Looking for a cruise deal? The truth is that while cruises still offer an affordable vacation, there’s no arguing that prices have gone up sharply.
Right after cruises returned from the pandemic pause, sailings were extremely inexpensive to get people back to cruising. We paid as little as $14 a day for one cruise.
Those days, however, are gone. Cruise lines are seeing record demand. While that was understandable as people flooded all sorts of travel after months of being unable to do so during the pause, the demand has shown little signs of slowing down.
Of course, with strong demand and supply limited by the number of ships, it only makes sense that cruise prices have risen to compensate.
So what should you do if you want to still find a low fare? We’ve got some tips on sailing cheaper in general, but there are also some cruise lines that overall offer the lowest prices. If you want to sail for less, these are your best bets.
How to Sail Cheaper on Any Line
If you are hunting for a cruise, you might notice that prices can be all over the map. There are different prices for different rooms, different ships, and different dates. While dozens of factors can go into what you pay, we’ve found the following have the biggest impact. If you want to sail cheaper on any cruise line, consider these points.
Time of Year: By far the biggest factor in what you pay for a cruise will be not when you buy the trip, but when it actually sets sail. For the Caribbean — the most popular place on the planet to cruise — you can find the same exact trip for hundreds less if you sail outside of the busy summer and holiday breaks. For Alaskan cruises, sailings in the shoulder season (April/May or September/October) are drastically less expensive and during the height of summer.
Cabin Type: If time of year has the biggest impact on what you pay, then your cabin type will be the second-biggest factor. Cruise ships have four basic types of cabins — interior, oceanview, balcony, and a suite. If you’re looking to save money, then interior cabins get you on the ship for the least amount of money. Prices rise from there. If sailing on a shorter cruise of four days or fewer, we generally recommend interior cabins for this reason. Plus, on a short cruise you’re not likely to spend much time in the cabin at all.
Ship: Just like a new car, a new ship commands a premium price. You can sail the same cruise at the same time of year but for much less on an older ship compared to a newer one. The reason is that newer ships see more demand and can charge a premium over older vessels. Bottom line: If cost is an issue, older is cheaper.
The Three Cruise Lines With the Lowest Fares
There is one other factor that can majorly impact what you pay, and that’s the cruise line itself. Over the years, we’ve identified three lines that consistently have fares less than their competitors…
MSC Cruises
MSC is a name that is growing in popularity in cruising with more ships and ports sailing from the United States. And a big reason for that increasing popularity is the cost of cruising aboard the line.
We’ve found cruises as low as $199 per person for an interior cabin for a 4-night cruise. Week-long cruises can be had starting at just $299 per person. In other words, two people could sail for about $800 all-in including taxes, fees, and gratuities. That’s an insanely inexpensive fare no matter the time of year.
Now we will admit there are some differences to know sailing MSC versus other cruise lines you might be more familiar with. However, the vast majority of the experience is right on par with what you can expect from other lines, making it a tremendous value.
Right now MSC offers trips from Miami, Port Canaveral, and New York with Galveston coming in late 2025. The cruise line offers sailing aboard relatively new and modern ships so you aren’t sacrificing nice ships despite the lower price.
Carnival Cruise Line
When it comes to value in cruising, arguably no line is more well-known for inexpensive vacations than Carnival. We’ve found that prices seem to be creeping up, but can still be a fantastic value.
If you want to sail as cheap as possible, we’ve found cruises from Tampa starting at $244 per person for a four-day cruise. A week-long cruise from Los Angeles can be had for as little as $499 per person.
Now these rates are more expensive than what you find on MSC, but we also think that Carnival should receive some credit for food that’s included on the ship. Most cruise lines have a mix of included restaurants and specialty restaurants that cost extra. We find that Carnival is among the most generous in having a number of food options outside the dining room and buffet that are still included with your fare.
Another perk? With a large fleet and sailing from a number of smaller ports around the country, Carnival is within driving distance of hundreds of millions of passengers who can sail without having the additional cost of flying to a port.
Margaritaville At Sea
It’s possible you haven’t heard of Margaritaville At Sea. The Jimmy Buffett-themed cruise line is a small player in the industry, with only two ships. One ship sails two-night cruises from the Port of Palm Beach. The other ship sails from Tampa on 4-7-night trips to the Caribbean.
These are certainly older ships, but if you’re wanting inexpensive cruising, it doesn’t get much cheaper. The two-night cruises start with a fare of $49 per person (taxes and fees will be extra). Four-night cruises can be had for as little as $199 per person and seven-night trips can cost just $349 per person.
For those that especially like the smaller ship experience (fewer people overall and more manageable ships to navigate), then this might be the best of both worlds. You get a cheap fare and a smaller ship.
Just don’t expect the latest and greatest attractions like on the larger lines. But if value is your thing, then it’s hard to beat Margaritaville At Sea.
