How to find the best deals on cruises in 2009

The Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Jan. 26, 2009. It’s the year of the Ox, in case you wondered.

And 2009 could become known as the year of the cruise.

Cruise lines have built, built, built, renovated, updated and revamped itineraries over the last 24 months - more so than ever before. With many people planning to forgo a vacation in ‘09, the deals will be continuously tempting. So if you’ve considered cruising in the past but have pushed it aside for other interests, have another look at the offers. You may find that you can indeed afford that much needed getaway!

If you are a newbie to cruising there is no better way to approach the planning process than to sit down with a professional cruise agent in your neighborhood. He or she can help you navigate through all of the many lines to choose one right for your desires, needs and expectations - and naturally, your price range. Find one in your neighborhood after entering your zip code at http://www.cruising.org.

A good rule of thumb to follow when working with the agent is to have him or her shop for a trip cancellation insurance policy which is independent of the cruise line. Those offered by the cruise companies tend to protect the line and not the passenger. Shop at http://www.insuremytrip.com to get the correct coverage.

Your agent will also be most helpful in determining whether or not to book airfare through the cruise line or independent.

It’s wise to develop a relationship with this pro-agent for at least three, maybe five, cruises before you should book solo via the Internet. You’ll learn a lot on those cruises, but never as much as an experienced agent!

But sit down to do a bit of homework before sitting down with an agent. Find out which ship fit your style by reading about some ships at http://www.cruisecritic.com and the consumer-generated Web site, http://www.tripadvisor.com. Both professionals and customers generate the reviews at http://www.cruisereviews.com.

Ask neighbors, friends, and coworkers of their experiences and maybe start your search based on their input.

Last-minute bookers will likely find the best deals. For those who are dead-set on vacation dates, try to book far in advance for the best deals and ask your agent to continuously check for automatic upgrades or maybe shipboard credits.

I tend to forget just how valuable Sidestep.com is for saving time, patience and lots of money not only for cruises but for hotel stays, airline tickets and packaged vacations.

I had a quick peek at some cruises offered in May by setting criteria for cruises of any length in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska and Asia.

One that stands out is a $499 per person deal on an interior Glacier Discovery cruise with Holland America. This 7-night northbound cruise begins in Vancouver and visits Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, College Fjord and ends in Seward. Passengers also receive a 15 percent discount for all shore excursions.

Several other cruise lines offer this rock-bottom rate of $499 on May sailings.

Price points start from around $279 per person for 4-night sailings to the western Caribbean.

Rates start from $649 per person on one-week sailings aboard Royal Caribbean through the Greek Islands and the same price on Costa in the Adriatic and Greek Isles - both with May sailing dates at this price.

My dream cruise is a 14-day voyage from Barcelona to Istanbil with Oceania on April 4. The cruise will be all about culinary treats as it will be hosted by Jacques Pepin aboard the Regatta. Passengers will visit 8 countries and along the way be treated to signature menus, lectures, culinary demonstrations and more. Ports of call include Palma de Mallorca, Florence, Rome, Athens, Santorini, Rhodes and more.

This cruise includes free round-trip airfare from/to Atlanta (a value of at least $800) with per person rates from $3,499. So we can dream, can’t we?

More savings: More money-saving tips at Your Money.