Cruise lines are actively seeking to fill empty cabins as the summer season winds down, presenting an opportunity for travelers to secure last-minute bargains.
For those who have not yet booked a summer holiday, the prospect of a late getaway on the high seas could offer significant savings. Experts suggest that waiting until the last minute can be advantageous, as cruise lines are keen to fill any remaining vacancies.
Several brokers specialize in offering deals from major cruise lines. These include ROL Cruise (rolcruise.co.uk), Imagine Cruising (imaginecruising.co.uk), Iglu Cruise (iglucruise.com), and Cruise 118 (cruise118.com).
As an example, ROL Cruise is offering a week-long Eastern Caribbean and Turks and Caicos trip on the Caribbean Princess, departing August 30 from Port Canaveral, Florida. Prices start at £517 per person for a full-board inside cabin. The itinerary includes stops in Nassau and Princess Cays in the Bahamas, followed by the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos. This cruise features two sea days and is highlighted for its opportunities for snorkeling. A suite upgrade is available for £1,028 per person. Return flights, covering the day before and after the cruise, are priced from £497 per person.
For a longer Mediterranean experience, Iglu Cruise has a 14-day P&O cruise departing and returning to Southampton. This voyage visits La Coruna, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Alicante, Spain; Marseilles, France; and Barcelona, Spain, before retracing its route with a stop in Cadiz, which offers a tour of Seville. Prices begin at £970 per person for a full-board inside cabin for a departure on August 18. An upgrade to a balcony cabin costs from £1,445 per person.
Another option is an eight-day Southern Caribbean cruise from Cruise 118, priced from £632 per person for a full-board inside cabin. This cruise departs Miami on August 15 aboard the Carnival Horizon and includes two sea days before reaching the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. Balcony cabin upgrades are available from £1,080 per person, with flights to Miami costing from £776 per person.
Travelers interested in an October trip to Malta can consider a seven-night P&O Cruises round trip from Valletta, Malta's capital, offered by Iglu Cruise. This cruise departs on October 1 and is priced from £827 per person for a full-board inside cabin. Return flights from Stansted to Malta are available from £65 for late September/October travel. Additionally, four nights of accommodation at The Cumberland by Neu Collective in Valletta are available from £810 for a bed and breakfast stay.