A Chat with Travel Writer and Cruise Expert Clark Norton
If you're like me, you want to go on a cruise but you are completely confused by the process of booking one. I recently had a chat with Clark Norton, a professional travel writer and expert on cruising, who has just released a new e-book called How To Save Money on Cruises.
Norton first fell in love with boats as a boy -- riding the car ferries with his family across Lake Michigan. As an adult, his love for boats, cruising and the water has grown. "I love cruising because I love being on the water and sailing into a variety of exotic ports -- you never know what you'll find in each one -- and yet you travel in great comfort and only have to pack and unpack once," he says. "For me, that beats a land-based resort because there you're stuck in one location, while on a cruise you get an incredible variety of dinners and Broadway-style entertainment aboard huge ships."
Norton also loves the smaller, expedition-style cruise ships and everything in between. "There's something for everyone," he says. "Most everyone who gives cruising a chance comes away a convert."
The e-book and an information-packed free monthly newsletter are both available at his Smarter Cruising website. I highly recommend them both -- I thought the e-book was a very worthwhile read as it answered all of my questions and gave me the confidence to book a cruise. And the newsletter is filled with helpful facts such as how to find cruise deals of the month, how to track down discounts, and how to avoid the numerous little things that can spoil your cruise vacation. Norton's also just launched a new blog, where you can find all kinds of insider tips on cruising.
Norton, whose work has appeared in publications such as Hemispheres, Outside, Family Fun, and The Washington Post Magazine, and who has written travel guidebooks for publishers such as Fodor's, Hunter Adventure Guides, and Mobil Travel Guides, definitely knows his stuff. "I've cruised the coast of Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the South China Sea, the South Pacific, the Amazon, and many points beyond -- and am now plotting my next cruise around the tip of Cape Horn in South America," he says.
"My three-part e-book series How to Save Money on Cruises is very straightforward and aims to fill just that need -- how to save money so you can afford to cruise or afford to take more than one cruise if you wish. You can save money when you book the cruise, on how you get to the cruise ship, and once you're onboard the ship as well," Norton says. "That's why I call my site Smarter Cruising -- it's for people who want to be in the know, who want to take some control over their own vacation and get the best deal every step of the way."
I can speak from experience when I say How to Save Money on Cruises offers a ton of tips that will help you save money. I was amazed when I read it.
Norton says, "I'm not trying to sell anyone a cruise and I don't have a financial stake in any cruise that my readers book. I just want them to know what all their options are and that cruises really can be a very affordable vacation if you know the insider tricks."
So if you're a cruiser, or someone who wants to be one, check out Norton's Smarter Cruising website and blog. And for some additional tips on cruising, see my earlier post: Like Cruising? Check Out These Cruise Websites.
Photos courtesy of Freefoto.com, photographer Ian Britton.
