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.

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.

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.

Great Pricing On April Western Caribbean Cruises Onboard Caribbean Princess

If you’re pretty much anywhere in North America, you wouldn’t know it by looking out your window but spring is coming. It’s just having a hard time poking through the many feet of snow. With spring, the high season of cruising begins to make its way towards the door and the great pricing starts to enter.

Princess Cruises has announced some flash pricing rates and you have some time and flexibility to find your right cruise. Their seven night Western Caribbean cruises out of Houston, Texas, onboard the Caribbean Princess have been reduced to as low as $349 per person for an inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. The great thing is that the rate applies to the April 5, April 12 and April 19 sailings in 2014.

The Cruise

 

Choose your Saturday in April (except the 26^th...) and it’s the same great price to get on the Caribbean Princess. The ship embarks from Houston at 4pm on a Saturday and makes three port calls in the Western Caribbean before returning home to Houston at 7am the following Saturday.

The first stop for Caribbean Princess is on Monday at the tropical island of Cozumel off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The ship is docked here from 8am until 6pm. The following day brings another island, this one belonging to Honduras. On Tuesday, Caribbean Princess docks at Roatan, the island belonging to Honduras. She is in port from 9am until 6pm.

Wednesday brings the only mainland port of call. The ship arrives at Belize City in Belize at 7am and departs at 5pm. The three port days are sandwiched by one full day at sea, crossing the Gulf of Mexico, at the start and two full days on the return trip from Belize.

The Price

An inside stateroom onboard the Caribbean Princess for any of these three sailings can be had for as low as $349 per person, based on double occupancy. Adding in the $75 per person in government fees and taxes, the total for two would be $848.

Other levels of stateroom on the ship are quite reasonable. An outside cabin without a view starts at $379 per person. $499 per person will get you an ocean view while $649 per person gets a balcony included. Even some suites can be had for as low as $849 per person. Of course, these prices are also based on double occupancy and the same $75 per person in taxes applies.

Princess doesn’t offer a military discount for these cruises but they do offer an excellent perk. Current and former members of the Canadian and U.S. armed forces receive an onboard credit of $100 per person, regardless of the level of stateroom.

The Ship 

Caribbean Princess is a Grand Class ship built by Fincantieri on the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea in Italy. She made her maiden voyage in April of 2004. This is a large ship with a gross tonnage of 112,894. The Caribbean is 290 metres or 951 feet in length and has 15 decks accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity of 3,080 guests and typically has around 1,200 crew members onboard.

These three dates are pretty much the last to enjoy this itinerary out of Houston. After April 26, the ship repositions to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. For the rest of 2014, Caribbean Princess will alternate between Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises out of her new home port of Port Everglades.

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.

Amazing 55+ Discounts on Celebrity Century 7 Night Pacific Coastal Cruise

It’s funny, the population is aging and people are living longer and longer. I now consider the middle ages of life the decade where the first digit of your age is a 5 (by the way - I'm still a good half decade from those middle ages!). However, with most luxury cruise lines, if you’re 55 or older, you are considered a senior. Don’t be insulted! The result can be a deep discount in your cruise fare.

For a seven night Pacific Coastal out of Los Angeles, California onboard Celebrity Century, embarking April 19, 2014, the discount for having just one person 55 or over in your stateroom is nothing short of awesome.

The Cruise

 

Celebrity Century embarks from Los Angeles, California at 4pm on Saturday, April 19, 2014 for a seven night Pacific Coastal cruise. She returns to Los Angeles on Saturday, April 26 at 7am. In between, Century makes an incredible five port calls, including an overnight in one of the most romantic cities in the world. With all that action crammed in, there are no full days at sea.

First up is Santa Barbara, California. Century is docked at Santa Barbara on Sunday, April 20 from 7am until 5pm. The next stop is the biggie. The ship docks at San Francisco at 2pm on Monday, April 21 at 2pm. She remains in port until the following day at 8pm. This allows plenty of time to discover San Francisco. Although you can sleep on the ship Monday night, you could arrange to head a bit down the coast and stay at Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay.

Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning, Celebrity Century makes her way back south down the coast before stopping at Monterey, California at 7am on Wednesday, April 23. She remains docked until 4pm.

For Thursday, Century moves south past her original starting point to stop at Avalon on California’s Catalina Island. The ship is docked from 12pm until 8pm. The final port call is down south in Mexico. The ship docks at Ensenada, Mexico on the Baja Peninsula from 8am until 5pm on Friday, April 25.

The Price

The ‘Best Rate’ provided by Celebrity Cruises for this itinerary is $549 per person for an inside stateroom. With just one person 55 or older in your stateroom, the price is reduced to $369 per person, based on double occupancy. With the additional $127 per person in government fees and taxes, the total price for two for an inside cabin can be had from just $992, including taxes.

The senior discount also applies to higher level staterooms but the price moves up pretty quickly for this particular cruise. An Ocean View starts at $859 per person. With a balcony included, the price goes up to $1,449 per person. A suite can be had for the low, low price of $1,889 per person.

The Ship 

Celebrity Century is the oldest ship currently in service for Celebrity Cruises. She was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and made her maiden voyage on December 20, 1995. Century is the only ship in Celebrity’s Century Class of ships.

By today’s standard, this is a small ship with a gross tonnage of just 71,545. Century is 248 metres or 814 feet in length and has eleven decks accessible to passengers. The capacity at double occupancy is for 1,814 guests with 843 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.

Take The Carnival Triumph To The World's Longest Pier

This five night itinerary out of Galveston, Texas, embarking on January 27, 2014 may seem routine on the surface but there are definitely some interesting facets of the cruise. First, the journey is onboard the now infamous Carnival Triumph. Second, the first of two ports of call is Progreso, Mexico. Progreso is on port call where the actual pier might be the attraction.

The Cruise

 

Carnival Triumph embarks from Galveston, Texas on this five night Western Caribbean cruise at 4pm on Monday, January 27, 2014. She arrives back at Galveston on Saturday, February 1 at 8:30am. Along the way, Triumph makes two port calls.

On Wednesday, January 29, Triumph docks at Progreso, Mexico from 7:30am until 4pm. Progeso is located on the northwest shore of the Yucatan Peninsula, not far from Merida. Although there is debate, the pier is known as the longest in the world. The ship will dock some 6.5 km out at sea. La Terminal Remota was built in its present form in 1989. However, there is the argument that much of the 6.5 kilometres is a causeway and that the pier is actually much shorter.

On Thursday, January 30, Triumph moves east around the top of the Yucatan to dock at Cozumel. The ship will stay on the Mexican tropical resort island from 9am until 4pm before making her way back across the Gulf of Mexico to Galveston.

The Price (U.S. Dollars)

Pricing for this cruise is interesting. Just a week away, the Super Saver and Canadian Resident rates for an inside stateroom start from $309 per person, based on double occupancy. This is higher than a similar length Western Caribbean cruise out of Florida. However, the additional $52.49 per person in government fees and taxes is about half of what you’d pay out of Miami, Tampa or Ft. Lauderdale.

The result is an inside cabin for two starting at $722.98, taxes included. As is often the case with Carnival, Military are treated exceptionally well on this cruise. Present and former members of the U.S. and Canadian armed forces can have the same inside stateroom for as low as $269 per person. As an extra bonus, military receive a $25 onboard credit per stateroom.

Too last minute for you? Don't worry, the following two sailings are just $10 more per person.

The Ship 

Carnival Triumph was built by Fincantieri in Italy and entered service in 1999. She is one of three Destiny/Triumph Class ships in the Carnival fleet. Sunshine is the oldest, entering service as Carnival Destiny in 1996. Carnival Victory is the youngest of the three, entering service in 2000.

Triumph is a fairly large vessel with a gross tonnage of 101,509. She is 272 metres or 893 feet in length and has 13 decks accessible to a capacity of 3,143 passengers. There are typically 1,100 crew members onboard.

Yes, this is the ship that was left adrift in the Gulf of Mexico last February. On February 10, 2013, a fire broke out in Triumph’s engine room, leaving the boat incapacitated. After several days, she was finally pulled to Mobile, Alabama.

Carnival Triumph was out of service from February until June, 2013, undergoing extensive repairs. The process was complicated when due to high winds on April 3rd, she broke free of her moorings in the port of Mobile and collided with a U.S. Army Corps ship, sustaining a 20 foot gash.

However, Triumph is all fixed up and has been running four and five night Western Caribbean cruises out of Galveston since June. That means, she does about six cruises per month. That means, Triumph has run around 36 itineraries since without incident.

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.

Military Need Not Stress Over Last Minute Deals From Carnival Cruise Lines

This one’s for the military. If you are, or were, active in the U.S. or Canadian military, you don’t need to bother with the stress of holding out for a last minute deal. At least, you don’t have to with Carnival Cruise Lines. To prove it, we’re going to look at a four night Western Caribbean cruise that is nearly two months away.

The Cruise

We’ve looked at this itinerary before but with a different Carnival ship. The Carnival Ecstasy embarks from Miami, Florida on January 27, 2014 at 4pm on a four night journey across the Western Caribbean. Earlier, we looked at the same cruise on board the Carnival Imagination which embarks on December 7, 2014.

Ecstasy stops at Key West, Florida on the Tuesday for a short 6 hour port call. The following day, she visits Cozumel, Mexico, remaining in port from 1:30pm to 10pm. After a full day at sea, the ship returns to Miami at 8am on Friday, January 31, 2014.

The Pricing

***note*** prices for this cruise are given in U.S. dollars.

For this cruise, the normal rate for an interior stateroom starts at $259 per person. This equates to $64.75 per person. With the $81.51 per person in government fees and taxes included, a couple can have this room for 671.30. As opposed to Carnival’s Super Saver rates, with this rate, you have some choice as to where your stateroom is located.

However, if you qualify as a current or former member of the U.S. or Canadian military (see details below), this price changes quite drastically. Keep in mind, this cruise is still nearly two months away so this is by no means last minute pricing.

For an interior stateroom (with some choice, as opposed to Super Saver pricing), the price drops to as low as $142 per person. This equates to just $35.50 per person per night and a room for two can be had for $437, all taxes and fees included.

As for the Super Saver rate, an interior stateroom starts at $189 or $47.25 per person per night. This translates to $531.30 for a room for two. However, as mentioned, with the Super Saver rate, there are some serious restrictions. You have no choice over what stateroom you end up in. All you know before checking in at the ship is that you have an interior room.

 

The Ship

Carnival Ecstasy is the second oldest active ship in the Carnival Cruise Lines fleet. She entered service in 1991 and is the second of eight Fantasy Class ships. All eight ships were built between 1990 and 1998. All eight were built by Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland (now part of STX Europe). All eight are still active and include Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise.

All ships, including Ecstasy, are relatively small by today’s mass market standards with a gross tonnage of 70,367. Ecstasy is 855 feet or 261 metres in length and has 12 decks, ten accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity for 2,056 guests and 920 crew members.

Military Small Print

Available to the following members of the United States Military: active personnel, reserve personnel, active cadets, U.S. Coast Guard personnel, active member of the National Guard, Uniformed members of the USPHS (U.S. Public Health Services), retired personnel.

Also available to the following members of Canadian National Defense: active personnel, reserve personnel, retired personnel. Military member can book only one stateroom at this rate and must sail in that stateroom. Verification documents must be submitted for confirmed reservations within 72 hours for cruises outside one week prior to sailing and 24 hours for cruises within one week prior to sailing. Subsequent upgrades in lieu of price protection will no longer be offered.

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.

14 Night Panama Canal Cruise from $799

Once again, we’re looking at a cruise that’s above our $40 per night arbitrary threshold but, once again, this one is worth mentioning. Transiting the Panama Canal on a ship is not only a common bucket list item for cruisers but for travellers in general. Typically, a Panama Canal cruise starts at around $100 per night per person and goes nowhere but up, regardless of the cruise line. With Norwegian Cruise Lines at the start of January, 2014, this cruise can be had for as low as $57 per person per night.

The Cruise

Some Panama Canal cruises just go halfway, turning around at Gatun Lake and heading back home. This 14 night cruise on board the Norwegian Star does the whole deal from Panama City at the Pacific Ocean to Colon at the Caribbean/Atlantic side.

The ship embarks from Los Angeles, California at 4pm on Sunday, January 5, 2014 and reaches Miami, by way of the Canal, at 8am on Sunday, January 19, 2014. Along the way, she makes six port calls other than the Panama Canal, five on the Pacific coast and one in the Caribbean. Included are: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Huatulco, Mexico; Puerto Chiapas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica and Cartagena, Colombia. All are full days on shore, ranging from 7 to 9 hours.

The Pricing

An interior stateroom on board the Norwegian Star can be had for as low as $799 per person. This equals around $57 per person per night. Unfortunately, any Panama Canal cruise, no matter the length or cruise line, costs dearly in government taxes and fees, in this case to the tune of $362 per person. Right now, with a $25 on board credit included, a couple can do this cruise for an all-in $2,322.

For other categories, the pricing goes as low as $1,249 per person for an Ocean View stateroom, $2,399 per person for a balcony and $2,499 per person for a suite.

If money is not an issue, you might want to try out the Garden Villa Suite. 6,694 square feet of living space on the 14^th deck, at the back of the ship. Yes, I had to check that two or three times. 6,694 square feet of living space! This includes all inside and outside space. You have your own private garden, hot tub and room for eight people. There are three bedrooms with nothing less than a queen sized bed. Butler and concierge service comes included. The total price for two people? $27,722 or just under $14,000 per person!

 

 

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 Class ship 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.

Celebrity Constellation 5 Night Western Caribbean From Just $209

If you took a gander at the ‘About’ page for this website, you’d see that our target range for cruises to be featured here is in the $30 to $40 per night range. Today, we’re going a little outside that range but it’s worth it.

Normally, the same itinerary on the Celebrity Constellation goes from the $80 to $100 per person per night area. On Saturday, December 14, 2013, you can be on the Celebrity Constellation as she leaves Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on a five night Western Caribbean cruise for just $41.80 per person per night.

The Cruise

 

The five night Western Caribbean cruise leaves the Port Everglades cruise port at 4:30pm on Saturday, December 14, 2013. Constellation returns to Ft. Lauderdale on Thursday, December 19 at 7am. Along the way, she makes two port calls with a generous amount of time at each.

On Sunday, December 15, Constellation arrives at Key West, Florida at 7am. She remains docked for the day at the colourful destination and departs at 5pm. After a day at sea, the next stop is the tropical island of Cozumel, Mexico. Once again, there is a full day on shore with the vessel docking at 7am and heading back out at 5pm.

Earlier this week, we looked at a four night Princess Cruises Western Caribbean cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale onboard the Ruby Princess. The Ruby and Constellation start out on the same evening but the Princess ship does not stop at Key West, instead going directly to Cozumel, arriving on the Monday. At the time the article was published, that cruise went for as low as $149 per person and is currently still available at that price.

Pricing

An interior stateroom on the Celebrity Constellation can be had for as low as $209 per person per night. This equates to $41.80 per person per night. The same cruise on the same ship is typically in the $80 to $100 per night range, and beyond. With government taxes and fees of $109.03 added to each passenger, a couple can book this cruise for $628 with all taxes included. Considering the quality of Celebrity Cruises, this is a great value.

Other staterooms on the ship are also reasonably priced for this date. An Ocean View stateroom goes for as low as $299 per person while a balcony room can be had for $419 per person. A suite is priced at $999 each.

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. Her sole job over the next year is alternating four and five night Western Caribbean cruises with Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale as a home port.

 

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.