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Yes, there are less expensive five-night cruises from the line (some as little as $209 per person), but the combination of ship and itinerary is tough to beat. It’s an age-old question — does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a “wait-and-see” approach? If you’re booking a cruise vacation, you’ll find there are benefits to both strategies. Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. It’s also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings — but only if the itinerary you’re interested in hasn’t sold out yet.
Best cruise line for budget travelers
I sailed on the oldest and smallest Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Here's how it went - Cruise Blog
I sailed on the oldest and smallest Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships. Here's how it went.
Posted: Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
MSC Cruises offers sailings out of the U.S. (New York, Miami and Orlando) to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Bermuda, New England and Canada. It also offers sailings to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Egypt, Dubai, South Africa and more. Most ships used to cruise the Mediterranean in fall and return only in the spring.
$659 pp — 5nt Caribbean Balcony: exclusive $25 OBC, no deposit & free tips for all guests
Instead of booking transportation and hotels, then having to shell out more for entertainment, restaurants, and activities on a traditional trip, it’s all included in one price. With this cruise aboard Caribbean Princess, you’ll have six days to unwind as you head from Fort Lauderdale to Princess Cays, Grand Turk, and Nassau. Best of all, the fare comes in at just $309 per person before taxes and fees, or only about $50 a day to sail Princess.
Enchantment of the Seas
You’ll travel aboard the National Geographic–Lindblad fleet—expedition ships that can navigate narrow waterways and small harbors that aren’t accessible on larger vessels, so you can get as close as possible to amazing sights. The ships are even equipped with kayaks or paddleboards, snorkeling gear and Zodiacs, and hydrophones and underwater cameras for further exploration. Your Facebook friends will understand when you bombard them with photos. If you’re looking for something a little more kitsch, these themed cruises will be right up your alley. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site.
Mediterranean in Winter
You’ll also find lots of great included dining options, such as Guy’s Burger Joint from Food Network star Guy Fieri. And since you’re saving money on the cruise itself, you may want to consider a meal at specialty restaurants like Emeril’s Bistro 1396 or Rudi’s Seagrill, even though there’s an additional charge. Sail to the destination of your dreams from the departure port that works best for you. Similar to a traditional all inclusive vacation, food and entertainment on board is included in your cruise fare. Most cruise lines also offer a special and affordable drink package for your trip.
How can I maximize the value of my cruise vacation?
In addition to four ports of call, the itinerary also includes three sea days — giving you a chance to to take advantage of the vessel’s many amenities. Let yourself be pampered at Cloud 9 Spa, or indulge in some waterpark thrills, then grab a meal at Cucina del Capitano or Guy’s Burger Joint. This cruise aboard Harmony is dirt-cheap, especially for the ability to sail on one of these massive vessels with tons to do. The cruise leaves and heads south to Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel.
Older Ships Mean Cheaper Fares
The cozy cabins aren't huge, but they are well-appointed with wood details and nautical flair. Fares include everything from wine, beer and spirits to daily excursions. Passengers can utilize each ship's fleet of Zodiacs and kayaks and stash of snowshoes and cross-country skis that aid in exploration.
Best cruise line for younger travelers
Since then, two more small ships -- the intimate 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration and 100-passenger Celebrity Flora – have joined the fleet. Whether you want penguins or polar bears, Quark Expeditions, which specializes in Arctic and Antarctic journeys, is a great choice. The line's newest ship, Ultramarine, has a pair of onboard helicopters, and all six ships in the fleet include kayaking, cross-country skiing and mountaineering equipment (not to mention the ever-present Zodiacs). The line's 128-passenger expedition vessel, 50 Years of Victory, is one of the world's most powerful icebreakers and has nuclear-powered capabilities to go through nearly 10 feet of ice to make the voyage to the North Pole. Besides kayaks and Zodiacs for landings, ships are equipped with scientific tools like hydrophones (to listen in on marine mammals), underwater cameras and video microscopes. And you don’t have to sail to Paris to experience a romantic vacation.
Near the well-stocked library is the Expedition Study, where the 20-member expedition team is accessible for questions. Outdoor deck space includes the forward-facing bow area with an outdoor hot tub. Both have a stern marina for easy access to water sports like kayaking and paddle boarding. In the winter, Royal Clipper island hops around the Caribbean, sailing round trip from Barbados to some of the lesser-known islands. During the summer, it cruises the Mediterranean along the French and Italian rivieras and explores the coast of Croatia and the Canary Islands.
The same cruise in July starts at $5,900, making the shoulder-season cruise $1,400 less expensive. Even better, May is less rainy than July, so you could experience sunnier days on the more affordable sailing. Caribbean cruises might be the bread and butter of mass-market cruise lines, but they don't have the same prominence among the itineraries of the luxury lines.
When it comes to planning the ultimate getaway, there are so many reasons why cruise vacations rank among the most popular travel options. If you’re not a planner, or if the only things you’re looking to focus on during your getaway is savoring great food, relaxing, and soaking up the sights, cruise vacations are the way to go. A cruise vacation is also a great option if you’re traveling with the whole family, especially when you opt for a Royal Caribbean cruise.
This 4-night voyage aboard Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas departs September 26 and features two blissful sea days, with a stop in Cozumel in between. If you’re looking to simply get out of town and want some time at sea, this trip fits the bill. It will give you plenty of time to relax (and work on your tan) on the ship, as well as some time exploring the beautiful Mexican Riviera.
Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package — which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more — and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra. It’s important to pay attention to the cheapest times to book a cruise if you want to save even more. Wave season, which is from January to March, is a promotional time of year when cruise lines run their most competitive sales. These sales are designed to encourage bookings for later in the year.
Thirteen Zodiacs and eight kayaks take guests on water adventures and ashore. Newcomer Ocean Victory is large for a small cruise ship, which allows it to offer more on its Alaska expeditions. There's an impressive spa, salon and gym with panoramic ocean views and several lounges for drinks (always included) and lectures. Silversea Cruises is a pro at luxury small-ship cruising — the line has been at it for more than 30 years. With Silver Endeavour, it achieves the perfect mix of ultra-luxury surroundings with tough-as-nails expedition hardware for its focus on polar cruising. Wine and spirits are included, so take advantage of two impressive outdoor spots for a drink and stunning views — the Sky Bar at the top of the ship and the chic infinity pool at the stern of Deck 3, adjacent to a lounge and cafe.
Because the weather is typically cooler and fish, animals and flowers are less abundant at these times, these sailings are less popular than June-through-August departures, meaning the rates drop. On the plus side, May is typically less rainy than the summer months, and September offers a chance to catch the aurora borealis. Holland America tends to have appealing deals; at time of publication, we saw a two-week transatlantic sailing from Rome to Fort Lauderdale for $57 per person, per night -- and on the line's newest ship. These itineraries occur at the beginning or end of the warm-weather cruise season (spring, late summer and fall, mostly). They also tend to attract mature travelers and retirees who have the time to vacation for 10 days or longer.
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