This winter I’m really learning the meaning of “cabin fever”. In New York we’ve had 50 inches of snow and while I love the white fluffy stuff, enough already. The only way I know to beat the winter blues is to start planning my next cruise and I can report there are still attractive fares for those planning an Alaska or Europe cruise or snagging a late deal.
All fares are per person, double occupancy. As I’ve mentioned before it’s important to pounce if you find a hot deal on the ship of your dreams … it can disappear in a nanosecond.
Europe in the Spring: Swan Hellenic, which offers destination-intensive cruises, offers a cruise deal that also includes shore excursions, gratuities and overnight stays in port. The 350-passenger Minerva makes a 15 day voyage between Rome and Civitavecchia, the port of Rome. Ports of call are Ravenna, Kotor, Crotone, Palerma, Cagliari, Napels, Gaeta and Bonfacio; fares start at $2159.
Royal Caribbean’s Europe: Navigator of the Seas sails round-trip Civitavecchia (port of Rome) on seven night voyages. The June 12 cruise starts at $689 with port calls in Messina, Kusadasi (port of Ephesus), Athens and Chania with two days at sea. Travel agents all sell this deal so contact them for reservations and additional information.
Celebrity’s Baltic cruises: Celebrity Constellation sails on 12-night Northern Europe voyages round-trip from Amsterdam visiting Berlin (Warnemunde), Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Copenhagen at rates starting at $2049 on the June 15 departure. Travel agents all have the same fares.
Holland America’s Roman Empire cruise aboard Noordam, a ten-day cruise sailing round-trip from Civitavecchia (port of Rome), visits Dubrovnik (Croatia), Santorini, Athens, Kusadasi (Ephesus) and Messina. Fares start at $1449. See your travel agents for reservations and additional information.
Princess Cruises will upgrade you to a balcony stateroom for the price of an outside cabin if you act quickly. For example, the 14-day July 23 and September 3 Grand Princess cruise sailing round trip from London starts at $3199 for a balcony stateroom. Ports of call are Malaga, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Rome, Naples, Ajaccio, Gibraltar
Azamara Fall Europe Cruise –Experienced travelers know that the best times to visit Europe is the Spring and Fall. The October 8 Azamara Quest cruise between Rome and Athens stops in the Greek ports of Sorrento Taorima (Sicily) followed Greece: Chaina, Mykonos and Kusadasi (the port of Ephesus). Fares for the one week cruise start at $1649; reservations and additional information may be obtained from travel agents, who all offer the same deal.