What if your cruise fare drops?

A reader asked what she should do to recoup several hundred dollars that she's apparently overpaid her cruise line for an upcoming voyage. After putting down her deposit a few months ago for a Caribbean cruise, she spotted a considerably cheaper fare on the Internet for the same category cabin on the same cruise.

The good news for this reader: she hasn't made her final payment yet. Since she booked her cruise through a traditional travel agent, she needs to call the agent to request the lower fare before final payment is due. Assuming all other conditions are met, the agent should be able to secure the lower fare for her. Once the final payment is made, however, the cruise line would probably tell her that the new, lower fare applies to "new bookings only" and reject the refund.

That said, there are no guarantees that she'll get her rebate even before final payment is made. Part of it depends on the travel agent's clout; if it's a major agency the cruise line values, her chances of getting the rebate are much higher.

But she still has options. As long as she acts before the final payment deadline, she can most likely cancel the cruise and rebook it at the lower fare, assuming it's still available. In this case, she might also want to switch travel agents since her first agent was unable to help her.

A final note: you really can't depend on your travel agent to keep on top of every new fare that comes along after you book your cruise. It's best to monitor fares yourself if you want to be sure you get the best deal. But if you do get a call from your travel agent out of the blue saying he or she has secured a lower fare for you after you've already booked, you know you've got a savvy, honest agent who will work with your interests in mind.

Try an exotic cruise from Cyprus to Egypt or Israel

I just returned from a week on the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. Besides being a beautiful and historic island to visit by itself -- it's also a popular beach destination for Europeans -- Cyprus serves as the base for a number of mini-cruises that you can take to nearby countries such as Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, and Greece. (Israel is only about 60 miles from eastern Cyprus, while Egypt is less than 200 miles south.)

If you have just a few days to spare, these can provide a great way to get a taste of the Pyramids, the Holy Land, or other spots in the eastern Mediterranean.

One good cruise line based in Cyprus is Louis Cruise Lines. Louis runs three-day, two-night mini-cruises to Egypt that start at 80 Cyprus pounds per adult, or about U.S. $190 at current exchange rates. The ships leave Limassol, a port on the south coast of Cyprus, for Port Said, Egypt, at three in the afternoon and reach Port Said at 7 the next morning, departing Egypt at 8 that evening. The line offers 12-hour organized shore excursions that include visits to Cairo and the Pyramids as well as a Nile River cruise during time in port (shore excursions coast extra, however). The ships return to Cyprus by noon on the third day, so you're gone for less than 48 hours.

Mini-cruises to Israel leave Limassol at 4 in the afternoon and arrive in Haifa at 7 in the morning. You then have until departure at 8:30 p.m. to explore the Holy Land; the cruise line offers shore excursions to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and Galilee. The ships return to Cyprus by late morning of the third day. Rates start at 75 Cyprus pounds per adult, or about U.S. $180.

Cabin rates about Louis' two ships (the M/V Princesa Marissa and the M/V Serenade) include breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as onboard entertainment.

Louis Cruise Lines also offers mini-cruises to various Greek islands, including Rhodes and Crete. They plan to expand their offerings to cruises to the Black Sea and Adriatic Sea as well. Contact them at www.louiscruises.com.

Another line to check out is Salamis Tours. Besides Egypt, Israel, and some Greek Islands, Salamis adds mini-cruises to Lebanon and Syria to its itineraries. Salamis' two cruise ships, which hold around 600 passengers each, also leave from Limassol and have pricing comparable to Louis Lines. Go to www.salamis-tours.com for more information.

Cruise the Caribbean for a week for less than $500

Teaming with Expedia.com, Royal Caribbean is offering seven-night cruises in the Caribbean for $499 per passenger, double occupancy, in April and September. Port charges are included in the price.

Hurry -- the first April sailing is in just two weeks, on the 7th. Departing from Miami, the Navigator of the Seas makes stops in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, and the Bahamas. The second April sailing is on the 22nd of the month, via the Explorer of the Seas. Also departing from Miami, it visits Belize, Mexico, and the Grand Caymans.

The September cruises depart on the 2nd, 16th, and 30th of the month aboard the Mariner of the Seas. These are out of Port Canaveral, Florida, and stop in the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and St. Maarten. You can upgrade to an oceanview cabin for $549 or a balcony room for $699 on these sailings.

To grab one of these offers, go to Expedia.com or call 888-828-3427.

NCL's special deals for 3rd and 4th guests

Here's another late-breaking deal to cap off wave season: Norwegian Cruise Line is offering special pricing for the third and fourth guests in a cabin on many of its fall sailings in 2007, but you have to book by this week (the offers expire Sunday March 25).

For instance, on its five-day sailings in the Caribbean aboard the Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pearl, NCL is charging just $100 a person for the third and fourth berths. On its seven- and eight-day sailings in the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera aboard the Norwegian Dawn, Sun, and Star, the cost is just $140 per person for those extra berths. And rates range from $180 to $250 per person for third and fourth berths on nine- to 18-day sailings in the Caribbean, South America, and Europe.

As always, various rules and restrictions apply so call a travel agent and ask for promo code PG F307.

Learn more about all kinds of cruise discounts! Go to Tracking Down Discounts.

One-week sale on Alaska cruises from Regent

You can combine Alaskan adventure with luxury on Regent Seven Seas this summer if you travel aboard the line's spacious Seven Seas Mariner for one of three late spring cruises to the 50th state. The line is offering two-for-one savings if you book by this Sunday, March 25, at rates starting at $2,848 for a balcony suite (the 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner is the world's first all-suite, all-balcony ship).

Departures for week-long voyages are May 23, May 30, and June 6 and travel either from Vancouver, BC, to Seward, Alaska, or vice versa. Fares include all onboard tipping, complimentary selected wines and spirits, and other drinks.

The downsides are that you can't combine this offer with free air or kids sail free deals, so, depending on how you plan to get there and who you plan to travel with, you'll need to assess whether this is the best deal you can get.

Still, for a luxury line in a relatively expensive destination, this is a nice offer. And as a bonus, the weather in Alaska is often quite good in late May and early June.

One-day Carnival cruise sale

If you're thinking of taking a Carnival cruise this year, the industry giant is featuring a one-day sale this Thursday, March 22, in which it's offering best available stateroom upgrades on most sailings in 2oo7. Double occupancy rates being offered start as low as $249 for two four-day sailings from Florida in September, and there are lots of other Caribbean and Mexican cruises under $500 per passenger.

Carnival also has group sale rates that expire on March 22. And they have special rates for past passengers starting as low as $209 for three-day cruises out of Miami this fall; perks include stateroom upgrades as well (you have to book these by the end of April).

All these deals are being sold exclusively through travel agents, so if you work with one (or even if you don't), give her or him a call and mention these specials.

Cruise discounts from RiverBarge Excursions

RiverBarge Excursions, which runs mostly weeklong river barge excursions along the Mississippi, Ohio, Cumberland, and other rivers (and lakes) in America's heartland, has standing offers of discounts for both kids and teachers -- and they don't have to travel in school groups to take advantage of them.

Children 12 and under are free on RiverBarge voyages when occupying the same stateroom as their parents or grandparents, while kids 17 and under are half price when staying in their own cabin. Teachers, meanwhile, get to go for half price when sharing a stateroom with another full-paying adult.

Each voyage centers around a cultural or historical theme such as "The Route of Jean Lafitte" or "Cajuns and Creoles," so they're well-suited for both teachers and kids with an interest in American history or just enjoying life on some of the nation's great rivers. If you don't want your kids to be the only youngsters aboard, it would make sense to book your trip for summer or another school holiday period.

Weeklong full-fare rates start at $1,745 per passenger (for a trip in March 2008) but average more in the range of about $2,500 per passenger. Certainly not cheap, but you might be able to save on airfare if you live near a southern or Midwestern embarkation point. Shorter, less expensive trips are also available periodically, if you just want to get a taste of what they're like. And if you're someone who has to battle seasickness on an ocean voyage, you should find these river trips calm and to your liking.

For more information, go to www.riverbarge.com, call 888-462-2743 ext. 1, or e-mail reservations@riverbarge.com. You can find details on these discounts by clicking on "Special Excursions & Savings" on the website's home page.

Learn more about all kinds of cruise discounts! Go to Tracking Down Discounts.