we are booked on.  [affiliate link] Here is pricing for our 2025 Winter Caribbean Cruise [affiliate link]


If you're not interested in cruising with us now, check back often as we update the "Travel With an Architect" [convenience link] page each time we book something new.


who wants to cruise with us

All cruises include the brand's version of fine dining, as well as a buffet. All cruises include basic non-alcoholic beverages like coffee, tea, iced tea, water, perhaps lemonade. All cruises include breakfast, lunch and dinner. All cruises include snacks available in between meals. All cruises include an opportunity to get off the ship at each place they dock. Most cruises have a casino. All cruises include access to a fitness center. All cruise ships have pools. All cruises include Vegas quality entertainment! No extra charge.



Most cruises charge extra for adult beverages. All cruises have designated smoking areas, but you can NOT smoke in your room or on your balcony. Some cruises allow smoking in the casino. Do you have other questions? Just send us a message. We are familiar with most cruise brands.


room service breakfast

If you ever want to join us - we want to make sure you know to book with us. We love cruising so much that we are also "Cruise Vacation Travel Advisors". We will handle the booking for you. The price is the same as it would be if you booked direct. If you sail on the same ship and date that we do - we would love to meet you there. We can get together for happy hour, breakfast, lunch or a dinner, a fabulous show - or we could even do a shore excursion together.


WHERE, WHEN & HOW MUCH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Who wants to Cruise with us?


who wants to cruise with us

Disclaimer: Rob and Lynn Belles wear many hats. If you happen upon a link within our blog here or at other linked sites, and you click it there is a possibility we could financially benefit from that. Generally speaking you have to make a purchase after clicking in order for us to earn income. But - It is our greatest hope that the things we share are of great value to you! Recently I have begun marking these links in the line, where they occur with [affiliate link] which is a third party commissionable link, or [convenience link] - which is just there for your convenience. If you see one of our business logos likely it is also a link to it's website. Obviously we earn money there at OUR website, but ONLY if you make a purchase.


As always our opinions are our own and we always aspire to be an authentic voice - we DO NOT PROMOTE goods or services that we don't personally use and believe in.




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