Best cruise deals: cheap cruises to the Caribbean, Mediterranean and more

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last updated 29 September 2020

Looking for a great cruise deal? You've come to the right place. We've rounded up some of the best cruise deals you'll find online, whether you're looking for a festive winter getaway or a sizzling summer holiday.

It's important to remember cruise ships lose money on empty rooms, so most major cruise operators will offer reduced prices on last-minute bookings. That's great if you can be flexible with your days, however, most cruise operators will also offer incentives for booking well in advance, so, if you're not able to be flexible with dates (due to pesky school term times) you can still pick up a great deal.

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Cruise deals: when to get best cruise deals

There are two trains of thought when it comes to getting the best cruise deals, you can either book a long time in advance and get the incentives that come with it, or leave booking to the last minute and possibly pick up some more affordable prices.

Generally, cruises can be booked anywhere from 18 months in advance to one week ahead of sailing. There are pros and cons to choosing either of these methods, so it’s important to know what you’re in for.

Booking far in advance gives you more choice when it comes to cabin selection. You’ll also likely receive some extra ‘perks’ as cruise operators incentivise booking early. These perks could include prepaid gratuities, free meals, free drinks, or spending money.

The later you leave it, the less choice you’ll have when it comes to booking cabins, but you are more likely to save money. There are exceptions, however, and you shouldn’t expect to save money on sailings during school holidays, or during your destination’s high season.

You shouldn’t always expect massive savings when it comes to booking last minute. After all, if all cruises were half-price the week before sailing, all passengers would wait until the last minute before booking.

Instead of booking super-early or super-late, we’d suggest checking out all the deals below. If you find a cruise you want, at a price you’re happy with, book it.

Cruise deals: how to save money on your cruise

Short cruises are great value for money, with many cruise companies, including Royal Caribbean and P&O, offer ‘taster cruises’. These usually go to France or Holland.
Repositioning cruises take place in spring and autumn, with a number of ships following the sun around the globe. Between September and November, a large number of ship cross from Britain to the United States and the Caribbean, stopping at Iceland and Canada on the way. In spring, these ships head back to the UK via the Azores, Canary Islands and the Iberian Peninsula.
One-way voyages are often more affordable than return journeys.
Out-of-season sailings often benefit from quieter ports, cafes, restaurants, and tourist attractions when you disembark.
You can often get lower prices if you’re booking for a large group of people.
Generally, older ships are more affordable.
If you’re not planning on spending much time in your room, then book an internal stateroom. You won’t have an ocean view, but if you’re only sleeping in your room that doesn’t really matter.

Cruise deals: how to find the best cruise deals

It goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that the best way to get a great deal on a cruise is to travel out-of-season. That means avoiding the school holidays at all costs. Some cruise lines (such as MSC cruises) have ships in the Mediterranean all winter, which means there are always some good deals to be had on these out-of-season sailings. Similarly, in Northern Europe, cruises at the start and end of the summer season will be well priced.

Cruise lines such as P&O Cruises and Cunard have sales all year round. While these companies don’t exactly fall into the budget category, they’re well worth snapping up if you’re after a slightly more luxurious cruise and are flexible on sailing dates.

P&O Cruises usually have an excellent selection of last-minute deals for the bargain hunters, as well as early-saver fares for those looking more ahead. These are often available in-season, during school holidays, so they’re well worth checking out, especially if you’re after a cut-price cruise to Europe or the Caribbean.

Italian-themed MSC Cruises offer a range of deals for cruisers, including Deals of the Week and Last Minute breaks. These are a selection of fly-cruises at excellent prices. Likewise, Princess Cruises also offer an excellent range of Worldwide Fly-Cruises and European roundtrips at discount prices.

If you want to book an entire cruise holiday, it's worth looking at Virgin Holidays or TUI. These companies usually offer deals which include flights, hotels and the cruise, meaning your entire holiday is sorted with a single payment.

Cruise deals: where to get the best cruise deals

Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals | Lowest priced rooms from £195PP
Lowest priced rooms are called ‘guarantee rooms’ which simply takes the hassle out of your room selection as Royal Caribbean choose it for you. It’s usually the lowest-priced room and typically doesn’t benefit from promotions and offers. Instead, you get a great room (in the Interior, Ocean View, Balcony or Suite categories), and are guaranteed at least the category you’ve booked. Royal Caribbean will confirm your cabin number and deck, a little later on which happens between full payment being made and before the sailing departs. Over 570 rooms currently listed.

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As the Style and Travel Editor at T3, Spencer covers everything from clothes to cars and watches to hotels. Everything that's cool, stylish, and interesting, basically. He's been a part of T3 for over seven years, and in that time covered every industry event known to man, from CES and MWC to the Geneva Motorshow and Baselworld. When he's driving up and down the country in search of the greatest driving roads, he can be found messing around on an electric scooter, playing with luxury watches, or testing the latest fragrances.