Cruise Lines Offer Big Winter Discounts

Cruise companies have announced a range of large discounts, with some winter cruises cut to a third of their brochure prices.

Fred Olsen is offering places on a December Caribbean cruise for just over £600, more than 60 percent less than the brochure price, while berths on a nine-night cruise with Royal Caribbean have been reduced from £2,929 to £1,063. Most lines have also dropped or reduced fuel surcharges.

With cruise lines planning to launch 40 ships between now and 2012, prices are likely to fall further. The first of the new ships, Royal Caribbean’s 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice, starts its maiden voyage tomorrow.

Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of the website CruiseCritic.com, said travelers will find it easier than ever to avoid air fares because there would be a huge increase in “home cruise” options in 2009. “There are some great deals to be had. We’re seeing some as low as £50 a day,” she said.

This year Fred Olsen has scrapped services from Miami and Royal Caribbean has abandoned some of its voyages to South America. Other companies are redirecting ships to new ports to reduce the cost of air travel.