CruiseCompete offers top reasons to enjoy a cruise during 2008 holidays
DES MOINES, Iowa, July 16, 2008 – Enjoying summer weather? Come November and December, cold and snow will be here just in time for the holidays – and a Caribbean cruise vacation.

Whether traveling as a couple, with friends or family, holiday cruises over Thanksgiving and the December holidays are some of the most popular offered by the cruise lines. Rather than wait to book these vacations, the cruise specialists at CruiseCompete.com encourage travelers, especially those in groups, to plan and book their holiday cruises now. This will help assure the best selection of ships, itineraries and cabin choices – not to mention best deals.

“For many people, a holiday cruise is not traditional, but it can also provide their vacation budgets with a break, considering the great value of a cruise,” said Bob Levinstein, CEO of CruiseCompete. “Cruises feature all-inclusive pricing, with ship accommodations, food, entertainment and other amenities included. Plus, people of all ages and interests find plenty to do aboard a holiday cruise.”

For those still looking for a reason to cruise over the holidays, here are several:

Truly festive atmosphere – After Thanksgiving, the cruise lines get in the holiday spirit by decorating their ships from bow to stern. Some cruise lines spend in excess of $100,000 annually on holiday decorations. Christmas trees, lights, garland and even artificial snow bring the festive season alive at sea. Hanukkah celebrations also are observed. Religious services are held aboard each ship.

Special guests – Christmas-time cruises would not be complete without guest appearances from Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elf friends. They make appearances on many ships during the holiday season for fun and relaxation leading up to Christmas Day. As expected, Santa’s bag of goodies is full for the kids on board.

New Year’s fun – Ringing in the New Year is a splash aboard a cruise ship. Elaborate parties take place at sea for persons of all ages and tastes. Special food, entertainment, toasts, party favors and more make the night memorable. For sports fans, many of the cruise lines offer special all-day tailgate parties to watch New Year’s Day football.

No snow – A holiday cruise is ideal for persons looking for a change of scenery as colder weather moves in at home. With Caribbean temperatures in the low 80s during this time of year, the closest one will come to cold weather on a cruise ship is the air conditioning. Some ships do feature snow falling in the ship’s atrium, but it is manmade and designed to melt before hitting the floor.

Great food – Nobody goes hungry on a cruise vacation, especially during the holidays. A variety of eats are available 24/7. Cruise menus fit the season, with world-class chefs preparing traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, plus special kosher foods during Hanukkah. There are no shortages of gingerbread, cookies, pies and other deserts.

Kid’s activities galore – With children on holiday break from school, many families love to cruise during December. There is so much to do on a cruise, including a range of supervised activities for kids ages 3-17, pool activities, special lounges and dedicated nightclubs for tweens and teens. Vacation with your children yet without any stress.

True relaxation – Leave the hustle and bustle (and accompanying stress) of the holidays behind and enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere with the family on a cruise vacation. There is no better way to spend an afternoon in December than lying poolside instead of cooking, while sailing across the ocean or snorkeling through a secluded reef on a cruise line private island.

Unique gifts – A cruise vacation is one holiday gift that will be truly appreciated. Plus, there is world-class shopping onboard the ship and in various ports. Special shipping arrangements can be made to get the gifts home. If Santa is going to visit the kids, the cruise lines recommend small token gifts that are easy to hide and transport. Leave big gifts at home to open before or after the trip.

In addition to one’s own family, larger groups of extended families – grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and others – are enjoying holiday cruises in growing numbers. Careful planning is necessary Levinstein said. Plan well in advance – at least several months out, if possible.

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CruiseCompete.com saves consumers time by finding the agent with the best deal for them. Consumers secure quotes for cruise deals from multiple travel agencies without having to contact each one separately. Since its launch in 2003, More than 1,000 cruise specialists have provided four million-plus customized cruise quotes in response to requests from over 425,000 registered users. CruiseCompete, LLC, is an independent company not owned by or affiliated with any travel agency. For more information, visit www.cruisecompete.com.

CruiseCompeteGroups.com helps those planning any type of group travel event to obtain the best deal for their gathering.

What a Site: CruiseCompete.com listed on “36 Web Addresses You Should Know”
The Washington Post, November 2006

CruiseCompete.com ranked among “25 Best Travel Value Sites”
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, October 200

DES MOINES, Iowa, May 7 /PRNewswire/ — Despite the nation’s economic slowdown, CruiseCompete.com today reported it has experienced a 25 percent increase in year-over-year sales for the first four months of 2008. CruiseCompete.com is providing more than 4,000 cruise quotes per day to prospective cruise travelers.

“Budgets may be tight, but most people are not willing to give up their vacations,” said Heidi Allison-Shane, CruiseCompete.com spokesperson. “CruiseCompete.com instantly makes consumers smarter shoppers by letting many of the biggest cruise agency specialists compete for their business. More families and groups seem to be booking cruises so far this year. Cruises offer something for everyone and typically are the best vacation value out there.

“Seven night Mediterranean cruises appear to be the most heavily booked right now. We’re seeing lovely Mediterranean cruises with a balcony on a luxury ship being booked for as low as $3,000 or less for a couple.”

Other extremely popular destinations include the Caribbean, South America, Hawaii and the Canada/New England region. Many Alaska cruises for this summer are already sold out and holiday season voyages to the Caribbean also are filling up.

Why is CruiseCompete.com so popular? CruiseCompete.com mixes Internet technology with the expertise of hundreds of experienced cruise specialists to provide consumers with great values as well as sage advice. It is the only Web site that allows consumers and groups, from corporate gatherings to wedding parties to family reunions and others, to submit a single cruise request and receive multiple, independent offers from cruise specialists, ensuring they find the best deal possible on their vacations.

CruiseCompete.com ( www.CruiseCompete.com )

– World’s only competitive cruise pricing Web site that enables consumers to obtain the best deals on cruise vacations.

– Consumers secure quotes for cruise deals from hundreds of member cruise specialists, without having to contact each one separately.

– A consumer can submit up to three cruise requests at one time, enabling them to compare various cruise lines and itineraries.

– Since its launch in 2003, the Web site’s cruise specialists have provided four million-plus customized cruise quotes in response to requests from over 425,000 registered users.

– CruiseCompeteGroups.com ( www.CruiseCompeteGroups.com ) helps consumers planning any type of group travel events to obtain the best deal for their gatherings.

– CruiseCompete LLC is an independent company not owned by or affiliated with any travel agency.

Accolades

– Budget Travel: 105 SuperSmart Strategies Let cruise brokers fight over you – CruiseCompete.com
Budget Travel, June 2007

– What a Site: CruiseCompete.com listed on “36 Web Addresses You Should Know”
The Washington Post, November 2006

– CruiseCompete.com ranked among “25 Best Travel Value Sites” Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, October 2006

SOURCE CruiseCompete

Heidi Allison-Shane, +1-248-628-3505, Allison@AllisonTaylor.com, for CruiseCompete

1.5 MILLION QUOTES, AWARDS AND HIGHLIGHTS

DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 19, 2006 – Celebrating its third anniversary, CruiseCompete.com today announced its annual awards as well as the achievement of a new milestone: its 200+ member-travel agencies have now provided more than 1.5 million cruise quotes to consumers looking for the best deals on cruise vacations.

CruiseCompete.com, the world’s only competitive cruise shopping Web site, experienced significant growth over the course of the year and was named as one of the “25 Best Value Travel Sites” on the Internet by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

“The ongoing success of CruiseCompete.com can be directly attributed to its clear value proposition and simple process for providing travelers with the best deals on cruises,” said Bob Levinstein, CEO of CruiseCompete.com. “Our service features innovative internet technology combined with a human touch, which is very attractive to people using the Web to plan their cruise vacations.”

CruiseCompete.com enables cruisers to select a ship and sale date, and their request appears instantly in agent accounts. Agents respond with their best offers, which often include value-added amenities and recommendations for cost savings.

Consumers typically receive 3-6 quotes from member agents. After comparing the quotes, travelers then contact the agencies directly for more information or to book their trip. Users remain anonymous until they contact an agent.

One of the most popular features added to CruiseCompete.com this year was the ability for visitors to provide and read comments on the services provided by top individual member travel agencies and agents.

“Our member-agents are at the core of our success, and we are proud to honor the top performers with our annual agent and agency awards for 2006,” Levinstein said. “Cruises-n-More is our CruiseCompete Agency of the year, and Esther Aimable is our top agent.” The complete list of winners is available online at:

http://www.cruisecompete.com/pressroom.php

CruiseCompete.com saves consumers time by finding the agent with the best deal for them. Consumers secure quotes for cruise deals from multiple travel agencies without having to contact each one separately. To date, more than 350,000 customers have accessed CruiseCompete.com to request cruise quotes from more than 200 member travel agencies around the country. Agents have provided more than 1.5 million quotes to consumers. CruiseCompete, LLC, is an independent company not owned by or affiliated with any travel agency. For more information, visit www.cruisecompete.com.

As reported on CNN.com:

“Using a cruise broker is the most cost-effective way to book a cabin. Rather than shopping around, go to CruiseCompete.com and enter your dates; several brokers will send you their best offers.”