A Roundup of Cruise Month Specials
by Travel Market Report /It’s National Plan a Cruise Month, the cruise industry’s initiative to “help everyone fall in love with cruising” by offering special deals and promotions on cruises booked in October.
Here is a selection of several of the promotions that cruise lines are running during the month:
- Holland America Line is offering up to $400 in onboard credit and also giving guests on select bookings access to all four of its Explore4Offers (free signature beverage package, free pinnacle grill dinner, reduced cruise fares, and 50% reduced deposit). Guests in suites will receive all four offers as well as a Canaletto dinner.
- Costa Cruises is offering reduced rates and deposits of $100 per person on eight ships sailing the Mediterranean. The deal is available for bookings made in October on eight ships sailing from March through December, 2016. Costa also is offering $50 to $400 onboard credit, per person, double occupancy based on level of cabin booked.
- MSC Cruises is giving travelers who cruise the Caribbean on its newest ship, the MSC Divina, up to $600 in shipboard credit and beverage and dining packages. MSC’s Kids Sail Free promotion is also still available during October.
- Cunard’s recently launched The Ultimate Upgrade is also now available for October. It offers free stateroom upgrades, free gratuities, and a $150 deposit per person on select 2016 sailings; it applies to new transatlantic crossing, Mediterranean, norther Europe, Iberia, and Canary Island bookings made during October to the end of November.
- Norwegian is offering reduced prices for sailings through June 2016 that are booked in October. In addition, guests who book a 3- through 16-day cruise get one of its four Freestyle Choice offerings—an unlimited beverage packages, free specialty dining, free $50 per-port shore excursion credit, or 250 free minutes of WiFi.
- Carnival is celebrating with a “See the Carnival Vista Cruise Giveaway.” During October, every individual booking on Carnival gives agents a chance to win one of 30 cruises on the Carnival Vista, the cruise line’s newest ship. Every booking submitted via a special section of the Carnival website qualifies.
- CLIA, which sponsors National Book a Cruise Month, also is taking part—by giving away a different cruise vacation for two each day. To be eligible, travel agents must upload a picture of themselves smiling with the hashtag #CruiseSmile to any social media. CLIA is also offering an “Onboard with You” group promotion, waiving initial deposits on select group cruises and giving agents one free berth for every 10 full-fare guests they book.