Least expensive cruise EVER ?

[sun~]

The cheapest deal was on the Zaandam Nov. 2004. $399 for Cat E outside cabin to the western caribbean. Absolute crap food, crappy cabin (no air conditioning all week) - I guess there was a block of rooms that they didn't fill til the end due to the air conditioning issue (found out later on CC that this block of cabins had this problem for at least a few months). So it was HAL's way of filling the ship. Other than the crap food and cabin, we had a great time and met some nice people. However, it was a bit tough to sleep in an 87 degree cabin....

 

I researched this one online on the Friday and felt more comfortable booking with my local TA. Saturday morning I went in to see her and price had dropped from the Friday night to the Saturday morning with a 'flash fare'

 

Others at our table, same cat cabin, booked months in advance paid twice as much (they had a/c though!).

[ferguscruisers]

$299 for seven night Western Caribbean with Royal Caribbean on "Vision of the Seas". This rate included taxes and everything. It was last minute and they were looking to fill the ship. Drove from Minnesota to New Orleans to get on. Also got Deck 7-mid ship. Inside cabin, but wonderful location!

[cruizinwithkids]

There was recently an 18 day South America/Panama Canal repositioning cruise on the NCL website. Some people were able to secure a room or rooms. Including cruise, taxes and NCL insurance, the cruise was $922 for an inside room for two people. That's about $25 per person per day.

[hotmike98]

Our first cruise was a oneway north bound Alaska on HAL in 2000. We got an ocean view (porthole) for $800 from a now defunct on-line auction company. Were able to add DD for another $400.00. We flew LAX-Vancouver and Anchorage -LAX for $700 (standby, as my cousin is a retired flight attendant. We did spend additional money on excursions, and hotels in Vancouver, Seward and Denali areas, as we rented a car post cruise and did our own tour of the interior. All told we probably spent $3K over three weeks for three people. They say your first cruise is your most memorable; that was certainly true for us. Been on 5 cruises now, three of them to beautiful Alaska!

[cruiserbryce]

922 for an an 18 day cruise is an amazing deal...the only problem we would have with that is getting 18 days off work:D

[Steamboatin]

We received a FREE 10 day HAL cruise because HAL over sold our cabin on a 7 day cruise we had doc's for.

[WELSH WIZARDS]

I cannot tell you which was the cheapest, but I can tell you that they seem to be getting more and more expensive. I started out in an inside cabin , and am now up to CC class. I do know that that first inside cabin turned out to be the most expensive as we have been spending and sailing ever since. !! :D

[cusyl]

We received a FREE 10 day HAL cruise because HAL over sold our cabin on a 7 day cruise we had doc's for.

Won a HAL raffle onboard for a 7 day Caribbean Cruise.:D :D

Won a travel agency sweepstake for 11 days in the Caribbean on the Regent Navigator.:D :D

[julieanne]

Not including the airfare: 14 days t/a on the Galaxy from Fort Lauderdale to Rome, $450 per person. Airfare usually runs about $750 where we are. Still, it was the trip of a lifetime! We have done 3 more since then. Last one in April of this year from Galveston to Barcelona on the Splendour: $499 per person inside cabin. :)

[PJBUCHEIT]

We paid $1472 for two on 8 day Carnival Spirit leaving this Thanksgiving day with a $100 on board credit. Our round trip airfare was $421 for two. Less the $2000 for an 8 day and round trip air, I think is a decent price.

[forensic]

There are always good prices to be had, especially on Carnival, the Wal-Mart of the Cruise Industry. I was just looking at a Caribbean cruise they are doing in Feb. that has a senior discount and a residency discount. And an inside stateroom without those discounts is only $1100 for 2 adults to start with. This is for a 7 night cruise. I can not tell you what your air fare would be as I do not know where you live.

 

I think the best way to cruise often is to have a great TA that know what you like to do, knows what cruise line(s) you like. That way he/she can tell you when there are specials and special pricing offers. He/she would then include you in mailing of group cruises where there is special pricing plus usually extras.

[KRUISE KING]

Right after Katrina they moved the conquest to Galveston pvp called me on friday morning and asked if I could cruise Saturday morning the next day went on a seven day cruise oceanview cabin for 199.00 per person Total had a great time also the ship was less than half full.

[meg111968]

I took my sister on a Carnival cruise to the Western Caribbean in 11/06. We got an oceanview room for 6 days/ 5 nights for $279 with my past guest discount. Since she was in my room, she got the discount also. We stopped at 2 different ports. You just can't get a cheaper vacation than that. Cruising is the only way to go :D

[BernardShawn]

the first cruise I took in '05- I paid a total of $600 for a 5 day/6 night cruise, airfare from upsate NY to Ft. Lauderdale and 1 night in a hotel.

 

Not paid!! :)

[MGCruiser]

The cheapest cruise for me was $1000.00 including cruise, air, transfers and taxes from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale for a Western Caribbean cruise on Radiance of the Seas.

 

This was through Sears Travel and Air Transat Vacations. We booked 5 weeks prior to sailing date.

[Mekamax]

2003 5 night Jubilee for $250 pp outside cabin was probably the best "deal". No air local port.

 

2006 the NCL Dream balcony cabin $559 pp with upsell. No air local port.

 

2008 NCL Dawn $629 BB Balcony, $550 air for 2 to Miami. Not the best deal but I do love the balconies! Plus I will take another $500 off with credit card points.

 

Local ports are great and really help a lot of us travel a lot more. Also getting all those emails all the time can be a pain but you do catch some pretty good deals that may only last a few days. Debbie

[cruizinwithkids]

Not the best deal but I do love the balconies! Plus I will take another $500 off with credit card points.

 

Actually that reminds me what a great deal my upcoming 10 day Pride of Aloha trip is. $7,965 for four of us, including airfare in a suite. Less my $3,000 credit card points and the cost is $4,965 to go to Hawaii over February school vacation.

[swtpnk]

Hi all,

 

Hawaii cruise was FREE, just paid air fare of about 1500.00 for 7 days. I guess you could say 750. pp, 7 days, including cruise and airfare.

 

Alaska FREE, again, just paid for air fare for 7 days. same as above, only with a mini suite.

 

going to southern caribbean in Jan, 9 days, Aft facing cabin, mini suite no air fare, 1800.00 total for 2. total for actual cruise was 3800.00 we also got 250 OBC also when we booked on the cruise in alaska last sept. extra perks for booking your next cruise when ON a cruise.

 

How?? NCL points... credit card through Master card. NEXT cruise WILL be free. i just hate paying for air fare since im so close to ports.

wanna cruise for free? just go to NCL wetsite and fill out the credit card info, and start building points. I love RCCL, but, it takes soo many more pts over NCL..

Diane :D

[itype4dox]

My hubby and I are headed to the Western Carribean after Thanksgiving, which is just over our 25th wedding anniversary. This will be my 2nd cruise, DH's 1st. The 7-night cruise is $419 per person for an inside stateroom (oh well!). After many months of searching for a flight, I found $118 RT from Manchester, NH to West Palm Beach. (We live in Maine, so have a 90-minute drive to the airport.) We are cruising out of Miami, so have reserved a car through Alamo. We'll drive to MIA, then take a free Alamo shuttle to the port. Since we're leaving home a day early, we needed a cheap hotel and I couldn't find one! Thrifty person that I am, I called a college friend we haven't seen or spoken to in 20 years who live 20 minutes from PBI. Of course they invited us to spend the night at their place and save on a hotel! The total cost of the cruise, flight, and car rental (including taxes but not the cruise tips) is $1225 for 2 people. I thought this wasn't bad, and it's exactly over our anniversary. I believe the trip we got was 76% off, and we haven't found it or a similar cruise any cheaper over the past 6 months since we've booked. Does that sound like a decent price?

[Mekamax]

Itype4dox - it does sound like a good eal expecially since it is over Thanksgiving which is generally 1/2 again as much as an off season cruise with all the families and kids going.

 

I mentioned the price before cruise points from credit card because that will give a better idea but with the credit card points we have saved a bunch (of course you need a good deal to start with). We also used CCL points before they switched to the new credit card system they had a good one going. BUT now I'm kind of tired of being limited to one cruise line sooooo cash back for me and choose any line I want... :) :) Debbie

[popsec]

Cheapest yet was our 11 day cruise on the Norwegian Spirit last Oct....last minute deal (booked 3 weeks before the cruise) with military discount. We paid $55 pp a day including taxes and port fees and ended up with a balcony cabin near the top of the ship. We drove to NYC so didn't have airfare.

[dpalmquist]

$700 for a seven day cruise to Caribbean on Costa Riviera in 1987.

[TravlGrl]

$484 for a Category L (Inside) on a 7-night HOLIDAY cruise. RCCL re-deployed our ship's 4-night itinerary, so they gave us a 7-nighter on a different ship instead (for the same price as the 4-nighter). :) SUPER CHEAP for holiday.

[E201]

We paid £99 for a 2 nighter on NCL Dream! Bargain! :)

[mitzy52]

Silly but we always get an amazing rate because we dont mind travelling during hurricane season. The ships really reduce their prices because everyone is afraid. We dont mind what islands we go to and really enjoy the ship life so if they re route for a hurricane, thats fine with us. I think we went on a 7 night once for $380 a person, including port fees and I found airfare for about $120 round trip. BUT, that was a long time ago.