Nov 18, 2009 by Amber Nolan - 1 comment
Amber Nolan is on deck with the latest cruise deals, industry news, ship reviews, and advice on finding the perfect voyage to suit your personality.
Spending time with family this Thanksgiving doesn’t have to mean visiting that wacky aunt’s house again for some of her homemade pumpkin pie. Instead, start a new holiday tradition by rounding up the troops and spending Turkey Day in the Southwest. Forever Houseboats is offering an amazing deal on boat rentals at numerous locations including Lake Mead, a scenic man-made reservoir located just 45 minutes from Las Vegas. The Thanksgiving Bird and Boat Package includes a houseboat rental for five days for the price of three – that’s a total of savings of 40 percent!
The waters of the Caribbean are home to a number of large cruise ships that offer popular itineraries, rock-bottom rates, and family-friendly features. However, for a more elegant, romantic voyage many travelers look to luxury cruise lines for intimate sailings with unusual ports of call – although the price tag will be significantly higher. This November, the British-based cruise line P & O is drastically reducing rates aboard the adults-only Artemis by as much as 71 percent.
Located off the northwestern coast of Africa, the Canary Islands have been attracting visitors for years, with its near-perfect climate and alluring beaches. Luxury cruise line Fred Olsen specializes in voyages to this Spanish-owned island chain and right now the company is drastically reducing rates on a number of its cruises. This 12-night voyage aboard the Boudicca is our top pick with rates starting from just $95/night.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, what’s not to love? It means time off from work, a chance to catch up with relatives, and of course, ridiculous amounts of delicious food (that someone else prepared). However, if Thanksgiving is scheduled at your house this year, the warm holiday glow may not be shining as bright. Before you start firing up the oven there’s another tempting option: This 7-night cruise aboard the brand new Carnival Dream will have you relaxing on a beach in the Bahamas instead of packaging up leftovers and cleaning dishes. With rates starting as low as $499, that guilt about ditching the in-laws will disappear the moment you step on the ship.
Italian-based Costa Cruises, operator of Europe’s largest cruise fleet (and a subsidiary of the Carnival Corporation since 2000), has just wrapped up its very first stint sailing the New England / Canada circuit. The inaugural fall 2009 cruises between New York City and Quebec onboard Costa Atlantica (pictured here on NYC’s Hudson River yesterday), fell surprisingly under the radar of American travelers, with an estimated three quarters of the ship’s clientele touting European passports. Still, in-the-know American cruisers were privy to an exceptional chance to mingle with European travelers in a delightful Italian-inspired atmosphere, right here stateside. While the last ship has sailed on the New England/Canada season, the Costa Atlantic has one more stateside sailing left before moving onto her Caribbean-cruise-season perch in Fort Lauderdale – at bargain rates to boot. Snag a cabin on the 13-night October 25 repositioning sailing from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale (with stops in Boston, NYC, Bermuda, and more) for as little as $449, or just $35/night! Read the rest of this post »
The month of October marks the end of the cruising season for Bermuda, and although temperatures on this Atlantic island won’t reach the tropical heights found in the Caribbean, Bermuda is downright pleasant in the fall. Not to mention, rates are the lowest they’ve been all year on sailings from East Coast cities. Our editors have hunted down a 7-night voyage leaving from Philadelphia priced from just $299 – that’s up to 81 percent off rack rates!
Before “wave season” kicks in post holidays, there are some impressive rates to be had this fall. Our editors have been keeping a close eye on cruises to the Mexican Riviera and have chosen this unusual sailing as this week’s top pick, with rates priced from an astonishing 76 percent off!
Thanks to the recent media frenzy surrounding the latest ABC drama, Cougar Town, cougars are officially making a comeback. (If you’re still pondering what a Cougar is despite all the buzz, I suggest you head over to Urban Dictionary for an unofficial interpretation of the term). As the nation gears up for tonight’s series premier starring Courtney Cox, another group of middle-age women – and the young men that lust after them – are preparing to heat things up in the travel industry. That’s right – Carnival Cruise Line is hosting the very first International Cougar Cruise.
December tends to be a stressful month, what with all of the holiday parties and last-minute shopping. So if you’ve been stockpiling those vacation days, use them and get out of town. Plus, nothing clears the mind like a tropical getaway – especially when the price is right. Rates on Caribbean cruises drop dramatically during the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Case in point: This 10-night Holland America voyage is priced over 50 percent less than brochure rates. To top it off, the itinerary is far from ordinary, with seven port stops including both popular and lesser-known Caribbean islands.
Summer rates on Caribbean cruises have begun to decline now that fall is within reach. If you can push off that vacation a bit longer, you’ll save a bundle on island-hopping cruises and can put that cash towards a deluxe cabin upgrade.Our editors have uncovered an autumn itinerary aboard Holland America’s latest upscale ship, the ms Eurodam, with balcony staterooms priced for less than the cost of interior cabins on similar summer voyages. Most balcony cabins on a 7-night cruise are priced well over $1,000 – especially on a newer vessel – but with this offer you can experience a taste of luxury from just $699.
