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

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

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

The Cruise

 

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

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

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

The Price

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

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

The Ship 

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

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

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

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

$22 Norwegian Gem Cruise To Nowhere Out of New York City

Why, oh why, would anyone board a cruise ship on Friday evening just to get back off Saturday morning? Because, it’s cheaper than staying at a hotel. Around once a month, Norwegian Cruise Line hosts a one night cruise to nowhere onboard the Norwegian Gem out of the Manhattan Cruise Port in New York City.

For Friday, February 7, 2014, a one night stay at a Manhattan hotel below Central Park starts at $178 before taxes and meals but typically runs from $250 to $300 and beyond. That same night on the Norwegian Gem costs as low as $227.44 for two, taxes included. And, the Gem includes all the food you can stuff down. You will not find a hotel in New York City that includes that in your overnight stay.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Gem embarks from the Manhattan Cruise Port in New York City at 6pm on Friday, February 7, 2014. The Cruise Port is located in lower Manhattan where 12^th Avenue meets the Hudson River. The ship heads out into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, does a wide circle and returns to New York for 7am on Saturday morning.

Of course, the ship docking at 7am doesn’t mean you need to get off the ship at 7am. There is time for a decent breakfast. What else is there to do on Gem? Besides the usual restaurants, bars and casino, Norwegian Gem has a bowling alley, rock climbing wall, hot tubs and ample fitness facilities. I highly doubt the outside pool will be of much use in February.

The Price – In Canadian Dollars

Right now, an inside or ocean view stateroom can be had for as low as $22 per person. A room with a balcony goes for as low as $29 per person and a suite goes as low as $39 per person. Added to that is $91.72 per person in government fees and taxes. As mentioned above, an inside or ocean view stateroom for two can be had from $227.44, including taxes.

The Ship 

Norwegian Gem is the newest of the Norwegian Cruise Line Jewel Class of ships. The Jewel Class consists of four ships put in service between 2005 and 2007. Gem was built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and entered service in 2007.

Gem is a decent sized ship with a gross tonnage of 93,530. She is 294 metres or 965 feet in length and has 12 decks accessible to passengers. Capacity onboard is for 2,394 guests, along with 1,101 crew members.

For 2014, Gem calls New York City home, with a selection of itineraries that include the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean.

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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

Carnival Still Looking Out For Canadians On This 5 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise

The Canadian dollar has dipped to levels against the greenback not seen in several years. Should this deter you from heading south for your winter vacation? Carnival Cruise Lines doesn’t think so. Carnival is looking out for Canadian residents with special rates on certain itineraries this winter. One of those deals is coming up soon on a five night Eastern Caribbean journey out of Miami, Florida. Canadian residents can be on the ship for as low as $209 each (USD).

The Cruise

 

Carnival Victory embarks from Miami, Florida on Monday, January 20 at 4pm on a five night Eastern Caribbean cruise. The first full day, Tuesday, is spent at sea as Victory powers her way south to her furthest port of call before meandering back home.

On Wednesday, January 22, Carnival Victory docks at Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos. She remains in port from 7am until 2:30pm. A short stay, yes but plenty of time to spend on the beachfront, right next to the ship and to sip margaritas at the adjacent Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.

Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas is the port call for Thursday, January 23. Formerly known as Little San Salvador Island, Victory is anchored offshore from 9:30 to 5:30. The environmentally sensitive island does not have docking facilities and passengers must be tendered via small boat from ship to shore. Half Moon Cay was purchased by Holland America Line (under the Carnival umbrella) in 1996 from Norwegian Cruise Line.

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For her last port of call, Carnival Victory travels overnight the great distance of 100 miles to the northwest and docks at Nassau, Bahamas. On Friday, January 24, she hangs out at the largest city in the Bahamas from 7am until 5pm.

Victory returns to Miami on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 8am.

The Price (note – Carnival prices are all in U.S. Dollars)

Carnival does the best of any cruise line in the Caribbean to take care of Canadian residents and the Military of both the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian Resident rate for this cruise puts an inside stateroom as low as $209 per person. Government fees and taxes are an additional $94.55 per person. This means that an interior stateroom for two can be had for as low as 607.10, including taxes.

The Military rate is slightly more at from $212 per person, based on double occupancy. However, this rate includes a $25 onboard credit per stateroom. Any current or past members of the American or Canadian military qualify for this rate.

Just to compare how great this deal is, the Super Saver rate for the same stateroom is $249. The Super Saver is Carnival’s ultra low rate and usually there is nothing less expensive.

The Ship 

Carnival Victory is one of three Triumph Class ships in the Carnival Cruise Lines fleet. Built by Fincantieri in Italy, Victory made her maiden voyage on October 15, 2000. She is a fairly large ship with a gross tonnage of 101,509 and a length of 272 metres or 896 feet. There are 13 decks accessible to the capacity 2,754 passengers. 1,100 crew members can be found onboard.

Victory is the newest of the three Triumph Class ships. Carnival Sunshine was the first, in service in 1996. Sunshine was known as Carnival Destiny until a major overhaul and name change in 2013. The other ship is the class is the Carnival Triumph, in service since 1999. Triumph is, of course, the ill-fated ship that was stuck at sea in February, 2014. After four months of repairs, Triumph was back on the high seas and is now operating flawlessly.

The Small Print

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

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

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

·Also not included are gratuities.

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