Lights in the Sky, Light on the Wallet: Our Cruise Deals Roundup

Discounts You Can't Only Dream About

SeaDream Yacht Club (tel. 800/ 707-4911; www.seadreamyachtclub.com) is offering its 7-night all-inclusive Caribbean jaunts for as low as $1,799 per person for December 11 departures on both yachts. The SeaDream I sails from St. Martin to San Juan, calling on Antigua, Guadeloupe, Nevis, St. Barts, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. The SeaDream II cruises round-trip out St. Thomas, visiting St. John, St. Martin, Guadeloupe, St. Barts, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. The casually elegant ships carry just 110 passengers apiece and offer guests fun diversions including a retractable watersports and swimming marina for use when the ships are anchored in calm seas, plus ski jets, mountain bike and Segway Human Transporters carried along for guests' use. The vibe is yacht casual, but the food and service are high-end.

Rates for Northern Lights Cruises Go South

Norwegian Coastal Voyage (tel. 800/323-7436; www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.us) is offering a four-night Northern Lights Festival cruise for as little as $565 per person, double occupancy, on January 23 on the 674-berth MS Trollfjord. The 2002-built ship sails from Bergen to Tromso, a lively university town and the largest city in the northern reaches of Norway, where the ship joins the Northern Lights Festival to celebrate the sun's return after the long polar night. After the four-night cruise, you can stay aboard for as many as four additional nights at $70 per person per night to enjoy the festival --- the Trollfjord is the festival's official ship, jazz pub and floating hotel. Single rates are $690 for the cruise and $110 per night as a hotel. Against the backdrop of the dazzling sky, enjoy the Festival's classical, jazz and contemporary music performances throughout the city's concert halls, cafes, cathedral and soccer arena.

Highlights include the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra celebrating Mozart's 250th birthday on January 27 with his Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K 183; the world premiere of 32-year-old Norwegian composer Eivin Buene's piano concerto with Torleif Torgerson as soloist on pianoforte, the instrument of Mozart's day; and acclaimed trumpeter Ole Edvard Antonsen and organist Kare Nordstoga in a concert showcasing the Arctic Cathedral's new organ. There will also be jazz jams and other concerts aboard the Trollfjord. Cruise fares cover accommodations, breakfast and dinner daily, five concerts, three lectures, taxes, port charges and gratuities. While docked in Tromso as a hotel, cabin rates include buffet breakfast. Northern Lights Festival tickets go on sale in late November and cost about US$13 to $58 (in Norwegian kroner, NOK 80 to 375). Check the festival website, www.nordlysfestivalen.no, for the program and booking tickets online; telephone orders can be made to the festival box office (tel. + 47 77 66 33 66).

What Travel Agencies Are Offering

Here are some of the best deals a handful of major travel agencies are advertising this week. Cruises are capacity-controlled and offers may be withdrawn at any time. Similar deals may be available from competing online and brick-and-mortar agencies. All rates are per person and include port charges. Rates for the ultra-luxe lines may also include gratuities and some or all beverages.

Chartwell Travel (tel. 800/772-2103; www.chartwelltravel.com)

• NCL Norwegian Wind: 10-night Hawaii, round-trip from Honolulu. From $679, January 18 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Wind: 11-night Hawaii, round-trip from Honolulu. From $779, January 28 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Sun: 7-night western Caribbean round-trip from Miami. From $529, February 4 sailing.
• Celebrity Zenith: 5-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $260, January 28 sailing.
• Celebrity Mercury: 11-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from San Diego. From $900, March 27 sailing.
• Cunard Queen Mary 2: 6-night Transatlantic, New York to Southampton. From $999, April 15 sailing.
• Carnival Elation: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $429, April 30 sailing.

Cruise Brothers (tel. 800/827/7779; www.cruisebrothers.com)

• Celebrity Summit: 14-night Hawaii, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $1,850, April 23 sailing.
• Holland America Noordam: 11-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from New York City. From $1,499, March 4 sailing.
• Celebrity Century: 9-night Europe, Barcelona to Dover. From $1000, May 30 sailing.
• Orient Marco Polo: 11-night Antarctica, round-trip from Ushuaia. From $3,925, January 3, 11, 19 & 27 sailings.
• Princess Sun Princess: 10-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $1399, December 28 sailing.
• Celebrity Century: 9-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $1700, December 24 sailing.
• Celebrity Constellation: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $770, November 29 & December 10 sailings.
• NCL Norwegian Spirit: 10-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from New York City. From $1149, December 29 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Jewel: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $999, December 25 and January 1 sailings.
• NCL Pride of America: 7-night Hawaii, round-trip from Honolulu. From $649, November 19, 26, December 3, 17, & 24 sailings.

CruisesOnly (tel. 800/278-4737; www.cruisesonly.com)

• Carnival Fascination: 4-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $269, January 16, 23 & 30 sailings.
• NCL Pride of America: 7-night Hawaii round-trip from Honolulu. From $649, December 3 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas. 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Port Canaveral. From $799, January 22 & February 5 sailings.
• Celebrity Mercury: 10-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from San Diego. From $800, December 2 & February 3 sailings.
• MSC Cruises Lirica: 11-night Panama, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $1,045, January 13, February 4 & 26, March 20, April 11 sailings.

Cruise Value Center (tel. 800-231-7447; www.cruisevaluecenter.com)

• Celebrity Century: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $600, January 21 sailing.
• Celebrity Zenith: 5-night western Caribbean, round-trip frin Miami. From $350, January 23 sailing.
• Carnival Elation: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $429, Sept 10 sailing.
• Carnival Legend: 8-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip frin New York. From $849, May 4 sailing.
• Holland America Zuiderdam: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip Fort Lauderdale. From $701, April 1 sailing.
• Holland America Oosterdam: 7-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from San Diego. From $704, April 15 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $799, March 12 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $799, April 22 sailing.
• Princess Star Princess: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $688, April 23 sailing.
• Princess Dawn Princess: 10-night Mexico, round-trip from San Francisco. From $838, March 10 sailing.

Just Cruisin' Plus (tel. 800/888-0922; www.justcruisinplus.com)

• Carnival Conquest: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Galveston. From $549, November 13, January 15, January 22 and January 29 sailings.
• Carnival Pride: 7-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $649, November 12, December 3 & 10 sailings.
• NCL Norwegian Sun: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Houston. From $399, November 27 and December 11 sailings.
• NCL Norwegian Majesty: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Charleston. From $479, December 10 and February 4 sailings.
• Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas: 6-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $549, December 11 sailing.
• Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $599, December 11, January 8 and March 5 sailings
• NCL Norwegian Jewel: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $549, December 11 sailing.
• Carnival Destiny: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $599, January 15 thru February 5 sailings.
• Celebrity Century: 9-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $800, March 9 sailing.

Vacation Outlet (tel. 800/690-2210; www.vacationoutlet.com)

• Carnival Fascination: 3-night Bahamas, round-trip from Port Canaveral. From $269, January 20 & 27 sailings.
• Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas: 5-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Tampa. From $319, December 3 sailing.
• Celebrity Millennium: 6-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $550, December 18 sailing.
• Holland America Westerdam: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $699, January 15 sailing.
• NCL Norwegian Dawn: 11-night western Caribbean, round-trip from New York. From $1,179, December 22 sailing.

Vacation Shoppe (tel. 866/727-8473, www.vacationshoppe.com)

• Holland America Westerdam: 5-night Bahamas, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $399, January 3 sailing.
• Holland America Zuiderdam: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $649, January 7 sailing.
• Holland America Volendam: 10-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from Norfolk. From $949, January 2 sailing.
• Holland America Statendam: 16-night Australia, from Auckland to Sydney. From $2,899, December 22 sailing.
• Holland America Amsterdam: 15-night Hawaiian Islands, round-trip from San Diego. From $1, 899, December 22 sailing.
• Celebrity Mercury: 11-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from San Diego. From $699, January 2 sailing.
• Celebrity Constellation: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $500, December 10 sailing.
• Celebrity Millennium: 6-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $450, December 18 sailing.
• Celebrity Millennium: 2-night cruise to nowhere, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $190, December 2 sailing.
• Cunard Queen Mary 2: 12-night Panama and Caribbean, round-trip from New York. From $1,599, January 3 sailing.
• Cunard Queen Mary 2: 11-night Hawaiian Islands, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $2,099, February 25 sailing.

Do you have a question or comment on this column or perhaps your own cruise story to tell? Head to our Cruise Message Boards to join in the discussions with fellow Frommer's travelers.