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.

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.

Carnival Loves Canada On This 8 Night Bahamas Cruise From NYC!

*** I guess this was a popular deal - the cruise sold out shortly after this article was published ***

The Canadian dollar is down a bit against the Greenback. Carnival Cruise Lines has taken notice. Time is of the essence but there Carnival has added a Canadian Resident discount to their eight night Bahamas cruise out of New York City, embarking Wednesday, December 11, 2014 at 4pm. Folks from Canada can be on this cruise from as low as $299 per person.

The Cruise

 

Embarking from the New York City cruise port at 4pm on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, you won’t want to not be on deck for the view of the Manhattan skyline. The Carnival Splendor makes three port calls on this itinerary with four full days at sea.

Splendor makes her first port call on U.S. soil. On Saturday, December 14, she is docked at Port Canaveral in Florida from 7am until 6pm. Day trips to Disney World or Universal Studios in Orlando might be out of the question but Kennedy NASA Space Center at Cape Canaveral is a timeless wonder.

The following day, Splendor reaches Nassau, Bahamas at 11am and stays in port until 8pm. She doesn’t go far, reaching Freeport on Grand Bahama Island at 7am on the morning of December 16. Splendor leaves Freeport at 3:30 in the afternoon for a two day journey back to New York City.

Where is the New York City cruise port in Manhattan? It is easily located at the point where West 52^nd Street meets the Hudson River. Within walking distance is Central Park and Times Square.

The Pricing (note: all Carnival pricing is in USD)

Canadian Residents can pay as low as $299 per person for an interior stateroom, which equates to $37.38. This price is $40 per person lower than the Carnival Super Saver rate of $339. Added to the individual price is $109.15 per person in government taxes and fees. A couple can have an interior stateroom on this Bahamas cruise for a total, taxes included, price of $816.30.

The Canadian Residents sale price might beat out the Super Saver but present and former Military personnel from the United States and Canada still can have the best deal. The Carnival Military discount reduces the price of an interior stateroom to just $254 per person!

The Ship

Carnival Splendor, like most Carnival ships, was built by Fincantieri on the Adriatic in Italy. Her maiden voyage was on August 18, 2008 and she is the only Splendor Class ship in the Carnival fleet. Originally, she was designed as a Concordia Class ship for sister company Costa Cruises. Yes, she’s nearly identical in dimension to the Costa Concordia that sank off the coast of Italy.

Splendor is large with a gross tonnage of 113,323. She is 952 feet or 290 metres long and has 13 decks accessible to passengers. Guest capacity is 3,006 and there are 1,150 crew members on board.

Since a December cruise out of New York City may not see tropical weather until arriving in the Bahamas, or not at all, plan on spending a lot of time inside. Carnival Splendor has much to offer and guests would be hard-pressed to get bored.

The onboard casino is pretty much full service with card games, slots, roulette, craps and more, along with tournament play. There is a nightclub, sports bar, comedy club and many restaurants. Wellness facilities include a fitness centre and spa. Like most cruise ships, there is an art gallery. Kids are neglected as there are kids programs for toddlers, all the way up to teens. Of course, there is more than enough live entertainment.

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.