January and February are what the Cruise Industry calls “Waves Season”. These two months are the strongest sales of the year for the cruise lines.
But are the offers really that much better, than other promos throughout the year?
“No”… in most cases.
The cruise lines generally “tinker around the edges” offering an additional goody here or there, that might be different at another time, but the net-net of what you pay is usually pretty close, regardless of WHEN you book.
Here’s some of the promos often run by cruise lines, and some commentary as to whether you should pay attention or not:
- Reduced Deposits: The value of this depends on when the final payment is. If you get a really low deposit this month, and the final payment is due next month, then who cares? If you get to keep your money for an extra year, then it has some value.
- Upgrades: This is usually marketing nonsense, and it means a “location upgrade”. It’s very rare we see people move entire categories (Inside to Oceanview, for example). I suppose it’s nice when you pay for an aft cabin and get upgraded to mid-ship… but you’re not being upgraded to the Penthouse.
- Free or Reduced Air: The devil is in the details here. Sometimes it can work out well. Other times the air offered can be really restrictive. As a rule of thumb, make sure you’re saving a lot of money. If it’s only $100 or $200 different from what you can get on your own, you’re usually better off managing your own air.
- 2 For 1 Fares: This is pure marketing nonsense (nobody ever pays the full price), and outside of the United States the cruise lines have had to discontinue such marketing because it runs contrary to consumer protection laws.
Often the cruise lines will offer you additional amenities as a booking incentive. You need to decide whether those amenities have value for YOU (and that might be different depending on the individual).
- Free Gratuities: This has a tangible value ($18 – $20 per day) because you would otherwise have charged these to your shipboard account.
- Free Beverage Package: This depends on how much you think you’ll consume, and what is offered in your fare (ie: Beer/Wine with meals). You’ll pay restaurant prices for drinks on cruise ships, so it’s worth doing the math to figure out what value YOU would place on this. ALSO – beware of service fees on beverage packages. The higher-end cruise lines tend not to have any, but if you’re travelling on one of the mega-ships, the service charge for your beverage package could be $20 per person, per day.
- Free Transfers: This depends on the port(s), and a quick google search can tell you what this is worth (for example: In Rome, it’s worth a lot. In Vancouver… not so much).
- On Board Credits: This has tangible value if you would charge things to your room anyway. On the more inclusive cruise lines, your only choices to spend OBCs are Spa Treatments, Optional Shore Excursions, and purchases at on board shops.
Finally… some of these cruise line offers have dozens of pages of fine print (written by lawyers), that exclude or limit the goodies they’re advertising. When you see “on select sailings”, or “capacity controlled” amongst other catch phrases, you need to look carefully at the fine print.
Today’s Travel Opportunities
AMA Waterways – Combinable Promos!
AMA is offering us some incentives for booking this month that ARE real, and oddly enough combinable (normally cruise lines don’t allow you to mix and match promos). On all AMA Waterways bookings for Europe (except Portugal), and the Mekong (Vietnam & Cambodia) made between now and February 29, we can offer you:
- $200 per person off – due to our exclusive Private Sale this month, AND
- FREE Prepaid gratuities – due to our exclusive arrangement with them, AND
- FREE Land Packages – as indicated in their current promotion. This varies based on the itinerary, and is on select voyages. We can help you navigate this. AND
- $150 per person On Board Credit on the voyages below.
Bucharest to Budapest for 7-nights departing June 17
- Visit Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania.
- $3049 cruise only
- $5029 for 2-nights pre-cruise Bucharest & 2-nights post cruise in Vienna.
- Includes pre-paid gratuities and $150 pp On Board Credit.
Wine Cruise! Prague to Paris departing August 7 for 7-nights
- Visit Nuremberg, Bamberg, Wurzburg, Wertheim, Rudesheim, Rhine Gorge, Koblenz, Bernkastel, Luxembourg
- $2799 cruise only (Nuremberg to Luxembourg)
- $3799 for the cruise and EITHER 3-night Prague Pre-Cruise, OR 3-night Paris Post-Cruise
- $5079 for cruise and 3-nights Prague pre-cruise AND 3-nights Paris post-cruise.
- Includes pre-paid gratuities and $150 pp On Board Credit.
Paris & Normandy departing November 7 for 7-nights
- Visit Paris, Monet’s Gardens, Normandy Beaches, Le Havre, Caudebec En Caux, Rouen
- $3148 cruise only.
- $3849 for 7-night cruise, and 2-nights in Paris.
- Includes pre-paid gratuities and $150 pp On Board Credit.
Remember that AMA includes a choice of several shore excursions in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship.
There are also many other sailings where you can get all the goodies listed above. Click HERE for a full list.
AZAMARA Small-Ship Journeys
Azamara’s ships hold just 680 guests… a great way to experience cruising with some really interesting ports of call. Azamara fares include and open bar, gratuities, and on the sailings below a $750 on board credit as long as it’s booked by February 23.
Australia & Bali departing for 22-nights on February 20, 2025
- Explore the less travelled South and West coasts of Australia
- Visit Sydney, Eden, Melborne, Adelaide, Esperance, Albany, Margaret River, Perth, Geraldton, Bali, Semarang, Singapore (overnight).
- Verandas from $7199 with a $750 on board cabin credit.
Rio Carnival & Amazon River departing for 25-nights on February 25, 2025
- Visit Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro (overnight for Carnival), Salvador de Bahia, Macapa, Amazon River, Boca de Valeria, Manaus (overnight), Parintins, Santarem, Bridgetown.
- Verandas from $7380 with a $750 on board cabin credit.
Holland America Last Minute Voyages
HAL is showing some solid pricing for those ready to travel between now and then end of March. Here are some examples:
Caribbean & Panama Canal for 24-days OR 29-days departing March 30
- Fort Lauderdale to San Diego (24 days) OR Vancouver (29 days)
- Visit the Bahamas, Turks/Caicos, Dominican Republic, Curacao, Cartagena, Full Transit of the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, San Diego, Portland, Victoria BC.
- Verandas from $4479 to San Diego, OR $5284 to Vancouver
Japan Intensive Voyage for 14-days departing March 16
- Toyko round-trip
- Visit Naha, Ishigaki, 2 stops in Taiwan, Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Kochi, Kobe (overnight)
- Verandas from $2969. Suites from $4119
Caribbean round-trip Fort Lauderdale for 17-days departing March 27
- Visit the Bahamas, Turks/Caicos, Dominican Republic, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands.
- Verandas from $3454.
HAL’s “Have It All” price includes the beverage package, wifi, a shore excursion credit and specialty dining for two.
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If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
