💰 BEST CRUISE DEALS & HOW TO FIND THEM

Stop searching for “cheap” — start hunting for VALUE! 🔎🚢

“Right…

I want a cruise. 🚢

And apparently there are bargains everywhere!

£499 cruise!

40% OFF!

FREE DRINKS!

FREE Wi-Fi!

LOW DEPOSIT!

FREE UPGRADE!

🤯

But hang on…

Is it actually a deal?

Or have they just put:

BIG RED SALE

across something that wasn't that expensive anyway? 😂

And why does finding a genuinely good cruise deal sometimes involve opening:

Cruise line website number 1…

Cruise website number 2…

Cruise website number 3…

CruiseMapper…

Google Flights…

Hotel websites…

and by the time you've finished…

YOU'VE LOST THE WILL TO LIVE. 😂

So today we're going hunting.

Not just for:

THE CHEAPEST CRUISE.

We're looking for:

THE BEST CRUISE DEAL. 💰

Because there is a HUGE difference.

Let's go bargain hunting. 🕵️‍♀️🚢”

1️⃣ 💰 FIRST RULE — CHEAP DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN CHEAP

“Let's start with the biggest mistake.

You see:

🚢 CRUISE FROM £499PP

And immediately think:

BARGAIN! 🎉

But…

what does the £499 actually include?

🛏️ Cabin?

💳 Taxes and fees?

💰 Gratuities?

🍹 Drinks?

📱 Wi-Fi?

🏝️ Excursions?

✈️ Flights?

🏨 Hotel?

And what cabin is actually available at that price?

Because a £499 inside cabin with everything else added…

could end up costing more than a £799 fare that includes several extras.

Cruise deal sites themselves warn that advertised fares can be tied to specific cabin types and sailing dates, while taxes, fees and other extras may not be included. (Cruise Critic)

So our first golden rule is:

COMPARE THE WHOLE DEAL.

Not the giant number in the advert.”

2️⃣ 🧮 DO THE TOTAL-HOLIDAY MATHS

“Before you get too excited…

get your calculator out. 😂

Take:

🚢 Cruise fare

💳 Taxes / fees / gratuities

🍹 Drinks

📱 Wi-Fi

🏝️ Excursions

✈️ Flights

🏨 Hotel

🚕 Transfers

💰 Spending money

=

THE REAL HOLIDAY COST

Because:

£699 cruise

plus

£500 flights

isn't really a £699 holiday.

It's a:

£1,199 holiday.

And THAT is the number to compare.”

3️⃣ 🌊 WAVE SEASON — THE BIG CRUISE SALE PERIOD

“Now…

if we're talking deals, we absolutely have to talk about:

WAVE SEASON. 🌊

Traditionally that's:

January → March

and it's one of the biggest cruise-shopping periods of the year.

Cruise lines and travel sellers may offer:

💰 Fare reductions

🎁 Onboard credit

🛏️ Cabin upgrades

🍹 Drinks offers

📱 Wi-Fi

💳 Reduced deposits

And in 2026, offers have ranged from fare savings to perks such as drinks packages, onboard credit and reduced deposits. (Cruise Critic)

But here's the important bit:

WAVE SEASON DOESN'T MEAN EVERYTHING IS CHEAP.

It means:

THERE ARE MORE DEALS WORTH LOOKING AT.

Big difference.”

4️⃣ 🖤 BLACK FRIDAY — DEAL OR DISTRACTION?

“Then we have:

BLACK FRIDAY. 🖤

And yes…

it can be a good time to look.

But don't get hypnotised by:

SAVE 50%! 🚨

Stop.

Look at the actual price.

Look at what was included before.

Look at today's fare.

Look at the cabin category.

And ask:

‘WOULD I HAVE BOUGHT THIS CRUISE WITHOUT THE SALE BANNER?’

😂

Because sometimes:

50% OFF SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T WANT

isn't a saving.”

5️⃣ 📉 LAST-MINUTE DEALS — ARE THEY REALLY CHEAPER?

“Now…

this is where it gets interesting.

LAST-MINUTE CRUISES.

Yes, genuine last-minute deals exist.

Current UK deal listings regularly show last-minute sailings with reduced fares or added benefits, and some are labelled as having only a small number of cabins remaining. (Cruise Critic)

But…

there's a huge catch.

YOU HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE.

You may not get:

❌ Your favourite cabin

❌ Your favourite ship

❌ Your favourite date

❌ Your favourite itinerary

And if you need to fly to the ship…

✈️ LAST-MINUTE FLIGHTS CAN DESTROY THE BARGAIN. 😂

So last-minute can work brilliantly for:

‘I DON'T CARE WHERE I GO.’

But not necessarily for:

‘I NEED THIS EXACT CABIN ON THIS EXACT DATE.’”

6️⃣ 🎓 AVOID SCHOOL HOLIDAYS IF YOU CAN

“Now here's a massive one for families.

🎓 SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

Christmas.

Easter.

May half-term.

Summer.

October half-term.

Demand can be much higher.

And higher demand can mean:

💷 Higher fares

✈️ More expensive flights

🏨 More expensive hotels

🏝️ Busier destinations

If you can travel outside school holidays…

CHECK THOSE DATES.

Because sometimes moving your cruise by just a few weeks can make a very big difference.

And you might get:

😌 More space

💰 Better value

🌴 Fewer crowds

Which sounds like a win to me.”

7️⃣ 🍂 SHOULDER SEASON — THE SECRET SWEET SPOT

“Now…

this is one of my favourite bargain-hunting tricks.

SHOULDER SEASON. 🍂🌸

That's generally the period between peak and off-peak travel.

Think:

🌸 Spring

🍂 Early autumn

depending on the destination.

For a Mediterranean cruise, for example, don't automatically look only at:

☀️ July

☀️ August

Have a look at:

🌸 May

🌞 June

🍂 September

🍁 October

You could potentially get:

☀️ Decent weather

💰 Better prices

👨‍👩‍👧 Fewer families

🚢 Fewer crowds

THAT'S THE KIND OF DEAL I WANT. 😍”

8️⃣ 🌀 WEATHER CAN CREATE A ‘CHEAP’ DEAL FOR A REASON

“And remember our hurricane-season episode?

That matters here too.

A Caribbean cruise in:

June–November

can sometimes be cheaper than peak winter cruising.

But…

YOU'RE TRADING PRICE FOR MORE WEATHER UNCERTAINTY.

So don't just say:

‘£300 cheaper!’

Ask:

‘WHY?’ 🤔

Is it:

🎓 Outside school holidays?

🍂 Shoulder season?

🌀 Hurricane season?

🔥 Extreme summer heat?

🌧️ Wetter season?

The best deal is where you understand why the price is low.”

9️⃣ 🔎 USE CRUISEMAPPER TO STOP SEARCHING 50 WEBSITES

“Now…

this is the hack I really want Cruise & Confused viewers to know.

STOP STARTING WITH 15 CRUISE LINE WEBSITES. 😂

Start with:

CRUISEMAPPER. 🚢

It's a fantastic research tool because you can look at:

🚢 Ships

📅 Sailing dates

🌍 Itineraries

📍 Ports

🗺️ Routes

💰 Prices

and narrow down what's actually sailing.

Instead of:

‘Which cruise should I book?’

we can ask:

‘What ships are sailing my dates and destination?’

MUCH easier.

Then shortlist:

3–5 cruises.

Not 47.”

🔟 🧭 THE THREE-TAB CRUISE DEAL METHOD

“Here's my favourite system.

🟦 TAB ONE — CRUISEMAPPER

Find:

🚢 Ship

📅 Date

🌍 Itinerary

💰 Starting fare

🟩 TAB TWO — CRUISE LINE / TRAVEL AGENT

Check:

💷 Live price

🛏️ Exact cabin

🍹 Inclusions

📜 Terms

🟨 TAB THREE — FLIGHTS

Check:

✈️ Flights

🧳 Luggage

🏨 Hotel

🚕 Transfers

And now…

WE'RE COMPARING THE ACTUAL HOLIDAY.

Not a random cruise fare.”

1️⃣1️⃣ 💡 SOMETIMES THE ‘EXPENSIVE’ DEAL IS THE CHEAPER DEAL

“Here's a scenario.

Cruise A = £699pp

Cruise B =£799pp

You're thinking:

‘A is cheaper.’

But then:

Cruise A:

✈️ Flights £500

💳 Gratuities £200

🍹 Drinks £300

📱 Wi-Fi £100

Cruise B:

✈️ Flights £250

💳 Gratuities included

🍹 Drinks included

📱 Wi-Fi included

Suddenly…

B COULD BE CHEAPER OVERALL.

That's why some current deal listings show very different combinations of inclusions — free air, hotels, drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, reduced deposits and onboard credits can all change the value proposition. (Cruise Critic)

So:

**DON'T COMPARE THE PRICE....COMPARE THE PACKAGE.**”

1️⃣2️⃣ 🎁 WATCH THE PERKS, NOT JUST THE PRICE

“Sometimes the cruise line isn't lowering the fare.

Instead…

they're giving you:

🎁 Onboard credit

🍹 Drinks

📱 Wi-Fi

🛏️ Upgrade

🍽️ Specialty dining

💳 Reduced deposit

And honestly?

THAT CAN BE A GREAT DEAL.

Especially if you're going to buy those things anyway.

But…

DON'T VALUE A PERK YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT.

If you don't drink…

‘FREE drinks’ might not mean much.

If you don't use Wi-Fi…

‘FREE Wi-Fi’ isn't worth £200 to you.

VALUE IS PERSONAL.”

1️⃣3️⃣ 🛏️ CABIN UPGRADES — ARE THEY REALLY FREE?

“Ahhh…

FREE UPGRADE.

My favourite phrase. 😂

But:

FROM WHAT?

An upgrade from:

Inside → Ocean View

sounds good.

But:

Inside → slightly different inside cabin

isn't quite as exciting.

And sometimes an upgrade might give you a cabin in a different category…

but not necessarily the specific:

location

view

or

layout

you wanted.

So don't just hear:

FREE UPGRADE!

Ask:

‘UPGRADED TO WHAT EXACTLY?’ 🤔”

1️⃣4️⃣ 💳 LOW DEPOSIT — GREAT DEAL OR JUST DELAYED PAYMENT?

“Here's another one.

LOW DEPOSIT!

Fantastic.

But remember…

YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE BALANCE. 😂

A low deposit can be brilliant for cash flow.

It doesn't necessarily make the holiday cheaper.

So put the final balance date in your calendar immediately.

Because there's nothing like enjoying your low-deposit victory…

until the email arrives:

‘YOUR BALANCE IS NOW DUE.’

😳

1️⃣5️⃣ 🧳 CRUISE + FLIGHTS + HOTEL PACKAGE

“Here's another place you can sometimes find value.

CRUISE + STAY.

Instead of buying:

🚢 Cruise

✈️ Flights

🏨 Hotel

🚕 Transfers

separately…

look at the total package.

Current UK cruise deal listings regularly include combinations with international airfare, pre- or post-cruise hotels, transfers and onboard extras. (Cruise Critic)

And sometimes…

THE PACKAGE IS CHEAPER THAN DIY.

Not always.

But definitely worth checking.”

1️⃣6️⃣ ✈️ THE FLIGHT HACK

“Here's where UK cruisers can get clever.

Don't automatically assume:

NEAREST AIRPORT = CHEAPEST FLIGHT.

Check:

✈️Local Airports

✈️ Edinburgh

✈️ Glasgow

✈️ Manchester

✈️ London

✈️ Birmingham

where practical.

Also check:

📅 Different departure dates

🧳 Baggage costs

🕐 Flight times

🚕 Airport transfer costs

Because:

£100 cheaper flight

that arrives at midnight and requires an expensive hotel transfer…

might not actually be the cheaper option.

TOTAL COST.

Remember?”

1️⃣7️⃣ 🔔 PRICE ALERTS — LET THE INTERNET DO SOME WORK

“Now here's the lazy person's golden hack.

SET PRICE ALERTS. 🔔

Don't sit there every morning thinking:

‘Has it gone down yet?’

Let technology help.

Depending on the site or booking platform you're using, you may be able to set alerts or monitor changes.

Cruise deal sites are also continually updating their listings; Cruise Critic says it adds new cruise deals each week and maintains dedicated last-minute deal listings. (Cruise Critic)

So instead of:

SEARCH. SEARCH. SEARCH.

you can:

WATCH. WAIT. BOOK. 😎”

1️⃣8️⃣ 📸 SCREENSHOT YOUR DEAL

“This sounds ridiculous…

but:

TAKE A SCREENSHOT. 😂

When you see a promotion you like, capture:

💷 Price

🎁 Perks

🛏️ Cabin

📅 Sailing

📜 Terms

Then compare it later.

Because promotions change.

And suddenly you're thinking:

‘WAIT…WASN'T IT £200 CHEAPER LAST WEEK?’ 😳

Now you have a record.”

1️⃣9️⃣ 📉 WATCH THE PRICE AFTER BOOKING

“Now this one depends on the cruise line, fare type and booking conditions.

Some bookings may allow changes or rebooking if the fare falls.

Others may not.

But it never hurts to know the rules.

If your cruise line or travel agent allows you to move to a lower qualifying fare…

WATCH THE PRICE.

Because:

BOOKED ≠ FORGOTTEN.

Set yourself a reminder.

Check occasionally.

And if you spot a genuine saving…

ASK.

The worst they can say is no.”

2️⃣0️⃣ 🏝️ DON'T FORGET TO COMPARE THE PORT

“This sounds obvious.

It isn't.

Let's say:

Cruise A

leaves from Barcelona.

Cruise B

leaves from Rome.

Cruise C

leaves from Fort Lauredale.

The cruise itself might be £100/$100 cheaper on one…

but the flight could be £300/$300 more expensive.

So your:

£100 saving

has just become:

£200 MORE. 😂

This is why your home-to-home cost matters.”

2️⃣1️⃣ 🤫 THE ‘SAME SHIP, DIFFERENT DATE’ HACK

“Here's one of my favourite tricks.

Find the ship you love.

Then search the same ship:

📅 One week earlier

📅 One week later

📅 One month later

📅 Different season

Because sometimes the itinerary is almost identical…

but the price is VERY different.

That £1,299 cruise may suddenly become:

£899.

Same ship.

Same basic holiday.

Different date.

THAT'S A DEAL. 💰”

2️⃣2️⃣ 👀 THE ‘SAME ITINERARY, DIFFERENT SHIP’ HACK

“Do the same with the ship.

You want:

Mediterranean.

Great.

Now compare:

🚢 Royal Caribbean

🚢 MSC

🚢 Norwegian

🚢 Celebrity

🚢 Princess

🚢 P&O

Maybe one ship is £1,300.

Another is £950.

Another is £1,500 but includes more.

And suddenly…

YOU'RE SHOPPING SMARTER.”

2️⃣3️⃣ 🧠 THE DEAL SCORECARD

Give every cruise a score:

💷 PRICE — /10

🚢 SHIP — /10

🌍 ITINERARY — /10

🛏️ CABIN — /10

🍹 INCLUSIONS — /10

✈️ FLIGHTS — /10

🏨 HOTEL — /10

⭐ OVERALL VALUE — /10

And then…

SEE WHICH ONE WINS.

Because sometimes the cheapest cruise…

isn't your winner.”

🏆 2️⃣4️⃣ THE GOLDEN DEAL

“So what is a true golden deal?

It's NOT:

‘50% OFF!’ 🚨

It is:

**A HOLIDAY YOU ALREADY WANTED…

AT A PRICE YOU'RE HAPPY TO PAY…

WITH NOTHING IMPORTANT HIDDEN IN THE SMALL PRINT.** ❤️

That's a deal.”

🏆 2️⃣5️⃣ THE CRUISE & CONFUSED GOLDEN FIND

“And here's my biggest bargain-hunting secret.

**DON'T SEARCH FOR A PRICE.

SEARCH FOR A COMBINATION.**

Look for:

🚢 Ship you love

🌍 Destination you want

📅 Date you can travel

🛏️ Cabin you're happy with

✈️ Affordable flights

🍹 Extras you'll actually use

=

YOUR DEAL. 💰🚢

Because I'd much rather pay:

£1,100 for a cruise I LOVE

than:

£750 for a cruise I DON'T.

CHEAP ISN'T THE GOAL.VALUE IS.”

“So…

where do you find the best cruise deals?

🌊 Wave season?

Absolutely worth checking.

🖤 Black Friday?

Definitely worth looking at.

🎲 Last minute?

Potentially brilliant — if you're flexible.

🍂 Shoulder season?

One of my favourites.

🎓 Outside school holidays?

Often worth investigating.

🔎 CruiseMapper?

Absolutely.

🔔 Price alerts?

Yes.

✈️ Flexible flights?

100%.

And most importantly…

COMPARE EVERYTHING.

Because a £699 cruise isn't a £699 holiday.

And a £999 cruise isn't automatically more expensive.

The best deal might be:

£999 with drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities

rather than:

£699 + £300 + £150 + £100. 😂

So before you press:

BOOK NOW 🚨

stop.

Take a breath.

Open the calculator.

Check the flights.

Check the cabin.

Check the inclusions.

Check the cancellation terms.

Check whether you've actually saved money.

And then…

GO FOR IT. 🎉🚢

Because we're not looking for:

THE CHEAPEST CRUISE.

We're looking for:

THE BEST CRUISE FOR YOUR MONEY. 💰❤️

And if you've found a bargain…

DON'T TELL ME. 😂

Because I'll probably book it too.

🚢❤️SEE ON BOARD!