Metafares' Deal Hunting Blog

When it comes to European cruises, we’re speaking of a whole new way of looking at the cruise industry. Whether we’re talking about a Mediterranean cruise, a Nile cruise or a Danube cruise, a European cruise is usually longer, more culturally significant and, of course, much more expensive than the typical Caribbean cruise. The $1000 and up fares usually act as psychological barriers: if you’re willing to pay all this money for a one week cruise, it means that you’re looking for much more than sunbathing on a crowded deck.
Around the lovely Mediterranean Sea one can encounter the most picturesque cities (Nice, Venice, Barcelona), explore the remains of Europe’s greatest civilizations and, why not, get more of those irresistible Mediterranean dishes. The good news is that, if time doesn’t represent a priority for you, it is quite possible to find a Mediterranean cruise that is under $1000. A good example would be the Norwegian Cruise Lines journey through the Western Mediterranean, departing the port of Barcelona in November 2010, which is now available from $499. Or you could try the same line’s sail through Venice and the Eastern Mediterranean (inside cabin starting at $649). Form similar offers, check out cruisecritic.com‘s deals section.

For this much awaited spring, the editors at lastminutecruises.com have selected a number of great cruises that you can enjoy for less than 250$. Booking a spring cruise through this site can help you make some serious savings (up to 61% of the brochure price).
One of the best deals comes from Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, whose 3-nights journey to Bahamas can cost you as little as 169$ (providing you choose to book an interior cabin between mid September and mid October). If you have an interest in other  regions of the Caribbean, like, let’s say, Baha Mexico, you could choose to sail with the Carnival Paradise, whose inside cabins are available from $199.  For an extended weekend, a great choice would be the Western Caribbean cruise departing from Miami, whose prices start around $179. All the above mentioned fares are valid for the case in which you want an interior cabin – however, upgrades to an ocean view cabin are somewhere around 50$.

Just as spring time is the time of rebirth and renewal, maybe a rejuvenating vacation might be just what you need right now.  Instead of spending the whole weekend watching TV or dining out at the same old restaurant, you could just book a weekend cruise and head for some mysterious island in the Caribbean. With Priceline’s weekend getaway deals, you will be able to enjoy the pleasures of a cruise for as little as $159. This incredible rate is valid for the 3-night Bahamas cruise aboard Carnival Imagination (and booking this weekend-short cruise departing from Miami through Priceline.com will help you save up to 77% of the initial price).
Another great offer comes from Norwegian Cruise Lines, where, for the same route, this time aboard Norwegian Sky, you will pay around $169 for an inside cabin, and have the possibility to get some cool bonuses like free upgrades, 30% discounts on spa treatments as well as up to  $150 on-board credit per suite. To see what other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean or Celebrity are ready to offer, just check out all the short’n’sweet offers on priceline.com.

If you ever made some research on cruising, them you’ve probably figured it out by now that there are two ways in which you can mix the pleasure of cruising with the advantages of budget traveling. One way would be to plan your vacation several months ahead and take advantage of the “book early” discounts. In this is the case, you might want to check Carnival Cruise Lines’ Early Saver program. Purchasing your tickets in advance might help you book a 3-day cruise for the unbelievable price of $169 (which gives you an average price of only $70 per day).
The other way to do it would be to just “pack’n’go”: wait till the last days before departure and hope for a price drop – which, in many cases, is very likely to happen. For example, the price of a last-minute journey aboard Carnival Valor starts at an amazing $409 (rate valid for a seven day cruise in the Western Caribbean, departing from Miami on the 2nd of May). Bon voyage!

Now that the winter clearance season is almost over, it’s time to stay away from malls and shopping centers for a while and focus on investing your time and savings into some unforgettable vacation. If you have never been on  a cruise before, maybe 2010 would be a good time to start. However, no matter if you are an experienced cruiser or not, it’s worth knowing that cruisecritic.com has selected some really hot cruise deals for you this week.
In case you are looking for a short and inexpensive cruise that you could enjoy during one weekend, then your best options include the 3-night Bahamas cruise from Carnival, now available at an amazing starting price of $239, or the 5-night Western Caribbean cruise from Celebrity Cruises (starting price $329 for an inside cabin, including free on board credit). As for some more pricey and more distant destinations, a great offer would be the 24-night journey through the amazonian forest and then Antarctica’s coastline, that you could get for $3,999 (price includes air fare and it’s worth every penny). So don’t hesitate to check out cruise critic’s bargains and set the course for our next adventure.

This harsh 2009-2010 winter has for sure taken us by surprise! It could take around 12 months of summer just to take off the chill and make us forget those terrible blizzards. But the good news is that spring break is almost here, and deciding to book a cruise for this period can guarantee you that you’ll get exactly what you wanted: few days of relaxation and sun in the exotic Caribbean.
And the best news is that at CruiseDeals.com, you can find spring cruises for all pockets – prices start at an unbelievable rate of $219 per person (the offer is valid for the 3-Night Bahamas cruise aboard Norwegian Sky, departing from Miami on the 19th of March). If you are up for a longer journey, like, let’s say, exploring the Mexican coastline for 11 days, than the Radiance of the Seas is ready to take you on board for a modest $758 (price for one person, for an interior cabin). To check out departure dates or some other interesting offers, just go online at cruisedeals.com and See the Deals!

Do you have some spare $129? Well, then what are you waiting for? Go online and book a cruise! Orbitz.com latest cruise deals will take you through the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea at prices starting at $129! In order to help you make an idea of what are the stakes here, let me just mention that with Caribbean Cruises, you could sail at an incredible rate of $40 per night (that is accommodation and transportation).

Another great offer comes from Carnival Cruise Lines, whose 4-day Western Caribbean journey lets you save up to 80% of the brochure price (thus, you can book an interior cabin for the modest amount of $169 per person). If you’re aiming at a 7-day vacation, then maybe you should try going aboard Costa Atlantica, departing from Port Lauderdale and circling the Eastern Caribbean, whose prices start at $299. With these prices in mind, cruising might just become your newly discovered hobby! Just make sure you check out departure dates, terms&condition and other useful information in the site’s Caribbean cruise deals section.

Now that the wave season is at its peak, cruise lovers all over the world are rushing to grab the hottest deals on the web. With a little web research and smart planning, one could prepay a vacation at half the costs it would ad up to in summer.

Just as an example, if you decide to book online a Norwegian cruise departing in April, you could end up paying as little as $619 for a 2 week trip form New York to Venice. (price is valid for an inside cabin aboard the Norwegian Gem, that will depart from New York harbor on the 10^th of April). Great offers can also be found among Norwegian Cruise Lines‘ last minute offers: if you hurry up an book an inside cabin aboard the Norwegian Sky (departing Feb the 5^th), you can pay as little as $169 for the whole three days of relaxation spent along Florida’s coastline, or add some extra $130 and enjoy a room with a balcony. Numerous other offers can be found in ncl.com’s hot deals section.

Carnival Cruises now available at an amazing $293

Ever wondered how would it be if you able to go on a cruise with only $293? As ridiculously cheap as it might seem, this is the actual price of a Carnival Cruise Lines 3-night journey to the Southern Caribbean negotiated by cruisedirect.com. The only trick is that, in order to obtain such convenient rate, you must think ahead and book now what you’ll be able to enjoy in November (the cruise departure date is set for November 21).

However, if you’re not willing to wait that much, Carnival Cruises can still offer you some vacant rooms at last-minute rates. Traveling aboard the Paradise cruise ship from Long Beach to Baja Mexico can cost you around $350, depending on your departure date (just as an example, in you decide to leave on the 12^th of March, an inside cabin is worth $319; add some extra 80$ and you’ll be able to book a room with a view for January the 29^th). Just in case these hot deals have captured your attention, you” be able to find more about it in cruisecirect.com’s ‘Carnival Cruise’ section.

From February to April, CruiseCheap.com awaits you with a selection of the hottest cruise deals on the web. And this is not only about prices, but also about really warm and exotic destinations, including Bermuda, Mexico and the Bahamas.

If you decide to spend a weekend of peace and relaxation just admiring the blue waters of the Caribbean, the Norwegian Sky is ready to take you aboard for only $189 (price applies per person and is valid for an inside cabin). For those ready to spend an entire week exploring the Bermuda islands aboard Norwegian Dawn, inside cabins are now available starting at $499 (adding some extra $100 will upgrade you to an ocean-view cabin). Another great offer comes with the 7-night Bermuda cruise departing in May from Bayonne: only $599 for an ocean-view cabin, plus a $100 bonus to be used onboard. Other destinations include Panama canal, Australia and Europe: better check them out on the site’s hot deals page.