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Deal alert: Super-short cruises on sale starting at $69

March 20, 2023
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4 min read
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Deal alert: Super-short cruises on sale starting at $69
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Are you traveling to the West Coast of the United States or to Northern Europe in the next few months? You might consider spicing up your trip with a super-short cruise.

Two cruise lines — Holland America and MSC Cruises — are offering relatively rare one-night sailings between various ports in those regions at rates as low as $69 per person.

The shortie voyages come as the lines reposition vessels to new ports for the summer and are designed to offer would-be customers a chance to test their offerings without a major commitment.

In some cases, the cruises are less expensive than the cost of flights or train rides between the ports in question and offer a chance to travel in greater style.

Here are some of the one-night sailings scheduled for the next few months available at discounted rates as of Monday:

  • A one-way trip from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle on Holland America's Eurodam departing April 28. Fares start at $119.
  • A one-way trip from Southampton, England, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, on MSC Cruises' MSC Virtuosa departing April 21. Fares start at $69.
  • A one-way trip from Genoa, Italy, to Marseille, France, on MSC Cruises' MSC Orchestra departing May 15. Fares start at $69.
  • A one-way trip from Marseille to Genoa on MSC Cruises' MSC Bellissima departing March 26. Fares start at $79.
  • A one-way trip from Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Southampton on MSC Virtuosa departing April 23. Fares start at $79.

Holland America also is selling a one-night trip from Seattle to Vancouver on Eurodam departing Oct. 7, with fares starting at $74. The line is offering a one-night sailing from Vancouver to Seattle on Eurodam departing May 3, 2024, starting at $74.

In addition to one-night sailings, several lines, including Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, are offering a handful of short two-night cruises in the coming months at low rates. Like the one-night cruises, they were created in part to reposition ships to new home ports but also to offer would-be cruisers a taste of what cruising is like.

Princess, for instance, currently is offering a two-night sailing from Seattle to Vancouver departing Sept. 23 starting at $138 — or $69 a day.

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Among super-short cruises available from Norwegian is a two-night sailing from Granada, Spain, to Lisbon, Portugal, departing March 31 starting at $99 — or about $50 a day.

The fine print on short cruise deals

Note that most of the deeply discounted fares above are only available for windowless interior cabins, which are the lowest-category cabins on each of the ships.

That said, there are notably low rates available on ocean-view and balcony cabins on some of the trips, too.

Related: 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise

Ocean-view cabins (cabins with a window) on the Eurodam sailing from Vancouver to Seattle departing Oct. 7 were listed on Holland America's website Monday for $84 — just $10 more than a windowless cabin. Balcony cabins on the sailing were listed for $94.

Note that all the fares are per-person rates and are based on two people staying in a cabin. They're not available for solo travelers.

In addition, while the rates include accommodations, meals and entertainment, they don't include port taxes and fees, which can add another $50 or more to the cost of the trip.

Cruise lines typically advertise their fares without port taxes and fees included but add these costs to final bills at the time of checkout.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image by HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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