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

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

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

The Cruise

 

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

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

The Price

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

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

The Ship

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

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

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

Flash Fare Pricing For Ruby Princess April 27 Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise

Right now, Princess Cruises has some Flash Fares on the market that are simply a steal. For the 14 night Transatlantic sailing of the Ruby Princess, you’ll pay just slightly more than if you took the same ship on a 4 or 5 night Bahamas or Western Caribbean cruise. Ruby offers a unique itinerary between Ft. Lauderdale and Southampton with ports of call that many ships don’t cover when crossing the pond.

The Cruise

 

Ruby Princess embarks from Port Everglades at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 4pm for a 14 night transatlantic repositioning cruise. Ruby arrives at Southampton in the United Kingdom at 5am on Sunday, May 11. Along the way, she makes four port calls.

After two full days at sea, the first stop is Hamilton, Bermuda on Wednesday, April 30, 2014. Ruby Princess is at port from 8am until 3pm at the Bermuda capital. Typically, cruise ships stop across the bay at King’s Wharf and not right in Hamilton.

Departing Bermuda, there are five full days at sea before the next stop, another national capital. Ruby stops at Lisbon, Portugal on Tuesday, May 6 and stays in port until 8pm. Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and boasts a metro population of over three million.

Travelling up the coast of Portugal and around the top of Spain, Ruby Princess makes her next stop at Bilbao, Spain on Thursday, May 8 from 8am until 6pm. Bilbao is a city on the north coast of Spain, near the border with France.

The final port of call comes after another full day at sea. Ruby stops at Le Havre in the north of France. Le Havre is located on the English Channel and the ship will be docked here from 7am until 8pm on Saturday, May 10.

The Price

The cabins are going quickly for this fast approaching voyage. An inside stateroom can be had onboard the Ruby Princess at the Flash Fare price from as low as $599 per person, based on double occupancy. With the extra $135 per person in government fees and taxes tacked on, the price for two for one of these inside cabins can be had for as low as $1,468.

Other levels of stateroom still available include ocean view, balcony and suite. An ocean view cabin starts at $1,099 per person while the addition of a balcony brings that starting price up to $1,299. If you’ve got the coin, there is a family suite with balcony on the Dolphin Deck that starts at the low, low price of $11,198 per person.

Because these are flash fares, they are non-refundable and must be paid in full at the time of booking. For present and former members of the armed forces in Canada and the United States, your deal gets sweetened with a $250 onboard credit. If you wish to take advantage of this perk, you must submit an online form to Princess at least 14 days before the ship sets sail.

The Ship

Built by Fincantieri on the Adriatic Coast of Italy, Ruby Princess made her maiden voyage on November 8, 2008. Ruby is a Grand Class ship with a gross tonnage of 113,000. The ship is 290 metres or 951 feet in length and has 15 decks accessible to guests. The capacity onboard is for 3,080 passengers and 1,200 crew members.

Currently, Ruby Princess is running shorter Western Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries out of Fort Lauderdale. Once across the Atlantic, she will lengthen her cruises to typically 12 night British Isles tours with Southampton as her home port. The 12 night British Isles makes stops in England, France, Ireland and Scotland.

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 All And $250 Onboard Credit For Military On Emerald Princess Transatlantic Cruise!

Transatlantic repositioning season is upon us and there are some incredible deals on voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. Princess Cruises has thrown their hat into the ring with a great offer on a 15 night cruise onboard Emerald Princess. Space and time are limited in order to get on this ship for as low as $599 per person. Are you a veteran or current member of the armed forces in North America? Even better. Princess offers an amazing onboard credit for our combat heroes.

The Cruise

 

Emerald Princess embarks from Port Everglades at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on this 15 night Transatlantic Repositioning cruise at 4pm on Friday, April 18, 2014. She arrives at Southampton, England, her summer home port, on Saturday, May 3 at 7am. Along the way, the ship makes five port calls, all on the eastern side of the Atlantic. The ports are unique and the time at each port is much lengthier than most other cruises.

After six full days at sea, Emerald Princess makes her first and shortest stop at Ponta Delgada in the Azores Islands of Portugal. On Friday, April 25, Emerald is in port from 7am until 4pm before heading out to sea again for another two full days.

Emerald has two stops in Ireland on consecutive days. On Monday, April 28, she is docked at Cork, Ireland from 8am until 7pm. The following day, guests can experience a long day and a bit of the night in Dublin, Ireland with the ship in port from 10:30am until 10pm.

From Dublin, Emerald Princess takes its last full day at sea before hitting mainland Europe for her final two stops. On Thursday, May 1, Emerald docks at Brussels, Belgium from 8am until 6pm. The following day, it’s a stop on the English Channel at Le Havre, France. The final stop is the longest, arriving at Le Havre at 8am and departing at 9pm in order to cross the Channel to the final destination.

The Price

For a limited time and while there’s still space on the ship, an inside cabin on Emerald Princess for this Transatlantic cruise can be had for as low as $599 per person, based on double occupancy. There is an additional $135 in government fees and taxes. This brings the total for two for an inside stateroom to as low as $1,468.

Princess Cruises has a great offer for current and former members of the military in Canada and the United States. On cruises over 14 days in length, these brave souls qualify for a $250 onboard credit per stateroom. Remember, just one person in the cabin needs to have served. The catch is: you must submit an online form to Princess no later than 14 days prior to sailing. For this particular cruise, that 14 day window is coming up fast!

For this cruise, all suites are sold out already. Ocean View cabins start at $1,199 per person and staterooms with a balcony start at $1,399 per person. The same government fees and taxes apply, no matter the level of stateroom.

The Ship 

Built by Fincantieri on the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea in Italy, Emerald Princess is a Grand Class ship that made her maiden voyage on April 11, 2007. This is a large ship with a gross tonnage of 113,000 and a length of 290 metres or 951 feet. There are 15 decks accessible to the capacity 3,080 guests. 1,200 crew members make Emerald run smooth.

Currently, Emerald Princess is finishing up her winter schedule out of Ft. Lauderdale where she runs a mix of Southern and Eastern Caribbean itineraries of ten or more nights. Once in Southampton for the summer, Emerald will sail a mix of Western Europe, Mediterranean and Baltic/Scandinavia cruises.

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 In Style Onboard Celebrity Equinox From Just $699!

If you’re going to spend the first six days of a 13 night Transatlantic Repositioning cruise at sea, why not sail in luxury? If you can do it at the price of a lower quality cruise ship then it’s even better. Celebrity Equinox crosses the Atlantic Ocean on a 14 night journey in mid-April, 2014. You can be onboard for as low as $699 per person. If you’re 55 or older, take $50 per person off that price. If you qualify as military, fire or police, the savings on an inside stateroom run as high as $115 per person!

The Cruise

 

Celebrity Equinox embarks from Port Everglades at Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday, April 14, 2014 at 5pm for a 13 night crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. Equinox arrives at her final destination of Malaga, Spain at 6am on Sunday, April 27. Along the way, the ship makes three port calls, along with a full day transit of the Strait of Gibraltar.

After six full days at sea, Celebrity Equinox arrives at Ponta Delgada in the Azores Islands on Monday, April 21 for her first port of call. Equinox is in port from 9am until 6pm at what is the largest urban centre in Portugal’s Azores.

After two more full days at sea, Equinox reaches the mainland of Portugal. On Thursday, April 24, the ship docks at Lisbon and remains in port from 7am until 5pm. Upon leaving Lisbon, the ship moves down the coast to Sevilla, Spain. Equinox is docked at this Spanish port on Friday, April 25 from 10am to 8pm.

Upon leaving Sevilla, Celebrity Equinox enters the Strait of Gibraltar for a full day of scenic cruising on Saturday, April 26.

The Price

An inside stateroom can be had for as low as $699 per person, based on double occupancy. With the additional $81 per person in government fees and taxes tacked on, the price for two for an inside cabin starts as low as $1,560. Other levels of stateroom still available include ocean view from $959 per person and balcony cabins from $1,079 per person.

Seniors 55 years or older can have that same inside cabin for as low as $649 per person. Folks who work in the armed forces, fire or police services get a great discount and can have that same room from $584 per person. Remember, just one person per stateroom needs to qualify in order to get the discount.

It should also be noted that an inside stateroom on Celebrity Equinox is not like the same category on other cruise ships. On Equinox, the inside cabins are generally 200 square feet and designed to have a double bed and a sofa. Compare this to 128 square feet for an inside stateroom on the Norwegian Epic and 182 square feet on the Ruby Princess.

The Ship 

Celebrity Equinox is a Solstice Class ship that was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. Equinox is a new ship, making her maiden voyage on July 31, 2009. She is also a large ship with a gross tonnage of 121,878 and a length of 317 metres or 1,041 feet. There are 13 decks accessible to passengers.

However, Celebrity Cruises is a luxury line and the size doesn’t mean massive amounts of guests crammed in like sardines. The capacity is for 2,850 guests, based on double occupancy. The passenger to crew ratio reflects a premium cruise ship with 1,250 crew members onboard.

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

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

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

The Cruise

 

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

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

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

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

The Price

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

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

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

The Ship

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

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

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

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

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

Holland American ms Nieuw Amsterdam Tranatlantic Repositioning Cruise From $599!

There’s not a whole lot of space left on the ms Nieuw Amsterdam for its April 6, 2014 Transatlantic Repositioning cruise. What is left, Holland America wants to sell of quickly. That being said, inside staterooms can be had for as low as $599 per person for this 14 night journey across the Atlantic Ocean from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Barcelona, Spain.

The Cruise

 

MS Nieuw Amsterdam embarks from Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on her 14 night Transatlantic Repositioning cruise at 4pm on Sunday, April 6, 2014. She arrives at Barcelona, Spain at 7am on Sunday, April 20, 2014. Along the way, Nieuw Amsterdam stops at five ports of call, all on the eastern side of the Atlantic.

After six full days at sea, Nieuw Amsterdam stops at Horta on the island of Faial in the Azores. Typically, ships stop a little further east at Ponta Delgada on the Azores island of San Miguel. So, already this cruise is unique. She is in port at Horta on Sunday, April 13 from 8am until 4pm.

Settle in for two more full days at sea before stopping at Gibraltar on Wednesday, April 16. Gibraltar is a territory of the United Kingdom at the southern tip of Spain, at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. This port call is unique, as well, in that the ship arrives at 1pm and doesn’t leave until 11pm.

For the following day, Nieuw Amsterdam goes a relatively short distance up the Spanish Mediterranean coast to Motril in the province of Granada. She is docked at this location on Thursday, April 17 from 8am to 6pm.

For the final couple of days, the ship does little work with the final two port calls located quite close to the final destination. On Friday, April 18, Nieuw Amsterdam stops at Alicante, Spain on the Costa Blanca from 8am to 5pm.

Her last stop before reaching Barcelona is on the island of Majorca. Nieuw Amsterdam docks at Palma de Mallorca, Spain from 8am to 5pm on Saturday, April 19. Palma de Mallorca is the main city in Spain’s Balearic Islands.

The Price

While supplies last, an inside stateroom can be had for as low as $599.40 per person, based on double occupancy. Government fees and taxes result in an additional $99.48 per person being tacked on. The total for two for an inside cabin can be purchased for as low as $1,397.76, taxes included.

Other levels of stateroom still available are reasonably priced, as well. Ocean View rooms start at $699.96 per person. Add a balcony and cabins start at $700.40. A suite can be had from $1,701.80 per person.

The Ship 

MS Nieuw Amsterdam was built by Fincantieri on the Adriatic coast of Italy. She is a Signature Class ship that made her maiden voyage on July 4, 2010. For Holland American, this is a large ship. For the rest of the cruise world, it’s more of a medium sized vessel. With a gross tonnage of 86,700, Nieuw Amsterdam is 285 metres or 935 feet in length. There are eleven decks accessible to the capacity 2,106 passengers with an additional 929 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.

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.

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.

Cruise On The Royal Princess From Just $549

Put in service in 2013 and one of the top ten largest cruise ships on the high seas, Royal Princess is the latest big thing in cruising and the new flag ship of the Princess Cruises fleet. Because of the novelty of the new ship and the big to-do that Kate Middleton christened her, pricing is set at a higher level than the rest of the Princess ships.

Typically, her Eastern Caribbean itinerary starts at anywhere from $699 to $1,200 per person. For a limited time, an interior stateroom can be had for as low as from $549 per person.

The Cruise

The Royal Princess embarks on this seven night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Everglades at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida at 4pm on Sunday, January 5, 2014. Because of the size of the ship, the typical Princess Eastern Caribbean itinerary is reduced to three port calls from four. The ship is unable to dock at Grand Turk.

On Monday, January 6, 2014, Royal stops at Princess Cays from 9am to 5pm. Princess Cays is a private beach at the southern tip of the Bahamas island of Eleuthera. There is no pier for ships to dock at so they must moor a ways away from shore and tender guests to the island on board smaller boats.

Royal Princess then travels south overnight and the following day to reach Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Royal docks in St. Thomas harbour on Wednesday, January 8 from 8am to 6pm. The highlights of the island include shopping and a trip to other side of the island to visit the famous Magens Bay Beach. Have you seen ‘Weekend at Bernie’s 2’? If yes, you will recognize Magens Bay immediately.

Her final port call is at Philipsburg on the Dutch side of the island of Sint Maarten. Another shopping mecca, Sint Maarten is also home to Princess Juliana International Airport. The airport is famous for jumbo jets flying mere feet above the beach before landing.

The Price

Currently, Princess has a flash fare sale on this cruise with interior staterooms starting at $549 per person. This equates to $78.43 per person per night. Once she heads to Europe for the summer, the lowest price on Royal Princess starts at between $200 to $400 per person per night. One of her 10 to 11 night cruises on the other side of the Atlantic cannot be had for less the $2,300 per person before taxes are added.

With the $95 per person in government fees and taxes added, an interior stateroom for two can be had for $1,288 total. Normally, Eastern Caribbean cruises on Royal Princess start from $699 to $1,200 for the same interior stateroom. It should also be noted that the flash fare rate is available on all of Royal’s January cruises while still available.

The Ship

Royal Princess made her maiden voyage on June 16, 2013 after being christened by a pregnant Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. Royal is the first of two Royal Class ships in the Princess Cruises fleet. Regal Princess is coming sometime in 2014 and will be nearly identical.

Built by Fincantieri on the northern Adriatic shores of Italy, Royal Princess has a gross tonnage of 141,000, making her the ninth largest cruise ship by weight on the high seas today. She is 330 metres or 1,083 feet long, making her the 13^th longest cruise ship.

Passenger capacity on Royal is 3,560. There are 19 decks on the ship with 15 accessible to passengers.

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

ms Zuiderdam Southern Caribbean: Premium Cruise at a Contemporary Price

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

The Cruise

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Pricing

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

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

The Ship

 

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

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

 The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

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.