Tips to Spot the Best Black Friday Cruise Deals for a Vacation

Not only is Black Friday a good time to buy gifts, and gadgets, but it is also a great time to get steep deals on your next vacation plan. Cruises are a wonderful option to go on an all-inclusive vacation with your loved ones. Book your cruise tickets at great discounts to make the most of your holiday season. Here’s everything you need to know about Black Friday cruise deals for a vacation:
What discounts can one expect on cruise liners?
Free on-board perks on big ships may involve a complimentary drinks package or a free Wi-Fi package, which can save you up to hundreds of dollars. Luxury cruises generally are all-inclusive, so deals here may involve on-board credits, complimentary airfare deals, and suite upgrades. When choosing the best Black Friday deal for your cruise vacation, the best deals are the ones that provide the most value to you. Here are some tips on how to find the perfect cruise deal:
Check what’s included
It is easy to get carried away with the low prices on tickets around this time of the year on your favorite cruises. Before booking your cruise, ensure that you take note of the inclusions. For example, many cruises offer great ticket prices, but food on-board can be expensive. Others may add high amounts of tax or additional fees that you may have to cover later. To avoid such instances from arising, ensure that you read all the fine print closely. Norwegian Cruise Lines is offering one of their best Black Friday deals to date. They are allowing passengers to bring a travel companion for free (plus port taxes and fees) when they book a cruise for themselves. In addition to this, cruisers can choose up to five out of six added perks, including specialty dining, shore excursion credits, on-board Wi-Fi, airfare for your companion when you pay for yours and book through the line, and a discount that allows a third and fourth-passenger in the same cabin to sail for just $99 each plus taxes.
Look for “resident only” deals
Resident-only deals generally apply to people who live close to the port or in the same city or state. Most cruise liners don’t mention these deals unless you ask, so make sure you get in touch with them and find out if these deals apply to you. When paired with Black Friday discounts, these deals can help you save big.
Check for free credits
Instead of offering booking discounts, some cruise lines offer free credits when you board the ship. These credits can be used for food, drinks, and other items on the ship during your sail. Azamara Cruises is amongst the first to offer a Black Friday discount, with buyers getting a $1000 on-board credit and a two-room category upgrade on select ships to Europe, sailing between January 4 and November 15, 2023. Oceania Cruises is offering two-for-one cruise fares, free roundtrip economy airfare, and airport transfers from select airports when booked through the cruise line, along with included gratuities and one of three additional perks: shore excursions, a beverage package, or on-board credit.
Signing up for newsletters
Most deals show up on cruise websites. However, if you want to save yourself the hassle of having to look through these sites daily, you can sign up for their newsletters. These directly reach your inbox with the latest sales, offers, and promotions. Since cruise offers tend to change frequently, it will help to have all the information delivered right to your inbox, so you can make an informed decision.
Join a loyalty program
While most of the discounts will be covered under Black Friday deals, customers can join special loyalty programs on cruise lines they have traveled on before. These programs can help cruisers further enhance their savings, particularly on drink and dining packages, stateroom category upgrades, happy hours, exclusive on-board activities, etc. For instance, Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program is known as Crown and Anchor Society, and anyone who has sailed with Royal Caribbean in the past becomes an automatic member. In addition, regular sailors are awarded higher membership tiers with improved offers and perks.
Check for buy one get one deals
Buy One Get One (or BOGO) deals are a great way of saving money when traveling with a friend, a partner, or a loved one. Just as the name suggests, this type of deal gets you one free ticket when you pay the full price for one, saving you 50% on ticket costs. This Black Friday, Celebrity Cruises, one of the biggest cruise lines in the country, is running a “buy one get one 75% off” offer, that will let passengers travel with a loved one for nearly free when they pay full price for themselves. The offer is valid on most voyages sailing between December 2, 2022, and April 30, 2025, meaning that passengers can either opt for a last-minute plan or book their vacations well in advance. In addition to this, Celebrity Cruises is offering up to $200 in on-board credit, depending on the length of the voyage.
For massive discounts, buyers must also check out Black Friday offers by Princess Cruises. They are offering 60 cruises for less than $60 per person per night, plus many others that are $100 per person per night or less. People booking during Black Friday week only need to pay $1 as a deposit until 90 days before they set sail. Seabourn Cruises is discounting more than 500 cruises for Black Friday until Summer 2024, and buyers can save an average of $3000 per cabin. Before you narrow in on the best deal on a cruise line, write down what you expect from your ideal vacation and set your budget accordingly. This will help you make the most of Black Friday cruise deals this year for a truly wonderful vacation.