Caribbean cruise deal western

My first cruise experience was back in the '70s aboard the "Kazakhstan," a ship that was part of all attempt by the Soviet Union to thaw the Cold War a little, not to mention get its hands on some Western Currency.

One of the folks who had been assigned to our table at dinner, a Weedeater salesman from Chicago, was terrified that his room was bugged. Things might have turned out very differently if the KGB been able to score the secret to Weedeater's dominance in the world marketplace.

It was a memorable experience. Not always fun, but memorable. The crew was inexperienced but tried hard to make up for it in effort. The food was mostly awful, but the ports of call were great. And it was an incredible deal.

That was one of the very first--of a very few--cruise ships to sail from New Orleans. Today things have changed dramatically. We have lots of choices.

What hasn't changed is that cruising from New Orleans is still one of the all-time great travel deals.

A number of my weekly Web tips for Business Report's Daily Report e-mail have highlighted four-and tire-night cruise specials for under $200 a person. Weeklong cruise specials pop up regularly for less than $400 a person.

So what's the key to keeping those savings? You have to watch what you drink on hoard. And watch what you do in port. That's where the cruise lines are attempting to make up the revenue they're losing in a deeply discounted cruise market.

Ask questions in advance about onboard pricing. Determine beforehand what you want to do when you arrive in port. Finding your way around Cozumel on your own isn't tough. There's a lot that you can walk to from the ship. Playa del Carmen has a beautiful stretch of beach a short stroll from the dock. But even if you drink like a fish and take every shore excursion offered, it's still an incredible vacation deal.

Now that the power lines have finally been raised downriver, Carnival offers seven-night cruises to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel aboard its gigantic Conquest.

For quick and often amazingly cheap getaways, you can sail to Cozumel and Playa del Carmen for four or five nights aboard Carnival's much smaller Holiday. I remember having to take the bus from Playa del Carmen back to Cancun when my rental car broke down because the only place in town with a phone was closed for siesta. Today, that sleepy little village has become a mini-Cancun, packed with all inclusive resorts. Pity. But it still has a great beach.

Royal Caribbean's rather stylish Grandeur of the Seas sails to Key West, Cozumel, and less developed Progreso, Mexico.

NCL's Norwegian Dream has a slightly more exotic itinerary that adds stops in Honduras and Belize to the more standard Mexican ports.

My current favorite spot to find cruise deals is Orbitz.com. But if you want to make sure a particular ship fits your personality, find a travel agent who specializes in cruises and who has actually been on the ship you're considering.

DALE IRVIN is a South Louisiana-based travel writer and a marketing consultant. Reach him at wingingitbr@aol.com.