If you’re thinking about booking a cruise, doing so now may be beneficial for your wallet. Many major cruise lines are offering big discounts.
U.S. News & World Report recently released a ranking of the best cruise lines for your money. The publications says it ranked the cruise lines based on several factors including:
- Health ratings
- Reputation among experts and travelers
- Itinerary affordability
It’s that last bullet point that has us checking for cruise dates.
What Are the Best Cruise Lines for Your Money?
Along with the rankings, we’ve researched some current deals on the cruise lines’ websites so you can see what kinds of promotions are going on. We used deals for Caribbean cruises as a common reference point. Each fare listed is per person.
Make sure you visit the website of the respective cruise lines to check for updated fares or deals to other destinations.
Here are the best cruise lines for the money, according to U.S. News & World Report, along with some deals they’re featuring as of June 17, 2022.
| Ranking/Ship | Voyage | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Celebrity Cruises | 7 nights from $399 | December 23-29, 2022 |
| 2. Holland America Line | 7 nights from $449 | November 13-20, 2022 |
| 3. Royal Caribbean International | 7 nights from $381 | July 24-31, 2022 |
| 4. Norwegian Cruise Line | 7 nights from $449 | November-December 2022 |
| 5. Carnival Cruise Line | 7 nights From $244 | August 28-Sept. 4, 2022 |
| 6. Princess Cruises | 7 nights from $439 | January 28-February 4, 2023 |
| 7. Costa Cruises | 8 nights from $549 | February 26-March 5, 2023 |
| 8. MSC Cruises | 7 nights from $299 | Through Sept. 29, 2022 |
Before You Book a Cruise, Read This
Flexibility is key right now when planning a cruise vacation.
Even as COVID-19-related restrictions continue to be lifted, departure delays and staffing shortages have plagued many cruise lines, according to The New York Times, which also cites occupancy limits on some ships.
Adult passengers on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), have to abide by the following safety protocols as of mid-June:
- Show proof of being fully vaccinated.
- Wear masks indoors aboard the ship and outdoors when social distancing is not possible.
- Know that, if you test positive before boarding, you will not be able to cruise. Carnival says it will issue you a cruise credit. Royal Caribbean says you will get a 100% refund. NCL says it will mainly issue future cruise credits.
The good news is that soft demand in the cruise market will likely keep prices lower than normal into the next year and beyond, according to Bank of America analyst Andrew Didora.
“We view this as more specific to the cruise industry than a larger read to the leisure consumer given further COVID pressures (testing still required), continued ramp up in cruise capacity, and likely some difficulty attracting the ‘new to cruise’ consumer,” Didora is quoted as saying.
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