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.

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

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

The Cruise

 

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

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

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

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

The Price

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

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

The Ship

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

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

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

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

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

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

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

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

The Cruise

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Ship



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

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

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

 

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

Cross the Atlantic on Norwegian Epic From Just $499!

Not a last minute deal, but a great chance at sailing across the Atlantic on the world’s third largest cruise ship. As far as gross tonnage is concerned, Norwegian Epic is behind only the Royal Caribbean twins, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. In April, 2014, Epic repositions from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean. You can be on that cruise for as low as $499 per person!

The Cruise

 

On Sunday, April 27, 2014, Norwegian Epic leaves her winter home in Miami, Florida to make the eleven night journey to Barcelona, Spain. Epic arrives in Barcelona at 5am on Thursday, May 8, making just one port call along the way.

Her one stop? Funchal, a city on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Epic stops at Funchal on Monday, May 5 from 10am to 6pm. Funchal is the largest city in the Maderan Archipelago of Portugal with a population around 112,000.

In May, the average day time high on Madeira is around 22 celcius, or 71 fahrenheit. Tourism is fast becoming the island’s biggest industry. The port of Madeira now only handles cruise ships and ferry boats. All industrial shipping traffic has been moved to a different port around 20 kilometres away. For soccer fans, Funchal is the birth place of Cristiano Ronaldo, star of Real Madrid and the Portugal national team.

The Price

An interior stateroom, located on deck 11, for this cruise can be had for as low as $499 per person. The ‘normal’ rate for one of these rooms is around $899. Additional government fees and taxes are considerably less than a Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise at just $63.88 per person. This all means that an interior stateroom for two can right now be had for as low as $1,125.76, taxes included.

Norwegian Cruise Line has recently sweetened the deal on their cruises, offering an additional coupon book with each cruise booked before April, 2014. The coupon book offers up to $300 in onboard savings (not on the price of the cruise..).

The Ship

Norwegian Epic is a destination in itself. The flagship of Norwegian Cruise Line is the third heaviest cruise ship on the high seas, behind Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas from Royal Caribbean.

Built by STX France (Chantiers de l’Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire, France), Epic entered service in 2010. She was to have a twin sister but the second ship was cancelled in 2008. Epic has a gross tonnage of 155,873 and is 329 metres or 1,081 feet long. She is just 14^th in the world when it comes to length.

Passenger capacity is 4,100 with a crew of 1,753. There are 19 decks on the ship with 15 accessible to passengers. With just one port call over eleven nights, Norwegian Epic has to have endless entertainment, and it does. Highlights on the ship include rock climbing, 10 pin bowling, the biggest spa at sea, an aqua park and live entertainment featuring the Blue Man Group at the head of the list.

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.

Carnival Imagation 4 Night Western Caribbean From $149

If you’re not picky about where you’ll be sleeping on a cruise and want to save a lot of money, the Carnival Cruise Lines Super Saver rates are for you. For example, a four night Western Caribbean cruise out of Miami, embarking December 9, 2013, can be had for as low as $149 per person. This equates to about $37.25 per night per person.

The Cruise

 

The Carnival Imagination leaves Miami at 4pm on Monday, December 9, 2013. The following morning, she makes her first of two port calls on this short Western Caribbean journey. From just 7:30 in the morning until 1:30 in the afternoon, Imagination will be docked at Key West.

On Wednesday, December 11, Carnival Imagination parks at Cozumel, Mexico at 1:30 in the afternoon and departs at 10pm. This allows for some sun, followed by a nice Mexican dinner and sunset before getting back on board the ship.

After a full day at sea on Thursday, skimming across the top of northwestern Cuba, Imagination arrives back at Miami Friday morning at 8am.

The Pricing

Using the Super Saver plan, an interior stateroom can be had for around $149 per night per person or around $37.25 per person per night. An ocean view room will cost around $200 per person and a suite can be had for $559 per person. This is an older ship without balcony rooms. With the additional $77.71 in government fees and taxes, the all-in price for an interior stateroom is about $225 per person.

What is the Super Saver rate? The Super Saver is a no frills rate that is non-refundable with not upgrades and no price drop protection. You have no choice in what room you choose and it will not be assigned until check-in time. This means, your stateroom could be on any deck at any section of the ship.

The Ship

Carnival Imagination is a Fantasy Class ship that has been in service since 1995. She was last refurbished in 2007. Imagination is the middle child of the eight ship Fantasy Class, being the fifth oldest in a group of identical ships put in service between 1990 and 1998.

Imagination is fairly small by today’s standards with a gross tonnage of 70,397. She is 855 feet or 261 metres long and has ten decks accessible to a capacity 2,056 passengers. 920 crew members make things run smooth at sea. Despite its size and age, Imagination has it all. The standard casino, wellness centre and programs, kids programs and nightlife are available on board.

Interestingly, after calling Miami home for most of her life, she is repositioning in January, 2014 to Long Beach, California. The Panamax ship will depart Miami on January 10 for a 16 night cruise to Long Beach via the Canal. Staterooms for this cruise are still available but fairly expensive at over $1,600 for an interior room. The vessel will make stops in the Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico before reaching its California destination.

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 From Just $111

The Cruise

Nearly two full weeks before this cruise embarks, this is not so last minute. A four night Bahamas cruise embarking from Miami, Florida on board Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas can be had for as little as $111 per person. That equates to $27.50 per night – much cheaper than your local bug infested motel.

The cruise takes off from Miami on Monday, December 2, 2013 at 4:30 pm. On Tuesday, the ship stops at Nassau, Bahamas. After gambling your money away in Nassau, Wednesday is spent at Coco Cay, a private island leased to Royal Caribbean International. Also known as Little Stirrup Cay, Coco Cay is one of the Berry Islands and is used exclusively by customers of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. You shouldn’t get lost and miss getting back on the ship as the island is just around a kilometre long by 200 metres wide.

Thursday brings an interesting twist as Majesty of the Seas stops at Key West in the Florida Keys. Don’t drink too many Margaritas and Mojitos in Key West as the ship arrives back in Miami at 7:00 am on Friday morning, December 6.

Pricing for this cruise is more than half price for this sailing date. Price and availability are subject to change quickly and without notice – especially at these rates. An interior stateroom can be had for $111 Canadian dollars per person. An Ocean View room is slightly more and worth the investment at just $127 per person. A suite is not so cheap at $649 per person.

Not included in those prices is $98 per person in government fees and taxes. This is pretty much a standard rate, regardless of the length of a cruise. For example, on a 15 night TransAtlantic Repositioning Cruise, you will pay around the same total in fees and taxes.

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.