Generally speaking, a cruise is one of the least expensive types of vacations around. What other type of vacation offers everything a trip has to offer under one roof? While cruises can be inexpensive overall, certain types of cruises are much cheaper than others, and some offer a different type of adventure than your average cruise. One such cruise is a freighter cruise.
Freighter cruises are perfect for no-frills types or those looking for a unique cruise experience. Freighter cruises, also known as cargo cruises, offer more than just thin crowds and a very informal, but comfortable atmosphere. Freighter cruises also offer major discounts on travel. In many cases, you will spend less than $80 a day on a freighter cruise — and that’s all-inclusive! A great place to start your search for freighter cruises is with Pasadena, CA based Freighter World Cruises, Inc. Visit www.freighterworld.com or call 800-531-7774. You can also check with your local travel agent for other cargo cruise options.
In addition to freighter cruises, repositioning cruises also offer deep discounts and bargains on travel to amazing locations. Cruise lines have to relocate their ships during certain times of the year and they offer huge discounts (and even credits) on these voyages. Prime time for repositioning cruises is during the spring and fall months.
The duration of the repositioning cruise can vary from as little as eight days or less up to 23 days or more. Try a 15-night Panama Canal repositioning cruise where you may visit places like Cartagena, Cabo San Lucas, and Grand Cayman, to name a few. Or, take a 23-night Scandinavia/Russia Trans Atlantic repositioning cruise while exploring Paris, Lisbon, Cork or Helsinki — all for less than $2,900.
Most cruise lines offer repositioning cruises, but a few of the popular lines in the bunch include: Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Oceania Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. You can contact any of these cruise lines directly or check with your local cruise travel agent to find the perfect repositioning cruise.
There are many other ways to save on cruises. One of the first things to consider when searching for cheap or bargain cruises is the season. If your travel times are flexible, the winter season is (hands down) the best time for bargain hunters to book a cruise. Some of the top bargain destinations during the winter months include: Athens, the Bahamas, Budapest, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Ireland, London, Paris, and Portugal, to name a few. In addition to amazing discounts on these winter cruises, passengers that book well in advance will enjoy even bigger discounts.
While booking winter cruises in advance can lead to deep discounts, booking last minute on other types of cruises can also work to your advantage. During other times of the year, such as the summer, cruises tend to fill up quickly. During the spring and fall months, cruises can fill up fast but they may not fill up as fast as summer cruises. This means, empty cabins that need to be filled (last minute), and surprise, surprise — deep discounts!
If you’re willing to wait it out, book several weeks before your cruise and you may get up to 75% off the regular price of a cruise vacation. It’s best to contact a cruise specialist to help you find last minute cruise deal as they have access to dozens of last minute cruise deals at their fingertips.
For more discount cruises visit any of the following popular discount cruise websites/discount booking search engines listed below to check out the lowest prices on cruises, to shop and compare, and you can even book your cruise right online!
Kayak.com
Expedia.com
Orbitz.com
Travelocity.com
CheapTickets.com
VacationsToGo.com
Cruise411.com
Cruise.com
To find out more about discount cruises, 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