best discount cruise lines

• Favorites & Watchlist Find a Cruise Cruise Deals Cruise Ships Destinations Manage My Cruise​ FAQ Perfect Day at CocoCay Weekend Cruises Crown & Anchor Society Cruising Guides Gift Cards Contact Us Royal Caribbean Group
• Back to Main Menu
• Search Cruises " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-2-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruises" target="_self"> Search Cruises
• Cruise Deals
• Weekend Cruises
• Last Minute Cruises
• Family Cruises​
• 2024-2025 Cruises
• All Cruise Ships " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-4-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruise-ships" target="_self"> All Cruise Ships
• Cruise Dining
• Onboard Activities
• Cruise Rooms
• The Cruise Experience
• All Cruise Destinations " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-5-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruise-destinations" target="_self"> All Cruise Destinations
• Cruise Ports
• Shore Excursions
• Perfect Day at CocoCay
• Caribbean Cruises
• Bahamas Cruises​
• Alaska Cruises
• European Cruises​
• Mediterranean Cruises​
• Cruise Planner
• Make a Payment
• Beverage Packages​
• Shore Excursions​
• Dining Packages​
• Royal Gifts
• Check-In for My Cruise
• Update Guest Information
• Book a Flight
• Transportation
• Book a Hotel
• Required Travel Documents
• Redeem Cruise Credit
• All FAQs " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-7-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/faq" target="_self"> All FAQs
• Boarding Requirements
• Future Cruise Credit​
• Travel Documents​
• Check-in​ & Boarding Pass
• Transportation​
• Perfect Day at CocoCay​
• Post-Cruise Inquiries
• Royal Caribbean
• Celebrity Cruises

Up to $600 off

+ 60% off second guest, + kids sail free*, the best cruise deals & special offers.

CARIBBEAN CRUISES

STARTING FROM 

europe cruises

ALASKA CRUISES

KIDS SAIL FREE

NEWEST. BOLDEST. BEST.

utopia of the seas

star of the seas

ICON of the seas

60% OFF SECOND GUEST

+ Kids Sail Free

{{error.text}} {{error.link.label}}

LAST CALL ON CRUISE DEALS

Score big savings on last minute cruises

SAIL FROM LOS ANGELES

ENSENADA CRUISES

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

SAIL FROM FLORIDA

SAIL FROM GALVESTON

Western Caribbean

GIVE THE GIFT OF ADVENTURE

New Gift Cards Now Available

Vacation Financing

Booking a cruise has never been easier with flexible payment methods and payment options..

  DISCOUNT CRUISE DEALS. SIGN UP FOR CURRENT PROMOTIONS

Sign up to receive information about our special offers and deals. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more details about how we use your information, view our Privacy Policy .

  GREAT CRUISES NEAR ME

CRUISES FROM

CAPE LIBERTY

top cruise destinations 

THE BAHAMAS

THE CARIBBEAN

AMAZING SEASONAL CRUISE DEALS  

SPRING CRUISES

Summer CRUISES

fall CRUISES

winter CRUISES

Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals Guide

When it comes to planning the ultimate getaway, there are so many reasons why cruise vacations rank among the most popular travel options. First of all, they’re completely stress-free. On a cruise vacation, all the planning is taken care of by the cruise line — from the destinations you sail to and the shore excursions available at each port, to a full range of entertainment and activities happening onboard every day. 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. With Royal Caribbean, your cruise fare includes access to most of the ship’s attractions, select dining venues and all of the entertainment onboard. If you want to make your experience even more all-inclusive, you can opt for beverage and specialty dining packages that cover drinks and dinner at some of the most exclusive restaurants in the fleet. On top of all that, the cruise line presents frequent limited-time offers and seasonal sales, making it easy to score big savings when booking your vacation.

I’m ready to start planning my cruise — how can I score the best deals?

Whether you’re looking to book a short getaway or a longer adventure to far-flung destinations, Royal Caribbean makes it easy to save big on everything from your cruise fare to special experiences onboard and onshore. The first step to making sure you get the best deals is to join the cruise line’s email list. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive regular updates on all the latest offers, like deals by destination , kids sail free promotions and flash sales. The savings don’t end when you book your cruise, though. Once you’ve made a reservation, you’ll also receive notifications about special offers for onboard experiences — like discounts on beverage and specialty dining packages, shore excursions, spa services, and more via My Royal Cruise .

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

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. 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.

If you can be flexible when it comes to your travel dates, you’ll have your pick of unbeatable savings. Popular vacation dates — like the holidays , spring break , summer vacation and week long cruises — sometimes see the highest prices (though you might get lucky with a seasonal sale). 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. The deals don’t only apply to your cruise fare, though. Once you’ve booked your vacation, you could easily unlock discounts and specials on add-ons, including beverage and dining packages , Voom® high speed internet, shore excursions, and amazing experiences not included in your cruise fare — like a day of pampering at Vitality SM Spa, a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship’s galley followed by brunch, VIP seating at shows, and much more.

How can I maximize the value of my cruise vacation?

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.

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. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers. You can even browse sailings and deals by homeport, destination and season, so you can rest assured you’re getting the best possible deal no matter when or where in the world you choose to set sai.

Ready to start planning your next getaway? Start exploring cruise deals now.

Explore more.

Previewing: Promo Dashboard Campaigns

My Personas

Code: ∅.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

The 17 Best Websites To Book Cruises at the Cheapest Prices [2024]

Katie Seemann

Senior Content Contributor and News Editor

343 Published Articles 49 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 28 U.S. States Visited: 29

Senior Editor & Content Contributor

88 Published Articles 654 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 41 U.S. States Visited: 28

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

32 Published Articles 3120 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 45 U.S. States Visited: 28

1. Cruise Line’s Website

2. cheapcaribbean.com, 3. cruise critic, 4. cruisedirect, 5. priceline, 6. tripadvisor, 7. cruisesonly, 10. cruises.com, 11. american airlines cruises, 12. delta skymiles cruises, bonuses for united premier members, use united mileageplus miles to pay for your cruise, use marriott bonvoy points to pay for your cruise, 15. costco travel, 16. cruise.com, 17. travelocity, price comparisons, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

So, you’ve decided you want to go on a cruise. Great news! But, do you know where to book it to get the best price?

There’s no shortage of websites out there that can help you book a cruise. There may even be more options to book cruises than hotels or flights. In addition to the traditional online travel agencies, there are a bunch of cruise-only sites that you can choose from, too.

So how do you know which site offers the best price? That’s where we come in. We combed through the most popular websites used to book cruises to look at their pros and cons and to do some head-to-head price comparisons.

If you’re only concerned about finding the cheapest price, scroll down to the price comparison section at the bottom of this post to see how all of these sites stack up against each other.

Your first instinct when booking a cruise may be to go directly to the cruise line’s website, especially if you have elite status with a specific cruise line. There are definitely some benefits to this — it’s simple and there are fewer hassles if you have to make any changes .

If you’re sure of the cruise line you want to take, it makes your search a little easier because you’re just looking at one specific line.

The big drawback when booking directly on a cruise line’s website is that you can miss out on extra deals that online travel agencies (OTAs) may offer.

Pros and Cons of Booking Directly with the Cruise Line

• Simpler search functions make it easier to locate specific cruises.
• There’s no middleman (another website) to deal with if there is a problem.
• You might miss out on extra deals offered by other sites.

Bottom Line: No matter where you choose to book your cruise, be sure to use the right credit card — refer to our list of best credit cards for cruises to get you started.

CheapCaribbean.com is an OTA that specializes in travel to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. It was founded in 2000 and prides itself on offering the best prices and great U.S.-based customer service . The site’s sales agents are available 7 days a week to help you plan your ultimate Caribbean vacation.

Despite the name, you can book cruises to destinations other than the Caribbean through CheapCaribbean.com, including Europe, Canada, Hawaii, and Alaska.

CheapCaribbean.com sometimes offers extra bonuses, like extra onboard spending credit. Plus it offers a 110% best price guarantee — if you find the exact same cruise for a cheaper price (available to the general public) on another website, CheapCaribbean.com will refund 110% of the price difference.

The not-so-great thing about CheapCaribbean.com is that it charges a $24.99 processing fee on each booking. It’s lumped into the taxes and fees, so you may not realize it unless you read the fine print.

Pros and Cons of CheapCaribbean.com

• Occasional special deals like extra onboard credit may be offered.
• 110% best price guarantee.
• There’s a $24.99 processing fee on each booking.
• You need to sign up for emails or call in to book a cruise if you want to access exclusive deals.

Hot Tip: Want to save more? CheapCaribbean.com offers exclusive deals to email subscribers and offers unpublished fares and exclusive offers if you call in to book your cruise. 

Cruise Critic is a cruise-focused website that features reviews, tips, and advice for a huge community of cruisers. The Cruise Critic forums provide a place to ask questions, give advice, and get help booking your next cruise.

The site also acts as a metasearch engine for cruises, allowing you to compare prices from lots of other websites . You can search for your perfect cruise and when it’s time to book, Cruise Critic will transfer you to another site to complete your booking.

Pros and Cons of Cruise Critic

• The site offers lots of cruise reviews, plus cruise tips and a travel forum to help you plan your trip.
• You can sign up for email alerts so you’re notified when the price of a cruise drops.
• The prices you see are not guaranteed and may be subject to other fees or restrictions depending on what website they are from.

CruiseDirect is a website that specializes only in cruises. The site allows you to quickly search cruises by destination, cruise line, departure port, or last-minute deals . You’ll find lots of different types of cruises, from budget to luxury and from mega-ships to riverboats.

With each cruise listing, you’ll see bonus details next to each sailing date — just click on each icon for details. Some of these are already reflected in the price and some are extras like onboard ship credit or discounts on shore excursions.

Pros and Cons of CruiseDirect

• Bonuses are offered with each cruise ranging from discounts, shipboard credit, or discounts on shore excursions.
• The bonuses offered are often from the cruise line and not exclusive to CruiseDirect, so you can get them regardless of where you book.
• The site is a bit cluttered and can be hard to navigate.

Kayak is a popular online travel agency but the site doesn’t support cruise searches anymore.

Priceline gained fame from its “Name Your Own Price” feature but has since transformed into a more traditional OTA. In addition to hotels, flights, and rental cars, you can use this site to book cruises, too.

Priceline often offers deals above and beyond what’s being offered through the cruise line. At the time of writing, a few different deals offered perks like $1,000 in onboard credit or 30% off every guest .

Plus, Priceline offers a 110% best price guarantee — if you find a lower, publicly available price for the exact same cruise within 48 hours of booking, you’ll be refunded 110% of the price difference.

Pros and Cons of Priceline

• Extra deals like onboard credit or room upgrades are sometimes offered.
• The site offers a 110% best-price guarantee.
• Some offers, including the one for up to $1,000 in shipboard credit can be confusing. Once you read the fine print, you’ll realize you need to spend $20,000 to get the full $1,000 credit.

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our detailed guide on booking travel with Priceline .

While you might think of Tripadvisor as just a place to get reviews and photos of hotels, restaurants, and activities, it’s actually much more than that. In addition to reviews and traveler forums, Tripadvisor acts as a metasearch engine , comparing prices on lots of other websites.

When you’re searching for a cruise, just click on the drop-down arrow that tells you how many deals there are — then you’ll be able to see that cruise’s price on many sites.

Pros and Cons of Tripadvisor

• It offers lots of great ship reviews and travel forums.
• It’s a great site to quickly compare prices on many sites at once.
• You may not be able to see all the deals being offered on each site.

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our detailed guide to booking travel on Tripadvisor .

CruisesOnly claims to be “the best” because each of its call center agents has an average of 5+ years of experience plus professional training.

While that might be helpful if you’re new to cruising or need some advice about which cruise line, ship, or destination you should choose, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the best price (scroll down to the Price Comparison section to see how CruisesOnly stacks up against other websites).

CruisesOnly also has its own loyalty program. The V.I.P. Customer Loyalty Club is free, and you’re signed up automatically if you have booked with CruisesOnly at least once before. Benefits include things like shore excursion credits and onboard spending credits.

The V.I.P. Customer Loyalty Club only applies to cruises on these cruise lines:

• Holland America
• Royal Caribbean

CruisesOnly’s best price guarantee is similar to other sites — a refund of 110% of the price difference if you find a lower price on an identical cruise within 48 hours of booking.

Pros and Cons of CruisesOnly

• The V.I.P. Customer Loyalty Club is free and offers plenty of benefits.
• The site offers a 110% best price guarantee.
• The site, like many other OTAs, can be very busy, making it hard to narrow down the cruise you really want to take.
• The loyalty program only applies to 6 cruise lines.

When booking a cruise through an OTA, be sure to use a card that earns bonus points on travel purchases, such as the  Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  which earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points on cruises purchased from any website or travel agency.

Expedia might be one of the first websites you visit to search for flights or hotels (and it’s probably a site you have used for a long time), but did you know that you can book a cruise through Expedia as well?

The site is straightforward, easy to use, and offers cruises from all the major cruise lines . While Expedia doesn’t charge any booking fees, it also doesn’t offer any price guarantees. However, you can sometimes find additional bonuses for booking your cruise through Expedia.

It also does a nice job of showing exactly what’s included and what might cost extra.

Pros and Cons of Expedia

• The site sometimes offers extra bonuses like onboard credit.
• It’s easy to use and is very clear about what’s included in the price.
• No price guarantee is offered

Hot Tip: For more information check out our complete guide to using Expedia .

Orbitz is a typical OTA that offers flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and cruises. There are no booking fees on cruises and a price guarantee is offered . However, the price guarantee isn’t as strong as some of the other sites — you’ll need to find a lower price within 24 hours to receive the difference in price as a refund.

Like Expedia, Orbitz does a good job at displaying prices clearly so there’s no confusion.

One of the nice things about Orbitz is that it offers a rewards program, but, unfortunately, cruises are not eligible for Orbitz Rewards.

Pros and Cons of Orbitz

• It offers a best price guarantee.
• There are no booking, change, or cancellation fees.
• Cruises aren’t eligible for Orbitz Rewards

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our complete guide to using Orbitz to book travel .

Cruises.com is another site that claims to be the best place to book your cruise. It can offer some impressive deals, but once you read the fine print, well, you realize there’s a lot of fine print.

For example, a deal was offered for up to $2,000 cashback, $1,500 to spend onboard, or a Visa gift card. However, after reading the fine print you’ll notice that in order to get the full bonus you’d have to spend $20,000+ on a cruise. To top it off, the bonus is only available for select cruise lines.

So while the deals offered could be lucrative, they aren’t necessarily a slam dunk.

Cruises.com also has its own loyalty program. It’s free and you’re signed up automatically if you have booked with Cruises.com at least once before. Benefits include things like shore excursion credits, onboard spending credits, or deposit waivers. Benefits are identical to those offered through the CruisesOnly loyalty program.

Pros and Cons of Cruises.com

• A loyalty program is offered for past guests.
• There are sometimes extra bonuses beyond what’s offered by the cruise line.
• There is a lot of fine print with its offers.

Hot Tip: Cruises.com and CruisesOnly are both owned by World Travel Holdings, along with other websites, including Cruise411.com. These sites offer the same loyalty program and similar perks, however, their prices can be different.

Did you know that you can book a cruise through American Airlines ? The best part is that when you do, you’ll earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles for your purchase (in addition to any points or miles you will earn from your credit card).

• Earn 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 spent on cruises booked through American Airlines (up to 10,000 miles)
• American Airlines credit cardholders will earn 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on cruises booked through American Airlines (up to 20,000 miles)
• Occasionally, additional bonus points will be offered for select cruises

Hot Tip: Base miles earned by booking a cruise through American Airlines will also count as Loyalty Points that help you earn American Airlines elite status .

American Airlines Cruises also offers a 110% best price guarantee — if you find the exact same cruise priced lower within 48 hours of booking, you’ll be refunded 110% of the price difference.

The bad news is that you’re charged a $24.99 processing fee on every booking.

Pros and Cons of American Airlines Cruises

• AAdvantage members have the ability to earn lots of American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points.
• There is a $24.99 processing fee on every booking.

Bottom Line: While you can book a cruise through American Airlines, you can’t use AAdvantage miles to pay for it.

In addition to flights, you can book cruises through Delta Air Lines’ SkyMiles Cruises and earn Delta SkyMiles at the same time.

Currently, you’ll earn 2 SkyMiles per $1 spent on a cruise , excluding the taxes, fees, and port charges.

SkyMiles Cruises also offers a 110% best price guarantee — if you find the exact same cruise priced lower within 48 hours of booking, you’ll be refunded 110% of the price difference.

Pros and Cons of Delta SkyMiles Cruises

• Earn extra Delta SkyMiles.

Bottom Line: While you can book a cruise through SkyMiles Cruises, you can’t pay for your cruise with Delta SkyMiles.

13. United Cruises

When you book a cruise with United Cruises you can choose to either earn United MileagePlus miles for your purchase or you can use MileagePlus miles to pay for your cruise !

United Cruises offers different ways to earn miles on your next cruise:

• Earn 2 MileagePlus miles per $1 spent on an interior or oceanview stateroom
• Earn 4 MileagePlus miles per $1 spent on a balcony stateroom or suite
• Any United MileagePlus credit cardholder will earn 4 MileagePlus miles per $1 spent on an interior or oceanview stateroom
• Any United MileagePlus credit cardholder will earn 7 MileagePlus miles per $1 spent on a balcony or suite stateroom

Additionally, there are sometimes opportunities to earn even more miles.

United Cruises offers a 110% best price guarantee — if you find the exact same cruise priced lower within 48 hours of booking, you’ll be refunded 110% of the price difference.

Unfortunately, United Cruises charges a $24.99 processing fee on every booking.

If you have any Premier status with United Airlines you’ll also receive onboard extras with select cruise lines:

• A bottle of wine and chocolate-covered strawberries in your stateroom
• $100 spa credit
• $200 onboard credit
• $250 onboard credit

Paying for your cruise with miles is a great option to have. Unfortunately, you’ll lose out on some value if you do so .

When you book a cruise using United Miles, you’ll get about 0.7 to 0.8 cents per mile in value. United miles are generally worth around 1.3 cents per mile (or more if you’re booking business or first class flights), so you’re getting less value than you could get if you used your miles for a flight.

However, if you have a bundle of United miles and prefer cruising to flying, it might be a good redemption for you.

Pros and Cons of United Cruises

• MileagePlus members have the ability to earn lots of extra miles.
• United Premier members receive extra perks with Norwegian, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas Cruise Lines.

Bottom Line: When you choose to book your cruise through United Cruises, you can either earn United MileagePlus miles on your purchase, or you can pay for your cruise using your United MileagePlus miles.

14. Marriott Bonvoy Cruises

Marriott Bonvoy Cruises allows you to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on your cruise or you can choose to pay for your cruise with Marriott Bonvoy points !

When you book a cruise through Marriott , you’ll earn up to 3 points per $1 spent . Chase Marriott Bonvoy credit cardholders will earn an extra 2 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent on a cruise booked through Marriott Bonvoy Cruises.

Marriott Bonvoy also offers a 110% best price guarantee — if you find the exact same cruise priced lower within 48 hours of booking, you’ll be refunded 110% of the price difference.

Hot Tip: If you book a cruise through Marriott Bonvoy, know that you’ll be charged a non-refundable processing fee of $24.99. That’s a pretty hefty fee considering many other sites don’t charge any fees.

It’s a great option to be able to pay for your cruise with points , and Marriott Bonvoy makes that possible. However, it’s not the best way to use your Marriott Bonvoy points.

When booking a cruise with Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll only get 0.4 cents per point in value. Since Marriott Bonvoy points are generally worth about 0.7 cents each, you’ll be missing out on some value, so you might want to look into other ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy for hotels or flights .

Pros and Cons of Marriott Bonvoy Cruises

• Members can earn extra Marriott Bonvoy points.
• You can pay for your cruise with Marriott Bonvoy points.
• The site offers a 110% best price guarantee
• You’ll be charged a non-refundable processing fee of $24.99 per reservation.
• Marriott cruises can only be booked with Marriott Bonvoy points over the phone.

Bottom Line: When you book a cruise through Marriott Bonvoy, you can pay for your cruise with points or you can choose to pay cash (I mean, credit card!) and earn Marriott Bonvoy points on your purchase.

Costco Travel is an in-house travel agency that’s only available to Costco members . Costco offers 2 levels of membership: Gold Star for $60 per year and Executive for $120 per year. Executive membership comes with a valuable extra perk for travelers — 2% back on your purchases through Costco Travel (up to $1,000)!

Another great thing about Costco Travel is that you’ll sometimes find deals that offer extra shipboard credit or a Costco shop card as a bonus.

Costco Travel is easy to use and offers all of the search and filter functions found on any other website.

Pros and Cons of Costco Travel

• Executive members receive 2% back on purchases through Costco Travel.
• Costco shop cards or onboard credit are sometimes offered as a bonus.
• Costco Travel is for members only.

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our detailed post on using Costco Travel .

Cruise.com  is a cluttered website and can be overwhelming when you’re searching for a cruise (especially if you’re a first-time cruiser and not quite sure how everything works). It offers lots of deals and discounts, but many of those are actually offered through the cruise line, so it can be hard to tell which bonuses are actually coming from Cruise.com.

Pros and Cons of Cruise.com

• Lots of deals for a variety of cruise lines are offered.
• The website is very busy and cluttered.
• No price guarantee is offered.
• You may be contacted by cruise.com after searching for a cruise on the site.

Hot Tip: Don’t be confused — Cruise.com and Cruises.com are 2 separate websites!

Travelocity is a website that many travelers use to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises. The simple interface and the fact that there are no booking fees will make this a good choice for many travelers.

While Travelocity doesn’t advertise as many deals and savings as other sites, the price still manages to come out about the same as other websites.

Pros and Cons of Travelocity

• There are no booking fees.
• It’s simple to use.
• No rewards program or extra bonus points.

Hot Tip: For more information, check out our complete guide to booking travel with Travelocity .

Let’s get to the important part — price comparisons! We priced out a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. Prices are for 2 adults in an Infinite Central Park View Balcony room.

As you can see, most websites offer the same price . The difference comes in the extras like onboard credit, free specialty dinners, free gratuities, or bonus miles.

The exception in this example was Cruise.com, which offered a savings of $50 on the price of the cruise. However, some of the extras offered by other sites could be worth more than that, so it’s always a good idea to price your cruise on multiple websites before booking.

Bottom Line: The base cost of a cruise is generally the same across most websites. The big difference comes in the extras — onboard credit, specialty dinners, cash-back, or bonus miles. 

No matter where you book your cruise, you’ll be paying the same base price 9 times out of 10. Even though a website might be offering “the best prices” or a “50% discount,” when you actually look at the numbers they’ll usually be the same as every other website.

To get a great deal, you’ll need to look for bonuses that a particular website is offering, such as onboard credit, free specialty dinners, cash-back, or bonus airline miles.

The higher the room category you’re booking, the more bonuses you’ll be able to get. Keep in mind that lots of the bonuses you may see advertised won’t kick in unless you book a balcony stateroom or a suite. Cashback and onboard spending bonuses are generally tied to your stateroom level as well which means you’re not going to get anywhere near the amount advertised if you’re booking an interior or ocean-view cabin.

No matter where you book your cruise, be sure to check out our post with cruise tips and a downloadable packing guide !

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get the best deals on cruises.

To get the best deals on a cruise, it’s important to know which website is offering the most bonuses. The base price of your cruise will be the same from website to website 9 times out of 10, so you’ll need to find the website that’s offering the best bonuses like onboard credit or free specialty dinners.

Is it better to book directly with the cruise line?

Surprisingly, you’ll usually get a better deal when you book your cruise through an OTA (think Cruise.com, Expedia, or United Cruises). When you book through these types of sites you’ll get any deals that are being offered directly by the cruise line plus any extras offered by the OTA.

Is it better to book cruises last minute?

While you can find some great deals on last-minute cruises, it’s not a guarantee. If you have any preference about your cabin type or location, you’ll want to book as early as possible to make sure you get exactly what you want. If you’re traveling with a group and want to book cabins that are next door to each other, you’ll also want to book ahead of time. However, if you’re super flexible and don’t care what type of cabin you’re in, where it’s located, or even what cruise you’re on, you can often find some good deals at the last minute.

What is the best website for booking cruises?

Unfortunately, there’s no one site that always offers the best cruise deals. Most of the OTAs like CheapCaribbean.com, Cruises.com, or Priceline offer the same prices. The difference usually comes when you factor in extras like onboard credit or free gratuities.

Was this page helpful?

About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Find discount cruise deals.

For expert cruise advice, call 1-866-403-9848.

Find your voyage

Best Cruise Deals by Popular Destination

Disney Cruise Line Deals

Cruise Tips & Cruise Packing Guide

Popular cruise destinations.

Departure Ports with Great Cruises Leaving from

San Francisco

Most popular cruise lines.

• Royal Caribbean International

Disney Cruise Line

• Carnival Cruise Lines

• MSC Cruises

• Norwegian Cruise Line

• Princess Cruises

Find the best cruise vacation for you

How can i find a cheap cruise.

Cheap cruise deals are fairly easy to find in most cases, and you can begin by considering what kind of features and itinerary you want. The more simplistic the experience is, the cheaper it is in general. On Expedia.com, you can filter for specific features and sort your results by price. By mixing and matching certain features, unforgettable experiences may be available with discount cruises. For example, booking a cruise with stunning restaurants and live performances while opting for an inside cabin without an ocean view window or balcony could be ideal for a traveler who doesn't plan on spending much time in their cabin anyways

What is the cheapest month to take a cruise?

The cheapest month to take a cruise varies based on your destination and the cruise line company that runs the ship. A Caribbean cruise , for example, is generally cheapest in the late summer and early fall since it's the local hurricane season.

Can I cancel my cruise booking?

Yes, you can cancel, but there may be fees for canceling depending on how far in advance you cancel and what kind of booking you have. You can check the specific cruise lines’ cancellation policies in your itinerary on Expedia.com.

Are river cruises worth the money?

River cruises are quite relaxing, with much more varied scenery than you'd experience on an ocean cruise. These ships often also feature several stops along the river, so passengers can enjoy a greater variety of destinations to explore. Viking river cruises are especially adept at providing this unforgettable experience.

What cruises are best for families?

The best family cruises in 2024 / 2025 tend to be Disney cruises with plenty of offerings for kids and adults alike, though MSC cruises are known for their iconic Children Cruise Free promotion. Disney cruises, specifically, are essentially a Disney theme park on a boat with live shows, rides, and attractions with your kids' favorite characters.

How much does a cruise ship cost?

Cruise prices can vary quite a bit, with cheap cruises and especially luxurious all-inclusive cruises available. Budget lines can offer cruise tickets as low as $50 per night in some cases, while the more high-end experiences can reach up to $1,000 per night and more.

What are some of the best cruise lines?

Several different cruise lines have a lot to offer, such as Viking cruises , which are known for traversing oceans and rivers with a style that blends outdoor and indoor splendor. Celebrity cruise line is more upscale with luxurious features like WiFi, included beverages, champagne, and suites with panoramic views. Other top cruise lines include Royal Caribbean International , Carnival Cruise , Disney Cruise , and Norwegian Cruise .

How far in advance do you need to book a cruise?

It's generally best to book a cruise about 6 to 12 months before your cruise departure. That's the safest way to balance availability and affordability. Technically, you can book earlier or later than that, with some last-minute cruise deals occasionally available up to a weekbefore cruise departure.

Are cruise trips affordable?

They can be, and it's especially simple to search for more affordable cruises with Expedia.com. Not only can you filter by cruise length, cruise line, and cabin experience, but you may also sort your results by price to put the more affordable options first on your search results page.

What is it like to go on a cruise?

A cruise is generally designed to offer the most relaxing experience possible. Despite the size of the ship, it's possible to feel the wave. Many passengers report that the movements help them sleep. Additionally, many fun cruises offer live stage performances, several restaurants, and shopping opportunities. When the ship is in international waters, you may even be able to enjoy a bit of tax-free shopping.

Are cruises a good way to travel?

Cruise travel is great if you're looking for some varied fun. Compared to a plane or a train, cruises have their own attractions and can be considered an integral part of cruise vacations. Plus, a cruise can hit several different destinations as well, with plenty of time to enjoy the cruise and scenic locales. It's certainly worth it for a unique experience no other method of travel can match.

Which cruise line is the cheapest?

The actual cheapest cruise available depends on a variety of different factors. Still, Carnival Cruise tends to be very affordable overall, most of the time with great options like the Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Horizon . Royal Caribbean is also another fantastic cruise line offering great deals if you are watching your budget.

How can I get the best cruise deals in 2024 / 2025?

If you're looking for some of the best cruise deals, booking through Expedia.com makes it easy since you can sort your cruise search results by price and have access to special deals. One Key members can earn  OneKeyCash  on all eligible bookings and get instant discounts with Member Prices. Sign up today!

What do I need to know when I book a cruise?

To book a cruise, you'll need to know where you'll be setting off from and where you'll be going, in addition to how many people will be with you and the features of the specific cruise you book. Keep in mind that you'll want to factor in spending money in your budget for the cruise's restaurants and shops in most cases.

Where should I go on a cruise in 2024 / 2025?

Plenty of incredible cruise destinations are accessible such as cruises to the Bahamas and cruises to Mexico . You may also be interested in cruises to Alaska or cruises to Europe for something outside of the Caribbean.

What countries are best to visit by cruise ship?

A lot of countries are accessible via a cruise, but the best include a cruise to Australia . However, a cruise to Australia is quite a long trip at sea and really allows you to take in everything the cruise ship has to offer.

Can I get last-minute cruise deals?

Yes, last-minute cruise deals are often available, and you can find them on Expedia.com by inputting your travel dates in your search and sorting your results by price. The deals will automatically be applied to the price estimates so that the cheapest estimates will show up first on your search results page.

Are cruises all-inclusive?

Cruises aren't always all-inclusive, but they can be. If you're interested in all-inclusive cruises, you can activate a search filter for it to ensure your search results only show cruises that meet your all-inclusive standard.

Is food free on a cruise?

Food is sometimes free on a cruise, but there are often specialty restaurants that aren't included with the general booking that you'll have to pay for separately. Check the details of each cruise before you book in the "What's included" section after clicking the cruise on your search results page.

What cruise lines are adults only?

Several lines offer adults-only cruise experiences, including Viking cruises , Carnival cruises , and Princess cruises . With an adults-only cruise, you can relax in a tranquil and laid-back setting without kids running around and enjoy all the cocktails you want.

What cruise lines are considered to be the most luxurious?

Viking cruises are considered exceptionally luxurious, with smaller ships and larger cabins that make them feel more exclusive, but Celebrity cruises offer luxury cruise lines too. Booking a luxury cruise means you can expect high-end amenities including gourmet restaurants, sizable suites, top-tier performances, massive pools, and much more.

What are the best cruises for couples?

Viking Cruises have much to offer for a more romantic experience. Holland America Line cruises can be quite refined and romantic as well, with an adult-oriented experience that's sophisticated rather than rowdy. Romantic cruises offer exceptional service as well as cozy suites for you and your partner to enjoy that's complemented by delicious food often themed around the cruise destination.

Why should I go on a cruise for my honeymoon?

Going on a cruise is a great way for you and your new spouse to be pampered with luxury while also being able to explore a new destination. Whether you're taking a cruise to Hawaii or a cruise to Bermuda , a particularly romantic experience is almost guaranteed thanks to the sheer number of things to do.

Are there any Christmas cruises?

Yes, quite a few cruise lines operate around Christmas, and you can find them easily by entering travel dates around Christmas into your 2024 cruise search. Some of the most popular Christmas cruises are available with Carnival and Disney.

Do I need a passport to go on a cruise?

Whether or not you need a passport depends on where you're going and the kind of cruise it is. Any US territory like Bermuda and Puerto Rico won't require a passport, of course, but you also don't need one if you're on a closed-loop cruise. This is a cruise that begins and ends at a US cruise terminal, even if there are stops in other countries on the way.

Why should I book a cruise with Expedia.com?

Booking a cruise with Expedia.com makes it easy to find a cruise type that works best for you. You can use the cruise finder and sort by cruise line, type, destination, length, and itinerary. One Key members also earn OneKeyCash on all eligible bookings that can be used to save on future eligible trips.

What happens if a cruise is canceled?

Every cruise has a different cancellation policy, but generally, passengers are entitled to either a full refund or a credit for a future cruise at a later date. Remember that they may automatically change your booking to their rescheduled date, so you may have to contact them if that date doesn't work for your schedule.

*OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia,  Hotels.com  and Vrbo.

Other vacations you might like

• Explore a world of travel with Expedia

Top Cruise Destinations

• Cruises to Alaska
• Cruises to Bahamas
• Cruises to Caribbean
• Cruises to Europe
• Cruises to Hawaii
• Cruises to Mexico

Top US Cruise Departure Ports

• Cruises from Boston
• Cruises from Fort Lauderdale
• Cruises from Galveston
• Cruises from Honolulu
• Cruises from Los Angeles
• Cruises from Miami
• Cruises from New Orleans
• Cruises from New York
• Cruises from Port Canaveral
• Cruises from San Diego
• Cruises from San Juan
• Cruises from San Francisco
• Cruises from Seattle
• Cruises from Tampa

Top Cruise Lines

• Holland America Line

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

The Best Ways to Book a Cruise

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Not all cruise sites are created equal. While you may find comparable prices on different sites, each site has its own benefits, offers and cancellation policies. 

Before you book, though, have a look at these credit cards that come with cruise benefits to sweeten the pot even more.

What is the best way to book a cruise?

The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience. We've broken out cruise booking sites based on common booking goals.

From our findings, here are the top cruise booking sites for your next vacation, plus the pros and cons they offer travelers.

For sailings across the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America: CheapCaribbean

CheapCaribbean.com is the best cruise website for the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America. It offers a best-price guarantee plus limited-time offers and discounts.

If you find a better deal within 24 hours of booking, CheapCaribbean will price match and beat it by $25. The company's customer service is available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

Best-price guarantee.

Customer service is available seven days a week.

Charges a $24.99 processing fee on reservations.

Must provide an email address to receive the best deals and promos.

» Learn more: The best cruise lines

For consulting reviews from other cruisers: Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic is an independent website that encourages community members to post reviews and share tips.

Its message boards offer ways for website visitors to ask questions and share feedback with others based on their personal experiences and opinions. The site also acts as a metasearch for cruise deals, pulling in prices from multiple cruise websites.

Read cruise reviews from travelers who've been on that itinerary before.

"Deal Score" ranks deals to find the best value.

Price tracker shows 90-day trends for cruise prices.

Must click through the deal to book your cruise on other websites.

Prices are not guaranteed and can change before booking due to fees and restrictions on the sites where the cruises are being sold.

To review several cruise prices at once: CruiseDirect

CruiseDirect is the best cruise website when all you want are cruise prices. It doesn't offer hotels, flights, rental cars or other reservations you may want for your next vacation. CruiseDirect does, however, offer bonuses for travelers booking through its site.

Travelers can filter search results by destination, cruise line or departure port on various ships. This site offers cruises for every type of traveler, from budget to luxury, and every type of ship, from riverboats to mega-ships.

Bonus offers on every reservation provide extra value.

Best-price guarantee and free reservation holds.

Buy now, pay later financing options.

Promos offered by cruise lines aren't exclusive to CruiseDirect.

Customer service can be unfriendly.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

For budget-friendly options: Priceline

Priceline was originally known for its "Name Your Own Price" promotions, but has grown into a full-service online travel agency offering flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises, saving consumers more than $1 billion dollars per year.

Travelers who book a cruise with Priceline receive up to $2,000 to spend at sea, plus waived deposits on their reservations.

Up to $2,000 to spend on board.

Waived deposits of up to $500 when booking your cruise.

110% best-price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Ability to book flights, hotels, rental cars and more from the same site.

Must call Priceline to get exclusive offers and unpublished fares.

Restrictions make the best-price guarantee harder to benefit from.

» Learn more: Tips for getting the best cruise deals

For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is an online reviewer community where travelers share their experiences, pictures and ratings of hotels, suggested activities and more. This honest feedback and travel inspiration also make it one of the best websites to book a cruise.

Search over 70,000 cruise deals from more than 60 sites at once.

Dedicated ship pages share details, reviews, photos and itineraries.

Too many search results make it harder to narrow down your choices.

» Learn more: Are cruises all-inclusive?

To match with a vacation planner: Avoya Travel

Avoya Travel is a family-owned website that matches travelers with a vacation planner based on their preferences. It's the best way to book a cruise using a travel planner because it offers a low-price guarantee without charging extra fees for the planner.

The downside is that online pricing is not "live." Therefore, you must speak with a travel planner to get the latest prices and book your cruise.

Match with cruise planners according to your needs.

Does not charge Avoya fees for booking, changes or cancellations.

Get a low-price guarantee and the expertise of a vacation planner without extra fees.

Must become a member to unlock the best deals.

Pricing on the website is not "live" pricing, so actual cost may vary.

Cannot book a cruise online. You must speak with an independent vacation planner.

» Learn more: The best cruise insurance right now

To book a vacation package with an airline or hotel

American airlines cruises.

American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn airline miles when booking cruises at BookAACruises.com . All members earn one mile for every dollar they spend on cruise reservations, up to 10,000 miles. Some cruise specials offer up to 100,000 miles based on your selected cruise.

If you have an American Airlines credit card, you'll earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles. These miles and Loyalty Points count toward airline elite status. Additionally, trips booked through this site are eligible for promotions offered by the cruise lines.

Earn miles and Loyalty Points toward travel and elite status.

Cardholders earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles on cruises.

Cruise experts are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cruise reservations are offered by a third party, so customer service issues can be a challenge.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Delta SkyMiles Cruises

Delta Air Lines is another airline that allows members to earn airline miles when booking cruises through its portal. Booking through SkyMilesCruises.com helps you earn Delta SkyMiles on your purchase.

Members get up to 10,000 miles on most cruises and up to 100,000 miles on luxury cruises. Plus, the site waives deposits on eligible cruise reservations.

Can earn up to 100,000 miles when booking a cruise.

Waives deposits when booking eligible cruises.

110% price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Most cruise awards are capped at 10,000 miles.

Miles earned are based on the length of the cruise, not the amount spent.

United Airlines Cruises

United Airlines MileagePlus members can earn up to 25,000 miles when booking a cruise through United at Cruises.United.com .

When you have a United Airlines credit card, you'll earn up to 45,000 miles. By offering up to 4x miles per dollar spent (or 7x as a cardholder), this site is the best way to book a cruise and earn airline miles on your purchase. If you have Premier status, you receive additional perks on select cruise lines, like wine and onboard credits.

Earn up to 7x miles on cruises.

United MileagePlus Premier members receive additional perks.

Can redeem miles to pay for some or all of your trip.

Not all cruises can be booked online.

Prices do not include a nonrefundable $24.99 processing fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Cruises

If you want to earn hotel points on your cruise, Marriott Cruise with Points is the best cruise website for you. You'll earn up to 6x points on your cruise purchase, or you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to pay for your trip.

Plus, Marriott cardholders can earn an extra 2x points when they use that card for their purchase. While most cruises max out at 25,000 Bonvoy points earned, some luxury cruise lines offer up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Earn up to 6x points on your cruise, up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Marriott cardholders receive an extra 2x points when paying with their cards.

Can use Bonvoy points to pay for your cruise.

Redemption value of Bonvoy points is only 0.4 cent.

Must call to book cruises using points.

Processing fee of $24.99 per reservation.

» Learn more: Airline credit cards vs. hotel credit cards

For cruise package deals: Costco Travel

Costco is a retailer that offers exclusive products and pricing to its members. Through its Costco Travel website , members receive exclusive prices and benefits when booking hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages.

Executive Members earn 2% back on Costco Travel purchases and receive additional benefits on select packages. Plus, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi cardholders earn 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel purchases.

Earn 2% rewards and extra perks with Executive Membership.

Some cruises offer Costco gift cards or onboard credit.

Must be a member to book reservations with Costco Travel.

Directly with the Cruise Line

In some cases, booking directly with the cruise line can be best because it eliminates a third party. If there's a problem with your reservation or you need to make a change, you don't have to worry about the booking site and the cruise line pointing fingers at each other.

This may be the best approach if you know which cruise line you want to book and which cities you want to visit. However, you may miss out on promotions offered by third-party sites.

Simple search functions.

No hassles with third parties for problems, changes or cancellations.

Less likely to get scammed by fraudulent sites.

Miss out on deals offered by third-party sites.

Harder to compare prices, benefits and routes from multiple cruise lines.

Comparing cruise prices across websites

Without being able to compare prices, it can be a challenge to determine the best site for booking a cruise. To make it easier to compare, we priced out a 7-night Caribbean cruise for two adults. 

We selected the lowest-priced balcony room on Royal Caribbean departing from Miami in August 2023. Here are the results:

Mitigate cancellation policy risks with travel insurance

If you're worried your trip plans being disrupted by bad weather or a change of plans, travel insurance might help. This optional standalone insurance can be purchased separately from your cruise bookings.

But you might not even need to pay out-of-pocket for trip insurance because many credit cards offer travel insurance as a built-in benefit to customers who pay for travel expenses on that card.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for cruises

Travel cards with cruise benefits

You can get even more perks by booking your cruise with the right card.

on Chase's website

on Bank of America's website

on American Express' website

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Get 25% more value out of your points when you book cruises through Chase.

Book with your card to get automatic travel protections for your cruise.

Redeem miles as a statement credit to cover spending on cruises.

Book with your card to get automatic travel insurance coverage for your cruise.

Earn 2x points on travel spending, including cruises and some ship excursions.

Book with your card to get trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation coverage and other travel assistance services.

Get American Express Cruise Privileges Program benefits when you book at least five nights with eligible cruise lines. Terms apply.

Cruise program benefits include $300 credit redeemable toward dining and spa services plus amenities like wine, chocolates and champagne. Terms apply.

Booking a cruise recapped

When looking for the best way to book a cruise, the price is virtually the same on every website. The difference lies in how each seller sweetens the deal.

Several cruise booking sites set themselves apart from the competition by offering additional benefits to encourage booking through them. Additionally, being able to book other parts of your trip — like flight and excursions — on the same site, or offering access to a travel agent, distinguishes some of the best cruise websites. 

When prices are the same, we recommend cruise bookers compare the perks being offered, then book on the site with the most appealing bonuses, like onboard credits, airline miles, hotel points or cash back.

If you're searching for cruises on a third-party website, you may question the legitimacy of that site. This is especially true if the site doesn't look professional or some of the information is outdated.

For this reason, you should stick with one of the best cruise booking sites on this list because they've been vetted for legitimacy and have a good track record with travelers.

Yes, last-minute deals can be the best way to book a cruise. If your travel plans are flexible, these deals can save you a lot of money. Keep in mind that you may not be able to book your preferred destination or routing if it is sold out.

Unfortunately, most cruise lines do not offer free cancellations or changes to take advantage of price drops after you book. Passengers can always negotiate with a booking site or cruise line, but they aren't obligated to refund the difference. Instead, they may offer you onboard credit, complimentary excursions or credit toward another cruise booking.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5x-2x Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Best Budget Cruise Lines, Ranked

Best budget cruise lines.

Even if you make a point of earmarking money in your budget for vacations, the sticker shock can be hard to stomach. Between eating out, fun activities and all the little incidentals along the way, costs sure add up quickly.

If you’re looking for an exciting trip that won’t break the bank, why not go on a cruise? Everyone can do their own thing, coming together at mealtimes or for a dip in the pool. All-inclusive rates for accommodations, entertainment and food are often lower than what you'll find on land.

Luckily, U.S. News & World Report has done all the legwork for you when it comes to choosing the best cruise line for your wallet. It sifted through traveler ratings, expert reviews and health ratings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a must after the past few years) to come up with a list of the top nine budget-friendly cruise lines for the money.

9. Costa Cruises

Year founded:  1854

Headquarters:  Genoa, Italy

Number of destinations:  59

Note: Rankings come from the U.S. News & World Report's 2023 "Best Cruise Lines for the Money" report.

Bottom Line: Costa Cruises

Costa is one of the oldest cruise lines in the world and boasts particularly affordable Mediterranean itineraries. 

If you’re looking for a chance to meet people from outside the U.S. during your vacation, this is the cruise line to book. Since it's based in Italy, there’s an eclectic mix of passengers from the U.S. and countries in Europe as well as a diverse age range among travelers.

You can sail from three to 128 nights with Costa on a vessel that matches your style — some are smaller and more intimate, while others are larger and have a lively vibe. Either way, Costa has roughly one crew member for every three cruisers, so you’re guaranteed to receive quality service on your trip.

What Travelers Say About Costa Cruises

"Did the cruise meet expectations? Yes, on the whole, we enjoyed it. Some things were better than we expected and somethings as described in other reviews. Folks need to remember that you're often paying 50 percent less than in other lines to be on a Costa cruise. Would we book again, yes, I think we would. Will we book 'better' cruises as well? Yes we will [and have]." — ani4ani

Note: Reviews may be edited for punctuation, spelling and other grammatical errors.

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Costa Cruises Trip

If you have the time for an extended trip, consider one of Costa’s transoceanic cruises . Sample itineraries include a 17-day cruise that starts in Savona, Italy and ends in the French Caribbean territory of Guadeloupe. 

Alternatively, you could sail from La Romana in the Dominican Republic to Marseilles in France.

8. Norwegian Cruise Line

Year founded:  1966

Headquarters:  Miami, Florida

Number of destinations:  490

Bottom Line: Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian gets high marks for being a fun, laid-back cruise line that won’t break the bank. It’s a top choice for both families and budget-friendly travelers. Why? Norwegian doesn’t have a lot of rules — there’s no dress code, no fixed dining assignments and a general “anything goes” atmosphere. 

Norwegian has 28 vessels in its fleet, accommodating from 1,936 to 4,266 passengers. Despite the large crowds, Norwegian says it has one crew member for every two to three travelers, so you’ll still get top-notch service.

Plus, you can pick from an array of journeys in destinations like Alaska, Cuba, Hawaii and many others. As a bonus, Norwegian has special cabins designed for solo travelers.

What Travelers Say About Norwegian Cruise Line

"We upgraded to the Penthouse Suite in the Haven; it was our very first Haven experience and it was spectacular! We cannot say a single bad thing about this cruise other than it wasn't long enough! We enjoyed every single minute of it but we especially loved the Haven bar each night. Before we'd go to dinner, we'd first go to the Haven bar and enjoy several cocktails. We were treated so well; our names and drink preferences were remembered, the staff just went out of their way to make sure all the little details were put in place and well executed." — HonkyTonkAngel

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Norwegian Cruise Line Trip

You don’t need to have a lot of cash on hand to book a Norwegian trip — just $50 will reserve your spot in certain types of rooms (if you book early enough). Plus, the total price of your trip will be reasonable— a seven-day trip through the Hawaiian islands starts at just $2,051, for instance.

After departing from Honolulu, you’ll head to ports on Maui, Big Island and Kauai. Though you can certainly relax on the beach all you want, you can also take advantage of tons of other cool excursions, like a day spent touring a lavender farm and vodka distillery on Maui or a train trip through a plantation on Kauai.

Visiting Volcanoes National Park, hiking to waterfalls and participating in luaus are also highly recommended.

7. Holland America Line

Year founded:  1873

Headquarters:  Seattle, Washington

Number of destinations:  470

Bottom Line: Holland America

While not as cheap as some other lines on this list, Holland America is a bargain compared to its competitors in the upscale space, like Cunard and Silversea.

The line tends to attract older travelers who want a more traditional experience, but also offers family-friendly trips and has special offerings for kids. The Club HAL program, for instance, offers everything from sing-along storytimes for younger kiddos to ice-cream-eating contests for tweens.

You can cruise choose from a wide swath of worldwide destinations like Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Australia and Asia. It has a fleet of 11 vessels ranging in size from 1,432 to 2,668 cruisers while maintaining a high level of service and a low passenger-to-crew ratio. Exciting onboard activities include mixology workshops, photography classes and cooking demonstrations.

What Travelers Say About Holland America

"Beautiful & immaculate ship, outstanding crew. Entertainment tried but not great, movies were not very good but sitting by the pool was beautiful. Main dining room was very good. Felt sad for the waitstaff - young and inexperienced, but happily they got it together by the end of the cruise. What they lacked in experience they made up with their eagerness to get things right, smiling faces & cheerful attitudes." — HAL Oldie

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Holland America Line Trip

Up for a real adventure? Book one of Holland’s Grand Voyages , which offer a more immersive experience and tend to be longer than your average cruise. One must-book itinerary spans 24 days and visits ports in Japan, China, Vietnam and Singapore . Rates start at $4,899 per person — a very reasonable rate for such an extensive journey.

Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Great Wall of China, explore the city life in Shanghai and visit Japan’s Taal Volcano, the smallest volcano in the world. There are several days at sea built into the journey, so you can dance the night away at B.B. King’s Blues Club and attend live cooking demonstrations and wine tastings.

Have less money to burn? Consider a seven-night eastern Caribbean cruise starting at just $549 per person.

6. Royal Caribbean International

Year founded:  1968

Number of destinations:  300

Bottom Line: Royal Caribbean

Not only is Royal Caribbean one of the largest cruise lines out there, but it’s also one of the friendliest to your bank account. Travelers may find itineraries to popular destinations for less than $200 per person.

With Royal Caribbean, you can choose from 26 total vessels — “smaller” ships accommodate up to 2,400 guests, while larger vessels can hold 6,700 travelers.

Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a family vacation, Royal Caribbean offers a little something for everyone — there are adults-only pool areas, as well as entertainment options just for kids.

What Travelers Say About Royal Caribbean

"What we especially like about the Serenade was all the windows throughout the public areas wonderful for ocean watching — even from a set of elevators. There is also a true fully around the ship promenade deck on which you can actually get out to the helicopter pad and see the cruise from the bow of the ship. Great lounge chairs line both sides of this deck for quiet reading and relaxing.

The Centrum was beautiful and, during many of the days, single performers on piano or guitar entertained (we especially liked the pianist), instead of piped-in music. At night it was the main dance floor with a funk band...For the younger set, there was the DJ directed dance sets in the disco." — fan1965

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Royal Caribbean International Trip

You can find some great deals on Royal Caribbean cruises. For as little as $208, take a four-night cruise from Pacific coastal cruise . You go from Los Angeles to Astoria, Oregon and make your way to Victoria and Vancouver in Canada.

You'll get to see how different each of these cities are, despite being in the same area. Get some fresh salmon in Astoria, visit the Royal British Museum in Victoria and enjoy urban green spaces in Vancouver.

5. Princess Cruises

Year founded:  1965

Headquarters:  Santa Clarita, California

Number of destinations:  330

Bottom Line: Princess Cruises

If you’re traveling on a budget and want to get away from the little ones, consider a trip with Princess . The cruise line is owned by Carnival and boasts similarly wallet-friendly rates. But unlike its parent company, Princess often caters to travelers 18 and up.

With 15 ships in its fleet, Princess cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Alaska and beyond on itineraries ranging from two to 111 days. Princess also offers special “cruise tours” that let you extend your vacation and explore your departure or end port in more depth.

You’ll also get high-quality service aboard Princess, which says it has approximately one crew member for every two to three travelers.

And you won’t get bored at night or during days at sea, either. Princess trips promise poolside movie screenings, magic shows and other fabulous entretainement.

What Travelers Say About Princess Cruises

"First thing is that dining room food is great, but the buffet was minimal. Minimal crowd so that was nice. Cruise Director and staff are really something special. Gary and Steff and the lot-wonderful. I'd say being an older ship it was good but not great. But the entertainment is great. We're only [a] couple days in and the shows have been the highlight." — Dougie Fresh

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Princess Cruises Trip

You can rest assured that while Princess cruises are easy on your wallet, they aren’t lacking in adventure or diversity. A 10-day trip from San Francisco, California, to Alaska and back starts at $749 per person.

During your cruise, you’ll visit four ports, including one in Victoria, Canada. On the agenda for the day: a stroll through Butchart Gardens, a bucket-list-worthy spot that features 55 acres filled with colorful flowers, enchanting walkways and photo opportunities at every turn.

In Skagway, Alaska, you can meet (and cuddle with) a lovable team of sled dogs, pan for gold and take a ride on the historic White Pass Railway. Or, for something more active, go rock climbing, take a bicycle tour through the rainforest or hit up the ziplines.

If you have only a few days and couple hundred bucks to spare, book a three-night jaunt from Vancouver to Seattle . The starting rate is dirt cheap: $249 per person.

4. MSC Cruises

Year founded:  1989

Headquarters:  Geneva, Switzerland

Number of destinations:  250

Bottom Line: MSC Cruises

Caribbean itineraries on MSC Cruises can be particularly cheap. But low rates are a guarantee no matter where you're traveling.

One awesome perk offered by this high-quality line if you’re cruising on a budget? Kids under 11 always sail free, and kids 12 to 17 sail for free on certain trips and at certain times of the year. This offer is contingent on kids staying in the same cabin as their parents.

There are plenty of reasons mom and dad will want to sail with MSC Cruises, too. For starters, this Swiss cruise line has adults-only pools and theaters showing 4D movies.

Plus, MSC Cruises has great on-board actitivies on each of the 21 ships within its fleet. Ships range in size from 2,520 to 6,762 passengers, so you can pick what suits you best.

What Travelers Say About MSC Cruises

"Food in the YC or on their private island was very good to excellent. We eat all of our breakfast and dinner in the dining room. Lunches were done at the YC grill, which is a little buffet area in the YC. Several times we do lunch on the private island in YC area. Their lunch meal has lobster roll, burger, carne asada...

We did this cruise based on the recommendation of my travel agent...She was correct and that even loved this one more, we will be back on MSC." — jimk727  

Best Bang-for-the-Buck MSC Cruises Trip

For a truly unique and culturally enriching experience, consider an MSC cruise that takes you to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman . Rates start at $229 per person for a seven-night journey.

During a day docked at Muscat, Oman, you can explore one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. Wander around the city's old town, particularly Muttrah, once the most important commercial centers of the country.

When the ship sails to Abu Dhabi, fulfill your need for speed at the Ferrari World Theme Park or by going behind the scenes at the Yas F1 Track, which hosts Formula 1 races and other car-related events.

3. Celebrity Cruises

Year founded:  1988

Bottom Line: Celebrity Cruises

The third spot goes to Celebrity Cruises , popular among travelers for its tasty onboard food options, diverse itineraries and — of course — low rates. 

You won’t feel like you’re traveling on a budget cruise when you book with Celebrity, which has 15 elegantly designed ships in its fleet that can accommodate a wide range of travelers. 

Though the cruises are easy on your wallet, they aren’t lacking in customer service — Celebrity maintains an impressive 2-to-1 passenger-to-crew ratio. Cruises take you to tons of ports in the Caribbean, Asia, Europe and elsewhere around the globe.

U.S. News & World Report made a point of mentioning Celebrity’s “variety of dining options," as well as its "full docket of onboard activities, including wine workshops and glassblowing classes."

What Travelers Say About Celebrity Cruises

"The ship is magnificent — no other way to put it. This was unlike anything other ship we've sailed on and we've been about 50 cruises over the last 30 years...The Edge stands alone with its' unique design and well-appointed interior. The best in the business architects and Interior Designers have combined to create the most modern, contemporary interiors you'll ever see on sea. The interiors also contain a floating modern art museum with unique pieces throughout the ship." — loge23

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Celebrity Cruises Trip

Mediterranean cruises aren't only for the wealthy. Celebrity Cruises offers a seven-night trip through Greece, Croatia and Italy that starts at $949.

You'll start the trip in Athens before sailing to Mykonos and making your way up the Ionian and Adriatic seas. The cruise stops along ports like Corfu in Greece, Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia and finishes in Venice. This region of the Mediterranean is famous for its gorgeous Medieval towns, which have kept the legacy of the Venetian Empire preserved in their architecture. 

There is also indescribable natural beauty, with water that ranges from clear cerulean to deep electric blue, white undulating cliffs that tower over pebbly beaches and arid mountains where you'll find goats lounging about.

2. Carnival Cruise Line

Year founded:  1972

Number of destinations:  425

Bottom Line: Carnival Cruise Line

The name says it all: Sailing with Carnival Cruise Line is like hanging out at a big, awesome party at sea. And don’t think the party is just for adults — Carnival is also one of the best cruise lines for families.

That festive atmosphere is paired with an eye on budgets; finding itineraries for less than $300 is normal on the line's 25 ships.

With Carnival, you get dedicated programming for kids of all ages (there’s Camp Ocean, Circle “C” and Club 02 for various age ranges), lots of onboard nightlife and entertainment options, and tons of sporty activities like ropes courses, mini-golf, ping-pong tables, soccer, volleyball and basketball. Cruises range from two to 16 days.

What Travelers Say About Carnival Cruise Line

"We decided to take our family (eight of us) on a multigenerational cruise. The 4 day, Bahamas length was a perfect introduction to cruising for our two daughter-in-laws and two grandchildren (under 10). Everyone had a great time. Carnival does a tremendous job of offering activities for every interest and age group." — PC Snow

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Carnival Cruise Line Trip

Carnival tends to attract families and young adults who care more about fun than luxury. That’s why you’ll see trips like a five-day cruise through the Mexican Riviera for $234.

The highlight of the trip will be breathtaking Cabo San Lucas. Famous for the dramatic stone formations that rise from the sea, the Baja California town has plenty to offer in terms of gastronomy, parties and gorgeous beaches. You'll also stop at the cultural city of Ensenada, where at the right time of year, you may see migrating gray whales.

1. Virgin Voyages

Year founded:  2014

Headquarters:  Plantation, Florida

Number of destinations:  100+

Bottom Line: Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages is the newest cruise line on here, but that hasn't kept it from rising to the top. One of Richard Branson's ventures, the company seeks to disrupt cruising as we know it — and it definitely succeeds. 

All itineraries on the cruise line's four ships are adults-only and seek to provide elevated luxury. You won't find buffets and dining hours. Rather, you'll get an array of dozens of dining options (with menus designed by Michelin-star chefs) that you can visit whenever you are hungry. 

All-inclusive fun guarantees fitness and wellness classes, food and some drinks. Plus, you'll get access to exclusive beach clubs like the one in Bimini, Bahamas. Entertainment ranges from drag brunch to exclusive acrobatic and theater performances. Despite having a limited fleet, you'll be able to set sail from destinations like Miami, Florida; Barcelona, Spain; Dubai, UAE; Singapore; and even Auckland, New Zealand.

What Travelers Say About Virgin Voyages

"I choose this cruise because of the no-children policy and the dining being all-inclusive. The dining was excellent — many options at the restaurants. I liked the way the Galley was operated but would have liked to have more normal options available more hours of the day. Even though most picky eaters could find something most of the time.

"We were not very interested in the daytime entertainment options, but that gave us time to just relax out on the deck of the ship and watch some movies that we had not seen [...] Overall, I would like to book another VV cruise in the future. The service from everyone that I came in contact with was excellent. The positives greatly outweigh the negatives." — swiltn

Best Bang-for-Your-Buck Virgin Voyages Trip

Sail on the Scarlett Lady on a four-night cruise from Miami to Bimini and Key West. This short but sweet itinerary will let you relax in the impossibly blue waters that grace the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. 

You'll get to spend time at Virgin's Bimini beach club, where you can sip cocktails as you sunbathe. Alternatively, you can get active and do fun off-shore excursions like snorkeling. 

In Key West, make sure you visit Hemingway's house and bar hop along the infamous Duval Street. 

• Cruise Deals

Cruise Search

Special cruise offers.

Royal Caribbean

• 60% OFF 2nd Guest + Kids Sail FREE + Instant Savings + FREE GRATUITIES or Up to $1,700 Onboard Credit

Norwegian Cruise Line

• 50% OFF Cruises + Take All FREE + BOGO Airfare + Up to $1,700 Cash Back

Holland America

• Up to 45% OFF + Up to $1,000 Onboard Crerdit + 50% Reduced Deposit + 3rd & 4th Guests FREE

Princess Cruises

• Up to 35% OFF + 3rd & 4th Guest FREE + Up to $1,785 Onboard Credit

Celebrity Cruises

• Up to 75% OFF 2nd Guest + FREE Amenities Included: FREE Beverage Package + Basic Wi-Fi + Up to $1,700 Onboard Credit

Featured Cruise Deals

Other cruise options.

• Last Minute Cruise Deals
• Land Tour Deals
• View Golf Vacations
• Shop by Destination
• Shop by Cruise Line
• Cruise From Port Near You
• Holiday Sailings
• Luxury Cruises

Cruise.com Cruise Deals

Cruise.com offers the best cruise deals and discounts on all cruise lines and cruise vacation packages worldwide. Get last minute cruise deals, regional and resident specials and receive special amenities, free gratuities, onboard credits and negotiated rates that will provide exceptional value and save your money. You can book on line or call us and let one of our experienced cruise agents assist you in getting the best cruise deal.

Cruise deals abound on AmaWaterways including free companion air, 2 for 1 cruise deals, complimentary excursions, and more.

Explore America and get the best deals from Cruise.com on your next American Cruise Line river cruise. Sail and save on the Mississippi River, Hudson River and the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

Get exceptional cruise deals on the unique itineraries offered on American Queen Voyages including exclusive rates and onboard savings. Call now to book your next lake, ocean or expedition cruise along the Mississippi, the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers, the Columbia and Snake Rivers, Alaska and Canada/New England.

Arosa Cruises offers a variety of itineraries on some of Europe's most beautiful rivers including the Rhine, Danube and Rhone rivers. Guests will enjoy Arosa's modern ships, friendly and personalized service and fine dining as they experience the culture and history of Europe.

Let Avalon Waterways take you on a deluxe river cruise throughout Europe, Asia and Egypt. Avalon Waterways is also one of the few cruise lines to sail to the Galapagos. The Avalon Waterways cruise experience offers exceptional service and unique itineraries aboard intimate river ships.

Atlas Ocean Voyages provides exciting cruise deals including FREE Gratuities, Epicurean Expeditions, FREE Unlimited Beverages, Reduced Rates and more. Call Cruise.com or search online to get the best Atlas Ocean Voyages cruise deal for your next cruise.

Cruise.com pairs Azamara Cruises' exceptional itineraries with some exceptional cruise deals including onboard credits, air credits, complimentary upgrades and more.

Get the best Carnival Cruise deals on all Carnival Cruises. Cruise.com offers some exceptional Carnival Cruise deals including cash back, upgrades and more. Book online or call one of our cruise experts to get the best Carnival Cruise deal on your next Carnival Cruise.

Cruise.com's incredible cruise deals offered on Celebrity Cruises include free-prepaid gratuities, onboard credits, onboard savings offers, dollars off and more.

Celestyal Cruises offers incredible value on their Greek Cruises including complimentary drink packages, complimentary gratuities and more.

Book your next Costa Cruise with Cruise.com and receive exceptional rates, cruise deals and discounts on all Costa Cruises.

Cruise deals on Crystal Cruises include 2 for 1 fares, free air, and up to $2000 in onboard spending. Book now to get the best cruise deal on your next Crystal Cruise.

Cruise.com offers amazing cruise deals on all Cunard Cruises including special rates, onboard credits, special amenities and more. From a transatlantic to a world cruise book now to get the best Cunard Cruise Deals.

Get the best Disney Cruise deals on all Disney Cruises. Cruise.com offers some exceptional Disney Cruise deals including exclusive onboard credits, special resident rates and military rates. Book online or call one of our cruise experts to get the best Disney Cruise deal on your next Disney Cruise.

Emerald Cruises offers exceptional value on river and yacht cruises throughout. Emerald Cruises all-inclusive experience includes all meals, drinks with lunch and dinner, transfers, excursions, gratuities and more. Get the best Emerald Cruises deals for a value packed vacation.

Explora Journeys provides valuable cruise deals and features desirable amenities at no additional charge including FREE gratuities, FREE Unlimited Fine Beverages, FREE Wi-Fi and more. Call Cruise.com or search online to get the best Explora Journeys cruise deal for your next vacation.

Exceptional cruise deals are offered on Holland America Line including specials rates, onboard credits, special amenities and up to $1,700 back. Call Cruise.com or book online and get the best Holland America cruise deal for your upcoming cruise.

For guests seeking an authentic travel experience, Hurtigruten expedition cruises are for you. Book today and receive exclusive rates, extra amenities and more.

Take advantage of cruise deals on Lindblad Expeditions cruises and discover the world in a new, pure and sustainable way. Book today and receive exclusive rates, extra amenities and more.

Cruises deals on MSC Cruises include free upgrades, discounts, kids sail free offers and reduced deposits. Book now and get the best cruise deal on your next MSC Cruise.

Cruise.com offers exceptional deals on Norwegian Cruise Line including exclusive rates, incredible onboard credit offers, upgrades, and onboard amenities. Book online or call one of our cruise experts to get the best cruise deal on your next NCL cruise.

Book your next Oceania Cruise and receive the best cruise deals including exclusive rates, up to $750 in onboard credits, free prepaid gratuities and more.

Cruise to Tahiti and get the best cruise deals including free air, and cruise discounts when you book with Cruise.com.

Exceptional cruise deals are offered on Princess Cruises including exclusive rates, onboard credits, special amenities and more. Call Cruise.com or book online and get the best Princess cruise deal for your next cruise.

The cruise deals on Regent Cruises are incredible and include free air, free hotel, free transfers, free gratuities, up to $900 in onboard spending, exclusive rates and up to $1,500 back per suite.

Riviera River Cruises offers exceptional value on cruises throughout many of Europe's most beautiful rivers. Cruises include accommodations, all meals, complimentary shore excursions, and free Wi-Fi.

Whatever destination you are sailing to next you can get exceptional cruise deals on Royal Caribbean when you book with Cruise.com including free pre-paid gratuities, onboard credits, onboard savings offers, and other onboard amenities that will add value to your cruise experience and your bottom line.

Scenic Luxury Cruises offers an incredible all-inclusive river cruise experience which includes a variety of amenities such as complimentary gratuities, personal butler service, complimentary unlimited drinks, and complimentary excursions and more.

Seabourn Cruises offers all suite accommodations as well as Seabourn Cruises offers all suite accommodations as well as complimentary gratuities, complimentary beverages, and exclusive rates. Book online or call one of our cruise experts to find the best cruise deal for your next Seabourn cruise.

Explore the wonder of travel on a small ship on SeaDream Yacht Cruises throughout the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and on transatlantic cruises. With a maximum of 112 guests, Sea Dream Yacht Club cruises offers a luxury cruise experience in a comfortable, casual setting.

Silversea is offering exceptional cruise deals including onboard credits, free air and reduced rates. Call Cruise.com or search online to get the best Silverssea cruise deal for your next cruise.

Sail on a Star Clippers and visit ports often untouched by larger cruise ships, offering passengers the activities, amenities and atmosphere of a private yacht.

Swan Hellenic takes expedition cruises to a new level with intimate luxury polar-class ships. Explore the world and get exclusive offers, onboard credits and more. Call Cruise.com to get the best Swan Hellenic cruise deal on your next adventure.

Get exceptional cruise deals on the Moorings private yacht charters. Discover some of the world's most beautiful ports as you island hop, snorkel and relax without the crowds on your own personal yacht adventure.

Uniworld River Cruises offers exceptional value on all of its cruises and additional included amenities on all of its cruises.

Receive exciting cruise deals on the gorgeous ships of Viking Ocean. These special offers will make it even easier and more affordable when planning your next vacation sailing to some of the world's most beautiful destinations.

From the great rivers of Europe to Egypt and Asia Viking River Cruises offers exceptional cruise deals including reduced rates, reduced airfares, complimentary excursions and more.

Enjoy off-the-beaten path excursions and immersive entertainment options with Virgin Voyages, as well as FREE dining, FREE Gratuities, Wi-Fi and more.

Sail on a Windstar Cruise and be spoiled by all of the luxury amenities on these incredible yacht-like ships. Cruise to unique destinations and visit hidden ports where even the most well-traveled guests have rarely visited.

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER SAVINGS

• Forgot Password?

Often cruise lines offer special rates that cannot be displayed to the general public. By registering with Cruise.com you will be able to view these special rates and offers.

Register with Cruise.com to get access to:

• Exclusive Rates
• Special Amenities

Login to Your Account

There was an error! Please re-enter your credentials and try submitting the form again.

Reset Your Password

Please enter the email associated with your account so that we may send you a link to reset your password.

An email was sent to the address provided with instructions on how to reset your password.

Oops! There was an error with the email you provided.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes

How to Find the Best Cruise Deals, According to Travel Experts

Snagging a great cruise deal is easier than you think — so as long as you follow these expert tips.

Courtesy of Princess Cruises

It’s no secret that cruising has become increasingly popular in recent years. According to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), nearly 36 million passengers  (35.7 million, to be exact) will set sail in 2024, up 4.2 million from 2023. And, despite the industry’s increasing popularity, finding the best cruise deals may not be as difficult as you think — that is, as long as you know when to book (and what to look for). 

What’s more, wave season, which takes place from January to March, is when dozens of cruise lines release their best, most value-packed offers, which means it’s arguably the best time to book your sailing. During these months, cruisers can choose from hundreds of different promotions, which, while exciting, can be overwhelming. However, according to Rob Clabbers, T+L A-list travel advisor and founder of Q Cruise + Travel , a Virtuoso agency in Chicago, “the lowest fare is only a deal if it is the right cruise for you.” In other words, he explains that if you “pick the wrong line or itinerary, that deal just turns into a waste of vacation time and money.” 

With all this in mind, we tapped Clabbers, along with a few other T+L A-list travel advisors, to share their expert insight on how to find the best cruise deals.

Meet the Expert

Rob Clabbers is a Travel + Leisure A-list travel advisor who specializes in cruises. He also founded Q Cruise + Travel, a Chicago-based travel agency. 

Mary Curry is a  T+L A-list travel advisor and small ship specialist.

Ashton Palmer is also a T+L A-list travel advisor who specializes in expedition sailings . 

Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Take advantage of wave season. 

As previously mentioned, wave season runs from January through March. During this months-long stretch, sometimes referred to as the Black Friday of cruise deals, many cruise lines — from budget lines to small-ship luxury ones and beyond — offer some of the most competitive deals of the year. It’s well worth booking your cruise during these months.  

Use a travel advisor.

Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or veteran sailor, the slew of deals, promotions, and special offers can seem daunting: How do you know which ones are worth booking? Which offers the most value? Clabbers explains, “All these options and special offers can be confusing, and a qualified travel advisor who knows their way around cruises may help you find the best deal.” Oftentimes, these folks can “offer extra benefits that are not available when booking directly with a cruise line.” Ultimately, says Clabbers, the best travel advisors are those who can “help customize your trip with hotels, tours, and other services that may be a better value or fit for your style of travel.”

Consider shoulder or low season travel.

Per Clabbers, many cruise lines offer lower fares before or after the peak seasons. “While the weather may not be at its peak, neither are the crowds. If your main interest is visiting cultural attractions and museums or exploring cities, rather than baking on a beach, fewer fellow travelers make for a much more enjoyable experience. Bonus: airfares may be lower, too.” A few examples include an Alaska sailing in May or September (as opposed to peak season, July and August) and a European river cruise in March or October/November (instead of May or September, which, per Clabbers, is considered high season).  

Mary Curry, another T+L A-list travel advisor and small ship specialist, echoes these sentiments. “I can't tell you how many travelers are hoping for a 'waived single supplement' or 'two for one' offer and then restrict themselves to only the peak dates for that region.” With that in mind, she says,  “It's so much more likely that these specials will be offered for dates where demand is not as high since small ships don't take long to fill for peak dates and rarely need to offer these” on sale or as part of a larger promotion. 

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Be flexible. 

Put simply, explains Clabbers, “The more flexible you are, the more likely you are to find a lower rate for your cruise.” For example, if you are “very flexible and are looking for a standard room on a large ship on an itinerary that repeats week after week, you are more likely to find a promotional fare.” However, if you’re only open to traveling during a specific timeframe or itinerary (including ones that operate infrequently, such as a world cruise ) in “a category that contains only a few rooms or suites, etc.,” explains Clabbers, “the limited supply will likely result in higher pricing.” Additionally, in some cases, “you may come across a ‘guarantee’ special offer.” In other words, this means that “in return for a lower fare, the cruise line gets to assign your specific room anywhere on the ship, in the category you selected.” 

Ironically enough, being flexible sometimes may mean giving up some of your flexibility. For example, says Clabbers, “Some lines, like Celebrity Cruises or Royal Caribbean, offer slightly lower fares if you’re willing to give up some of your flexibility by choosing to pay a nonrefundable deposit instead of a refundable one.”  

Book early. 

When it comes to snagging the best cruise deals, booking early is ultimately your best bet — “especially if you’re looking to travel on a luxury cruise line , or for unique, popular itineraries,” says Clabbers. “Lines like Silversea, Seabourn, Explora Journeys, and others aim to offer their lowest fares and best promotions when reservations are first accepted for a new itinerary and will raise fares as the departure date comes closer.” 

Additionally, according to Curry, this is especially true on small-ship sailings . “Most small ships are counting on filling all their cabins, so they offer the best deals for travelers who plan early.” She goes on to explain that many small-ship lines have even “formalized this system by offering 'capacity-controlled pricing' that offers the best rates furthest in advance with the rate steadily increasing for the same category cabin as you get closer and the ship fills.” 

Finally, keep in mind that some cruises can be booked up to three years in advance, which means it’s never too early to start planning.

Or book a last-minute cruise.

Sometimes, it pays to book late — so as long as “you’re very flexible with dates, itinerary, type of room, or location on a ship,” explains Clabbers. 

Ashton Palmer, another T+L A-list travel advisor who specializes in expedition sailings , shares similar insight. “If you are flexible and can travel 90 days or less before departure, cruise lines will sometimes extend discounts.” 

Related:   The Best Time to Book a Cruise

Stick with one line.

Just as airlines and hotels offer travel rewards programs and perks to loyal customers, most cruise lines do the same, too. Put simply, says Clabbers, “loyalty can pay off.” In fact, “Many cruise lines offer some discounts or credits to spend onboard or other benefits for their returning passengers.” Plus, these programs are free to join, so you have nothing to lose by signing up.

Mark Katzman/Courtesy of Princess Cruises

Cruise with friends or family.

Cruise with your nearest and dearest — and get rewarded for it, too. According to Palmer, cruise lines are often willing to extend a discount “for groups of six or more.” For example, Royal Caribbean , Virgin Voyages , and Princess offer group discounts. 

Consider repositioning cruises. 

Budget-conscious travelers should certainly consider a repositioning cruise. These unique one-way sailings generally occur at the beginning or end of a cruising season (typically in the spring or fall) when ships need to return to their home ports. Two real-life examples of these itineraries include Celebrity’s Mediterranean Passage Transatlantic sailing (which cruises from Tampa to Barcelona) and Windstar’s Greenland: North Atlantic Odyssey itinerary (which sails from Reykjavik to Montreal).

Keep in mind that these value-packed cruises, which hover around two weeks, feature far more sea days than typical itineraries to account for the travel time between the embarkation and disembarkation ports. As such, you’ll be spending the bulk of your vacation on board.

Bundle up. 

Nowadays, many cruise lines offer additional perks and discounts that go far beyond the basics (think: free specialty dining, onboard credits, an open bar, Wi-Fi, gratuities, and, in some cases, pre- and post-cruise hotels and/or airfare). Oceania’s Simply More offer, for example, includes shore excursions, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, and Champagne and wine. Norwegian Cruise Line’s beloved Free at Sea promotion offers similar savings, while select sailings on lines like Ponant and Celebrity include flights .

Guests sailing with luxury all-inclusive line Silversea also have the option to add flights by booking the Door-to-Door All-Inclusive package . You may also be able to find — and book — reduced-cost flights directly through the cruise lines. For example, per its website,  the Holland America Flight Ease program offers passengers the opportunity “to book air travel featuring flight inventory from most airlines, our specially negotiated low prices, the freedom to change your flights with no change fees, and late-arrival protection with 24-hour assistance. In addition, you can earn frequent flier miles with participating airlines,” according to the Holland America website. Similarly, some lines, including Regent Seven Seas Cruises , offer free two- or three-night land programs and a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay for some guests. 

Do your research to see if you’re eligible for additional discounts or benefits.  

According to Clabbers, select lines, including Cunard and Princess , offer “extra benefits for certain types of passengers,” including added perks and, in some cases, discounted or free fares. Carnival and Norwegian cruise lines offer special military perks and discounts. 

• Cruise Deals

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

The 9 Best Sites to Book a Cruise

Avital Andrews

Avital Andrews, SmarterTravel's editor-at-large, is a travel and lifestyle journalist who is also a contributing editor for AAA's Via magazine. Her stories have been among the 10 most emailed or viewed on the Los Angeles Times, Outside, Sierra, and SmarterTravel websites, and have also appeared in USA Today, HuffPost, Apple News, Business Insider, and many other nationwide outlets. Her travel book , sold at bookstores and on Amazon, is in its fourth edition, and her journalism gets national media attention, including from The New York Times , The Atlantic , Time , NPR, and MTV. She's currently working on her first children's book. Follow her on Twitter @avitalb .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: My laptop—the lightweight and stylish HP Spectre x360—since I'm almost always on deadline.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: A round-the-world cruise that makes stops to experience Aurora Borealis, the Olympics opening ceremony, Borneo, Madagascar, the Jerusalem Festival of Light, the Bolivian salt flats, Kenya's Giraffe Manor, the Galapagos, the Maldives, Bora Bora, the Seychelles, and every Disney park. (That itinerary definitely exists, right?)

Travel Motto: I'll steal Saint Augustine's: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Window, always. For the views and also the naps.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Booking a cruise isn’t always simple. It can be a complicated, time-consuming process that involves dozens of open tabs and maybe a spreadsheet or two. But knowing the best site to book a cruise can help a lot.

And while would-be travelers are accustomed to clicking around on travel search engines to find the best deals on flights , hotels , and rental cars , many people don’t realize that they can use these same types of sites to book cruises, too.

But is there one best site to book a cruise? That depends on what you’re looking for. Sometimes the best cruise website is actually a cruise line’s own site—since technically, cruise booking websites aren’t allowed to undercut the prices that the cruise lines set.

Often, though, the best cruise search engines are indispensable for locating incredible deals, including ones that throw in booking incentives worth hundreds of dollars—in Amazon gift cards, complimentary shore excursions, onboard freebies, and so on.

To save you the hassle, SmarterTravel investigated the glutted space of cheap cruise sites to determine which are worthy of listing as the best cruise websites; below are a few that come highly recommended.

The Best Sites to Book a Cruise

• Expedia (including Travelocity and Orbitz )
• TripAdvisor

Avoya Travel

Cheapcaribbean.com, cruisedirect, cruise critic, costco travel, cruisewatch.

Expedia is an obvious first mention in a list of the best cruise booking sites, in part because it’s an absolute juggernaut (Expedia also owns Travelocity and Orbitz ). Its cruise-booking interface is simple and straightforward, only requiring you to enter your preferred sailing destination and date range, as well as how many passengers you’ll be bringing along. Then Expedia does the heavy lifting for you, with comprehensive results that make it one of the best cruise search engines.

On Expedia, it’s common to find bookable cruises for 70 percent off face value, with the ability to sort by price so the best cruise deals come up at the top of the list, saving you the scrolling. A sample search for a mid-June cruise to Alaska, for example, quickly came up with a seven-night itinerary starting at $389 per person—that’s less than $56 per person, per night for a mostly inclusive weeklong vacation.

Expedia’s cruise deals tend to come paired with other enticing offers, including steep discounts on pre-departure hotels when you book both your cruise and hotel through Expedia. There’s also a dedicated 800 number that lets you speak to Expedia’s cruise experts and, often but not always, a generous amount of onboard credit thrown in for good measure.

Best feature: Sheer search power. Expedia’s easy-to-use cruise search engine generates a useful and well-ordered list of the best cruise deals, without much effort required from the user. Also, Expedia’s prices frequently match what the cruise lines themselves offer.

Check out Expedia

Priceline is another powerhouse among cheap cruise websites. The initial interface comes off a bit clunkier than, say, Expedia’s or Kayak’s, but the tradeoff is that you can quickly search by cruise line, both standard and luxury, as well as by cruise length and departure port.

Using the seven-night Alaska example, Priceline brought up an itinerary aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas that starts at just $374 for the full week—roughly $53 per night. Hard-to-believe cruise deals like this show up on Priceline with regularity, which is part of what solidifies it as one of the best cruise websites.

Also adding to the appeal: deals exclusive to Priceline, plenty of bonus amenities (examples include $50 in onboard credit, third and fourth guests sailing free, and free specialty dinners for two), no money down to book certain sailings, frequent onboard credit sales, an 800 number to call should you need assistance while booking, and a loyalty club that’s ties in with every cruise line’s loyalty program. Priceline also lets you click a “senior discount” box if that applies to you.

Best feature: Priceline’s “ 110% Best Price Guarantee ” promises that if you find your cruise listed at a lower price on another website within 48 hours of booking, then Priceline will refund you 110 percent of the cost difference, including port charges.

Check out Priceline

Tripadvisor

Many people think of Tripadvisor mainly as a travel review site, where you go to get real talk on hotels and attractions, and to see non-glamorized photos of places as seen through actual travelers’ eyes. But Tripadvisor is also an excellent site for travel deals, including on cruises.

Tripadvisor Cruise , which launched in April 2019, is among the best websites for cruise deals—it lets you nab the lowest price by comparing more than 70,000 ocean and river cruises from some 60 of the best cruise websites. It’s got an attractive, inspiring landing page, and its newest function, “Explore Ship-tinerary pages,” lets you browse full ship profiles, details, photos, and itineraries.

Though Tripadvisor is technically a meta-search site for cruises, which means that it will send you elsewhere to actually book, its search engine lets users sort by destination, length, cruise line, and month of travel. The default search results are ordered by “best value”, unless you specifically click that you’d rather see the results organized by price, cruise length, departure date, or cruise ship. Even when you click on “price,” the lowest-priced offering doesn’t always come up first, though it only takes a few seconds of scanning to determine which itinerary has the lowest price—that seven-night Royal Caribbean International trip to Alaska came up on Tripadvisor starting at $365.

Best feature: What makes Tripadvisor one of the best sites to book a cruise? In addition to having one of the best cruise search engines, Tripadvisor lets you read other cruisers’ candid reviews of the cruise that you’re considering, so that you get the non-sugarcoated truth about each sailing.

Check out Tripadvisor

7 Things You Should Never Do on a Cruise Ship

A rarity on the internet, Avoya Travel is a family-owned company that has been dealing in travel for more than 55 years. Avoya is one of the best sites to book a cruise in part because of its patented technology that lets travelers search cruises by destination, date range, cruise line, and last-minute status—and then get matched up, in real time, with one of Avoya’s expert vacation planners, who use that algorithm to customize a cruise booking to your specific preferences. (From Avoya’s website: “…we combine the ease of online search, with the expertise and personalized service of Independent Vacation Planners, plus secure exclusive deals and extras so you get more out of every vacation.”)

Avoya’s team of staffers and wide network of independent agencies make for a cruise booking website that’s a bit different from the rest. Its front page shows the “Best Travel Deals,” which might include half-off cruise fares, onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, and free or reduced airfare.

Like several of the other best cruise websites, Avoya offers a low-price guarantee; if you book a cruise with Avoya and then find a lower rate on another website within 24 hours of booking, Avoya will refund the difference.

Best feature: Avoya offers free membership, and members get exclusive deals and discounts, access to unpublished fares, first dibs on promotions, the ability to save favorite searches, and the right to book, change, or cancel travel without incurring any Avoya fees.

Check out Avoya Travel

When looking for the best site to book a cruise, don’t be put off by CheapCaribbean.com ’s overly specific moniker. Despite the site’s name, it offers cruises all over the world. The site’s vibe is beach-oriented and a bit cheeky, with a front page that can overwhelm—but click on the “Cruises” tab, and a cleaner interface appears. There you can search by cruise line, ship, destination, departure date, and departure port.

CheapCaribbean.com offers refunds on 24-hour cancellations (within certain parameters) and a “ 110 percent best price guarantee, ” a promise that if you find a lower price on the same cruise within 48 hours of booking, the company will refund you 110 percent of the difference. The site also lists traveler reviews about each cruise ship (as supplied by Cruiseline), though the reviews often include comments about the ship’s destinations other than the one you’re considering, which isn’t entirely helpful. There’s also a live chat widget if questions come up while booking.

Best feature: Helping to make CheapCaribbean.com one of the best cruise search engines is the fact that it lets you check boxes for additional discounts, including a senior discount, discounts by state (just enter your ZIP code), and past guest discounts if you’ve previously sailed with, say, Princess, Norwegian, or Disney.

Check out CheapCaribbean.com

Its front page is clunky and sort of in your face, but CruiseDirect is still one of the best cruise sites for a variety of reasons. As a cruise-only company, CruiseDirect doesn’t deal in flights, hotels, or rental cars, allowing it to focus its full capacity on helping you find the best cruise deal possible. On the site, you can search by destination, departure port, month, length of cruise, and cruise line. There’s real-time online chat and a contact number for support from a cruise expert. If you aren’t quite ready to buy, you can “heart” cruises to save them as favorites to refer back to later.

CruiseDirect offers perks on most sailings, like onboard credit, free drinks, free Wi-Fi, free gratuities, free travel insurance, or a free specialty dining experience—check out the “Bonus” box on the cruise listing you’re considering to see what extras it comes with.

Best feature: Like some of the other cruise websites on this list, CruiseDirect offers a “ best price guarantee ,” which means that if you find a lower price on another cruise booking website within 24 hours of your initial booking, you’ll get refunded the difference. But one key difference between CruiseDirect and the other cruise sites is that you don’t have to pay the cost of your cruise up front, just a deposit—and then if your cruise fare drops before you’ve made your final payment, CruiseDirect will readjust your rate accordingly.

Check out CruiseDirect

5 Crazy Themed Cruises You Can Take in 2022 and 2023

A subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Cruise Critic has similar search results to that site, but it offers a bit more comprehensive information for seasoned cruisers who want more details before they book. Cruise Critic has tons of filters and sort options to help you find what you want, including everything from cruise line to cruise style (family cruises, luxury cruises, cruises for the disabled). Each itinerary clearly lists what is and isn’t included in the fare; Wi-Fi, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, and port taxes and fees are among the common exclusions.

Certain itineraries are marked with graphics declaring that the ship has won one of the site’s “Cruisers’ Choice” awards, denoting vessels that Cruise Critic members declare to be the among the best in categories such as cabins, entertainment, and family-friendly features.

You can sign up for price alerts, which will notify you by email when the fare on your selected itinerary drops.

Once you’re ready to book, Cruise Critic shows you a variety of offers from some of the best cruise booking sites, including bonuses such as onboard credit and prepaid gratuities. Then you click off to the site of your choice to make your purchase. Prices generally match what’s advertised on Cruise Critic.

Best feature: Under each search result is a tab for “reviews” where you can read reviews from Cruise Critic members who’ve previously traveled on the ship. On certain cruises you can click over to a full-length write-up of the ship by one of the experts on the Cruise Critic editorial team, including detailed information on dining options, cabins, entertainment, dress code, and more.

Check out Cruise Critic

When you think of Costco, you probably think of bulk food and toilet paper. But the next time you’re booking a cruise, it’ll be worthwhile to pull up Costco Travel , which is, unexpectedly, one of the best cruise websites.

The site doesn’t look fancy—it’s pretty bare-bones, visually—but the upside of going with a no-frills cruise-booking website is that Costco Travel offers extremely competitive prices, as well as some of the most attractive incentives, usually in the form of Costco Cash delivered to you after you get home from your cruise.

Though there’s no single point of contact if you need to call and discuss your cruise booking, Costco Travel’s call center is staffed with helpful agents from early morning until evening, seven days a week, and passengers can rest assured that Costco won’t go out of business before they set sail. Note that a Costco membership (starting at $60 per year) is required to book with Costco Travel, and that Costco doesn’t accept American Express.

Best feature: Rock-bottom prices—plus lots of cash back if you play your cards right: Costco Citi cardholders earn 3 percent cash back on cruise purchases, which can combine with the 2 percent Costco Reward for Costco Executive Members for a total of 5 percent back on Costco Travel’s already super low cruise rates.

Check out Costco Travel

Pondering which is the best site to book a cruise? Keep Cruisewatch in strong consideration—more than a typical cruise booking website, Cruisewatch bills itself as a “digital cruise advisor” that couples data power with personalization.

As an artificial intelligence cruise advisor, Crusewatch created technology that makes searching and booking a cruise more efficient—the first, it calls “Cruise Price Prediction.” In short, Cruisewatch collected and stored the daily price for each ship and cabin over a span of five years, resulting in millions of data points—and a massive database that informs exactly when cruise prices are lowest, and when the greatest saving potential exists.

Thanks to this comprehensive price history, Cruisewatch can predict cruise prices and drops with an accuracy rate of around 80 percent. Using the site’s cruise price prediction alerts, travelers can save up to 71 percent just by booking at the right time.

In addition to being able to predict prices, Cruisewatch tailors user search results to match their established preferences through customizable profiles and other similar features. This means you won’t waste time wading through cruises that may be cheap but don’t align with your vacation goals.

Best feature: Cruisewatch’s easy-to-set price alerts, based on tons of data, allow users to be notified in real time of the best new cruise deals the minute they come online.

Check out Cruisewatch

Book a Stay With SmarterTravel Hotels

Need a place to stay the night before you set sail? Search SmarterTravel Hotels for great accommodations in your port of call.

Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter  @avitalb  or on  Facebook .

Editor’s note: Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story.

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Porto to Lisbon: 7-Nt, Small-Group Portugal...

Indus Travels

Greenland: Luxe, All-Incl. 11-Nt Exploration Small-Ship...

Swan Hellenic

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

Trending on SmarterTravel

Save up to 82% on Cruises!

First-Time Visitors

Are you looking for a cruise at an unbelievably low price? Since 1984, Vacations To Go has helped more than 8 million travelers save hundreds of millions of dollars on discount cruises!

Our world-famous 90-Day Ticker is a complete listing of last-minute cruises on the world's best cruise lines. If you see a cruise there that interests you, don't delay! Average availability is less than seven days and many cruises sell out within hours of listing.

If you prefer to book further in advance, or if you have a specific cruise in mind, use Find a Bargain or Custom Search. You'll find a treasure trove of early bird discounts, two-for-ones and other cut-rate promotions on the world's best lines.

Once you've found your cruise, call us at 800-338-4962 or inquire online about a quote or reservation. Our fast quotes and friendly service make booking a breeze.

Now in our 41 st year, Vacations To Go is the largest cruise-selling company in the world. We've built a reputation for discounts, service and professionalism that is second to none.

Price Guarantee We work with every major cruise line in the world, and you'll find their lowest authorized prices with us. However, if you ever find a lower price for the same ship, date and stateroom category, before booking, we'll match it.*

Service Guarantee Our cruise counselors are fast and friendly. However, if you are ever dissatisfied with any aspect of our service or our Web site, please click here to tell me about it. I will respond as quickly as possible, and always within 24 hours.

* The lower rate must be advertised on a competitor's website and available for booking at the time you contact us; offer does not apply to group rates.

• Port Overview
• Transportation to the Port
• Uber & Lyft to the Port
• Dropping Off at the Port
• Cruise Parking
• Cruise Hotels
• Hotels with Parking Deals
• Uber & Lyft to the Ports
• Things to Do
• Cozumel Taxi Rates
• Free Things to Do
• Restaurants Near the Cruise Port
• Hotels & Resorts With Day Passes
• Closest Beaches to the Cruise Port
• Tips For Visiting
• Shore Excursions
• Cruise Parking Discounts
• Hotels with Shuttles
• Which Airport Should I Use?
• Transportation to the Ports
• Dropping Off at the Ports
• Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami
• Inexpensive Hotels
• Hotels near the Port
• Hotels With Shuttles
• Budget Hotels
• Carnival Tips
• Drink Packages
• Specialty Restaurants
• Faster to the Fun
• More Articles
• CocoCay Tips
• Norwegian Tips
• Great Stirrup Cay
• Harvest Caye
• How to Get the Best Cruise Deal
• Best Time to Book a Cruise
• Best Websites to Book a Cruise
• Cruises Under $300
• Cruises Under $500
• Spring Break Cruise Deals
• Summer Cruise Deals
• Alaskan Cruise Deals
• 107 Cruise Secrets & Tips
• Tips for First-Time Cruisers
• What to Pack for a Cruise
• What to Pack (Alaska)
• Packing Checklist
• Cruising with Kids
• Passports & Birth Certificates
• Bringing Alcohol
• Cruising with a Disability
• Duty-Free Shopping
• Cruise Travel Insurance
• Things to Do on a Cruise Ship
• What Not to Do on a Ship
• News & Articles

10 Rules to Getting the Best Deal on a Cruise

Tell us if this process sounds familiar.

You want to book a cruise, so you start searching around. A web search takes you from one site to another. Before you know it, you’ve looked at a dozen different sites to try and find the best deal.

What’s more, you’ve tried searching multiple dates, itineraries, cruise lines, and room types, searching for that best combination of price, time and route.

It’s enough to make your head spin… and that’s before you actually purchase your fare .

After that, you end up checking the same cruise obsessively, making sure you’ve gotten the best price possible.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way . We’ve spent years studying the cruise industry and have come up with our best rules to follow to make sure you’re getting the absolute best rate with as little headache as possible.

It’s no guarantee that you’ll get the lowest rate offered for your cruise, but these rules will help you be smarter about buying your vacation.

In This Article...

Want a cheap cruise? Study this chart

Before we get into the rules, we want to walk you through some of research. First, we want to show you the most important resource when it comes to what you will pay for a cruise.

The chart below shows the historic per-person cruise fare for both an interior cabin and balcony room for a 3-day Carnival cruise over a period of two years between 2021-2023 . This particular cruise sailed from Miami, with a stop in Nassau, Bahamas.

We selected this cruise because it runs weekly, giving us a chance to compare the price of the trip over multiple years and see the trends in the fare.

First, you can see from the blue line (price for an interior room) that prices to travel last minute are consistent with the same time a year later. In other words, you don’t see that much of a discount — if any — by waiting until the last minute .

Second, notice the trends in the rise and fall of the prices. Cruise fares see large spikes during holidays and the summer. The basic rule of thumb is that if school is out, then cruise fares are high . Cruising off season can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Of course, there is so much more to learn about finding the best rate on your next cruise. We go into full detail of all the rules you should follow to find the lowest rate possible…

Rule #1: DO be flexible with your days to cruise the cheapest

As you can see in the chart , the fares for the same cruise can vary dramatically, depending on when you sail.

Holidays like Christmas and New Year’s fetch the highest prices by far. These rates can often be double what you would pay in the lower season. The highest rates found around the holidays are closely followed by peak summer rates when families with kids like to cruise:

The best times to sail with the lowest rates? The fall months when people are back at school and work, meaning that rates hit their lowest. You can also find lower rates in the time between New Year’s and Spring Break.

Rule #2: DON’T think there is a magic website with cheaper cruise fares

The cruise line’s website, Expedia, Cruises.com, Travelocity… the list of sites where you can search for trips is endless. The odd thing? They usually all have the exact same rates.

We researched the most popular sites for a Carnival cruise (although this rule applies to all cruise lines), comparing prices with the cruise line’s official website. This trip is a 7-day cruise from Miami in June 2025 aboard Carnival Magic. We’ve tabulated the prices we found below:

So which site should you use?

We generally suggest booking through the cruise line’s website. We like this because it takes out the middleman in booking your sailing. Should there be an issue, you can call the cruise line directly and everything is dealt with through their site.

However, many third-party sites can have special deals such as onboard credit that’s not available if booking through the cruise line. We’ve seen up to $750 in onboard credit just for booking through these types of sites, depending on their offers.

[Read: The Best Websites to Book a Cruise ]

As well, third-party sites take your search across multiple cruise lines. So instead of just searching for Carnival cruises or Royal Caribbean, you can search every cruise line — potentially finding a cheaper cruise with another line. Meanwhile, you typically won’t pay any more than booking directly from the cruise line.

If you know the cruise line you’d like to sail, we suggest booking directly through them. If you are open to which line you sail, then third-party websites give you the ability to search more cruise lines and itineraries to find a better price.

Rule #3: DON’T think you’ll save a ton by booking last minute

It would make sense that you would find the cheapest fares right before the ship sails. After all, if a room sails empty, the cruise line earns nothing from that cabin. They should want to get you on the ship and at least earn some cruise fare, then hope to earn more on excursions, drinks, and shopping onboard.

If that were how things actually worked, however, the cruise lines would go insane trying to plan. If rates were lowest right before the trip sailed, then every passenger would wait until the last minute. The cruise lines wouldn’t be able to plan their needs for the trip ahead of time or predict revenue, costs, or profits.

That’s why cruise lines have largely eliminated last-minute discounts.

In fact, if you look at our chart of prices for the cruise below, you can see that the price you pay for a cruise about to depart is inline with the same time a year later.

Where you can really get burned by waiting until the last minute is in your room selection.

When you book late, many of the prime rooms have been taken already. So if you had your eye on a certain type of room or location on the ship, it might not be available if booking late.

For more on buying last-minute cruises, read 9 Smart Last-Minute Cruise Buying Tips .

Rule #4: DON’T get distracted by cruise line sales

The cruise lines are like department stores — they constantly run sales and special offers. Sometimes it is 50% off the second fare. Sometimes it’s lower deposits. Sometimes it’s onboard credit.

We’ve found that there is a constant flow of deals, and they usually are all about the same. In other words, we don’t really think you should let it influence whether or not you buy… or let it affect the timing of your purchase.

Yes, it is possible that one deal might be better than another. However, they typically end up around the same price. If a cruise line really needs to fill rooms, they will simply lower the price of the specific cruise instead of offering a fleetwide discount via a sale.

Rule #5: DO sail on older ships for cheaper deals

It’s not written in stone, but you will usually pay much less to sail on an older ship compared to a newer one. Older ships are still kept up and comfy, but simply can’t offer the space or amenities as the larger, newer ships.

Over the past two decades, ships have seemingly transformed from simply seagoing vessels to floating amusement parks. From huge waterslides to promenades, robot bars, roller coasters, ice rinks, and more, it’s hard to believe what they can put on a new ship these days.

If you don’t need these sorts of things on your cruise, then look for an older ship to get a much cheaper cruise.

What can you expect to save? It’s difficult to compare apples to apples as different ships sail to different ports at different times, but we found two similar cruises to compare.

The first was a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas from Port Canaveral, departing April 2025. Wonder of the Seas is one of the cruise line’s newest ships, and it’s priced accordingly.

The cheapest price (interior cabin) we found for an April sailing on this new ship was $1,106 per person .

Compare this rate with a 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard an older Royal Caribbean ship — Adventure of the Seas. We found this cruise departing Port Canaveral during the same month (April 2024). Despite being one night longer, the trip was priced at just $955 per person for an interior cabin . That’s about $150 per person less for an additional night.

In other words, sailing the older ship in this example costs considerably less than the new ship — despite the cruise being a day longer.

(Note: There is also a 6-night cruise aboard Adventure of the Seas during that same month starting at just $666 per person — an even larger discount.)

Rule #6: DO choose your room location carefully

While not every cruise line does it, many will charge you different amounts for the same class of room in different locations of the ship. For example, a room on a higher deck will cost more than one on a lower deck. Through years and years of bookings, the cruise lines know which rooms are most desirable and charge accordingly.

Most times the premium you pay for room location won’t seem like a big deal. The cruise lines sometimes frame it by adding something like $3-5 per person, per day.

Let’s do the math, however.

A room with two people being charged an extra $5 per person, per day would rack up $10 per day — or $70 in room location charges over the course of a week-long cruise. That may not sound like much to some of you, but that comes about to about 4-6 drinks from the bar if you were to want to spend your money on alcohol instead.

The rule of thumb is that the higher up your room is on the ship, the more you will pay.

For the absolute best rate for your particular room class, let the cruise line place you automatically at their lowest rate.

Rule #7: DON’T buy the “wave season” hype

You might have heard of “wave season.” This time of year — running from January through March — is supposed to be when the cruise lines offer the best deals. That’s due to the cold weather in most of the country making people think of warmer places combined with the passing of the Christmas holiday. It is definitely true that more booking activity goes on during this period. But it may not mean better prices. 

Our take? Wave season is hyped up, similar to “Black Friday.” Sure there may be good offers — but not enough to keep us from booking a good deal when we see one a different time of year.

If everyone waited until the wave season because the deals were better, then the cruise lines wouldn’t have anyone book the other nine months of the year. You’ll find that the deals offered aren’t that much different than those found the rest of the year.

Rule #8: DON’T think booking far ahead will save much

If last-minute booking doesn’t offer much of a discount, then surely you’ll be rewarded by booking well in advance, right?

Not so much.

Rates vary the most by time of year… not by how far in advance the departure is. For example, you’ll see similar fares for a cruise in September, whether that’s three months from now or a year and three months from now.

Now, that’s not to say that the fare for a cruise well in the future won’t drop at some point. If the cruise line has trouble filling rooms, they will certainly drop the rate. But many times, there is no huge advantage to booking a year or more in advance (although you will have more cabin options).

Rule #9: DO book your cruise when you find a rate you like

We know that trying to find the best rate can be nerve-wracking. Don’t let it get to you. We think the key is to do some research first on the cruises offered and what they are selling for. Once you have a ballpark idea of what they cost, you can have a better idea if you are getting a good deal.

Once you find a rate that you think is fair (including any sales/promotions), go ahead and book it. There’s no sense in waiting and watching to see if the price will fall more, especially since it could also rise. ( Read more on the best time to book a cruise. )

And while you want to book your cruise once you’ve found a rate you’re happy with, we recommend NOT paying in full. In fact, put down the smallest deposit allowed.

This will give you some leverage for Rule #10. (Keep in mind that if you book last-minute, you often have to pay for the trip in full at the time of booking.)

Rule #10: DO monitor price drops…and call the cruise line

So what if after all this you book your cruise and then the price drops?

First, you should be monitoring the price of your cruise after you book if you want to save money. We’re not saying to check it every day, but once or twice a month is sufficient.

If you run across a price drop, then you should contact the cruise line immediately. This is where having put down only a deposit — and not paying in full — buys you some leverage.

Many times the cruise lines will work with you to compensate for the lower fare, even though they often aren’t obligated to do so. They can refund the difference or offer onboard credit to make you happy.

Some lines have price protection policies in place. Carnival, for example, has it’s Early Saver Program :

1. When you book a 3-5 day cruise three months in advance, or 6 day or longer cruise five months in advance, you are assured the lowest rate. 2. In the unlikely event that you do find a lower Carnival-advertised rate after booking your cruise, we will honor it and adjust your cruise rate accordingly. Simply fill out the Price Protection Claim form and we’ll take care of the rest.

If you only have a deposit down, and they won’t work with you on the price difference, determine the refund policy to see if it is worth it to cancel your original trip and re-book the cruise at the lower rate.

If you’ve already paid in full, it’s still worth calling the cruise line if you see a lower fare. The lines want happy customers and will sometimes work with you to compensate for the new lower price.

Bottom Line: Unfortunately, there is no crystal ball that will tell you the absolute best time of year or day of week to book your cruise. That said, the tips above can help you carve out the best deal possible — without driving yourself crazy.

More on Cruise Buying:

• The Best Websites to Book a Cruise
• The Best Time to Book a Cruise (Save Money, Better Cabins)

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read next: park & cruise hotels for every port in america, popular: 107 best cruise tips, secrets, tricks, and freebies, related articles more from author, 12 cruise tips that feel wrong (but are 100% right), how much cruise lines spend on food (less than you think), 11 tips cruise lines don’t want you to know (but they aren’t against the rules), 61 questions about cruising answered (everything you wanted to know), 107 best cruise tips, tricks, secrets, and freebies, what’s the best month to cruise pros & cons of sailing each month of the year.

Informative but I am really confused what I am missing. I looked at several Azamara cruises on both their website and VTG. There was a huge prices difference. Even if I subtract things like port fees and gratuities, it did not come close to accounting for the price difference. Can anyone explain why?

I agree that the fall months as well as early in the year are best for cheaper rates but I live on the East coast and I monitor hurricanes every year. It seems to be a very big risk booking during hurricane season. I’ve been researching cruises to Bermuda. Last time I booked was first week in June. That was my first cruise so I was a total newbie. Great cruise, however. Your article was very informative. I’ve never cruised on Carnival before, always cruised on NCL.

Hello, this is more about the cruise incentive, rather than cruise price. I booked August 31 to sail December 1 with Expedia for HAL. Expedia is now offering the drink package at a reduction of $400 each plus more onboard credit.I would be saving $625, initially I did receive free gratuities.

They are not willing to help as of my phone call, any tips on what to do? Thanks in advance. Your site is great, I have been enjoying the tips.

So you’ve called and they won’t give the better offer? What sort of cancellation fee are you looking at? It might be worth cancelling and then re-booking the better deal if you wouldn’t be out too much money.

I agree with most everything you said in this article except letting the cruise line choose your room. Yes you may save a few dollars that way but you will also most likely get an undesirable room. Undesirable rooms are those under the Lido deck, above and below the nightclubs, next to the galley, and next to the elevators. Also if you are booking an inside room (which is the cheapest), be sure you are not booking a room with an upper and lower berths if that is not what you want. If you are booking an outside room and you really want the view, be sure you are not booking one with a restricted view (life boats, structure, etc). If you elect the cruise line choosing your room be sure you are selecting the right category. This is where a travel agent can help.

Thanks for the comment. We always let the cruise line choose the room for us to save money. Never had an issue with location.

Probably the truest article I’ve read! So many other sites seem to be in some kind of alliance with the cruiselines so they halfway tell you something then backtrack. Also, I find it interesting that you mentioned the fact that the sales are constant and basically offer the same. I witnessed it first hand over the last few weeks. I kicked myself for not booking when the rates went down, however, when they increased $25 per person (2 in cabin, so $50 more), the onboard credit increased $50 with the offer. So it was essentially the same deal. I think all in all, in 2 different cruises after searching, waiting and continually checking even after booking, I’ve only missed out on a total of an extra $25 onboard credit for the entire cabin.

It’s great that you elaborated on which dates are best for finding better deals on cruises. I remember when my husband and I discussed going on a cruise sometime, we weren’t sure what dates we would want to plan ahead for. What you said about going in the falls months when people are back to work and school means lower rates, in general, was very interesting to me.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Answered: How Much Cash Should You Take On a Cruise?

Worth it complete norwegian cruise line (ncl) drink package guide, hotels with cruise shuttles for every major port in america, 39 useful things to pack for your cruise (including 17 you’d never think of).

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

5 secrets to getting a luxury cruise for less

Editor's Note

Luxury cruises range in price from expensive to outrageously expensive. But the value of high-end ships is clear: For the money, you get more fare inclusions, nicer accommodations, upscale dining and higher space-to-passenger and crew-to-passenger ratios than on big, mass-market ships.

Still, sometimes you want the luxe for less.

You'll never find a cheap luxury cruise, but you can find sailings that are less expensive than others (either when sorting by the total cost or the per-night rate). You might have to compromise on sail dates or take a risk with the weather, but you can get great value by choosing the cruise less traveled.

Here are the five most affordable luxury cruises we could find so you can save a little bit when you sail in style.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Fall Caribbean cruises

Caribbean cruises might be the bread and butter of mass-market cruise lines, but they don't have the same prominence among the itineraries of the luxury lines. Tropical cruises on luxury lines tend to be shorter sailings, taking place in the fall and winter (rather than year-round) and often targeting younger professionals who might not have the time to take two-week vacations.

Combine those factors with a shoulder-season fall travel date (between mid-September and the week before Christmas), and you have yourself a more affordable luxury cruise.

For example, Regent Seven Seas Cruises ' 2024-2025 Caribbean season runs from November through March. The least expensive sailing for the season takes place in early December in the travel lull between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Fares start at $4,299 per person for a weeklong round-trip cruise from Miami. A similar seven-night sailing costs $4,999 ($700 more) in February.

Related: How to snag cruise ship suites for less

Shoulder-season Alaska cruises

No matter which cruise line you sail, it's a truth universally acknowledged that the first and last Alaska sailings of the season are the most affordable. Why? Timing and weather.

The Alaska cruise season begins in late April or May and runs through September and occasionally October. These travel dates are often nonstarters for families who wait for the summer school break to take their vacations. Even travelers not bound by school schedules sometimes shy away from these cruises because of the imperfect weather conditions.

In May, temperatures can still be chilly in Alaska, waterways in glacier areas can be clogged with ice, Alaska's famous salmon haven't started to run and bus service at Alaska's famed Denali National Park hasn't yet begun. In September and October, the temperatures start dropping — and the rain keeps falling — and attractions such as Denali begin to close.

All that said, if you're willing to take a risk on the weather and aren't planning a land tour up to Denali, you can score a deal on a high-end Alaska sailing during these off-peak times.

In 2025, a September Alaska cruise on Silversea starts at $4,500 per person on Silver Moon. The same cruise in July starts at $5,900, making the shoulder-season cruise $1,400 less expensive. Even better, May is less rainy than July, so you could experience sunnier days on the more affordable sailing.

Related: The best time to go on a cruise

Transatlantic crossings

Many travelers choose their cruise for the ports of call. Cruisers are drawn to the destinations, whether they're checking exotic ports off their bucket list or love spending time on the beach. It's no surprise, then, that longer-than-average itineraries with few to no port calls are not warmly embraced by many cruise fans (except for devoted sea-day lovers).

Because many cruise ships regularly reposition between Europe (where they spend the summer) and the Caribbean (where they spend the winter), transatlantic crossings are inevitable. To attract guests, the cruise lines add interesting onboard activities and guest lecturers to the voyage, and they lower prices. If you love relaxing sea days and would revel in spending day after day in the middle of the ocean, an ocean crossing is a surefire way to get a luxury cruise experience for less.

Small, all-inclusive line SeaDream is a solid example of how affordable transatlantic sailings can get. In 2025, SeaDream 1 will sail its last Mediterranean cruise of the season from Barcelona to Malaga, Spain, and cruise prices start at $6,799 for an eight-night cruise. The ship then sails from Malaga across the Atlantic to San Juan, Puerto Rico. That 13-night sailing is five nights longer than the preceding cruise, but its starting price is $3,799 — a $3,000 difference.

Entry-level cabins

As a traveler chasing luxury, you're all about the upgrade. To get a great price on a high-end cruise ship, you might want to reconsider your aversion to booking the cheapest rooms.

Entry-level suites on the nicest ships are not the windowless closets you'll find on some of the mass-market ships. They're spacious cabins with either windows or private balconies and separate sleeping and sitting areas; many have nicely appointed, reasonably sized bathrooms and often walk-in or large closets. You'll get the same personal service, have access to the same gourmet dining and can enjoy the same ship amenities (a spa, a serene pool deck, social lounges and more) as folks in the top suites.

Also, you'll pay less. For example, an entry-level suite on luxury line Seabourn 's Seabourn Encore is a veranda suite measuring 246 to 302 square feet with a 68- to 83-square-foot private balcony. On a seven-night Greece and Turkey cruise departing in June 2025, prices for these rooms start at $5,499 per person. Opt for the next suite level up — a 450-square-foot penthouse suite with a 93- to 103-square-foot balcony — and prices start at $9,299. That's an increase of $3,800, all for a suite you won't spend much time in on this port-intensive itinerary.

Related: The best luxury cruise lines for elegance and exclusivity

Suite enclaves on big ships

Several big-ship cruise lines have entered the luxury travel space with suite enclaves that come with extra amenities, and the options can be affordable by luxury standards. These cruises are ideal for families looking for upscale accommodations combined with robust children's programming or luxury travelers who prefer a more casual vibe or a wealth of entertainment and activity options on board.

Options include Norwegian Cruise Line 's The Haven, Royal Caribbean 's Royal Suite Class and MSC Cruises ' Yacht Club. Travelers who book these suites get VIP treatment compared to their shipmates. They have access to exclusive restaurants, lounges and sun decks; get priority boarding and theater seating; and might even receive more fare inclusions such as drink packages, internet access, gratuities and butler service (depending on the category booked).

Cruise fares in these top suites aren't cheap, but they can be comparatively affordable in two ways. First, Royal Caribbean, MSC and Norwegian cruise ships typically sail shorter itineraries than true luxury lines, so you could book a short cruise to spend less on your total vacation cost. Second, while prices are comparable to the luxury lines and can skyrocket when ships start to sell out, you can sail in the ship's top suites for what you'd pay for midlevel on a luxury ship.

For example, you can book an aft-facing penthouse with a large balcony (619 to 668 square feet with a 199- to 248-square-foot balcony) on a seven-night Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Encore for $4,426 per person (including fees) on a February 2026 sailing. It comes with all of NCL's Free at Sea inclusions (drinks, dining, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credit), as well as the services of a butler and concierge, and access to The Haven's private lounge, restaurant and sun deck.

A weeklong Regent Seven Seas cruise to the Caribbean in February costs $10,349 per person for a 655-square-foot Grandeur Suite (with a 166- to 263-square-foot balcony). The cheapest veranda suite on that sailing starts at $4,999 per person — still more expensive than a suite in Norwegian's The Haven.

Related: The 7 best cruise ship suites — picked by someone who has seen them all

Bottom line

A luxury cruise will never be cheap, but you can find ways to spend less when you travel on high-end ships. Booking early and taking advantage of limited-time promotions will also help you save when you sail in style.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

5 Best Cruise Lines in the US

Published on april 18, 2024 at 7:38 pm by talha zubair in news, 2. norwegian cruise line.

IM Score: 17

Cruise Critic Rating (41,834 reviews): 3.6

Cruise line Rating: 4

Norwegian Cruise Line has large sized cruises, the largest of which carry more than 4,000 passengers. Although it is more expensive than Carnival, NCL offers passengers optional all-inclusive packages that can help bring the costs down significantly. In return, the cruises provide some of the best entertainment in the world. Broadway quality theater and musical productions allow for an unrivaled family experience. The cruises are equipped with water-slides and extensive Go-karting tracks. The Norwegian Prima features a 10 story free fall dry slide, a 3 level Go-Kart track, a virtual gaming complex. Such revolutionary entertainment activities allow for an exhilarating experience of the high seas. Moreover, the cruise line owns a private island in the Bahamas by the name of Great Stirrup Cay , which is exclusive to guests aboard NCL’s cruises. Due to its one of a kind experience, we rank it as the second best cruise line in the US .

Viking Cruises Celebrity Cruises Carnival Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line 5 Best Cruise Lines in the US Royal Caribbean International 15 Biggest Wind Energy Companies in the World 20 Most Visited Cities in the US by Foreign Travelers Show more... Show less

AI Fire Sale: Insider Monkey’s #1 AI Stock Pick Is On A Steep Discount

Published on april 11, 2024 at by inan dogan, phd.

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

The whispers are turning into roars.

Artificial intelligence isn’t science fiction anymore.

It’s the revolution reshaping every industry on the planet.

From driverless cars to medical breakthroughs, AI is on the cusp of a global explosion, and savvy investors stand to reap the rewards.

Here’s why this is the prime moment to jump on the AI bandwagon:

Exponential Growth on the Horizon: Forget linear growth – AI is poised for a hockey stick trajectory.

Imagine every sector, from healthcare to finance, infused with superhuman intelligence.

We’re talking disease prediction, hyper-personalized marketing, and automated logistics that streamline everything.

This isn’t a maybe – it’s an inevitability.

Early investors will be the ones positioned to ride the wave of this technological tsunami.

Ground Floor Opportunity: Remember the early days of the internet?

Those who saw the potential of tech giants back then are sitting pretty today.

AI is at a similar inflection point.

We’re not talking about established players – we’re talking about nimble startups with groundbreaking ideas and the potential to become the next Google or Amazon.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

Dive into the AI gold rush and watch your portfolio soar alongside the brightest minds of our generation.

This isn’t just about making money – it’s about being part of the future.

So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your investment life!

Act Now and Unlock a Potential 10,000% Return: This AI Stock is a Diamond in the Rough (But Our Help is Key!)

The AI revolution is upon us, and savvy investors stand to make a fortune.

But with so many choices, how do you find the hidden gem – the company poised for explosive growth?

That’s where our expertise comes in.

We’ve got the answer, but there’s a twist…

Imagine an AI company so groundbreaking, so far ahead of the curve, that even if its stock price quadrupled today , it would still be considered ridiculously cheap.

That’s the potential you’re looking at. This isn’t just about a decent return – we’re talking about a 10,000% gain over the next decade!

Our research team has identified a hidden gem – an AI company with cutting-edge technology, massive potential, and a current stock price that screams opportunity.

This company boasts the most advanced technology in the AI sector, putting them leagues ahead of competitors.

It’s like having a race car on a go-kart track.

They have a strong possibility of cornering entire markets, becoming the undisputed leader in their field.

Here’s the catch (it’s a good one): To uncover this sleeping giant, you’ll need our exclusive intel.

We want to make sure none of our valued readers miss out on this groundbreaking opportunity!

That’s why we’re slashing the price of our Premium Readership Newsletter by a whopping 75% .

For a ridiculously low price of just $24 , you can unlock a year’s worth of in-depth investment research and exclusive insights – that’s less than a single restaurant meal!

Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

• The Name of the Game-Changing AI Stock:  Our in-depth report dives deep into our #1 AI stock’s groundbreaking technology and massive growth potential.
• Ad-Free Browsing:  Enjoy a year of investment research free from distracting banner and pop-up ads, allowing you to focus on uncovering the next big opportunity.
• Lifetime Money-Back Guarantee:   If you’re not absolutely satisfied with our service, we’ll provide a full refund ANYTIME, no questions asked.

Space is Limited! Only 1000 spots are available for this exclusive offer. Don’t let this chance slip away – subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter today and unlock the potential for a life-changing investment.

Here’s what to do next:

• Head over to our website and subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter for just $24.
• Enjoy a year of ad-free browsing, exclusive access to our in-depth report on the revolutionary AI company, and the upcoming issues of our Premium Readership Newsletter over the next 12 months.
• Sit back, relax, and know that you’re backed by our ironclad lifetime money-back guarantee.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Subscribe now and take control of your AI investment future!

Subscribe Now!

50-year Wall Street Insider Names #1 stock for AI “Tidal Wave”

Published on april 1, 2024 at by insider monkey staff.

Should I put my money in Artificial Intelligence?

Here to answer that for us… and give away his No. 1 free AI recommendation… is 50-year Wall Street titan, Marc Chaikin.

Marc’s been a trader, stockbroker, and analyst. He was the head of the options department at a major brokerage firm and is a sought-after expert for CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and Yahoo! Finance…

But what Marc’s most known for is his award-winning stock-rating system. Which determines whether a stock could shoot sky-high in the next three to six months… or come crashing down.

That’s why Marc’s work appears in every Bloomberg and Reuters terminal on the planet…

And is still used by hundreds of banks, hedge funds, and brokerages to track the billions of dollars flowing in and out of stocks each day.

He’s used this system to survive nine bear markets… create three new indices for the Nasdaq… and even predict the brutal bear market of 2022, 90 days in advance.

So you can see why CNBC’s Jim Cramer has said he’s learned to never bet against Marc.

Click to continue reading…

Protect Your Trip »

The 5 best kids sail free cruises for 2024 & beyond.

Save on your family cruise with these kids sail free deals.

The Best Kids Sail Free Cruises

Getty Images

Several cruise lines offer kids sail free promos throughout the year.

If you're angling for an affordable family cruise , you'll be happy to know that several major cruise lines let children sail for free (either regularly or during special promotions). Read on to discover which lines cater to families with kids sail free offers.

Cruise lines where kids sail free

Holland america line, norwegian cruise line, royal caribbean international, costa cruises, msc cruises.

Find your perfect cruise

Courtesy of Holland America Line

Deal: Holland America Line is offering a "Kids Cruise Free" promotion on select itineraries in 2024. The offer applies to several itineraries including Hawaii , the Caribbean and the Panama Canal; to qualify, children must be 18 or younger and cruising as third and/or fourth guests in the same cabin as adults. As with similar promotions, taxes and port fees are still required for each child's sailing.

Family-friendly perks: Amenities onboard Holland America ships include kids clubs and youth programs, as well as shore excursions oriented to families with little ones in tow. Plenty of stateroom options can also accommodate larger bookings. The Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam ships, in particular, feature oversized staterooms with beds for four, a large sitting area and a spacious veranda.

Book a Holland America Line Cruise on GoToSea , a service of U.S. News.

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Deal: Norwegian Cruise Line lets third and fourth guests cruise free on select itineraries throughout the year. Cruises to which this promotion applies are offered all over the world, including bucket-list destinations like Alaska and the Mediterranean .

Some of the itineraries that qualify for free third and fourth guests also come with complimentary amenities like an unlimited open bar, specialty dining, shore excursions and/or complimentary Wi-Fi. Additionally, some of the itineraries include generous discounts on the total cruise cost , as well as free airfare for a second guest (when booked through the cruise line).

Family-friendly perks: With Norwegian's all-ages kids clubs, family dining, entertainment and activities included in one bundled rate, planning a kid-approved vacation with the cruise line is a breeze. Many Norwegian ships also feature an array of family-friendly staterooms with plenty of extra space. For example, the luxurious Norwegian Prima offers a two-bedroom family villa with a large balcony in "The Haven" – its exclusive area for VIP guests.

Explore Norwegian Cruise Line deals on GotoSea.

Michel Verdure | Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

Deal: Royal Caribbean offers a "Kids Sail Free" deal several times each year, allowing children 12 or younger to cruise free provided they are the third guests (or beyond) staying in the same cabin as at least two paying adults. The only catch is that blackout dates apply – typically during holiday and school breaks.

Family-friendly perks: There's a reason so many families choose Royal Caribbean ; kid-friendly amenities range from age-specific programming to zip lining at sea. The line's  exclusive island for cruisers , Perfect Day at CocoCay in  the Bahamas , is also a big hit with young passengers thanks to its waterslides and splash areas.

Compare Royal Caribbean cruise itineraries on GotoSea.

Tips on Trips and Expert Picks Newsletter

Travel tips, vacation ideas and more to make your next vacation stellar.

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

Courtesy of Costa Cruises

Deal: Costa Cruises may not be as popular as some other cruise lines on our list, but it's a worthwhile option for cruisers looking to sail through Europe, the Middle East or South America. The cruise line allows kids traveling as third or fourth guests to sail for free with two adults in the same cabin, and this promotion applies to passengers ages 2 to 17. This offer is valid on all sailings offered by the line, many of which feature destinations in desirable ports along the Mediterranean such as Barcelona , Marseille and Rome .

Family-friendly perks: Costa Cruises vessels offer abundant family-friendly amenities, from water parks to arcades to mini golf. Kids clubs are available for children ages 3 to 11, and they provide entertainment like arts and crafts, themed parties, and games galore. A teen zone also hosts cruisers ages 12 to 17 who want to mingle, sing karaoke and play group sports when ships aren't in port.

Find a Costa Cruises deal on GotoSea.

Courtesy of MSC Cruises

Deal: MSC Cruises lets children younger than 18 cruise for free on select itineraries, depending on the ship's capacity. (Other exclusions or eligibility requirements may apply.) Kids must be the third or fourth guests traveling in the same cabin as their parents (at least two adults) for the deal to be valid; note that any port fees and taxes still apply to children's fares.

Family-friendly perks: MSC Cruises offers a variety of leisure activities and amenities designed specifically for kids. On board, youngsters can take advantage of perks from water parks with slides and swimming pools to Broadway-style shows and interactive dinners. The line also hosts fun family excursions and a "Lego Experience On Board" event on every cruise. In addition, there are a myriad of amenities for parents to enjoy while the youngest passengers are occupied by one of five dedicated kids clubs.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is a seasoned travel writer who has covered family travel and cruises for more than a decade. Johnson has traveled with her family to more than 50 countries, and her many trips have included cruises all over the world. Johnson lives in Indiana with her two children and her husband, Greg.

You might also be interested in:

• The Top Cruises for Babies & Toddlers
• The Best Cruises for Teens
• Do You Need a Passport to Cruise?
• How to Get Your Child a Passport
• The Best Cruise Insurance Plans

Top Resorts Where Kids Stay Free

Tags: Travel , Cruises , Family Vacations

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

You May Also Like

The best east coast beaches.

April 19, 2024

The Best Luggage Brands

Rachael Hood April 17, 2024

The Best Hard-sided Luggage Picks

Erin Evans , Rachael Hood , Catriona Kendall , Amanda Norcross and Leilani Osmundson April 17, 2024

The Best Carry-on Luggage

The Best Yellowstone National Park Tours

John Rodwan April 17, 2024

The Best Rome Colosseum Tours

Laura Itzkowitz April 17, 2024

Best Alaska Tours

Lyn Mettler April 16, 2024

The Best Fredericksburg Wine Tours

The Best Personal Item Bags

Rachael Hood April 16, 2024

The 17 Best Costa Rica Tours

Lyn Mettler April 12, 2024