Travel Roundup: Cheap Cruises, Seattle Hotel Cost-Cutting, Cruise Fee-Based Bistros and More

(MoneyWatch) 
Cruise lines hope cheap cruises lure customers -- Six-day cruises to the Caribbean from Miami for $299 a person will lure customers, a spokesman for Carnival Cruise Lines said. Norwegian Cruise Lines is also offering Bahamas trips starting at $229. So far, cruise lines have relied on discounts and cuts to keep ships running , but now the industry hopes its switch to cheaper cruises will keep money-conscious customers coming. According to Carnival, the "shorter, less-expensive" segment is performing well. On the West Coast, Carnival is also offering a four-day Baja California cruise in Mexico for $219. [Source: Associated Press]

Seattle hotels cutting costs and luring customers -- Seattle's hotel occupancy dropped 2.6 percent in 2008 and is expected to fall more. Area hotels are dealing with this decline by cutting employee hours and combining positions. Others are promoting their venues by offering $1,000 gas cards to meeting planners, buy-one-get-one-free rooms, free meals or offering choice suites to company executives. However, some hotels like the Four Season Hotel Seattle, said they would not join other hotels in doling out discounts. [Source: Puget Sound Business Journal]

Cruise ships welcome new fee-based restaurants -- While cruise ships are known for their all-inclusive costs, more and more cruise lines are unveiling "alternative" restaurants and bistros charging $5 to $35 per person for exclusive dining fare. Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and even Disney Cruises, all have new venues that cater to pricey cuisine. Norwegian Cruise Line is credited with starting the trend in 1988, when it launched Le Bistro which featured lobster, foie gras and caviar. [Source: Dallas Morning News]

Tennessee is tops for motorcoach travel -- Byways Magazine voted Tennessee the top state for motorcoach travel in 2009 based on its projections. The state was helped by the Great Smoky Mountains, the Tennessee Aquarium, music history and venues in Nashville and Memphis and the National Civil Rights Museum. Runners-up included Virginia, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania. [Source: Associated Press]