This may be bad for the cruise lines BUT wonderful for us the cruise vacation consumers. Where cruising has always been a great value overall, now with the lowering prices taking a cruise vacation is an exceptional value.

Cruise lines are masters at managing their ships inventory, their aim is for ships to always sail full. Unlike hotels and resorts that are willing to have empty rooms and are still charging outrageous rates, the cruise lines are allowing people to take affordable vacations in today's economy. This also includes special sailings, Holiday sailings and last minute deals.

Hotels and resorts who normally sell a room for $325.00 a night are still selling their hotel rooms for $325.00 a night (plus tax of course). Hotels and Resorts feel they would be devaluing their product if the lowered their rates. Cruise Lines see that they may be able to introduce someone to cruising who felt they could not afford it before or entice someone who has cruised before to cruise an extra time or two. Cruise Lines are willing to slash their prices so all their ships cabins are sold.

Why do cruise lines offer these great low rates? Two reasons are most prominent.

1. On most cruise lines the crew's compensation is based on a significant percentage they receive from the guests tips and gratuities. So when there are empty cabins, there are no tips and the crew earns less. So the cruise lines will rather lower their cabin rate cost, so their crew can still earn a similar wage.

2. The cruise lines earn a bulk of their earnings from the on board venues, such as the casino's, spa's, bars and lounges and the shore excursions. So if there are less people on board the ship will earn less money.

Like any type of vacation you take when you make your plans you factor in the cost of the airfare, the car rental, the hotel and maybe some of your activities and food. When you purchase a cruise many of these items are already factored in for you, so you have less to worry about when you get home that you went over budget. Unlike traditional vacations, on a cruise you can actually prepay almost all of your vacation and not have to worry about over spending.

If you buy now, put down the minimum deposit, your cruise fare is locked in, even if you are not traveling for months from now. You can even set up a payment plan and pay off your cruise vacation with monthly installments.

For those who have cruised before know that there are things you may want to do on the ship that costs above the actual cruise fare. The best solution I offer is to set an amount you want (as little or as much as you can afford) and set yourself up with a shipboard credit. This shipboard credit can be prepaid as well, so you won't have any additional costs from the cruise when your vacation is over. All the cruise lines now have their shore excursions on line so you can sign up early and prepay. Even if you want to play in the casino, savor a massage or enjoy a glass of wine with dinner by setting up a set amount on your sign and sail account, you can have these items already paid for in advance with your shipboard credit. You can't do that with any hotel or resort!

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Terry Jones, ACC is a Contributing writer for Cruises, Inc. (www.blog.travelladycruises.com)  She has been in the travel industry for the past 20 years.  Terry has work as a corporate travel consultant at many Fortune 500 Companies.  You can contact her at travel_lady@cox.net