Cruise Deals

October is a great month to look for cruise deals for your fall vacation.  You’ll find a number of different cheap cruises offered during October, which is off-season for the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

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Last Minute Cruise Deals – If your schedule has flexibility, consider last minute cruises also and treat yourself to a wonderful fall trip.   Since demand is lower in the fall, you are more likely to be able to snag a last minute cruise deal.  But you can’t count on this for all destinations.  New England to Canada fall foliage cruises and Halloween singles cruises aren’t likely to be discounted as they will be in demand.

Caribbean Cruises – Fall is the off-season for cruises in the Caribbean.  Kids are in school from September to December, keeping families at home.  And cold weather won’t bring travelers seeking sun until December.  Another reason that fares are cheaper is to overcome concerns about hurricanes.  As such, you’ll enjoy your cruise at a 30-75% discount to summer fares.  Cruise lines will also offer promotions that kids sail free in order to entice families to vacation during this time.

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End of Season Specials in Europe – Once summertime crowds have died down, cruises in Europe can be pretty cheap in October.  Tourist attractions on land during port calls are not nearly as crowded.  And the weather in the Mediterranean is not quite as hot.

National Cruise Vacation Week – If you are planning a cruise during 2013, you should also look for a cheap cruise during the week of Oct. 17-23.  That’s National Cruise Vacation Week.  Expect cruise lines to offer last minute cruise deals for the fall and discount cruises for 2013 during this week.  It’s a great time to look at cheap cruises and book your vacation.

Repositioning Cruises – We’ve talked elsewhere about the deals surrounding repositioning cruises, which often happen in Fall.