Cruise Deals: Best Discount Cruises & Packages

Table Of Content

• THE BEST CRUISE DEALS & SPECIAL OFFERS
• $1,399 pp — 11nt Caribbean Balcony from Miami: exclusive $75 bonus, free drinks & Wifi
• Does it pay to plan ahead, or should I wait until the last minute?
• Caribbean, from Port Canaveral (Orlando)
• $3,399 pp — 7-Nt. Caribbean Getaway – Up to $200 to Spend & Free Travel Credit

If you have the flexibility to travel during the shoulder season or off season, you’ll likely enjoy big savings on popular stateroom categories, like Balconies and even Suites. Although cruisers can't book sailings directly via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, they can call an agent to handle the reservation over the phone. You can pay with points if you have enough saved, or use a credit card that will earn you points toward future redemptions.

THE BEST CRUISE DEALS & SPECIAL OFFERS

Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. It’s also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings — but only if the itinerary you’re interested in hasn’t sold out yet. Wholesale clubs, where you pay for an annual membership in exchange for shopping in bulk or at a discount, are great places to take advantage of deals on cruises because they offer lowest-price guarantees, onboard perks and even cash back. Both BJ's and Costco sell cruises as part of their respective BJ's Travel and Costco Travel offerings. Meanwhile, Citi allows its cardholders to book cruises via its Citi Travel Portal.

$1,399 pp — 11nt Caribbean Balcony from Miami: exclusive $75 bonus, free drinks & Wifi

We know how important an impromptu getaway can be, so be sure to check out our constantly updated last-minute cruise deals. And if you're looking for a little pampering with your time at sea, you can check out our luxury cruise deals on lines like Regent Seven Seas, Azamara, and Viking. Trust us, that spoil-yourself cruise glow is even brighter when you're getting it for way less money. Sail to the destination of your dreams from the departure port that works best for you. Similar to a traditional all inclusive vacation, food and entertainment on board is included in your cruise fare. Most cruise lines also offer a special and affordable drink package for your trip.

Does it pay to plan ahead, or should I wait until the last minute?

Chase's cruise program doesn't offer as many extras for cruisers as Amex's does, but Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders do get up to $300 in annual statement credits when they book travel, including cruises. If you're an American Express, Chase or Citi cardholder, you can utilize your card's respective travel portal or dedicated agents to book a sailing, potentially earning some extra points and perks in the process. As an example, American Express Travel offers a Cruise Privileges Program, which grants passengers up to $300 in onboard credit per cabin, as well as bonus points on cruise bookings made through Amex. Royal Caribbean also offers deals based on departure ports and destinations, so if you’re a flexible traveler looking for great savings, you can plan your next vacation around which itineraries are on sale.

However, with others (like Groupon), you're likely to be on your own and will have to sort out any snags with the cruise line directly. If you're looking for deals in your area, you might turn to Groupon, a website and app that entice shoppers to try the products or services of partnering retailers at a discount. Customers can search for general or location-specific bargains and purchase time-sensitive vouchers for the products and services in which they're interested.

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If you’re not a planner, or if the only things you’re looking to focus on during your getaway is savoring great food, relaxing, and soaking up the sights, cruise vacations are the way to go. A cruise vacation is also a great option if you’re traveling with the whole family, especially when you opt for a Royal Caribbean cruise. All of the ships in this cruise line’s fleet offer family-friendly experiences for guests of all ages. Even little ones will find plenty of ways to play with spaces and activities designed for tots to tweens. One of the top reasons savvy travelers love cruising, though, is because of the incredible value it offers.

Night Caribbean CruiseDetails

Cruise deals are your key to scoring a perfect vacation at sea without breaking your budget. Whether you're looking for a last-minute deal, discounts on a luxury cruise or family-friendly cruise deal, or extra onboard credit, finding real deals on cruises can take a lot of work. Cruise lines and travel agents offer a huge variety of confusing extras -- some that are an amazing value and others that aren't. If you want to earn points or miles, score perks and extras, and save some money on your cruise fare, these less-conventional booking methods are a great place to look. Just be sure to do some comparison shopping to ensure you're getting the best deal, and know which credit cards to use to maximize your spending. BJ's Travel offers a 110% guarantee that you'll get the best price possible on your cruise booking.

Bonvoy offers the most value of the two, giving cruisers 3 points per dollar spent, up to 30,000 points. As you mull options for making a vacation purchase — travel advisor, online travel agency, cruise line, direct booking — it's also a smart idea to consider these lesser-known cruise sellers. So how do you know whether or not a cruise deal is worth your hard-earned cash? Cruise Critic's Deal Score is a data-based tool that measures inclusions and extras with itinerary length and nightly fare discounts to help you understand how much of a deal you're actually getting. Keep in mind that, if you book through one of these third parties, you should inquire ahead of time about whether assistance is available if something goes wrong. Some of the avenues mentioned — auto clubs, airline and hotel booking portals, and wholesale clubs — will have someone available to help.

$3,399 pp — 7-Nt. Caribbean Getaway – Up to $200 to Spend & Free Travel Credit

You can, of course, pay with any credit card, but if you already have a Citi Prestige® Card, you can use it to earn 3 points per dollar. The platform also allows you to apply Citi ThankYou Rewards points toward your sailing, but you'll have to call a Citi agent who can help you apply them. That's key info to have, especially when I tell you that Entertainment has a travel arm, and it includes cruises. Entertainment Cruises sells voyages from most of the popular ocean, river and luxury lines, and it has a 110% guarantee that you won't find a lower price or better deal elsewhere at the time of booking. The best part is you don't even have to have an Entertainment membership to book through Entertainment Cruises. In the past, I've seen Groupon offers for inexpensive sailings with MSC Cruises and Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line (now Margaritaville at Sea).

Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site. There are plenty of ways to get more bang for your buck when you sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package — which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more — and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra.

For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. With Costco, Executive Members get an annual 2% reward certificate on travel purchased through Costco Travel (certificate sent at time of membership renewal). Members who book through the Costco portal and use a Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi (see rates and fees) to pay will also get 3% cash back.

At the time of publication, BJ's was offering its members 5% back on cruises, as well as BJ's gift cards, with the purchase of a cruise. Plus, if you use a BJ's Perks Mastercard to pay for your reservation, you'll get 1% cash back. Choose from the best cruise deals and specials from a variety of cruise lines, destinations, departure ports, sailing dates and cruise lengths. It’s an age-old question — does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a “wait-and-see” approach? If you’re booking a cruise vacation, you’ll find there are benefits to both strategies.

There are few things more satisfying than earning travel by simply traveling, but many cruise line loyalty programs aren't lucrative. That's why it's exciting that you can also earn points and miles by booking cruises via some of the hotel and airline loyalty programs in which you might already be enrolled. Here, I'll discuss some cruise booking options you might not have thought of, including ones where membership could score you a discount or added bonus. You might not have your next sailing top-of-mind while running errands, but you should know that the places where you stock up on groceries, redeem credit card points and get help with a flat tire might also be able to sell you a cruise. Check out deals on popular cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Carnival or look for that discount on a pricey Holland America cruise. Or maybe you have a particular destination in mind, like a Caribbean cruise or cruise to Alaska.