National Cruise Week kicks off today and cruising has never been more popular, with around 1.7million people predicted to take a cruise this year.
If you want to join in with them, there’s a whole host of offers and deals out there, including discounted sailings, free drinks packages, upgrades and onboard credit that you can spend once on your chosen vessel.
So what does Cruise Week bring? Martin Tanner at Jetline Cruise says: “Cruise week is a great time to book; cruise lines will be pushing special offers, so you really can pick up a great deal. Cruising offers guests superb value for money and there are ships and itineraries to meet the requirements of every traveller.’
Here are the best deals for National Cruise Week
Take a taster cruise
Not sure if you fancy cruising? You don’t have to head off on a two-week trip to the Caribbean to find out whether you have sea legs of not. Cunard are offering a four-night cruise on the Queen Mary II (above) to France and Belgium for £329 per person, full board. The itinerary is Southampton-Zeebrugge-at sea-Rouen-Southampton.
Romance on the Rhine
There’s £130 off a nine-day river cruise taking in the Moselle and Rhine with Shearings at the moment. The trip, which departs on October 12, includes six nights’ full board on the MPS Rotterdam, two nights’ half-board en/post route accommodation and return coach travel. The cost is now from £769 per person.
Get some free money – sort of
Royal Caribbean International are offering $100 off onboard spend for any rooms booked on their cruises between today and September 29. The offer is valid on a range of Caribbean and European Royal Caribbean International sailings departing between October 1 and December 31, 2013 – but there’s a catch; you have to book a room with a balcony. If you are tempted, the company’s 12 night Mediterranean Greek Isles fly-cruise on Serenade of the Seas (above) is from £1,099 per person departing on November 13.
Save more than £1,000
While cruising around Europe and the Med is now pricewise on par with other holidays, heading somewhere like the Arctic is still an expensive affair, so Quark Expeditions 20 per cent discount for early bookings for 2014 cruises is welcome. There are also three new itineraries on offer, best of which is a 16-day Arctic Quest: Greenland to Churchill journey. Fifteen nights’ full board, including hotels in Copenhagen and Toronto is now £4,076 per person, a discount of more than £1,000.
Buy one, get one free
There’s half price cruises thanks to Voyages of Discovery’s BOGOF offer. Their 17 day Windows on the Ancient World trip explores North Arica, the Suez Canal, Malta and Greece and sights include the Acropolis in Athens, Jordan’s Petra and archaeological sites of Al Khums and Cyrene in Libya. Seventeen nights’ all-inclusive is from £1,049 per person, including flights from the UK on November 2, 2013.
See www.voyagesofdiscovery.co.uk
Get 12 nights in the Canaries for less than £1k
P&O Cruises has a 12night Canary Islands cruise on Ventura from £899 per person for departures on September 29. The price includes an inside cabin, all meals and entertainment and the itinerary departing and returning to Southampton, includes Madeira, La Palma, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Lisbon.
Take the Mickey
Cruising isn’t all about sitting with the blue rinse brigade, passengers are getting younger and younger, and no more so than on a Disney Cruise. Virgin Holidays Cruises has deals on European sailings for next summer onboard Disney Magic that include $100 of Disney Spending Money for onboard purchases. Stops include Barcelona, Villefranche, Pisa, Rome and Naples and the cost for seven nights’ full board is from £999 per person, including flights from London on August 30.
See www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk
Want to go? Alaska
Blimey! You can save £3,460 on the brochure price on an Alaska cruise next summer. DialAFlight is offering an eight-day five-star cruise with Regent Seven Seas from £3,279 per person, plus $300 spa or ship credit. The price includes return flights, taxes and tips on board, as well as full board accommodation, free open bars and a welcome bottle of Champers.
Save £284 on river cruises
River cruise specialists The River Cruise Line (hey, it’s in the name) have reduced the price of an eight-night Magical Moselle cruise departing on Octover 14 to £695 per person. The cruise on the MPS Amsterdam follows the Moselle between the cities of Koblenz and Trier. Time spent ashore includes the chance to obtain vintage Rieslings and includes visits to the famous wine producing town of Bernkastel.
Get $500 to spend
Carnival Cruises is offering up to $500 onboard credit and a two category upgrade on selected sailings from November to May 2014 to destinations including Florida, the Bahamas and Western Caribbean. Bookings must be made during cruise week
See www.carnivalcruise.co.uk
For more Cruise Week deals, see www.cruiseexperts.org
