Cruise deals coming as older ships are forced to discount

A lot of recent media attention has been dedicated to the new mega-cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas. This behemoth has room for 6,000 people!

All of the cruise lines try to "one up" each other with the launch of increasingly fancier ships. The launches are planned years in advance and certainly don't account for the possibility of fewer passengers because of a slumping economy.

So where will the customers come from? Even if the economy recovers, natural demand can't soak up all the new cabins in the marketplace.

The new supply of accommodations means older ships will have to discount to attract passengers. There's a real chance of scoring a deal -- if you don't care about having bragging rights because you cruised on the newest, hottest ship.

Remember, if you want to book a cruise, Clark recommends using a cruise-only agency or a cruise-only agent at a regular agency especially if you're a first-time cruiser. Every ship and every itinerary has its own personality and you want to find a good match.