Cruise Ship Travel
Cruise vacations provide something for travelers of all backgrounds and interests. Whether you're cruising for the onboard experience, the exotic food, the exciting day trips and shore excursions, or simply to experience the grandeur of life on the open ocean, the Web has all the resources you'll need to make researching, planning and booking your next cruise a cinch.
Expand All Guide SectionsTaking a Cruise
It’s a mode of travel that requires special planning and offers unique activities. So ... read more »
Choosing a Cruise
With the different styles, destinations and lengths of cruises available, it may seem like there ... read more »
Booking a Cruise
You’ll usually get the most for your money by booking your cruise online, whether by using a bargain travel site, or by keeping your eyes peeled for specially advertised deals on the cruise booking sites below.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Similar to airfare prices, cruise prices during peak vacation seasons will be higher. When booking, think about whether an off-peak vacation might work for you—just keep in mind that certain destinations are more enjoyable in one season than another.
- If you’re flexible about where you want to go and the length of your trip, it’s worth it to visit some of these sites and see the deals being offered.
- Consider booking your cruise either long in advance of the trip, or shortly before it. Price incentives are often given to the first bookers. Likewise, if a vessel has unbooked seats in the two months leading up to a voyage, prices will almost certainly drop to move the surplus.
- Travel search engines like Kayak and SideStep search for the cheapest fares across numerous cruise lines and travel agents. For more information on these services, visit the findingDulcinea Travel Web Guide.
- Many of the sites listed below do pretty much the same thing, but each offers different deals. To find the perfect package, take the time to browse several of the sites.
Dulcinea's Picks
For cruise-specific booking sites …
iCruise.com
is a booking agent with an easy-to-use trip-finder that lets you locate cruises by destination, departure port, sail date, cruise line and cruise ship. Browse trips in the “Handpicked Specials” section (scroll down the left) to find special discounted rates or check the list of “Most Popular Requests.”
The Cruise Web
has a "Free Quote" option that guarantees the lowest price for a trip that is currently being offered to the public. Fill out a short questionnaire with contact information and vacation details to receive an offer on your trip. Browse around to find extensive cruise listings and special deals.
Cruise411
is a booking and information Web site with destination guides, deal listings and booking options. Search for cruises by destination, departure date, cruise line and length. Also find in-depth reviews for each cruise line and their fleets.
CruiseDirect
is another booking site with two features that make it stand out: its clean, simple design, and its “Cruise Near Home” box near the bottom left side of the homepage. Use this feature to find cruises to various coastal cities around the United States.
For cruise travel agents …
CruiseCompete
takes the hassle out of finding the best price on a cruise. Register with the site and enter your cruise specifications, and more than 300 travel agencies will quote prices, emailed to you from CruiseCompete. There’s no obligation to purchase any cruise, and travel agencies aren’t given your contact information.
For general travel sites with cruise features …
Last Minute Travel
, as its name indicates, helps you book a trip with little advance planning, and has a page on cruises. Check out the featured deals or the “Speed-Book” on the upper left to find cruise discounts.
Expedia’s
“Cruise” page helps you book a cruise and offers a variety of resources that resemble those on cruise-only Web sites. Look for deals divided by cruise line and destination, or sign up for the cruise deals newsletter.
Travelocity’s
“Cruise” page, in addition to offering many features similar to the other sites, has quick picks for the “most popular cruises,” which is helpful if you’re undecided about where to go. Also visit the “In the Spotlight” section in the left-hand sidebar for special deals on cruises and destinations.
Cruise Blogs
These days, it seems like anyone who’s experienced anything has a blog about it. Cruises are ... read more »
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