Eastern Caribbean Cruise On Carnival Glory From $299!

You need a vacation now! Well, maybe you could hold out for another week. For as low as $299 (USD) you could be sailing on Carnival Glory out of Miami, Florida on Sunday, April 20, 2014 on a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise with four awesome ports of call.

The Cruise

 

Carnival Glory embarks from Miami, Florida at 4pm on Sunday, April 20, 2014 on a seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise. She returns to Miami for 8am on Sunday, April 27. Along the way, Glory makes four port calls on some beautiful tropical islands.

First up is Nassau, Bahamas on Monday, April 21. This stop is short, arriving at 7am and leaving at 2pm. Next up is the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Carnival Glory arrives at St. Thomas Harbour on Wednesday, April 23 at 10am and stays until 6pm, giving plenty of time to enjoy the island’s shopping, beaches and awesome mountaintop views.

If it’s Thursday, Carnival Glory must be in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Plan to get up early to discover this historic city. The ship arrives at 7am and has another early departure time of 3:30.

Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos is the last port of call on this cruise. Glory arrives at Grand Turk at 11am on Friday, April 25. She is docked on this tiny island for just 6 ½ hours but that’s plenty of time to enjoy the location. From the upper decks of the ship, you will be able to see clear across Grand Turk to the ocean on the other side. Beach, water sports and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville – there ain’t much more.

The Price (all prices for Carnival are given in USD)

Right now, the Super Saver rate for this cruise starts at $299 per person for an inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. There is an additional $125.52 in government fees and taxes added on per person. With taxes included, an inside cabin for two can be had for as low as $849.04 total.

With Carnival’s Super Saver rates, the stateroom is assigned at the time of boarding. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid in full at the time of booking.

The Ship 

Built by Fincantieri in Italy, Carnival Glory made her maiden voyage in July of 2003. She is one of five Conquest Class ships in the Carnival Cruises fleet. All five are nearly identical and entered service between 2002 and 2007.

This is a large ship with a gross tonnage of 110,000. Glory is 290 metres or 952 feet in length with 13 decks accessible to passengers. Capacity is for 2,974 guests and 1,150 crew members. Carnival Glory is based out of Miami, Florida year round. She does a mix of seven night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. The Western version typically stops at Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Mohogany Bay on the island of Roatan in Honduras and Georgetown, Grand Cayman.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Enchantment of the Seas 4 Night Bahamas Cruise From Just $169

Royal Caribbean provides the perfect short getaway to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida. It’s a buyer’s market for the April 14, 2014 sailing on Enchantment of the Seas for the four night Bahamas cruise. An inside stateroom can be had for as low as $169 per person. Hurry, time is running short and all Balcony cabins and suites are already waitlisted.

The Cruise

 

Enchantment of the Seas embarks from Port Canaveral, Florida at 4:30pm on Monday, April 14, 2014 for a four night Bahamas cruise. She arrives back at her home port on Friday, April 18 at 7am. Along the way, Enchantment makes two stops, including a full day and night at Nassau.

On Tuesday, April 15, Enchantment of the Seas anchors off Coco Cay at 8am. Guests are tendered ashore to this private island leased by Royal Caribbean. Formerly known as Little Stirrup Cay, the island is part of the Berry Islands of the Bahamas. Chances of getting lost on the island are slim with it being just a kilometre wide from north to south and 190 metres from east to west. The island is used by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. Enchantment of the Seas leaves the island at 5pm.

The following day, Wednesday, April 16, Enchantment docks at Nassau at 7am. She remains in port at the largest city in the Bahamas until midnight. After heading back out to sea, the ship takes her time going back up the coast of Florida with a full day at sea on Thursday, April 17.

The Price

Right now, an inside stateroom can be had for as low as $169 per person, based on double occupancy. With the $72 in government fees and taxes tacked on, the total price for two can be as low as $482. Ocean View staterooms start at $259 per person. As mentioned, balcony cabins and suites are all already spoken for. This price trumps all other rates including military, police and fire and seniors.

The Ship 

Enchantment of the Seas was built at Kvaemer Masa Yards in Helsinki, Finland, now known as STX Finland. She made her maiden voyage on July 13, 1997 and was upgraded for 2005. Enchantment is a Vision Class ship with a gross tonnage of 82,910. She is 301 metres or 989 feet in length. Previous to 2005, the ship was 279 metres or 916 feet in length. There are eleven decks accessible to the capacity 2,449 guests.

Enchantment calls Port Canaveral her home port all year round. She alternates between three and four night Bahamas cruises. The three night has the same two ports of call but she hustles back to Port Canaveral after leaving Nassau and doesn’t have a full day at sea.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Celebrity Eclipse - Another Great Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise Deal

Transatlantic repositioning season is coming up fast and so are the deals. With Celebrity Eclipse, the 13 night cruise leaving Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on April 19 is an especially great deal for Military, Police and Fire, as well as seniors 55 and older.

The Cruise

 

The 13 night transatlantic repositioning cruise onboard Celebrity Eclipse embarks from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 4:30pm on Saturday, April 19, 2014. Eclipse arrives in Southampton in the United Kingdom at 5:30am on Friday, May 2. Along the way, she makes three port calls, one of which is an overnight stay.

On Sunday, April 20, Eclipse doesn’t go too far from her winter home port, stopping at Nassau in the Bahamas from 7am until 3pm. She follows that up by a full day at sea, moving northeast over the Atlantic Ocean.

Eclipse docks at King’s Wharf in Bermuda on Tuesday, April 22 at 1pm. She doesn’t leave port until the following day at 5pm. This allows guests plenty of time to move about on land before four full days at sea before the next port of call.

On Monday, April 28, Eclipse stops at Ponta Delgada, the largest city in the Azores Islands, belonging to Portugal. She is docked in the Azores from 7am until 5pm before heading out on the last leg of the trip before reaching Southampton.

The Price

For the regular Joe, the price for an inside stateroom starts at $689 per person, based on double occupancy. With $129 in government taxes and fees tacked on, the total price for an inside cabin for two can be had for as low as $1,636, including taxes.

Other levels of stateroom are reasonable with ocean view cabins starting at $849 per person, balcony staterooms starting at $959 per person and suites from $2,699 per person.

The discount for former and current members of the Canadian and American armed forces is deep. The same inside cabin that starts at $689 can be had for $542 per person if just one guest in the room qualifies as military. This same discount is also available for those employed as policemen or firefighters.

Seniors get not quite the same discount but it’s still pretty deep. If one guest in the stateroom is 55 or older, each guest pays $599 each. All discounted prices are still subject to the same $129 in government fees and taxes.

The Ship 

Celebrity Eclipse was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and made her maiden voyage for Celebrity Cruises on April 29, 2010. The Solstice Class ship is large with a gross tonnage of 121,878. The ship is 317 metres or 1,041 feet in length. There are 13 decks accessible to the capacity 2,850 passengers. Generally, there are 1,271 crew members onboard.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

You Pick - Great Pricing On 2 Different 4 Night Bahamas Cruises

Usually, when considering a last minute deal, there is little choice. That’s not the case on February 10, 2014 if you’re looking for a four night Bahamas cruise out of Miami. Norwegian Sky and Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Sea both leave Miami at pretty much the same time on the 10^th and return at the same time on the 14^th. Each has three port calls and each can be had for nearly the same identical low, low price.

Here’s the details for both. It’s up to you and your personal preferences to decide.

Norwegian Sky

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Sky embarks from Miami, Florida at 5pm on Monday, February 10, 2014 for a four night Bahamas cruise. Sky returns to Miami at 7am on Friday, February 14. She makes three port calls meaning there are no full days at sea.

On Tuesday, Norwegian Sky stops at Great Stirrup Cay, a private island in the Bahamas owned by Norwegian Cruise Line. The ship will be at this location from 8am until 5pm. The following day, it’s off to Nassau, the only shared port between the two cruises we’re looking at today. Sky is docked at Nassau from 8am until 6pm. On Thursday, Norwegian Sky docks at the other major city in the Bahamas, Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. She is in port from 8am until 5pm.

The Price

An inside stateroom for this cruise can be had for as low as $129 per person, based on double occupancy. With $101.07 per person in additional government fees and taxes tacked on, the total price for this cabin for two goes for as low as $460.14. Ocean View rooms start from $159 per person while a balcony cabin starts at $329 per person and a suite can be had for as low as $1,099 per person.

The Ship

Norwegian Sky has had a bit of a broken life. She was originally ordered in 1993 and was to be the Costa Olympia for Costa Cruises. Construction on the ship was started by Bremer Vulkan in Germany. However, the company went out of business in 1997. Bremer Vulkan had been around since 1893 in the ship building biz, mostly cargo ships with just a few passenger cruise ships on the resume.

The ship that would become Norwegian Sky was then towed to Lloyd Werft in Germany where it was completed in 1999. The ship never sailed for Costa and was the Norwegian Sky from 1999 to 2004. She then became the Pride of Hawaii, still under Norwegian Cruise Line. In 2008, she returned to the Norwegian Sky name.

Back in September, 1999, on her inaugural cruise, Sky was at the mouth of the Saguenay River at the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada when she ran aground. The ship was evacuated as a precaution and there were no injuries.

One of two Sky Class Norwegian Cruise Line ships, Norwegian Sky is a smaller ship with a gross tonnage of 77,104. She is 260 metres or 853 feet in length and has nine decks accessible to passengers. Capacity on the vessel is for 2,004 guests with 934 crew members.

The other Sky Class ship is the Norwegian Sun. Sun is younger and slightly larger. She was put in service for NCL in 2001.

 

Majesty of the Seas

The Cruise 

Majesty of the Seas embarks for her four night Bahamas Cruise out of Miami a half hour before Norwegian Sky. She arrives back at the same time on Friday, 7am. Majesty also makes three port calls but with a slightly more southwest feel.

On Tuesday, Majesty of the Seas is docked at Nassau from 8am until midnight. This is an amazingly long time in port. The following day, passengers can get rested up, lying in the sun at Coco Cay in the Bahamas. Coco Cay is a private island owned by Royal Caribbean and guests have from 8am until 5pm to enjoy it before heading off to the final destination. That final stop is Key West, Florida. Majesty is in Key West on Thursday from 10am until 6pm.

The Price

An inside stateroom on Majesty of the Seas has a slightly higher base price that the equivalent on Norwegian Sky, starting from $133 per person, based on double occupancy. Government fees and taxes are slightly lower at $98 per person. This means an interior cabin for two can be had for as low as $462, including taxes. The difference in price between the two ships is less than two dollars. An Ocean View room on Majesty of the Seas starts at $169 per person and a suite can be had for as low as $929 per person.

The Ship

Majesty of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s oldest active ships, making her maiden voyage in April, 1992. She was built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, which is now owned by STX Europe. Back in 1992, Majesty was christened by Queen Sonja of Norway. She was last refurbed in 2007.

At a length of 880 feet or 268 metres and 13 decks accessible to passengers, Majesty of the Seas may not be the largest boat on the ocean but she’s of pretty decent size. The ship carries around 2,750 passengers and 833 crew members.

The last remaining ship of Royal Caribbean’s Sovereign Class, Majesty’s two sister ships are still around but sailing for RC’s Spanish subsidiary, Pullmantur Cruises. Sovereign of the Seas is the oldest, put in service in 1988. She switched to Pullmantur after 2008. Monarch of the Seas came into service in 1991 and just switched over in 2013.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Carnival Still Looking Out For Canadians On This 5 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise

The Canadian dollar has dipped to levels against the greenback not seen in several years. Should this deter you from heading south for your winter vacation? Carnival Cruise Lines doesn’t think so. Carnival is looking out for Canadian residents with special rates on certain itineraries this winter. One of those deals is coming up soon on a five night Eastern Caribbean journey out of Miami, Florida. Canadian residents can be on the ship for as low as $209 each (USD).

The Cruise

 

Carnival Victory embarks from Miami, Florida on Monday, January 20 at 4pm on a five night Eastern Caribbean cruise. The first full day, Tuesday, is spent at sea as Victory powers her way south to her furthest port of call before meandering back home.

On Wednesday, January 22, Carnival Victory docks at Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos. She remains in port from 7am until 2:30pm. A short stay, yes but plenty of time to spend on the beachfront, right next to the ship and to sip margaritas at the adjacent Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.

Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas is the port call for Thursday, January 23. Formerly known as Little San Salvador Island, Victory is anchored offshore from 9:30 to 5:30. The environmentally sensitive island does not have docking facilities and passengers must be tendered via small boat from ship to shore. Half Moon Cay was purchased by Holland America Line (under the Carnival umbrella) in 1996 from Norwegian Cruise Line.

Have a Kindle? If you're heading to Half Moon Cay, you should check out the ebook by uber-cruise expert Bob Haefliger advertised below. Haefliger's guidebooks are highly rated and specialized. At 112 pages long, this is needless to say, a very detailed guide that is up to date. The best part about 'CruisePortInsider Guide to Half Moon Cay' is that at a price of just $4.99, it's about half the price of just one beer at a Toronto Maple Leafs game!

For her last port of call, Carnival Victory travels overnight the great distance of 100 miles to the northwest and docks at Nassau, Bahamas. On Friday, January 24, she hangs out at the largest city in the Bahamas from 7am until 5pm.

Victory returns to Miami on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 8am.

The Price (note – Carnival prices are all in U.S. Dollars)

Carnival does the best of any cruise line in the Caribbean to take care of Canadian residents and the Military of both the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian Resident rate for this cruise puts an inside stateroom as low as $209 per person. Government fees and taxes are an additional $94.55 per person. This means that an interior stateroom for two can be had for as low as 607.10, including taxes.

The Military rate is slightly more at from $212 per person, based on double occupancy. However, this rate includes a $25 onboard credit per stateroom. Any current or past members of the American or Canadian military qualify for this rate.

Just to compare how great this deal is, the Super Saver rate for the same stateroom is $249. The Super Saver is Carnival’s ultra low rate and usually there is nothing less expensive.

The Ship 

Carnival Victory is one of three Triumph Class ships in the Carnival Cruise Lines fleet. Built by Fincantieri in Italy, Victory made her maiden voyage on October 15, 2000. She is a fairly large ship with a gross tonnage of 101,509 and a length of 272 metres or 896 feet. There are 13 decks accessible to the capacity 2,754 passengers. 1,100 crew members can be found onboard.

Victory is the newest of the three Triumph Class ships. Carnival Sunshine was the first, in service in 1996. Sunshine was known as Carnival Destiny until a major overhaul and name change in 2013. The other ship is the class is the Carnival Triumph, in service since 1999. Triumph is, of course, the ill-fated ship that was stuck at sea in February, 2014. After four months of repairs, Triumph was back on the high seas and is now operating flawlessly.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

4 Night Bahamas Cruise As Low As $149 Per Person

Right in the middle of the high season, a four night Bahamas cruise out of Miami, Florida can still be had for as low as $149 per person. Norwegian Pearl embarks on Wednesday, February 26, 2014 and arrives back in Miami on Sunday March 2, making two port calls along the way.

The Cruise

 

The four night Bahamas itinerary embarks from Miami at 4pm on Wednesday, February 26. This is a very short distance cruise with Norwegian Pearl probably never getting close to full speed.

On the first full day, Thursday, Pearl stops at Great Stirrup Cay from 8am until 6pm. Great Stirrup Cay is a small island in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas. The island is privately owned by Norwegian Cruise Line but is also used by MSC Cruises and their only Caribbean ship, the MSC Divina.

The Kindle book by Bob Haefliger, advertised to the left, is a very indepth and up-to-date ebook guide to Great Stirrup Cay. Reviews are exceptional and at $4.99 we're still in the range of a bottle of water at the airport or cruise port. This is definitely a must read for anyone taking on a Norwegian Cruise with Great Stirrup Cay included in the itinerary.

The ship then possibly goes in reverse to spend a full day at sea before arriving at Freeport on Grand Bahama Island on Saturday, March 1. The distance from Great Stirrup Cay to Freeport is just over 100 kilometres or 60 miles. She docks in Freeport from 8am until 6pm before starting the short and slow journey back to Miami. Pearl arrives back at her home port at 8am on Sunday, March 2, 2014.

It wouldn’t be fair to ignore the fact that these dates are within the U.S. College Spring Break season. However, it is before grade school aged children take off school for a week.

The Price

Inside staterooms can be had on this sailing of the Norwegian Pearl for as low as $149 CAD per person. There is an additional $101.68 per person in government fees and taxes. The total, including taxes, for two can be booked today from $501.36.

Right now, Norwegian is also offering one coupon book per stateroom, good for up to $300 worth of onboard savings.

The Ship 

Norwegian Pearl is one of four Norwegian Cruise Line Jewel Class ships. The four ships are nearly identical and were all built between 2005 and 2007. The three sister ships are the Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Jade.

Pearl is a decent sized ship with a gross tonnage of 93,530. She is 294 metres or 965 feet in length with 12 decks accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity for 2,394 guests based on double occupancy. There are 1,099 crew members onboard, making for a decent guest to crew ratio for a contemporary ship.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Jacksonville: The Other, Other Florida Cruise Port Alternative

Jacksonville, Florida – not just a city you drive through on the way to Spring Break anymore. In 2012, 195,000 people embarked on cruises out of the JAXPORT cruise terminal. The only major ship that calls Jacksonville home is the Carnival Fascination. On January 11, 2014, Fascination embarks on a five night Bahamas cruise. You can be on that boat for as low as $199 per person.

The Cruise

The five night Bahamas itinerary embarks from Jacksonville, Florida at 4pm on Saturday, January 11, 2014. Over the cruise, Fascination makes two port calls. After a day at sea, sailing parallel to the Florida coast, the ship stops at Key West, Florida on Monday, January 13 from 7:30am to 3pm.

The following day, Fascination arrives at Nassau, Bahamas. The ship stays docked at the largest city in the Bahamas from 12pm until 8pm, before starting the journey back north to Jacksonville. She arrives home at 8am on Thursday, January 16.

Why Jacksonville? With just one major cruise ship calling the port home, passengers miss out on the massive crowds found further south at ports like Ft. Lauderdale and Miami where more than a handful of large cruise ships can all be pulling out at the same time. For those from Southern Ontario who aren’t so keen on flying, Jacksonville is around 17 hours of drive time by car. A long time, yes but still doable compared to the extra 5 or 6 hours to the Miami area.

Note: Carnival Fascination will add Little Stirrup Cay as a port of call on the five night Bahamas itinerary in the spring of 2014. Little Stirrup Cay is a private island belonging to Carnival Corp.

The Price (note: Carnival prices are in U.S. Dollars)

For this cruise, Carnival has a Super Saver fare and Canadian Residents fare that both start from $199 per person for an inside stateroom. The difference is that if you qualify as a Canadian Resident, you have a limited choice of stateroom. With the Super Saver, you are stuck with what they give you at the time of check-in.

Choices of staterooms for the Canadian Residents deal are limited to the Riviera Deck. The Riviera Deck is deck number four of 14 on this ship and the lowest of ten decks accessible to passengers.

Government taxes and fees for this cruise are $85.56 per person, regardless of stateroom. For two, an inside stateroom can be had for as low as $558 with taxes and fees included. Keep in mind that although there is a Canadian Residents special rate, all Carnival pricing is in USD.

I often pat Carnival on the back for having the lowest rates for present and former Military. However, on this cruise the rates listed above are actually lower than the Military rate.

The Ship 

Carnival Fascination is the only major cruise ship that will call Jacksonville, Florida home in 2014. She is based in the North Florida city through the end of 2014 and beyond. Fascination has the sole duty to alternate between four and five night Bahamas itineraries.

Fascination has been in service since 1994 and is one of eight Carnival Cruise Lines Fantasy Class ships. The eight ships per put in service between 1990 and 1998. All were built by STX Finland in Helsinki.

The ship is small by today’s standards with a gross tonnage of 70,367. Fascination is 855 feet or 261 metres in length and has ten decks accessible to passengers. Capacity is for 2,056 guest with 920 crew members.

If you’d like to find out all the dirty details of what happens below the Riviera Deck, Joshua Kinser is a former Carnival and Princess crew member that wrote a tell-all book about his experience. Check it out – the Kindle version is just $2.99 – the price of a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi. More info here: Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

3 Night Celebrity Cruises Bahamas Primer From $119

We previously looked at a five night Celebrity Constellation Western Caribbean cruise. The ship takes a little break from the regular routine on January 13, 2014 to run a three night Bahamas itinerary out of Port Everglades at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This is a short, quick journey but pricing is great and guest can easily turn around and get back on another cruise ship once the three days are over.

The Cruise

 

Celebrity Constellation embarks from Port Everglades at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Monday, January 14, 2014 at 4:30pm. On Tuesday, the ship stops at Coco Cay in the Bahamas. Coco Cay is owned by Royal Caribbean and is historically known as Little Stirrup Cay. The tiny island that measures just 1000 metres by 200 metres is used exclusively by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara Club. Coco Cay is in the Berry Islands and is between Freeport and Nassau.

On Wednesday, January 15, Constellation moves 55 miles south to Nassau, Bahamas. She stays in port from 8am until 5pm before setting sail for Ft. Lauderdale. The ship docks at Port Everglades at 7am on Thursday, January 16.

There are no ships heading back out to the high seas from Ft. Lauderdale on January 16. However, on January 17, Holland America has both the ms Maasdam and ms Noordam embarking on 10 night cruises to the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

The amazing capacity of the Port Everglades cruise port is evident on January 18 with seven different large cruise ships filling up with anywhere from 2000 to 5000 passengers each. Princess Cruise Line has the Crown Princess, Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess setting out. Royal Caribbean sends out the massive Oasis of the Seas, Independence of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas. Holland America puts out the ms Westerdam. In other words, if you wanted to extend your three days at sea, there are lots of opportunities.

The Price

The lowest rate for this three night cruise is $119 per person for an inside stateroom. With the additional $83 in government fees and taxes, the total price for two would be $404. Ocean View staterooms can be had for as low as $159 per person and a balcony runs a still reasonable $209 per person.

The Ship

Celebrity Cruises is the premium line of Royal Caribbean International. Celebrity Constellation is the youngest of the four Millennium Class ships in Celebrity’s fleet. Millennium came in 2000, Infinity was put in service in 2001 while Summit and Constellation came last in 2002. All have identical gross tonnage of 91,000 and all are 965 feet or 294 metres long.

The Constellation has eleven decks accessible to passengers. It has a capacity for 2,170 guests and has around 1,000 crew members on board for a nearly 1 to 1 ratio.

The ship was built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France. After this Bahamas cruise, she returns to her four and five night Western Caribbean rotation until late April, 2014. On April 24, 2014, Constellation embarks on a 15 night Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

From $169 For 3 Port Calls In The Bahamas Aboard Norwegian Sky

It might be just a four night cruise but it packs a punch. On January 20, 2014, Norwegian Sky embarks from Miami, Florida for a four night journey around the Bahamas. Over the short cruise, the ports of call are packed in with three stops on the three full days between leaving and arriving back at Miami. Pricing may still have room to drop but even just under a month out, the rates are quite affordable.

The Cruise

 

This four night Bahamas cruise on board the Norwegian Sky embarks from Miami, Florida at 5pm on Monday, January 20, 2014. She arrives back in Miami at 7am on Friday, January 24. Sky crams in three port calls along the way with no full days at sea.

On Tuesday, Norwegian Sky spends the day at Great Stirrup Cay. The small island is located in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas and is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line. She stays at this location from 8am to 5pm before moving on.

Next up is Nassau, Bahamas on Wednesday. Sky is docked at the largest city in the Bahamas from 8am until 6pm. Nassau has a population of around 250,000 and accounts for a good portion of the overall population of the Bahamas. January is a great time to visit Nassau with the average daytime high around 26 Celsius or 80 Fahrenheit. January is the city’s driest month.

The final stop is at Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. Norwegian Sky stops at the ‘second city’ of the Bahamas on Thursday from 8am to 5pm. Freeport is quite a bit smaller than Nassau with a population of around 60,000. Located a little further north, the average daytime high is three degrees Celsius less than Nassau but still an enjoyable 23 or 74 Fahrenheit. As with Nassau, January is one of Freeport’s driest months.

The Price

Currently, an inside stateroom on board Norwegian Sky can be had for as low as $169 per person. That equates to $42.25 per person per night. Added to that price is $101.07 in government taxes and fees. The total for two in an interior stateroom starts from $540.14. This deal is eligible for a $15 on board credit per stateroom.

Claustrophobic? Ocean View staterooms start from $229 per person. Balcony prices are decently priced from $349 per person.

The Ship

Norwegian Sky has had a bit of a broken life. She was originally ordered in 1993 and was to be the Costa Olympia for Costa Cruises. Construction on the ship was started by Bremer Vulkan in Germany. However, the company went out of business in 1997. Bremer Vulkan had been around since 1893 in the ship building biz, mostly cargo ships with just a few passenger cruise ships on the resume.

The ship that would become Norwegian Sky was then towed to Lloyd Werft in Germany where it was completed in 1999. The ship never sailed for Costa and was the Norwegian Sky from 1999 to 2004. She then became the Pride of Hawaii, still under Norwegian Cruise Line. In 2008, she returned to the Norwegian Sky name.

Back in September, 1999, on her inaugural cruise, Sky was at the mouth of the Saguenay River at the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada when she ran aground. The ship was evacuated as a precaution and there were no injuries.

One of two Sky Class Norwegian Cruise Line ships, Norwegian Sky is a smaller ship with a gross tonnage of 77,104. She is 260 metres or 853 feet in length and has nine decks accessible to passengers. Capacity on the vessel is for 2,004 guests with 934 crew members.

The other Sky Class ship is the Norwegian Sun. Sun is younger and slightly larger. She was put in service for NCL in 2001.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

A Euro Experience in the Caribbean With MSC Divina From Just $451

Not a new player to the world of high seas cruising but a relative newcomer to the Caribbean, MSC Cruises offers a Euro style experience while cruising on this side of the Atlantic. Cruisers can experience a six night Western Caribbean journey on board the MSC Divina from a taxes included price of just $451.04 USD per person. This is an extreme hot deal and you have to act quick.

The Cruise

 

MSC Divina embarks from Miami,Florida at 7pm on Sunday, January 12, 2014 for a six night Western Caribbean cruise. She makes three port calls along the way before arriving back at Miami at 7am on Saturday, January 18, 2014.

The first port call is at Georgetown on Grand Cayman Island. The ship makes this stop on Tuesday, January 14 from 7am until 4pm. The following day, it’s off to Cozumel, Mexico where Divina will dock from 8am to 5pm.

The final stop is at Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. Great Stirrup Cay is a small island in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas. This is a private island that is owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines.

The Price (note: prices for MSC in American currency)

For as low as $451.04 per person, including taxes and fees, an interior stateroom can be had on this cruise, based on double occupancy. This means, a couple can be on board the MSC Divina for just over $900 USD.

This is a hot deal which is already mostly sold out. If the price tickles your fancy, you’ve got to act fast.

The Ship



MSC Divina is a new ship, making her maiden voyage on May 27, 2012. She was named in honour of Sophia Loren. Divina is one of four MSCCruises Fantasia Class ships, along with MSC Fantasia, MSC Splendida and MSC Preziosa.

Divina is a large ship. With a gross tonnage of 139,072, she is the tenth heaviest cruise ship on the high seas today. Her length of 333 metres or 1,093 feet currently ranks her ninth in the world. The ship has 18 decks with 14 accessible to passengers. Divina has a capacity for 3,502 passengers with around 1,388 crew members also on board.

For 2014, Divina is the only one of the 12 ships belonging to MSC Cruises to be full-time in the Caribbean. MSC Musica is the only one of the 12 to spend at least some time in the Caribbean. MSC Cruises is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and was founded in 1987.

 

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

ms Zuiderdam Southern Caribbean: Premium Cruise at a Contemporary Price

It might be called a Southern Caribbean cruise but you get the bonus of the Panama Canal. It might be from $45.25 per person per night but it’s nearly half price. You have to act fast to take advantage of this amazing cruise, but it’ll be more than worth it.

The Cruise

 

Holland America Line is under the same corporate umbrella as Carnival Cruises and Costa Cruises but it is certainly a step above when it comes to quality and luxury. That’s why an 11 night Southern Caribbean cruise onboard the ms Zuiderdam from just $497.77 per person is such an amazing deal. Eleven nights of luxury cruising, topped off by six exotic ports of call and a transit of half the Panama Canal – truly the cruise of a lifetime.

However, this ship leaves Ft. Lauderdale’s Port Everglades on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 4pm. So, hopefully you can ditch work on short notice and grab a Westjet flight down to FLL.

The first port call is on Tuesday, December 10 at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. Half Moon Cay is otherwise known as Little San Salvador Island and is owned by Carnival group, functioning as the company’s ‘private island’.

After a day at sea, Zuiderdam then moves way down south, stopping first at Oranjestad, Aruba. She then makes her way west, stopping at Willemstad, Curacao on Friday the thirteenth and Cartegena, Colombia on Sunday, December 15.

On Monday, December 16, it’s time for the piece de resistance. Zuiderdam travels up the Panama Canal until the halfway point at Gatun Lake. She then spins around and heads back down, stopping at Colon, Panama for a visit before getting back out on the Caribbean.

Finally, Zuiderdam makes one more stop but equally exciting as the previous. A full nine and half hours at Puerto Limon, Costa Rica should be enough to enjoy this tropical rainforest environment. After two full days at sea, the ship reaches Ft. Lauderdale at 7am on Friday, December 20, 2013.

The Pricing

Holland America currently has flash special pricing on this cruise. This is similar to Carnival’s Super Saver rates, in that the stateroom is non-refundable, must be paid in full at time of booking and rooms are not assigned until the time of check-in at the ship.

For $497.77 per person, an interior stateroom can be had, based on double occupancy. This equates to $45.25 per night per person. Of course, with the slightest mention of the Panama Canal, government taxes and fees triple in price. Added to the per person rate is another $329.49 for The Man. For a couple taking advantage of this sale, the interior stateroom can be had for $1,654.52 with all taxes included. This is still cheaper than two weeks at a three star All-Inclusive in Cuba.

The Ship

 

One of four Vista Class ships in the Holland America Line fleet, ms Zuiderdam made her maiden voyage on December 14, 2002. She is the oldest of the four nearly identical ships that were built between 2002 and 2006. All were built by Fincantieri on the northern Adriatic coast of Italy, the same company that builds most ships for Carnival, Princess and Costa, among others. The other three ships are the ms Oosterdam (2003), ms Westerdam (2004) and ms Noordam (2006). Each name represents the four main compass points (east, west, north and south) in Dutch.

Zuiderdam is a medium to large ship with a gross tonnage of 82,305. She is 936 feet or 285 metres in length and has 15 decks, eleven accessible to passengers. Guest capacity on the ms Zuiderdam is 1,916 with 817 crew members on board to make the cruise run smooth.

 The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.