On the lookout for a great cruise deal for your next vacation? Finding the perfect cruise bargain can be as easy as checking your e-mail.
Cruise lines and travel agents use e-mail newsletters to spread the word about promotions going on in the industry. Promotions are usually for a limited time so if you don’t know about it, you’ll miss out. I’m signed up for at least 10-15 different newsletters but I know that is a lot of e-mail to the average person so I’ve listed some of my favorites below…
The Best Cruise Deals Newsletters
These are my “hands down” favorite newsletters and I make sure I read them every week. You never know when your next cruisemay be inside!
- Cruise Critic’s Newsletter: Cruise Critic’s weekly newsletter features some of the best cruise deals you’ll find in the industry. They include a variety of cruise lengths, destinations, and cruise lines so you’re getting a good mix of everything. Even if you have already booked your cruise, it’s good to keep an eye on this newsletter to see if a better deal comes along. (It happened to me and I save $1,000!)
- Travel Zoo’s Top 20: Travel Zoo, who specializes in all travel deals, including cruises, compiles a list of their Top 20 best deals for week. These deals will include everything from vacation packages, airfare sales, hotels, and cruises.
Other Good Deals Newsletters
These are also travel newsletters that I recommend for finding cruise deals. Similar to Travel Zoo, these companies publish weekly deals newsletter that include all types of travel, including cruises, but I don’t find the deals AS GOOD as Travel Zoo’s Top 20…
If you are able to cruise “last minute” (within 6-8 weeks), check out Cruises-n-More’s weekly newsletter, which gives a good rundown of bargain last minute cruises.
Cruise Lines
The cruise lines often have sales, where they’ll give you reduced deposits, free cabin upgrades, or additional onboard credit. If you know you’re interested in specific cruise lines, it’s good to sign up for their direct newsletters to stay up-to-date on their sales. For example, Royal Caribbean has their 2-day WOW sale twice a year for and they give their newsletter subscribers a heads up when its coming. Also, if you are a past passenger of a cruise line, they often have promotions for past passengers only and these discounts may not be advertised by travel agents.
To sign up for a cruise line’s newsletter, visit their web site:
- Azamara Cruises
- Carnival Cruises
- Celebrity Cruises
- Crystal Cruises
- Cunard
- Disney Cruise Line
- Holland America
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Oceania Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- Regent Seven Seas
- Royal Caribbean
- Seabourn
- Silver Sea
Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my tips on getting a cruise deal!
Thank you for such a detailed and informative report on Alaska. I am looking to see if we ( seniors) can take a trip in August for my 60th bday. ( I know not the 6 mos+ advance notice but looking for last minute deals, although I have to book airfare too)
I am reading and taking notes.. certainly very overwhelming all the information to decipher and decide.. So if I was looking for an August sailing and combining a rail trip to Denali , I have found some cruise ships have that included already , but you booked yours separately. I definitely need to take some notes and visit an agent. I have only cruised once to the caribbean with Carnival and on all our trips I have done the booking myself. ie, PR, Costa Rica, Belize, Grand Cayman, Hawaii.but for some reason this is a bit more than I can decipher on my own. Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge you have shared. I am a cruise critic member but haven’t gone there in quite a while but now since I am trying to do another cruise + land trip I need to go back. thanks again
I’d highly recommend subscribing to the cruise line newsletters as they’ve been having Alaska sales recently. Best of luck and let me know if I can help!
Thanks Rebecca. I did sign up a couple of days ago.. no newsletters so far..I have quite a few reduced offers from cruisecompete ( various merchants)
Right now looking at Princess 7 nites- Voyage of the Glaciers northbound for Aug 21st
Hardest thing so far is trying to get airfare that doesn’t bust my savings and coordinating the cruise dates.. although I am very flexible on the dates.
Also my passport has expired and not looking to renew just yet so I need to get whatever I need to visit Canada.. not sure if it’s an extended license or a visa.
Easiest for us is to fly to Seattle then bus over to Vancouver then return trip from Anchorage but the cruise arrives in Whittier so that’s another transfer to Anchorage ie overnight stay etc..
I was on cruise critic for hours yesterday and found out some airport transfer information .
Looking at cruises for Aug. 15th , 18th and 29th