Cruise travel is nearly always a value when you consider what's included: Accommodations, all meals, activities, and entertainment. And fall and early winter are bargain time, as prices are typically reduced.
But in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, cruise pricing has gone from the sublime to the ridiculous, with discounts of more than 50 percent off already discounted prices.
The reason is obvious. Carnival Corp. (parent of Carnival, Holland America, Cunard, Seabourn, Costa and Windstar) said its bookings in October were about 75 percent of normal, although things are said to be improving.
With two small cruise companies - Renaissance and American Classic Voyages - declaring bankruptcy in recent weeks, you've got some jittery cruise officials who want their ships full. And that is leading to some truly crazy cruise pricing.
Witness the current offer by Royal Caribbean's (800-ALL-HERE; www.royalcaribbean.com) of $149 on select 4-day Bahamas sailings out of Miami on the Majesty of the Seas in November and December. Since that fare includes port charges, you're really paying something like $50, or $12.50 a day, for your cruise.
On that trip, you'll visit Nassau and Key West, and on the ship you can eat to your heart's content and party as much as you like! (Alcohol is extra.)
Royal Caribbean is not the only line virtually giving cruises away through the end of the year and, in some cases, into January. Carnival Cruise Lines (800-CARNIVAL; www.carnival.com) last week had select four-night Caribbean sailings in November and December priced from $199, including port charges, down from an already-reduced lead price of $279 just two weeks before.
Holland America (800-426-0327; www.hollandamerica.com) has fares for 5-day sailings for as little as $299. (These and other Holland America discounts need to be booked by Nov. 16.)
Looking for more bargains? Such Web sites as Travelocity.com, Expedia.com, Icruise.com, and Uniglobe.com have bunches of listings representing massive discounts for the fall and early winter. Weeklong Caribbean cruises from Miami and Fort Lauderdale on most mainstream lines are priced from $499, and in some cases from $399. The same low prices apply to Mexican Riviera cruises from Los Angeles.
On the Uniglobe.com Web site, we even spotted a 7-day Christmas cruise in the Western Caribbean on Princess Cruises' Sun Princess, departing Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Dec. 19, priced from just $599 for an inside cabin, $699 for an outside (with windows), or $799 for a cabin with a balcony. That's a savings of up to $1,040.
And there are Thanksgiving specials to be had, too.
Who knows what will happen later in the winter, but if you're looking to say "ahoy" to a bargain, you won't have to look to distant shores.
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