To begin, there are a total of ten ships in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. In contrast to other cruise lines – for example, the cruise ships of Royal Caribbean International – the Norwegian fleet is not broken into separate classes.

All ten of the cruise ships have a name that begins with “Norwegian.” Of the ten cruise ships in the fleet, Norwegian Epic is the newest and by far the largest. Entering the fleet in 2010, the ship weighs 155,873 tons and is 1,081 feet long. The ship has a passenger capacity of 4,100 people and a crew of 1,753.

The smallest ship in the fleet, Norwegian Spirit, is barely half the size of Norwegian Epic in terms of the primary ship-measurement metrics besides length. (No matter the varying sizes of cruise ships in a fleet, the lengths tend to be somewhat similar, or at least they are more similar than the other characteristics by which ships may be compared; the wide variety of passenger capacities, weights, etc. is accounted for by the different heights of the ships.) Norwegian Spirit weighs 75,338 tons and is 881 feet long. It can hold 2,018 passengers and has a crew of 962.

The rest of the ships in the fleet obviously fall somewhere in the middle, although all of them are closer in size to Norwegian Spirit. Indeed, Norwegian Epic is a bit of an outlier, weighing 60,000 more tons than the second largest ship in the fleet, which, for the record, is Norwegian Jade. It should be noted that ship size isn’t particularly relevant for the purposes of planning a cruise (it is, however, relevant to people like us who want to know All About Cruises and More). All cruise ships are enormous relative to most other seafaring vessels, and since many of the ships in a particular cruise line’s fleet have comparable amenities, you should really only concern yourself with a cruise’s destination and itinerary when planning a trip.

For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that Norwegian Cruise Line has a sister company known as NCL America (can you guess what the “NCL” of “NCL America” stands for?) that has one cruise ship. This ship – known, appropriately enough, as Pride of America – is only slightly larger than the Norwegian Spirit. With a passenger capacity of 2,138 and a crew of 940, Pride of America weighs 80,439 tons and is 921 feet long. As an interesting side note, Pride of America is the first new U.S. flagged cruise ship in nearly 50 years.

If you would like to know more about the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, there is a vast trove of information available on the NLC website:

The Cruise Ships of the Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is perhaps best known for its use of “Freestyle Cruising,” a philosophy that encourages passengers to set their own schedule. In contrast to other cruise lines, there are no set dining times and no assigned tables, and the dress code is relaxed. Moreover, there are more than seven restaurants on every NCL ship, giving passengers even more freedom to create their vacation itinerary.

The concept of freestyle cruising also extends to the activities and accommodations available on the ship. While on-board, families can enjoy pools with slides, spas, and fitness centers. Adults can also attend wine tastings and gamble in the casino, while children can be entertained by a host of youth-centered programs. Norwegian Cruise Line also has a wide selection of rooms to choose from, including more interconnecting staterooms, which are good for vacationing families, than any other cruise line.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s cruising philosophy is best summed up by their own words, listed on their website: “It’s your vacation, so make sure it’s exactly what you’ve been daydreaming about.” With activities for kids and adults alike, this applies to entire families, as the NLC website is sure to point out on multiple occasions.

Like other major cruise lines, Norwegian Cruise Line sails all over the world. They have cruises that go to the following locations: Alaska, Bermuda, Bahamas and Florida, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe, the Mexican Riviera, the Pacific Coastal region, and the Panama Canal. Every destination has multiple vacation packs associated with it. Voyages start on different days and launch from different ports, and they can last anywhere from a few days to multiple weeks.

Because the voyages offered are so varied, the cruises of the Norwegian Cruise Line differ widely in price. The length and destination of the cruise affects its price, as does the style of room you select (a room with a view of the ocean costs more than a room without one). Norwegian Cruise Line also offers specials – such as last-minute deals – that may also affect the ultimate cost of the cruise.

For more information about Norwegian Cruise Line, check out their website here:

Norwegian Cruise Line

Some of the top winter cruise destinations include:

• Caribbean
• Mexican Riviera
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Hawaiian Islands
• Barbados
• Nile

The deepest discounts are offered on Caribbean winter cruises and Hawaiian Islands cruises. But all of the destinations listed above are offered at affordable prices during the winter months. If you want to enjoy the biggest discounts, stick to major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Holland America Line, to name a few. These cruise lines offer more departures, and larger ships, so there’s plenty of wiggle room for discounts.

To save even more in winter cruises, you can also book through a discount booking search engine. Although mot cruise lines offer hot deals if you book online directly through the cruise line, discount booking search engines might offer even cheaper tickets. So try:

Kayak.com
Expedia.com
Orbitz.com
Travelocity.com
CheapTickets.com
VacationsToGo.com
Cruise411.com
Cruise.com

Sample Winter Cruise Deals

Royal Caribbean International has a number of cruises that depart from Florida ports starting at $80. These include 4- and 5-night Caribbean cruises. Cruisers will visit destinations such as George Town, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico.

Carnival Cruises has a number of special winter cruise deals to Baja Mexico. Cruises depart from Los Angeles on 3- and 4-day cruises. Ports of call include Ensenada, Mexico Catalina Island, CA. Cruises start at $239 for 3-day cruises and $249 for 4-day cruises.

Starting at around $92 a day, Holland America Line has a 14-day circle Hawaii cruise that departs from San Diego, CA. Ports of call include Hilo, Hawaii, US; Honolulu, Hawaii, US; Nawiliwili Kauai, Hawaii, US; Lahaina, Hawaii, US, and Ensenada, Mexico.

More Ways to Save on Winter Cruises

Besides booking with major cruise lines and booking through discount booking search engines, there are other ways to save on already low-priced winter cruises. You can book in advance to save or you can book last minute to save up to 75 percent off the regular cruise price. If you book with a group or family, you can save or if you are a senior you can save up to 20 percent or more.

A senior is defined as a person who is 55 or older. If you are a senior, in order take advantage of senior rates, all you have to do is book through a cruise travel specialist or book directly with the cruise line. Proof of age is required. Groups and families can also get the best deals if they book through a cruise travel specialist as well or contact a live cruise travel agent. A live person will always have the latest specials and promotions on available for you.

Silversea Cruises

The name says it all — Silversea Cruises offers the best in luxury, service and sophistication. Silversea creates exceptional ocean journeys with unique opportunities to explore remote ports-of-call from an intimate haven of incomparable luxury, each voyage is a unique masterpiece. If money is no object, then a Silversea cruise is for you. Silverseas fleet consists of the Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow and Silver Whisper, each designed to offer a level of luxury that surpasses most other cruise ships.

Silversea Cruises features an endless number of voyages to exotic places and a few familiar places. Just a few Silversea voyages include: Lisbon to NYC, Copenhagen to Hamburg, Dubai to Mumbai, Hong Kong to Singapore, Athens to Venice and Rome to Istanbul, to name a few.

For more information about Silversea Cruises visit Silversea.com or call 800-722-9955 Americas, +377-9770-2424, Monaco.

Norwegian Cruise Lines

Not only is Norwegian Cruise Lines popular for its spectacular seven-day tours of the Hawaiian Islands, but Norwegian’s $400-Million luxury ship Norwegian Star offers the largest collection of restaurants among the popular cruise lines. Not only is the collection of restaurants large, the ship itself is even larger. Norwegian Star stretches well over three football fields in length and it has 25 decks and 372 staterooms including the exclusive Garden Villa Suites, which measure 5,800 square feet. The service on this ship is hefty as well — with 1,100 staff members, the ship has a crew to passenger ratio of 1:2, so excellent service will never be an issue during your voyage. The Norwegian star visits the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui and Kuaui.

For more information about Norwegian Cruise Lines visit the Norwegian Cruise Lines website at www.ncl.com or call 866-625-1166.

Disney Cruise Lines

As families with three, four and even five children in the home continue to grow, so does the demand for family-friendly vacations. Disney Cruise Lines has answered that demand making it the leader in family cruise experiences and most families would agree — one of the best cruise lines for fun for everyone.

Disney has age-specific children activities, programs, and facilities, ranging from nursery to teenage. Just like Disney World, the staff is amazingly friendly. But before you write it off as just a family cruise line, remember, Disney isn’t just for kids — parents and even grandparents won’t feel left out. Most facilities appeal to both adults and children and some are even for adults only. Disney Cruise Lines is one of the most affordable cruise lines around.

Ports of call include Key West, Cozumel, Nassau and Castaway Cay, to name a few and Mediterranean ports of call include Barcelona, Cadiz, Naples and Gibraltar — to name a few.

For more information about Disney Cruise Lines click here to visit the Disney Cruise Lines website or call 800-951-3532. For a directory of websites for all cruise lines, visit Ships and Cruises. Here you can access all cruise lines websites along with a detailed description of each cruise line’s fleet.

The top cruises from New Orleans include Carnival (year around), Norwegian (Nov-March) and Royal (Nov-May). Carnival Inspiration has New Orleans is the home port for Carnival’s Sensation, Sensation arrives every Friday morning, while Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas depart from New Orleans every Saturday.

Carnival offers 4- and 5-day cruises from the Port of New Orleans to destinations such as Cozumel, Mexico, and the Western Caribbean. Royal Caribbean’s cruises will take you from New Orleans to destinations such as Costa Maya, Puerto Rico, and Aruba.

Carnival, Norwegian, or Royal Caribbean cruise to and from New Orleans, passengers allow passengers to enjoy two vacation experiences in one trip! For Carnival reservations log onto www.carnival.com. For Norwegian log onto www.ncl.com. And for Royal Caribbean Reservations, log onto www.royalcaribbean.com.

If you can’t spare have 4-5 days or your goal is to spend your days (or nights) cruising the Mississippi, New Orleans has a local cruise for every taste, style, and budget. Visitors can choose from a variety of cruises such as the popular Dinner Jazz Cruise, the Harbor Cruise or the Aquarium Zoo Cruise, which is great for families.

During the Dinner Jazz Cruise, passengers can enjoy the sparkling New Orleans skyline aboard New Orleans only authentic steamboat named “Natchez.” The Harbor Cruise features a two-hour cruise by day from the heart of the French Quarter, also aboard the Steamboat Natchez.

Families can enjoy a fun-filled day of cruising between the Aquarium of the Americas and the Audubon Zoo aboard the Riverboat John James Audubon. The cruise features seven miles of sightseeing and highlights, along with stops at the Zoo and Aquarium. For information about New Orleans cruises or to make reservations, contact the New Orleans Steamboat Company at 504-586-8777.

The port of New Orleans also offers New Orleans cruises aboard the Delta Queen Steamboat which runs year around through the Mississippi and Ohio River systems as well as the Riverbarge Excursion also year around cruising through the Mississippi and Ohio River systems.

New Orleans Cruise Terminal Info.

New Orleans Julia Street Cruise Terminal Complex is located within the same building as the RiverWalk Shopping Mall, featuring everything from a delicious food court to the Gap, Limited, and Victoria’s Secret. Passengers can shop until it’s time to board their ship or steamboat.

For $1.25 per ride passengers may also take a ten-minute trip to the Aquarium of the Americas, IMAX Theater, Harrah’s Casino or the French Quarter for a few hours of entertainment before or after a cruise. New Orleans Cruise terminals are all on the RiverFront streetcar (trolley) line, with two stops adjacent to the cruise terminals.

South Locus Point Cruise Terminal has seating for more than 750 cruise passengers, 36 mobile check-in stations, and parking for more than 500 vehicles. This dedicated cruise terminal is conveniently located less than 200 yards off I-95, the major north-south route on the East Coast, and ample parking allows passengers to simply drive up and board their cruise ship.

The top cruises out of Baltimore include Caribbean/Deep Caribbean, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Key West, and Canada/New England. These cruises are offered through
two of the biggest cruise lines out of Baltimore including Royal Caribbean International Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line. Cruises sail the Chesapeake Bay so there are plenty of sights to see along the way.

Royal Caribbean’s popular Grandeur of the Seas departs from the Port of Baltimore. Grandeur of the Seas has a gross tonnage of 74,137 tons and it houses a crew of 760, with accommodations for 1,950 passengers. The ship is under 15 years old as of 2008. This modern Vision-class super liner also sails the Panama Canal, the Mexican Riviera, and variety of U.S. Coastal itineraries. Other Royal Caribbean Vision-class ships include Enchantment of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, and Vision of the Seas. Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines has 23 vessels in its fleet.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Majesty also departs from the Port of Baltimore. This classic vessel is around 40,786 gross tons and it travels to Bermuda. Norwegian Majesty has nine passenger decks, more than 700 rooms and suites, and it accommodates 1,790 passengers. Norwegian Majesty also travels to the Caribbean and Canada/New England.

Although not as popular as Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, but still a favorite among those in the know, American Cruise Lines also leaves from the Port of Baltimore. American Cruise Line’sAmerican Eagle and American Star offer six, seven, and fourteen day U.S. and Canada cruises. The six day cruises cover Baltimore, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Tangier Island, Crisfield, Solomons, Cambridge, Oxford, Saint Michaels, Annapolis, and back to Baltimore, and the seven day cruise covers Baltimore, Norfolk, Oriental, Morehead City, Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, Charleston or the seven day Baltimore, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Tangier Island, Solomons, Cambridge, Oxford, Saint Michaels, Annapolis, and back to Baltimore.

Fourteen day American Cruise Lines cruises leaving from the Port of Baltimore travel to Baltimore, Norfolk, Oriental, Morehead City, Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Beaufort, Daufuskie Island, Hilton Head Island, Savannah, Saint Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and Amelia Island.

For more information about which cruise lines leave from the Port of Baltimore and scheduling information, visit the official Port of Baltimore website at www.cruisemaryland.com.

Just a few of the best Christmas cruise this year include Norwegian Cruise Lines 9-night Southern Caribbean Cruise, Carnival Cruises 8-night Western Caribbean Cruise, Celebrity Cruises 8-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise, and P&O’s popular Calypso Christmas and Magical Mediterranean.

To book a Norwegian, Carnival, of Celebrity Christmas cruise, just click the cruise line above to go directly to the official website to get started. P&O Cruises’ Calpyso Christmas and Magical Mediterranean cruises depart on the 17th and the 20th (CC) and19th (MM) of December. *Descriptions of each cruise are as follows:

*The Caribbean’s laid-back charm and idyllic islands are certain to make your Christmas go with a swing. Exchange the frantic festive rush for lounging by the pool with a good book, relaxing on deck with a Planter’s Punch and exploring a different island almost every day and feel the Christmas spirit mount!

2010 cruises:

-Aurora R016 departs 17 Dec 10 for 23 nights
-Ventura N031N departs 17 Dec for 15 nights, Ventura N031B departs 17 Dec 10 for 28 nights and Ventura N031C departs 18 Dec 10 for 28 nights
-Oceana E027 departs 20 Dec 10 for 14 nights

Combine all the magic of Christmas with some stunning destinations in the Mediterranean on this Arcadia holiday. From the piazzas and fountains of Rome to the chic Riviera atmosphere of Cannes and the buzz of Barcelona where you’ll see in 2011, you’re sure to have a Christmas and New Year to remember.

2010 cruises:

-Arcadia J022 departs 19 Dec 10 for 17 nights

To book a P&O Christmas cruise for this year or 2011, visit the official P&O Cruises website at
www.pocruises.com. If you are feeling a little adventurous and you want to book a P&O cruise last minute, you are in for a treat. At this close to the departure date, your cruise could cost up to 75% less than regular price. Please visit the website or simply call P&O cruises at 0845 678 00 14 for details.

P&O Address and Hours:

P&O Cruises
Carnival House
100 Harbour Parade
Southampton
SO15 1ST
Tel: 0845 678 00 14 (from U.S. 011 0845 678 00 14)
Fax: 023 8065 7030 (from U.S. 011 023 8065 7030)

Opening times:

Mon-Fri: 8.00 – 8:00
Saturday: 9:00 – 5:00
Sunday: 10:00 – 4:00

Discount Booking Search Engines

Kayak.com
Expedia.com
Orbitz.com
Travelocity.com
CheapTickets.com
VacationsToGo.com
Cruise411.com
Cruise.com

Sources

*P&O Cruises, www.pocruises.com
Cruise Compete, www.cruisecompete.com

Western Caribbean Cruises depart from Orlando and call at Cozumel, Santo Tomas de Castilla, Belize City, and Key West. Special rates for these cruises start at $399 per person depending on accommodations. Norwegians special deal on seven day Eastern Caribbean cruises is $999 per person (starting price) depending on accommodations. The Eastern Caribbean cruise departs from Orlando (Port Canaveral) and calls at Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarteen.

Other excellent Norwegian Cruise Line hot deals include the seven day Western Caribbean cruise (starting at $619), nine day Canary Islands & Morocco ($499), 11-day Transatlantic (Miami to Barcelona) (starting at $499), 12-day Eastern Mediterranean, Barcelona (starting at $699), nine day Southern Caribbean (starting at $549), and seven day Bermuda (starting at $499 per person).

Norwegian cruises are available aboard one of the lines luxury vessels. These include: Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Dream, Norwegian Majesty, Norwegian Sun, Pride of America, Pride of Hawaii, and Pride of Aloha. NCL has plans to introduce the new F3 class soon, so keep checking the official Norwegian Cruise Lines website at www.ncl.com for updates.

Many Norwegian vessels feature around a dozen restaurants and 24-hour room service, 11 bars and lounges, a four-lane, mood-lit bowling alley, exclusive courtyard villas and garden villas, and inter-connecting staterooms (excellent for families or groups). Besides mood-lit bowling, other onboard activities include: bungee trampoline, yoga, kick-boxing, swimming, spinning, shopping, relaxing at the spa, and jogging, to name a few. NCL cruise ships also feature the best casinos at sea. In fact, Norwegian is the only cruise line with certified slots.

When you’re not at the spa, playing the slots, or shopping, you may find yourself on one of NCL Cruise Lines many exciting shore excursions. If you decide book an excursion, here’s what you can expect: biking, diving, golfing, hiking, snorkeling, surfing, exploring, and partying!

About Norwegian Cruise Lines Freestyle Cruising

NCL Cruise Lines (Norwegian Cruise Lines) is one of the world’s top luxury cruise lines. What makes NCL Cruise Lines different from other luxury cruise lines is its laid-back atmosphere. This innovative cruise line offers Freestyle Cruising along with luxury amenities for those looking for a little something extra. Freestyle Cruising means that passengers have the freedom to choose when to dine, when to dress-up or down, when relax or when to party, and even when to disembark. In a nutshell, what you do and when you do it is 100% up to you!

With Freestyle Cruising, there are no schedules and even the accommodations are flexible. This means, passengers will have their pick of an excellent assortment of accommodation types including: 3-bedroom rooftop Garden Villas, inside staterooms, and large family suites.

To learn more about Norwegian Cruise Lines and to sign up for alerts for great NCL deals, please visit the official NCL website at www.ncl.com.

Next, you must spend several years working in operational positions for a large hotel, cruise line, or similar business, although hotel and cruise line experience are preferred. After spending several years working in a hotel or cruise environment, you should spend an additional several years in management. You must obtain training experience and curriculum design experience as well. Along the way, it is important to become proficient in a number of technical areas such as the operation of DVD players and LCD projectors, computers, and Microsoft Office — particularly Power Point and Word.

Management experience is extremely important, specifically management of personnel and operations, because you will not be able to perform the duties associated with this position without a large amount of experience. You will be required to travel at least 25 percent of the time to conduct training sessions onboard any given fleet.

Fleet training specialists are responsible for designing, standardizing, and implementing training programs for ship operations. This includes but is not limited to operational training in the areas of restaurant, hotel, and bar operation as well as customer service, and management training. The fleet training specialist also conducts and facilitates onboard training and evaluates the effectiveness of training programs.

The following is an example of typical responsibilities of a fleet training specialist for Norwegian Cruise Line.

Develop and standardize training curriculum including but not limited to operational training in the areas of hotel, restaurant and bar operations, customer service, and management training.

Work with operations subject matter experts in order conduct need analysis, identify training objectives and develop the content of the training materials. Review with subject matter experts or business owners existing skills for crew members in order to design effective training solutions and ensure that all crew members are trained on the skills and knowledge to effectively perform their jobs.

Design and develop training manuals, facilitator guides, training presentations, visual aids, and job aids, ensuring that training solutions are designed taking into consideration adult learning theory, company policies and procedures and customer service values and principles.

Conduct training sessions for various trainings including management training (supervisory skills). Facilitates Train-the-Trainer for onboard trainers to conduct training designed by Fleet Personnel Development department.

Builds training evaluation and tracking methods for training courses in order to ensure company and departmental standards are being met. Utilizes feedback from training sessions, subject matter experts, and business owners to provide continuous improvement to all programs.

Oversee onboard self-directed training and ensures that trainee completes all necessary training modules.

Maintains abreast of new training tools and methodologies in order to incorporate latest field developments and enhance training curriculum.

Performs other duties as assigned.

For their expertise and services, fleet training specialists may earn up to $60K or more per year. In addition, these professionals receive health insurance, and savings and retirement benefits. Fleet training specialists receive a number of perks as well. They receive free travel to and from the ship, free accommodations as needed, discounts on goods and services on the ship, and free meals.

To apply for a fleet training specialist job on cruise ships, if you have a specific cruise line in mind, locate the cruise lines’ OFFICIAL website first. Visit the Ships and Cruises Directory for official listings. Once you have located the site, visit the website and search around for job postings. Most cruise line websites will have a separate employment page. Once you have located a fleet training specialist position, it is important to follow the application procedure to the letter. It is likely that your application will be discarded if you fail to follow directions.

If the cruise line you are interested in does not have any job openings on its site, you may send a polished cover letter and resume to the cruise lines Human Resources Department. The Human Resources Department is typically located at the cruise line’s headquarters. This information is usually listed on the cruise line website. It is important to include the position you are interested in so that it may be directed to the appropriate department manager.

If you would prefer to sign up with a placement agency, please follow the link below to read our article How to Choose a Placement Agency.

http://www.allaboutcruisesandmore.com/how-to-choose-a-placement-agency-for-cruise-jobs.

Florida ports include the Port of Miami (the world’s busiest cruise port), Port of Tampa (one of the world’s fastest growing ports), Port Canaveral (the second busiest port in the world), Port Everglades, and Port of Palm Beach. Cruise destinations depend on the port. For example, cruises to the Caribbean or Mexico from the Port of Tampa are popular and Port Everglades is a favorite departure port for voyages to South America, the Caribbean, and trans-Panama Canal and trans-Atlantic cruises.

The Port of Miami is the homeport of some of the world’s most “distinguished” cruise lines. These include: Azamara Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Crystal Cruises, Costa Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International, and Oceania Cruises. These cruise lines offer discounts and deals on a regular basis both online through the cruise line’s official website or through any of the following discount booking search engines:

Kayak.com
Expedia.com
Orbitz.com
Travelocity.com
CheapTickets.com
VacationsToGo.com
Cruise411.com
Cruise.com

Other ways to score cheap cruises from Florida include:

· booking early
· booking late
· booking with popular cruise lines
· booking off-season
· taking advantage of senior discounts
· taking advantage of group discounts
· shopping and comparing
· booking online
· taking advantage of package deals

Cruise lines prefer to sell out far in advance, so you may enjoy discount cruises just for booking well in advance. On the other side, cruise lines also offer discount cruise vacations for booking at the last minute. If cabins are still available several weeks or so before the cruise departs, prices may be reduced as much as 75% off the regular rate.

The world’s most popular cruise lines include: Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas, SilverSea Cruises, and Windstar Cruises.

If you don’t mind booking off season not only will you enjoy big discounts, but you will also enjoy smaller crowds, and discounts and lower prices on everything from excursions to shopping. You’ll find the most discount cruises during the slow or shoulder seasons in year around destinations. The following is a list of destinations and their slow seasons: Alaska, May and September; Bermuda, April-May and September-October; Canada/New England, July-August; the Caribbean, late April-May, September-early January; Hawaii, late August, late November, and February; Mexican Riviera, early January and May, October-November; Eastern and Western Mediterranean, March-April and September-November.

Besides discount cruise vacations for groups and families, just about every cruise line also features special rates for seniors. A senior is typically defined as a person who is 55 or older. If you are a senior, in order take advantage of senior rates, you cannot book online. There are two ways to book if you are a senior: you can call a cruise travel specialist or book directly with the cruise line. Keep in mind that proof of age is required. To enjoy discount cruise vacations for groups and families it might be a good idea to book your cruise through a cruise travel specialist for the best deals or if you have a cruise line in mind, contact a live cruise travel agent.

To find out more about discount cruise vacations, you can visit any number of cruise review websites to read reviews from real passengers, with real experiences. While there are many cruise review websites to choose from, some of the most popular (and reliable) cruise review websites include:

Cruisecritic.com
Cruisereviewsonline.com
Cruisereport.com
Cruisedirectonline.com
Cruisemates.com