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.

Colon, Panama to Ft. Lauderdale Via Vision of the Seas: Unique, Short and Cheap

On April 26, 2014, Vision of the Seas of Royal Caribbean embarks on a short, unique and very affordable cruise that, coupled with, say, a week at a Panama all-inclusive resort, makes for an awesome vacation. Vision leaves its winter home in Colon, Panama to head north to Ft. Lauderdale, a port she’ll call home until November.

The Cruise

 

Vision of the Seas embarks on a very short Repositioning Cruise from Colon, Panama at 3pm on Saturday, April 26, 2014. After two full days at sea, moving north across the Caribbean Sea then around the top of Cuba, she arrives at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Vision reaches her new home at 8am on Tuesday, April 29. There are no additional ports of call on the journey.

Currently, Vision of the Seas is running seven night Southern Caribbean itineraries out of Colon. These cruises are the most affordable way to see the Southern Caribbean with more ports of call in less days. Many ships use Colon as a port call before, or after, transiting the Panama Canal. Vision of the Seas is currently the only major cruise ship that uses the Panama city as a home port.

Once in Ft. Lauderdale, Vision of the Seas runs four and five night Western Caribbean cruises, with the odd ten night Bermuda cruise mixed in, until November. The ship does not return to Colon in 2014. Instead, she moves to the Gulf Coast of Florida to use Tampa as a home port for her seven night Western Caribbean cruises.

The Price

For this three night cruise, an inside stateroom can be had right now for as low as $136 per person, based on double occupancy. The additional government fees and taxes are extremely low at just $49 per person. This makes the price for two for an inside stateroom, including taxes, as low as $370.

The rest of the ship is quite affordable, as well. Ocean View staterooms start at $189 per person. A balcony cabin can be had from $189 per person. Even suites start from as low as $299 per person.

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 Star Transatlantic Cruise: Now Cool With The Backpacking Crowd

What’s this? Our third Transatlantic Repositioning cruise in a row? Right now, with the Caribbean cruise high season well underway, repositioning cruises are the best deals in the business. Besides, this one’s really inexpensive and a bit unique in that it originates in Copenhagen and not Barcelona or ports in the U.K.

With prices as low as $399 per person (based on double occupancy) for an inside stateroom onboard the Norwegian Star on October 6, 2014 for its 14 night Transatlantic journey, it’s no wonder the vagabonding crowd have started to wake up to the idea of travel via cruise ship. After all, that price rivals some big city Europe hostels and is certainly cheaper than most hotels in the civilized world.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Star embarks from Copenhagen, Denmark at 5pm on Monday, October 6, 2014. Before arriving at Miami, Florida on Monday, October 20 at 7am, Star makes just two port calls. There is lots of time at sea to enjoy everything the ship has to offer. Or, you could write a book. I recently read an article by an author who takes these cruises across the ocean for just that reason.

On Saturday, October 11, Norwegian Star docks at Ponta Delgada in the Azores Islands of Portugal. She is in port from 8am until 5pm. Ponta Delgada is the capital of the Azores and is located on the island of Sao Miguel. The city is home to around 65,000 residents. This stop will not be a hot, sweaty tropical experience but the average October daytime high of 21.9 Celcius is more than comfortable.

Next stop for Star is in the Caribbean. She docks at Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas Harbor on Friday, October 17 from 8am until 6pm. This, of course, is the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Be sure to hitch a ride to the other side of the island and relax at Magens BayBeach.

The Price

October 6, 2014 is still a long way away. However, the price will most likely not get any better than this. For an inside stateroom on the Norwegian Star, prices start as low as $399 per person in Canadian dollars, based on double occupancy. There is an additional $110.35 per person in government taxes and fees. This means that an inside stateroom for two can be had for as low as $1,018.70, taxes included.

Pricing on higher levels of staterooms is reasonable. An Ocean View stateroom can be had for as low as $549 per person. A Balcony stateroom is priced from $899 per person. Suites start at $1,349 per person. If you book before April 4, 2014, Norwegian Cruise Lines throws in one coupon book per stateroom valued at over $300 in onboard savings.

The Ship

Norwegian Star is barely within Panamax sized limits when it comes to width. Meaning, it just squeaks into the locks of the Panama Canal. Back in 2000, this ship was intended to be dubbed SuperStar Libra in the Star Cruises fleet. Instead, she made her maiden voyage on November 19, 2001 as Norwegian Star.

She is a NCL Dawn Classship with just one younger sister. Norwegian Dawn came into service in 2002. Star has a gross tonnage of 91,740 and is 294 metres or 965 feet in length. There are 15 decks on board, eleven accessible to passengers. Guest capacity is 2,348 with a staff of 1,083 crew members.

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.

Classic Holland America Transatlantic Dream Cruise From Just $699.80 Per Person

With last minute deals a little thin as we get knee deep in the high season, let’s take another look ahead at a season with some of the lowest priced cruising. Every spring and fall, cruise ships reposition across the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean to Mediterranean or vice versa.

Holland America Line has one of the deepest histories among the present day high seas passenger cruise lines. MS Eurodam is HAL’s second newest ship and the largest in the fleet until 2016. Eurodam makes her Transatlantic Repositioning cruise from Caribbean to Mediterranean on Sunday, March 30, 2014 and a stateroom can be had onboard for as low as $699.80 per person, based on double occupancy.

The Cruise

 

MS Eurodam embarks from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 4pm on Sunday, March 30, 2014 for a 14 night journey across the Atlantic. She arrives at Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 7am. Along the way, she makes four port calls, all on the eastern side of the Atlantic.

After six full days at sea, Eurodam makes a stop in Portugal’s Azores Islands at Ponta Delgada on Sunday, April 6. She remains docked from 10am until 6pm.

The next three ports of call are on the European mainland and all three are in Spain. First up is Cadiz on Wednesday, April 9 from 7am until 5pm. The following day, Eurodam stops at Almeria, Spain from 8am until 6pm. The ship’s final stop is at Cartegena, Spain on Friday, April 11 from 8am until 4pm.

The Price

An inside stateroom onboard the MS Eurodam can be had for as low as $699.80 per person, in Canadian dollars. There is an additional $100.27 per person in government fees and taxes. The total for two in an inside stateroom, including taxes, can be as low as $1,600.14 for this 14 night romantic adventure across the Atlantic Ocean.

Upgraded staterooms are still reasonably priced. An Ocean View stateroom goes for as low as $820.24 per person and a Balcony stateroom goes from $1,000.20 per person. These prices are also based on double occupancy and are subject to the same $100.27 in government fees and taxes.

The Ship 

MS Eurodam was built by Fincantieri in Italy and made her maiden voyage on July 5, 2008. Eurodam is one of two Signature Class ships in the Holland America Line fleet. MS Nieuw Amsterdam came into service in 2010.

Although certainly not the largest cruise ship on the high seas, MS Eurodam is currently the largest in the Holland America fleet. In 2016, an as of now unnamed ship will be put in service that is larger than Eurodam by 14,000 gross tons.

Eurodam has a gross tonnage of 86,273, and is 285 metres or 935 feet in length. There are eleven decks accessible to the capacity 2,104 passengers. Running the ship and providing first class service are 929 crew members.

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.

For Those Who Really, Really Love Disney

Let’s go in a different direction today. Instead of looking for the cheapest cubby hole to last out a week on a cruise ship, let’s take a look at one of the most expensive staterooms available over the next couple months. For a seven night cruise, there’s nothing more pricy than the March Break seven night Western Caribbean cruise on board the Disney Fantasy.

The Cruise

 

Disney Fantasy embarks from Port Canaveral, Florida at 3:45pm on Saturday, March 15, 2014 on a seven night Western Caribbean itinerary that really no different than any other seven night Western Caribbean cruise.

There are four ports of call on the journey with time on shore actually much less than any other major cruise line. But then, the boat is the destination, right? After a full day at sea, the first port call is at Georgetown, Grand Cayman on Monday, March 17. The stay is short, making planning ahead for the famous Stingray Bay that much more important. Fantasy is docked at Georgetown from just 11:30am to 4:45pm.

The following day, Disney Fantasy arrives at Costa Maya, Mexico at 1pm and leaves shortly after at 5:30pm. On Wednesday, she makes up for it with a full day at Cozumel, Mexico. Fantasy is at the Mexican Island Paradise from 8:30am to 5:30pm.

After another full day at sea travelling across the top of Cuba, Fantasy arrives at Castaway Cay on Friday, March 21. She stays at this private island from 9:30am until 4:30pm. Castaway Cay is located in the Bahamas and was previously known as Gorda Cay until Disney purchased a 99 year lease on the island in 1997. Unlike most private islands and beaches belonging to cruise lines, Castaway Cay actually has a dock so passengers can just walk off the ship instead of having to be tendered from a distance out at sea.

Disney Fantasy arrives back at Port Canaveral bright and early Saturday morning, March 22, 2014.

The Price

Nothing but the best for our March Break cruise. We’re looking at the still available Concierge Royal Suite on Deck 12, cabin number 12502. This is a 1,781 square foot living space, including the private veranda. There are two bathrooms with a whirlpool tub in each. There is a third whirlpool tub on the veranda.

The suite includes a living room, dining salon, wet bar and walk-in closets. To go along with the two 42” televisions, there is an extensive media library full of music CD’s and Blue-Ray movies. This stateroom can fit five guests but if more space is needed, the adjoining Concierge Family Ocean View Stateroom can also be purchased.

For the March 15, 2014 sailing, the Royal Suite can be had for the low, low price of $12,250 per person, based on double occupancy. That does not include government taxes and fees. That price is in U.S. Dollars. For additional guests, the price for the next three guests is $2,898 each. If the additional guests are children, the price is discounted to $2,548 each.

Want to take a closer look at this floating palatial suite that is larger than my house? Here’s the official Disney Fantasy website page: Concierge Royal Suite.

The Ship 

Disney Fantasy is one of two Dream Class ships and one of four cruise ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. She made her maiden voyage on March 31, 2012 and is the newest Disney cruise ship. Her sister is the Disney Dream, a ship that began service the year before. The other two ships in the fleet are the Disney Magic – 1998, and the Disney Wonder – 1999.

Fantasy is a large ship with a gross tonnage of 129,690. Her length of 340 metres or 1,116 feet makes her fourth longest cruise ship on the high seas today. She is just five metres shorter than Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. There are 14 decks accessible to the capacity 2,500 guest. 1,450 crew members ensures one of the best crew to guest ratios on the market today.

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.

Holland America Luxury Transatlantic Cruise From Just $700!

In April, 2014, the classic Holland America ship ms Ryndam crosses the Atlantic Ocean, switching from her winter home to her summer home. After calling Tampa, Florida her home port for the winter months, Ryndam moves east to spend most of the summer out of Dover in the U.K.

Ryndam’s Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise does not go from Tampa to Dover but from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Barcelona, Spain. Holland America Line has special pricing on this 15 night cruise right now with an inside stateroom going for as low as just $700 per person, or just under $47 per night per person before government taxes and fees.

The Cruise

 

Ryndam embarks from Port Everglades at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 4pm sharp. She arrives at Barcelona on Monday, April 21, 2014 at 7am. Along the way, the does a bit of an island tour with three of her five ports of call located off the mainland. All port calls are either in Portugal or Spain.

After several days at sea, guests on ms Ryndam can get out and stretch their legs and minds at Ponta Delgado on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores. The ship docks on Monday, April 14 and is in port from 10am to 6pm. Ponta Delgado is the capital of the Azores Islands and has a population somewhere around 70,000.

On Thursday, April 17, Ryndam makes a stop on the mainland of Spain. From 8am to 6pm, she will be docked at Malaga on the southern coast. This is a large tourist area on the Mediterranean and has a metro population over one million.

The following day, ms Ryndam moves east along the coast to Cartagena, Spain. She is docked from 8am to 5pm at this city with a population about a fifth that of Malaga.

The final two stops are out in the Mediterranean Sea. Ibiza is a small island with a population of around 135,000. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, belonging to Spain. Ryndam will be at Ibiza from 8am to 5pm on Saturday, April 19.

The final stop is Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the Balearic Islands region. Ryndam docks at Palma from 8am to 5pm on Sunday, April 20.

The Price

For the moment, Holland America Line has reduced some inside staterooms to as low as $700 per person. Typical of any flash sale, the choice of stateroom is limited and will be assigned at the time of check-in.

Additional government fees and taxes come to $115.24 per person. This means an inside stateroom for two can be had for as low as $1,630.48 with the fees and taxes added in.

Just to give an idea of what a great deal this is, let’s look at Ryndam’s return to Tampa from Barcelona in November, 2014. The lowest price for that cruise is currently $1,500 per person! The price for two, including government taxes and fees, would be $3,236.64. The itinerary is nearly identical, except the ship goes straight to Tampa, not stopping in Ft. Lauderdale.

The Ship

A Statendam Class (S Class) ship, ms Ryndam has been in service for Holland America since 1994. She is the third of the four Statendam Class ships. Statendam and ms Maasdam both came into service in 1993 and ms Veendam came along in 1996.

Ryndam is a smaller ship with a gross tonnage of 55,819. She is 220 metres or 720 feet in length and has ten decks accessible to the capacity 1,258 passengers. 602 crew members are also on board.

As mentioned, her home port in the winter is Tampa, Florida with her summer home mainly in Dover. She makes the return Transatlantic voyage from Barcelona to Tampa on November 1, 2014.

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.