Huge Military Discounts For Western Caribbean Cruise On Vision Of The Seas

If you’re a former or present member of the armed forces in North America, pretty much every cruise line offers some sort of discount or bonus on pretty much every cruise, but it varies. For Royal Caribbean and their five night Western Caribbean itinerary onboard Vision of the Seas embarking September 20, the discount cuts really deep.

On a cruise when Joe Civilian will be paying no less than $347 per person, current and former military personnel can have an inside stateroom for as low as $222 per person. The same discount applies to members of the Police and Fire services. This price is based on double occupancy and is subject to an additional $117 per person in taxes.

The Cruise

 

Vision of the Seas embarks from Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 4:30pm on Saturday, September 20, 2014. She arrives back at Ft. Lauderdale for 7am on Thursday, September 25. In between, Vision of the Seas makes two port calls.

After a short trip around the bottom of Florida, on Sunday, September 21 Vision of the Seas stops at Key West in the Florida Keys. The ship is in this fabulous port from 8am until 5pm. After a full day at sea, she arrives at her second port of call on Tuesday, September 23. The final port call is at Georgetown on Grand Cayman and Vision stays here also from 8am until 5pm. Both Monday and Wednesday are full days at sea as Vision of the Seas rounds the western end of Cuba.

The Price

As mentioned, the military, police and fire rate for an inside stateroom on this ship is just $222 per person, based on double occupancy. With the additional $117 per person in government fees and taxes tacked on, the total for two for an inside cabin can be had for as low as $678. Unlike many ‘flash’ or ‘super saver’ rates, the full amount is not due on the day of booking. $210 would be due by May 31, 2014 and the balance of $468 would not be due until July 22. It should also be noted that only one person per stateroom needs to be a qualified military member.

Folks that are 55 and over enjoy nearly as great a rate. Seniors pay as low as $233 per person for that same inside stateroom. Of course, these cabins are subject to the same $117 per person in government fees and taxes.

The Ship

Vision of the Seas has been in service since 1998 and is one of six Royal Caribbean Vision Class ships. Vision Class includes Legend of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas, all built between 1995 and 1998 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.

Vision is in the smaller range by today’s standards with a gross tonnage of 78,340. She is 279 metres or 915 feet in length and has eleven decks accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity for 2,435 guests with 765 crew members on board.

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.

Norwegian Dawn Western Caribbean Cruise From Just $268!

You have to act fast to take advantage of this great deal. Norwegian Dawn leaves Tampa, Florida on Sunday, April 20 for a seven night Western Caribbean cruise and you can be onboard from just $268 per person.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Dawn embarks Tampa, Florida at 4pm on Sunday, April 20, 2014 for a seven night Western Caribbean cruise. Dawn arrives back at Tampa on Sunday, April 27 at 8am. Along the way, she makes four great stops at ports of call along the coast of Central America and Mexico. The four stops are sandwiched between single full days at sea when guest really get to enjoy all this ship has to offer.

The first stop is at Coxen Hole on Tuesday, April 22 from 9am until 5pm. Coxen Hole is also known as Roatan Town and is the largest urban centre on the island of Roatan, belonging to Honduras.

Belize City, Belize is next up. Norwegian Dawn stops at the coastal city on Wednesday, April 23 and stays in port from 8am until 5pm.

The final two stops are in Mexico. First is Costa Maya on Thursday, April 24 from 8am until 5pm. The final port of call on the itinerary is Cozumel, the tropical island just off the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

The Price

An inside stateroom is priced to sell, starting at $268 per person, based on double occupancy. There is an additional $126.96 per person in government fees and taxes added on. The total for two for an inside cabin can be as low as 789.40, including taxes. This cabin comes with a $26.88 onboard credit (for the stateroom and not per person).

If the buffet is not your thing, Norwegian Cruise Line offers a deal for unlimited specialty restaurant dining. For $119 per person, you can eat in style as much as you want.

The Ship 

Norwegian Dawn was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and was originally meant to be the SuperStar Scorpio. When Star Cruises ceased to exist, NCL took over the ship. Dawn’s maiden voyage was on December 7, 2002 and she is a Libra Class ship.

Dawn is a decent sized ship with a gross tonnage of 92,250. She is 292 metres or 958 feet in length and has 11 decks accessible to passengers. Capacity is for 2,340 guests and 1,032 crew members. For a cruise line that offers rock bottom pricing, this is a great ratio of passengers to crew.

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.

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.

Norwegian Epic Western Caribbean Cruise From Just $329 (Military and AARP even less!)

Here’s your chance to be part of something epic. The world’s third largest cruise ship embarks from Miami, Florida on a seven night Western Caribbean cruise on April 6, 2014 and you can be onboard for as low as $329 per person. Norwegian Epic is a behemoth with just Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean fleet being larger. Take note: If you’re a member of AARP or a current or former member of the military, the price is even better.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Epic embarks from Miami, Florida on Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 4pm for a seven night Western Caribbean itinerary. Epic arrives back at Miami on Sunday, April 13 at 8am. Along the way, she makes three port calls.

After a full day at sea, Epic arrives at Ocho Rios, Jamaica on Tuesday, April 8 and stays from 9am until 5pm. Guests can easily visit nearby Dunn’s River Falls from this location on the north central coast of Jamaica. James Bond fans will revel in the fact that this is the location of Dr. No, the first ever Bond film, released in 1962. This also featured the first bond girl, the amazing Ursula Andress as Honey Rider – the girl who never really put much more than a bikini on.

After another full day at sea, Epic arrives at Costa Maya on the Caribbean Coast of Mexico. The ship is docked here from 8am until 5pm on Thursday, April 10. Costa Maya is on the mainland of Mexico and close to the Belize border. This port was shut down for over a year after Hurricane Dean devastated the area in August, 2007.

On Friday, April 11, Norwegian Epic makes her final stop at the tropical paradise island of Cozumel, Mexico. She is in port from 8am until 5pm on Friday, April 11 before heading back across the Gulf of Mexico to her home port.

The Price

An inside stateroom onboard this cruise can be had for as low as $329 per person, based on double occupancy. With the additional $114.51 per person in government fees and taxes added on, the total for two for an inside cabin is as low as $887.02.

If you are a member of the AARP, the same cabin can be had from $279 person. To be a member, you must be 50 or older and registered with the organization. For Canadians, the annual fee is just $17 per person.

For military, there is a discount but it doesn’t cut too deep. Former and present members of the armed forces in Canada and the United States would get the same inside stateroom for $309 per person, plus taxes.

This cruise is not applicable for Norwegian’s current promotion where the third and fourth in a stateroom sail for free. However, they do offer one coupon book per stateroom that is valued at $300 in onboard savings. NCL also has a $119 per person Ultimate Dining Package that allows unlimited dining at the onboard specialty restaurants.

 

The Ship

Norwegian Epic is part of the ‘Big 3’ that includes Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. Built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, Epic has been in service for Norwegian Cruise Line since 2010.

A very large ship with a gross tonnage of 155,873, Epic is 329 metres or 1,081 long. There are 15 decks accessible to the capacity 4,100 passengers. Typically, there are 1,753 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.

Cross The Atlantic On Liberty Of The Seas From Just $509

What would entice someone to spend the first eight full days at sea on a 13 night cruise across the Atlantic Ocean? First, the cruise is onboard Liberty of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. This is one of the largest ships on the high seas and probably has more to do onboard than there is to do in your own town. Second, for this May 1, 2014 sailing, Royal Caribbean has dropped the price of an inside cabin as low as $509 per person! For military, police and fire, the deal is even sweeter.

The Cruise

 

Liberty of the Seas embarks from Port Everglades at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 4:30pm on Thursday, May 1, 2014 on a 13 night journey across the Atlantic Ocean to Barcelona, Spain. She arrives at her final destination at 6am on Wednesday, May 14. Along the way, Liberty of the Seas makes three port calls, all on the eastern side of the Atlantic.

After eight full days at sea, Liberty of the Seas makes her first stop on Saturday, May 10 at Lisbon, Portugal. Typically, cruise ships repositioning from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean will stop either in the Azores or Canary Islands. Liberty motors right past these rest stops in the middle of the Atlantic to reach continental Europe. She is docked at the capital of Portugal from 7am until 5pm.

The following day, Liberty of the Seas stops at Sevilla, Spain, still on the Atlantic side of the country. She is in port at Sevilla from 9am until 6pm on Sunday, May 11.

After a full day at sea, meandering past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea, Liberty of the Seas finds her final port of call on Tuesday, May 13 at Palma de Mallorca. She is parked at the main city of Spain’s Balearic Islands from 8am until 5pm on Tuesday, May 13.

The Price

Right now, an inside stateroom onboard Liberty of the Seas starts at $509 per person, based on double occupancy. With the additional $86 per person in government fees and taxes tacked on, the total price for two for an inside cabin is $1,190.

Prices don’t go up too rapidly from there. Ocean view cabins start at $709 per person. With a balcony, staterooms start at $1,179 per person. A suite starts at $1,659 per person. Regardless of stateroom, each guest is subject to the $86 in government fees and taxes.

Royal Caribbean offers much more than free donuts and coffee to current and former members of the North American armed forces and those who work in the police and fire service. Those who qualify pay $450 each for that same lowest priced inside cabin. For an ocean view stateroom, prices start as low as $582 per person. A cabin with a balcony is a great savings, starting at $845 per person.

The Ship

Liberty of the Seas began service in May, 2007. She was renovated in 2011 with the DreamWorks Experience integrated. Liberty is one of three Freedom Class ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet with sisters Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas being nearly identical.

At a gross tonnage of 154,407, all three Freedom Class ships tie as the fourth largest cruise ship currently on the high seas. Only Royal Caribbean’s twin Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, along with the Norwegian Epic are larger. Liberty of the Seas is heavier but not quite as long as the Queen Mary 2 of the Cunard Line.

Liberty is 1,112 feet long or 339 metres in length. Using the old standard, she is the length of three NFL football fields. There are 15 decks accessible to the capacity 4,600 passengers. The crew numbers around 1,300.

As mentioned, the ship is a destination. Liberty of the Seas is fully integrated with the DreamWorks Experience, making it great for smaller children. Also included is FlowRider, a surf simulator. For added enjoyment, there are two hot tubs cantilevered over the edge of the boat, giving great views of the ocean around.

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.

Just $500 PP To Cruise Across The Atlantic On ms Noordam of Holland America!

There’s no time to waste if you want to take advantage of this great deal from Holland America Line. On Friday, March 21, 2014, ms Noordam embarks on her Transatlantic Repositioning cruise from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Barcelona, Spain. There is limited space available and an inside cabin can be had for as low as $500 per person for this 14 night journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Cruise

 

Holland America’s ms Noordam leaves Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 4pm on Friday, March 21, 2014 for a 14 night cruise to Barcelona, Spain. She arrives at her final destination at 7am on Friday, April 4, 2014. Along the way, she makes four port calls, all on the Eastern end of the journey.

First up is Ponta Delgada in Portugal’s Azores Islands after over a week at sea. Noordam remains at Ponta Delgada from 8am until 4pm on Saturday, March 29. She follows that up by two more full days at sea before her next port of call.

On Tuesday, April 1, 2014 it’s no April Fool’s joke, the ship finally arrives on mainland Europe. Noordam docks at Cadiz on the Atlantic Coast of Spain. Cadiz is northwest of Gibraltar and the entrance to the Mediterranean. She is docked her from 8am until 6pm.

The following day, Noordam rounds Gibraltar and enters the Mediterranean Sea. Her next stop is at Malaga, Spain on Wednesday, April 2. Malaga is northeast of Gibraltar, sort of in the mirror position as Cadiz. The ship parks here again from 8am until 6pm.

The final port of call occurs on Thursday, April 3 from 7am until 1pm at Cartagena, Spain. After this short stop, Noordam overnights to her final destination of Barcelona.

The Price

All that remains are inside staterooms and they may be gone by the end of the day. The price is excellent at from $500 per person, based on double occupancy. The extra government fees and taxes result in an additional $98.81 tacked on per person. The result is a inside cabin for two for as low as $1,197.62, including taxes.

The Ship 

MS Noordam is a Holland America Vista Class ship that was built by Fincantieri in Italy. Noordam was christened in February of 2006. She is a medium sized vessel with a gross tonnage of 82,500 and is 285 metres or 936 feet in length. There are eleven decks accessible to the capacity 1,916 guests. Typically, there are 800 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.

Great Deals For Norwegian Pearl Panama Canal Cruise Are Going Fast!

This cruise is more than a month down the road. However, cabins are going incredibly fast because there are incredible deals on said cabins. Staterooms start at just $709 per person on the Norwegian Pearl as she cruises from Miami, Florida to Los Angeles, California via the Panama Canal, starting April 18, 2014. This cruise qualifies for Norwegian’s Kids Sail Free promotion, meaning the 3^rd and 4^th guest in a cabin pay only the taxes.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Pearl embarks from Miami, Florida on her 15 night Panama Canal cruise at 4pm on Friday, April 18, 2014. She arrives at Los Angeles, California at 8am on Saturday, May 3, 2014. Along the way, Pearl transits the full Panama Canal with an additional six ports of call.

Cartegena, Colombia is the first stop and the only port of call in the Caribbean. Pearl stops on Monday, April 21 from 7am until 3pm. The following day, she makes her transit of the famous Panama Canal.

Once on the Pacific Ocean, Norwegian Pearl makes her next port call at Puntarenas, Costa Rica on Thursday, April 24 from 7am until 6pm. She follows that up with three stops along the Pacific coast of Mexico.

On Saturday, April 26, Pearl stops at Puerto Chiapas, Mexico from 8am until 4pm. The following day, it’s a little further up the coast to Huatulco, Mexico from 8am until 4pm. After a full day at sea, Norwegian Pearl makes her final Mexican stop at Puerto Vallarta on Tuesday, April 29 from 8am until 5pm.

Before she arrives at her final destination of Los Angeles, Pearl makes one last stop at San Diego, California on Friday, May 2 from 7am until 6pm.

The Price

I hesitated about even publishing this article because staterooms seem to be disappearing at a remarkable rate. As of Monday morning (March 10, 2014) there were still some interior cabins from $709 per person. Outside cabins were a little less scarce and start at $949 per person. The Haven Deluxe Owner’s Suite was still available, as well. This little piece of luxury starts at just $9,499 per person.

Because this is a full transit of the Panama Canal, government fees and taxes are higher than most cruises. Afterall, it’s not cheap to lift a 100,000 ton ship over land. Each passenger has an additional $318.14 in taxes tacked on to their fare.

If booked before March 31, 2014, this cruise qualifies for Norwegian’s Kids Sail Free promo. The ‘Kids’ is just suggested as the 3^rd and 4^th guest in a stateroom pay just the taxes, regardless of age. For a family (or group) of four to get an inside cabin on the ship, it can be had for as low as $2,690.56, including taxes.

Norwegian has some other perks in effect right now, as well. For $199 per person on cruises 10 to 15 nights in length, passengers can have unlimited meals at the onboard specialty restaurants. Also, each stateroom gets a coupon book worth up to $300 in onboard savings.

The Ship 

Norwegian Pearl was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and has been in service since November 30, 2006. She is a Jewel Class ship with a gross tonnage of 93,530. The ship is 294 metres or 965 feet in length and has 12 decks accessible to passengers. Capacity onboard is for 2,394 guests at double occupancy. There are typically 1,100 crew members onboard.

Currently, Pearl is running Western Caribbean itineraries out of Miami. After she reaches Los Angeles on this 15 night Panama Canal cruise, Pearl makes her way up the Pacific coast to spend the summer doing roundtrip Alaska cruises, mostly out of Seattle, Washington.

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.

$27 Per Night To Cross The Atlantic Ocean Onboard Norwegian Epic!

Back in December, we featured the April 27, 2014 transatlantic repositioning cruise onboard the world’s third largest cruise ship and said it was a great deal at from $499 per person for the 11 night journey. Yes, it was a great deal. However, Norwegian Cruise Line has sweetened the deal for this cruise on the Norwegian Epic by knocking off a further $200 for the stateroom we talked about back in December. This brings the price down to a ridiculous $27 per night per person, before taxes!

The Cruise

 

This eleven night cruise across the Atlantic Ocean embarks from Miami, Florida at 5pm on Sunday, April 27, 2014. Norwegian Epic arrives at Barcelona, Spain at 5am on Thursday, May 8, 2014. The ship is truly the destination on this cruise with just one port call.

On Monday, May 5, 2014, Epic stops at Funchal on the island of Madeira. Madeira belongs to Portugal and is the largest of the islands in the Maderan Archipelago. For soccer fans, this is the birthplace of loved and hated footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Price

Norwegian is calling it a ‘Hot Deal’ and it truly is. An inside stateroom can be had for as low as $299, based on double occupancy. With the $63.88 per person in government taxes and fees tacked on, the total for two on this ‘Epic journey’ is as low as $725.76. You probably can’t live in your own house for that amount of money.

Other levels of staterooms are quite low priced, as well. An outside cabin with a balcony starts at $449 per person and suites start at $599 per person. All guests, regardless of stateroom choice are subject to the same $63.88 in additional taxes.

Each stateroom on this cruise also gets an onboard coupon book valued at up to $300. If the buffet is not for you, NCL also has a $199 per person unlimited specialty dining option on cruises between 10 and 15 nights.

The Ship 

Norwegian Epic is part of the ‘Big 3’ that includes Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. Built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, Epic has been in service for Norwegian Cruise Line since 2010.

A very large ship with a gross tonnage of 155,873, Epic is 329 metres or 1,081 long. There are 15 decks accessible to the capacity 4,100 passengers. Typically, there are 1,753 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.

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.

Great Deals For Brilliance of the Seas Western Caribbean Cruise - Act Fast!

This is a great deal, but you really have to act fast. Brilliance of the Seas rolls out of Tampa on Monday, February 24 and you can be on that ship for a great price. If you’re present or former military or you’re in the police or fire services, the deal is even sweeter.

The Cruise

 

Brilliance of the Seas, a Radiance Class ship of Royal Caribbean, embarks from Tampa, Florida on Monday, February 24, 2014 at 4pm for a five night Western Caribbean cruise. Brilliance returns to Tampa at 7am on Saturday, March 1. Along the way, the ship makes two port calls.

After cruising down the Gulf Coast of Florida, Brilliance of the Seas stops at Key West, Florida on Tuesday, February 25. She is in port from 11:30am until 5:30pm, just enough time to live a little of that Ernest Hemingway lifestyle.

After a full day at sea, crossing above Cuba in the Gulf of Mexico, Brilliance makes her second port call at Cozumel, Mexico. The ship is docked at the Mexican tropical island paradises from 8am until 6pm on Thursday, February 27. She takes another full day at sea before arriving back home in Tampa.

The Price

Going, going but not quite gone. An inside stateroom can be had for as low as $249 per person, based on double occupancy. The government fees and taxes for this cruise are very low at just $68 per person. The total for two for an inside cabin currently costs as low as $634, including taxes. But wait, that’s not all. There is an additional $25 per cabin onboard credit. An outside stateroom with a balcony is priced as low as $749 per person.,

The discounts for former and present members of the armed forces in Canada and the United States bring the inside cabin down to $221 per person. Royal Caribbean honours those heroes in the police and fire services, as well, with the same discount as military.

The Ship 

Brilliance of the Seas was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and made her maiden voyage for Royal Caribbean in July, 2002. Brilliance is the second oldest of the four Radiance Class ships in the RC fleet with Radiance of the Seas as the oldest, along with younger sisters Serenade of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas.

This is a good sized ship with a gross tonnage of 90,090. Brilliance of the Seas is 292 metres or 958 feet in length and has 12 decks accessible to passengers. The capacity, based on double occupancy, is for 2,501 passengers. There are typically 859 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.

Unbelievable Price For A 11 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise On Norwegian Sun

Given the choice between a Western, Eastern or Southern Caribbean cruise out of Florida, ten times out of ten, I would choose the Southern itinerary. Why? You’re still visiting high traffic tourist traps but those destinations in the Southern Caribbean are just so much more exotic than those within swimming distance of Florida. The problem? Very rarely is there a great priced Southern Caribbean cruise out of Florida.

Well, we found one. The price is awesome and the itinerary aboard Norwegian Sun provides as much variety as possible for a cruise leaving out of Florida, as opposed to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The one issue is time. This is an eleven day cruise that may not agree with many people’s rigid vacation schedules.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Sun embarks from Miami, Florida at 4pm on Thursday, March 6, 2014 on an eleven night Southern Caribbean cruise. Sun arrives back in Miami for 8am on Monday, March 17. Along the way, the ship makes five port calls. There are five full days at sea in which to enjoy all this modern ship has to offer.

For this itinerary, Norwegian doesn’t screw around with stops in the Bahamas. Rather, Norwegian Sun charges straight south for two full days through the Atlantic Ocean / Caribbean Sea and arrives at Oranjestad, Aruba on Sunday, March 9. The ship is docked at the ‘A’ of the ‘ABC Islands’ (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) from 8am until 5pm. In fact, NCL makes it very easy for passengers on this cruise with every port of call scheduled from 8am until 5pm.

Skipping Bonaire, Norwegian Sun stops at Willemstad, Curacao on Monday, March 10. After these two full days of near equatorial heat, culture, snorkeling and partying, take a day to relax on the ship before docking at Bridgetown, Barbados on Wednesday, March 12.

The fourth stop occurs on Thursday, March 13 and this is the one that should make your friends ask, “Say again? Where the hell were you?” Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadeloupe is the last true southern destination before heading northward.

The final stop occurs on Friday, March 14 at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. St. Thomas is a pivot point in the Caribbean and is included in Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, as well as the Southern cruises. After leaving St. Thomas, you have two more full days at sea to soak in those last rays of tropical sunshine before flying back to the cold, cold north.

The Price

Don’t expect this price to last. That’s not a car salesman tactic, it’s simply the truth. An inside stateroom for this cruise can be had for as low as $479 per person, based on double occupancy. With the additional $108.87 per person in government taxes and fees tacked on, an inside cabin for two goes from $1,175.74.

From the inside out and up, the prices go up rapidly. An Ocean View cabin is still reasonable at $599. However, adding a balcony pushes the price to $1,099 per person and a suite is nearly double that at from $2,099 per person.  Present and former military personnel from Canada and the United States should note that discounts apply and an inside stateroom is reduced to from $449 for these heroes.

The Ship 

Norwegian Sun is one of two Sun Class ships in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. The other is Norwegian Sky, the older sister that was put in service in 1999. Sun was put in service in 2001 and was last refurbed in 2011.

This may have been a large ship in 2001 but is now closer to a medium sized boat. Norwegian Sun has a gross tonnage of 78,309 with a length of 258 metres or 848 feet. There are 13 decks accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity for 2,002 guests, based on double occupancy. There are typically 968 crew members on board.

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.