Articles /Trends & Hacks / Cruise

Ahoy, Savings! Cruise Lines Keep Costs Down Below

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By Heidi Sarna &

  Published: Mar 22, 2005

  Updated: Oct 11, 2016

Crystal Two-Night Sampler Offers Taste of Luxe

Crystal Cruises (tel. 888/799-4625; www.crystalcruises.com) is offering an appetizer for anyone who wants to try a luxury cruise without ordering the whole meal. On May 28 (Memorial Day weekend), Crystal Harmony will sail a special 2-night cruise, Vancouver to San Francisco, with prices starting at just $450 per person. A 3-night package bundles the cruise with a pre-cruise stay at Vancouver's Hyatt Regency ($580 per person).

SeaDream Hops the Pond, Low Prices in Tow

Luxurious SeaDream Yacht Club (tel. 800/707-4911; www.seadreamyachtclub.com), operator of the twin 110-passenger mega-yachts SeaDream I and SeaDream II, is offering three priced-to-move transatlantic cruises this year, sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Funchal, Madeira, on April 26 (10 nights; $2,599 per person); from Seville, Spain, to San Juan, October 15 (11 nights, $2,699 per person); and from Tenerife in the Canary Islands to West Palm Beach, Florida, October 22 (12 nights; $2,699 per person).

Radisson Offers Deals on January Antarctica Cruises

Radisson's expedition ship, Explorer II, is set to sail two Antarctica cruises January 16 and 27, 2006, departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, and visiting the Falklands and South Shetland Islands as well as the Great White Continent. Zodiac landings on remote islands put guests face- to-face with rookeries of penguins, fur and elephant seals, and albatrosses, while shipboard naturalists and Antarctic specialists offer insight on the region's fauna, flora, geography and geography. Though Explorer's total guest capacity is 394, for these cruises the number will be kept to 198, all berthed in outside cabins and suites. Guests who book by August 31, 2005, will receive a $1,000 early-booking discount, with cruise fares starting from $7,995 per person. Complimentary round-trip economy airfare from 86 North American gateways (or $1,200 credit per guest) is also included on a capacity-controlled basis, as is a pre-cruise hotel stay in Santiago (Jan.16 sailing) or Buenos Aires (Jan. 27 sailing). Find more information by calling Radisson at 800/285-1835 or going online to www.rssc.com.

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.

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

  • Royal Caribbean Empress of the Seas: 7-night Caribbean, Ft. Lauderdale to San Juan. From $409, October 10 sailing.
  • Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Glory: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Port Canaveral. From $519, September 24 sailing.
  • Celebrity Cruises Century: 14-night transatlantic, Rome to Galveston. From $825, October 17, 2005 sailing.
  • Norwegian Cruise Line Pride of Aloha: 7-night Hawaii, round-trip from Maui. From $869, October 8, 15, 22, and 29; November 5 and12; and December 3 sailings.
  • Holland America Line Westerdam: 10-night Gems of the Baltic, round-trip from Copenhagen. From $1,699, August 29, 2005 sailing.

The Cruise Professionals (tel. 800/265-3838; www.cruiseprofessionals.com; additional amenities such as complimentary upgrades, shipboard credits and/or pre-paid gratuities available on most sailings listed)

  • Silversea Silver Cloud: 7-night Mediterranean, Barcelona to Lisbon. From $2,448, May 5 sailing.
  • Silversea Silver Whisper: 9-night Caribbean, Ft. Lauderdale to Barbados. From $2,198, Nov. 2 sailing.
  • Silversea Silver Whisper: 7-night Caribbean, Curacao to Ft. Lauderdale. From $1,698, Dec. 15 sailing.
  • Silversea Silver Shadow: 11-night Mediterranean, Rome to Barcelona. From $4,999, May 3 sailing. Bonus amenities include: $250 per cabin shipboard credit, private cocktail parties, and two exclusive shore excursion events.
  • Silversea Silver Wind: 7-night Africa/Arabian Coast, round-trip from Mahe, Seychelles. From $1,847, Nov. 22 sailing.
  • Crystal Symphony: 11-night Canada/New England, New York to Montreal. From $3,295, Sept.17 sailing.
  • Crystal Harmony: 6-night Alaska, Vancouver to Whittier. From $1,195, May 15 sailing.
  • Crystal Symphony: 9-night transatlantic, Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon. From $1,795, April 25 sailing.
  • Crystal Harmony: 9-day Alaska, Vancouver to San Francisco. From $1,825, May 21 sailing.

Icruise.com (tel. 866/942-7847; www.icruise.com)

  • Princess Golden Princess: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $405, April 3 sailing.
  • NCL Norwegian Dream: 5-night western Caribbean, round-trip from New Orleans. From $518, April 19 sailing. Includes $300 Amazon gift certificate (restrictions apply).
  • Princess Star Princess: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $449, Apr 10 sailing.
  • Celebrity Century: 12-night Scandinavia and Russia, round-trip from Amsterdam. From $1,600 May 21 and June 2 sailings. Includes $100 per cabin onboard credit.
  • Princess Caribbean Princess: 7- night eastern Caribbean, round- trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $706, Mar. 26 sailing.
  • Cunard Queen Mary 2: 6-night transatlantic, New York to Southampton. From $669, April 10 sailing.
  • Princess Star Princess: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $449, April 10 sailing.
  • Royal Caribbean Splendour of the Seas: 7-night Mediterranean, round-trip from Barcelona. From $999, July 23 sailing. Includes complimentary nightly bottle of wine.
  • NCL Norwegian Wind: 10-night Hawaii, round-trip from Honolulu. From $1,119, Jun 22 sailing. Includes $300 Amazon gift certificate (restrictions apply).
  • Royal Caribbean Vision of the Seas: 7-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $660, April 17 sailing.

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

  • Princess Golden Princess: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $ 499, April 3 sailing; from $599, April 10 and 17 sailings.
  • Princess Star Princess: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $499, April 10 sailing; from $599, April 24 sailing.
  • Princess Star Princess: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $499, April 3 sailing.
  • Princess Diamond Princess: 7-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $599, April 9 and 16 sailings.
  • Princess Caribbean Princess: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $499, April 9 sailing; from $599, April 2, 16, and 23 sailings.
  • Princess Diamond Princess: 7-night Alaska, round-trip from Seattle. From $749, May 7 and 14 sailings; from $799, May 21 sailing.
  • Princess Sapphire Princess: 7-night Alaska, round-trip from Seattle. From $749, May 15 sailing; from $799, May 22 sailing.
  • Carnival Carnival Conquest: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from New Orleans. From $649, April 10, 17, and 24; May 1 and 8 sailings; from $599 Sept. 11 thru Nov. 13 sailings.
  • Carnival Carnival Destiny: 7-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from San Juan. From $599, April 3 thru May 8 sailings; $549, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, and30; Nov. 6, 13, and 27 sailings.
  • Carnival Carnival Miracle: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Tampa. From $649, all sailings between Sept. 18 and Dec. 11.
  • Carnival Carnival Pride: 7-night Mexican Riviera, round-trip from Los Angeles. From $649, all sailings between Sept. 11 and Nov 13.
  • Carnival Elation: 7-night Western Caribbean, round-trip from Galveston. From $499, all sailings between Aug. 28 and Nov. 8.

Mann Travel and Cruises/123Travel (tel. 800/835-9828; www.123travel.com)

  • Royal Carribbean Majesty of the Seas: 4-night Bahamas and Key West, round-trip from Miami. From $399, June 10 sailing.
  • Celebrity Century: 12-night Scandinavia and Russia, round-trip from Amsterdam. From $2,030, June 26 sailing
  • Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Port Canaveral. From $1,119, July 3 sailing
  • Celebrity Century: 7-night Norwegian Fjords, round-trip from Amsterdam. From $1,250, Aug. 13 sailing
  • Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas: 7-night Canada/New England, round-trip from Philadelphia. From $999, Aug. 14 sailing
  • Celebrity Century: 10-night Mediterranean, round-trip from Barcelona. From $1,480, Sept. 2 sailing
  • Carnival Triumph: 5-night Bahamas, round-trip from Charleston. From $549, Oct. 18 sailing
  • Celebrity Zenith: 5-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $380, Nov. 5 sailing
  • Carnival Holiday: 4-night Cozumel, round-trip from Galveston. From $299, Nov. 17 sailing
  • Princess Coral Princess: 10-night Panama Canal, round-trip from Fort Lauderdale. From $1,774, Dec. 4 sailing

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

  • Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Triumph: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $599, May 14 sailing.
  • Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas: 9-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Bayonne, NJ. From $859, Sept. 23 sailing.
  • Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Dream: 10-night Alaska, round-trip from Seattle. From $949, May 30 sailing.
  • Celebrity Cruises Century: 10-night western Mediterranean, round-trip from Barcelona. From $1,250, Sept. 23 sailing.
  • Holland America Line Rotterdam: 10-night western Mediterranean, round-trip from Venice. From $1,399, April 29 sailing.

Vacation Shoppe, Inc. (tel. 866/7-CRUISE; www.vacationshoppe.com)

  • Radisson Seven Seas Mariner: 6-nights Panama Canal, Ft. Lauderdale to Costa Rica. From $1,889, May 6 sailing.
  • Radisson Seven Seas Navigator: 14-night Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale. From $3,957, Dec. 5 sailing.
  • MSC Cruises Lirica: 11-night southern Caribbean, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $899, Mar. 31 sailing.
  • Royal Caribbean Mariner: 7-night eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Port Canaveral. From $730, Oct. 30 sailing.
  • Royal Caribbean Explorer: 7-night western Caribbean, round-trip from Miami. From $699, April 10 sailing.
  • Royal Caribbean Radiance: 7-night Alaska, round-trip from Vancouver. From $959, Sept. 17 sailing.
  • Royal Caribbean Brilliance: 12-night Mediterranean, round-trip from Barcelona. From $3,449, June 17 sailing.
  • Holland American Prinsendam: 13-night Irish Sea and Iceland, Copenhagen to Amsterdam. From $3,299, July 12 sailing.
  • Holland America Statendam: 14-night Australia, Sydney to Auckland. From $1,999, Jan. 7, 2006, sailing.
  • Holland America Prinsendam: 104-night Grand World Voyage, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale. From $24,830, Jan. 5, 2006, sailing.
  • Holland America Veendam: 30-night Amazon Explorer, Los Angeles to Tampa. From $4,600, Sept. 24, 2006, sailing.

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