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What IS a "Cheap" cruise?


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Hi all

 

My family (two kids under 10, wife, myself) went on our first cruise last year (7 night Caribbean on DCL) and enjoyed it so much, we are booked to do it again this year. The cost, however, is far from cheap. DCL is not known as a frugal line! Going forward, though, if we enjoy this year's cruise as much as last year, I can see cruising becoming a common occurrence for us. We live in Georgia, so we are a long day's drive away from Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, or Miami. I have enough flexibility in my schedule that I can take a few days off at a moment's notice. I'm also not worried with the kids missing a couple of days of school.

I've started combing "last minute deal" sites to get an idea of what a "drop everything and go cruising" price would be, and frankly the prices are all over the board. I put it to the seasoned cruisers here; what is a good "Per night, per person" all-in rate that should cause me to jump right on the booking? I'm not married to a particular line, or a particular itinerary. I'm willing to try any sailing with any line, but I would be limited to departing out of Florida ports, and ending up at the same port again. Any information or help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

Rgds

 

-E

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I would recommend you perhaps look at different ships and compare various dates for that itinerary on the same ship for differing times of the year. That would give you an idea of pricing at different times of the year and will give you perspective of which cruises are less expensive for that ship. Ships vary significantly in price depending on itinerary and ship facilities generally speaking.

 

If you have children that are young(you don't mention exact ages although I guess oldest is around 10) I would suggest a slightly bigger ship (freedom or oasis class) for the entertainment, if itinerary is not the most important thing for you.

 

A cabin for 4 is definitely a great value for money, family vacation.

 

What makes a "cheap" cruise is purely subjective person to person, as budgets vary. Set a budget and see what last minute deals you find.

 

Good luck and enjoy:)

Edited by Spurschick
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I would not describe any cruise fare as "cheap". Cruises can be quite expensive when all the extras are added in.

 

Prices vary widely depending on number of nights, itinerary and age of ships. Time of year is also a big factor.

 

As a general rule, I'd look for the lowest prices on Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

 

As a broad guideline, for Bahamas, Caribbean, or Mexico, from Florida, I'd consider the following "last-minute deals" as excellent "value":

Inside - $50 per person, per night

Oceanview - $65 per person per night

Balcony - $85 per person per night

These fares would be for the first and second passengers only.

Third and fourth passenger fares should be less per person, but additional.

Excludes port Charges and governmental fees per person.

 

As many others will state, "value" is very subjective, and wholly dependent on your personal preferences. By changing one of the criteria, e.g. newer ship, you could easily double the above prices and still consider them to be excellent value.

 

Good Luck with your search.

Edited by Libra_Critic
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We just got a RCCL 7 day hurricane season west caribbean cruise from Texas, ocean view room, for $200 a night - that's all fees included. So $1400 total. That's for 2 adults, 2 preschool age kids. I got it with the kids sail free deal going on now combined with some surprise deep dips on ones I was looking at. I think that's a great deal for all we're getting (if it's not canceled by a hurricane hahahha!) - room, food, entertainment, not to mentioned some special alone time thanks to the kids club!, and yes, I'll call it cheap. I was a hound dog for weeks though, trying to sniff a good one out that'll convince my frugal DH to give it go :)

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I would highly suggest Carnival. The new Breeze is surprisingly cheap. We sailed her 2x last year. The pool area is so kid friendly. Camp Carnival is supposed to be great for kids of all ages. The ship is spectacular. We love the cove balcony cabins on deck 2 very close to the water. It was about $1500. for the 2 of us in a balcony. Thats pretty cheap for a 8 night cruise. They offer "Pack n Go" short notice cruises. Do a little exploring on their site. I DO NOT recommend a Travel Agent. In my opinion you'll get better service dealing directly with Carnival. Do your research on-line then call them and tell them what you want or are interested in. That way if there are any problems you will talk directly with a Carnival rep. If you use a TA you CAN'T talk to Carnival if there is a problem. TA's are not always co-operative.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Carnival in General is going to be cheapest line out of FL. MSC is a European line that does some Caribbean sailings. They use to have kids are free deal so I would check into that.

 

Off season cruises are much cheaper.

 

Last minute deals are pretty good as well but unfortunately I have to have my vacations set well in advance.

 

You can easily go on a cruise for 1/3 to 1/2 of what you paid for Disney. Of course they won't match Disney, but you have to give up something.

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In today's world, there is no such thing as a "Cheap" cruise. There are different lines and you just need to comparison shop if you don't have your mind set on a particular line or a particular itinerary.

 

I have been on 42 cruises and I truly can only say that when I started back in 1965 to cruise, those were the days when you weren't nickled and dimed to death on board a ship. I travelled with Homes Lines back then and they were absolutely wonderful and the Oceanic hooked me on cruising. The Oceanic was before her time - in 1965, you didn't find ships with a magnadrome roof that could be closed if the weather wasn't good.

 

Drinks on board back then were in the 25 cent range for a cocktail, etc. and of course, you would go through so many courses at dinner and shrimp were always available as was escargot, filet mignon and lobster, etc. There were so many choices, and if you didn't like something, you just asked for something else.

 

Coffee, tea, water and soda - no charge - whereas today there is a charge for these and it's one that I don't agree with. I also don't think the price of a cocktail should be as high as it is. Home LInes purchased liquor at a duty free rate and this got passed on to the passenger - today though, prices are in line with restaurants and club prices, yet they purchase at a reduced rate and nothing is passed onto the passenger.

 

But, if you scour all the lines, book early to ensure you have the cabin you want, then follow the prices prior to the ship leaving and if you find it being offered at a lower price, you can cancel your original and rebook!

 

Cruising is something that you either love or hate - I really don't think there is an inbetween.

 

So, just watch for sails and happy cruising!!!!! :cool:

 

Oceanic My First Love

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I've been cruising since 1972. Last cruiser on here mentioned that back then "they didn't nickel and dime you" as it's done nowadays. Folks.... cruising back then was EXACTLY what the fare is NOW!!! Hello.... so they charge you more for things you WANT to buy to make up the difference! They don't make you pay for most things, and they certainly are very good about not haggling the cruiser. Something/someone has to pay for these cruises, and in this fashion more can cruise and stay in their budget.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have to disagree with others - I think cruises can be dirt cheap, compared to other vacations.

We did a 5 day on the Fascination out of Jacksonville getting 2 porthole cabins.

We paid $260 each and even with port charges and tips it was less then 75 a day including a drink or two.

I can't imagine a less expensive trip. Camping usually costs the same when you include expensive

water parks, amusement parks, camp sites, restaurants, etc etc.

 

OP you have set yourself up well for getting a good deal by giving yourself maximum flexibility

with regards to time, port, itinerary and cruise line. Less restrictions means better prices.:)

For you 3rd and 4th passenger fees are going to be crucial. On a regular basis there are kids sail free deals.

Another possible big savings is to book into a hotel that includes free parking and port shuttles.

You can actually save money and get on the ship early rather the driving "day of" and parking at the port.

 

Go to a good on-line TA and "play" with the possibilities. :)

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We also went on the Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonville, FL on our first cruise a few years ago. We drove there from Birmingham, AL and it wasn't a bad drive at all. The port was easy to navigate and we were boarded within an hour of arrival. It reminder me of a regional airport.

 

Me, my wife, and our 2 kids paid something like $1750 for an ocean view room during Christmas break. I seem to recall that the rates were less than half that in January and February.

 

The kids were 10 & 12 at the time. That ship doesn't have all of the amenities as some of the newer ones, but the kids enjoyed their respective activities (they were in different age groups) all the same.

 

The cruise lines are good at making you want to spend more money, but it's entirely possible to have a good trip without alcohol, soft drinks, excursions, etc. We did it.

 

Hope that helps. Good luck!

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Forums mobile app

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We also went on the Carnival Fascination out of Jacksonville, FL on our first cruise a few years ago. We drove there from Birmingham, AL and it wasn't a bad drive at all. The port was easy to navigate and we were boarded within an hour of arrival. It reminder me of a regional airport.

 

Me, my wife, and our 2 kids paid something like $1750 for an ocean view

 

OMG i have just paid $5505.52 cents in your currency for 2 weeks on P/O Britannia Inside cabin for 1.1.2016

which just includes myself and wife but then again i do have too fly too Barbados lol:D

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OMG i have just paid $5505.52 cents in your currency for 2 weeks on P/O Britannia Inside cabin for 1.1.2016

which just includes myself and wife but then again i do have too fly too Barbados lol:D

 

Our cruise was just 5 days, and it was on Carnival which is generally the cheapest cruise line from what i understand. And if i remember correctly, our cruise started before the Christmas rate began that year.

 

$5500 for 2 weeks plus flight sounds like a pretty good deal actually. Barbados is a long way from anywhere.

 

 

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Forums mobile app

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I personally think that under $100 pp/pd including all taxes and fees for 1st and 2nd pass and discounted for 3rd and 4th are pretty good rates. Look for deals where 3/4th pass are free or more than half off, or where you get free upgrades or obc. Sometimes mid-range or even lower end luxury lines will offer some fantastic deals through upgrades, specials, obc, and simply being more all inclusive.

 

Two of my fav sites to look for rock bottom prices are vacations to go and **********. Also subscribe to newsletters from the cruiselines and other sites and message boards.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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We are sailing out this weekend. We booked very early on the Carnival Fantasy out of Charleston - IDK how far a drive that might be for you, but it's close for us so no need for a plane. We booked in early spring - our total was $1400 after taxes, tips, and everything - that's for 4 people in a stateroom. So works out to $70pp nightly after tips. We booked an interior but by watching the prices carefully (and since we booked a price-guarantee rate) we were able to upgrade to an oceanview room recently for no extra cost. For our crew, this is a great price on a 5-night vacation like this. We homeschool our crew, so we're able to wait for the price-drop after labor-day. If you're able to work something out like that with your kids' school, or take advantage of a long fall break weekend or something, that's a big factor in getting good rates, it seems.

 

We have never been on the Fantasy (or Carnival, actually) so I can't speak to the ship. I know it's Carnival's oldest ship. We chose it because we don't want to drive any farther than that with a 4yo and 1yo in the car. :-) I can definitely see us saving up a bit more and springing for a nicer RCL ship for our next vacation though, and making the drive to Florida once the kids are a bit older.

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Two of my fav sites to look for rock bottom prices are vacations to go and **********. Also subscribe to newsletters from the cruiselines and other sites and message boards.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I agree about Vacations To Go. Seeing as the OP is flexible and can go last minute, the '90 day ticker' is a good option for them.

But as a rule, I find Carnival to be the most affordable so I usually just browse and book directly on their website. Plus, the 24 hour hold option they have is nice to just give me little time to think about it, shop flights, hotels etc....

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I get emails about last-minute deals. A recent Princess offer was for an inside cabin for $494 per person (including port fees and taxes) for an inside cabin with $100 in onboard credit per person, which is more than enough to cover gratuities. I wish I could go, but DH teaches at a community college and can't get away. Once we retire in a couple of years, we will be able to take advantage of these last-minute bargains.

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I think cruises can be a real bargain. I live in a resort area and families spend up to $10,000 a week for a beachfront condo here. Of course that doesn't include any food or transportation.

 

I am wondering about booking through Crucon. Has anyone had experience with them? They seem to offer rates less than the cruise lines directly, and often through in OBC or other perks. Thanks for any info on Crucon.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks all for the opinions and insights. It seems like "good" is $100 per person per night for first two passengers (less/free for the second two). The "magic number" for drop everything and go cruising seems to be about $75 per person per night. Of course, that will vary with ships, itineraries, etc. but at least its a guidepost.

 

Bonus for us; we just found out that starting next school year (2015-2016) the school district is going to include a "Fall Break" at the end of September; puts us right into shoulder season (of course also in the thick of hurricane season), so I'll definitely be looking at rates for those sailings now!

 

-E

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To the original poster. Love the Disney and all the bells and whistles -- might be that the cheaper cruises lack something after a great start! Just saying -- I have done Disney with Grandkids last year and it cost more than my 16 day to Asia -- by a lot!!!:D Just saying.

 

Also you say that you can drop and go and your school age children can miss a few days of school. Better check that out. The school rankings that everybody talks about (good school/great school/ failing school) has a Large factor for attendance and vacation is not an excused absence. Could be a factor for your child -- so much pressure on the school at the school level for attendance. Nope family time does not change the factors :p Know before you go because a child can fail for non attendance issues and even legal issues can be filed against parents. Not saying it would happen but don't stumble into something not knowing the ramifications of your choices. "Disney time" is significant in some schools and the parents are driven by the "good deals" when children are scheduled to be in school and attendance (thus price) is down.

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I think cruises can be a real bargain. I live in a resort area and families spend up to $10,000 a week for a beachfront condo here. Of course that doesn't include any food or transportation.

 

I am wondering about booking through Crucon. Has anyone had experience with them? They seem to offer rates less than the cruise lines directly, and often through in OBC or other perks. Thanks for any info on Crucon.

 

We have used them; they do sometimes offer great deals. BUT: They can have hefty cancellation penalties (over and above the cruiseline penalties). Also, it irritates me that they are not open on the weekend - if you see a price drop, you need to wait until Monday to call them about it. I always worry it will disappear by Monday.

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For us, we look at the total cost of the cruise, not just the ticket price per passenger. This includes air tickets, parking, transportation, meals while enroute, excursions, tips, speciality restaurants, shopping….it can all add up pretty quickly.

 

Anyone looking for a great deal should check out all the cruise lines. You'd be amazed at what is offered some times. I have seen Holland America offer 7-day Alaskan cruises for $249 and 7-day Canada/Caribbean cruises for $399.

 

I always think that you should also be very weary of some promotional items. Promotions are offered to change your cruising behaviour, with the ultimate goal is to get you to part with your money. A friend who normally travels in suites and balcony cabins on HAL and Celebrity once booked a cheap OV cabin on Carnival. A bunch of work colleagues we going for a good time. He told me when he got the final bill, the cheap cruise was actually the most money he had ever spent on a cruise.

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Maybe I'm super cheap, but I'm looking to get a family of four on a 7 night cruise for around $1200-1400 not including gratuity. I guess that works out to $50/person/night.

 

We just returned from a 7 night cruise on the Carnival Glory for under $1300 for 2 cabins, for example. We did a Costa 7 night a few years ago for under $1200 for 4 of us in 1 cabin.

 

We are pretty flexible with vacation time (wife has a ton of time off, I'm early retired) and we can pull the kids out of school for a week if necessary (district allows up to 30 unexcused absences). They just do their homework and make up work on the cruise. So we can book last minute cruises in the off season.

 

Edit to add: I've never been to an all inclusive resort, but I figure it would be more expensive for a family of four than what we're paying for our cruise. I figure the meals alone are worth at least $100-$150/day given the quality and variety.

Edited by grandebarca
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