Wave season cruise deals 2023: Bag a bargain for your next sailing
Now that 2022 is behind us, many travelers have turned their thoughts to 2023's vacation opportunities. In other words, cruise wave season — the period between December and March when cruise lines offer some of their best deals and booking incentives — is upon us.
This wave season, cruise lines are offering a slew of fabulous booking bonuses. These include everything from fare discounts and cabin upgrades to free flights and added perks like complimentary Wi-Fi and drinks packages. Also, several deals offer additional perks when you pay in full right away.
Check out what's available, and start planning your next at-sea adventure. Be sure to check back throughout the new year, as this article will be updated with new wave season deals throughout the first quarter of 2023.
American Cruise Lines
As part of wave season and to celebrate the line's 50th anniversary, American Cruise Lines is running a limited-time sale that includes discounts of up to $1,200 per cabin and complimentary domestic airfare or a $350 travel credit on select voyages. Passengers will save $1,000 per cabin on eight-day Columbia and Snake river sailings and $1,200 on eight-day lower Mississippi cruises. Both of those itineraries include free domestic flights. This offer is valid on cruises departing between April 8 and May 8.
American Queen Voyages
When you book select 2023 sailings by April 30, you can score one of American Queen Voyages' river, ocean or Great Lakes cruises at up to $2,500 off, per cabin, based on sailing date via the line's Winter Savings Event.
You'll also be entitled to a choice of either free round-trip economy airfare or $300 per person in onboard credit to use on your voyage. Be sure to reference the booking code "WINTER."
Avalon Waterways
Now through April 30, Avalon Waterways is extending savings of up to $500 per couple on select Europe river cruises departing through December 2023. Options include a large variety of Danube sailings, with calls on Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, Munich and more, as well as Black Sea cruises. This offer also comes with free airfare. As part of a separate offer, the line is also waiving single supplements through Dec. 31 for solo cruisers who book select voyages.
Carnival Cruise Line
Until further notice, Carnival Cruise Line is running a sale that offers 40% off cruise fares and up to $50 per person in onboard credit for sailings through April 2025.
Celebrity Cruises
For wave season, Celebrity Cruises is running its Semi-Annual Sale, offering passengers 75% off a second adult fare when they purchase a full adult fare. Also, the line is tacking on additional savings of up to $800 in onboard credit per stateroom (based on sailing length and number of passengers in the cabin). This offer is valid until March 8 for most voyages departing through April 30, 2025.
Celestyal Cruises
Through April 30, Celestyal Cruises is slashing its fares by up to 60% for 2023 and 2024 cruises to and around the Greek Isles and the Eastern Mediterranean. As part of its Go Further, Get Closer wave season campaign, the line is selling three-night Aegean voyages that visit the Greek Isles, Turkey and Crete, starting from $339 per person (plus taxes and fees).
Cunard Line
For the 2023 wave season, Cunard Line is bringing back its Treat Yourself, On Us sale, which features fares discounted by up to 30%, as well as onboard credit up to $2,000 per stateroom, depending on cabin type. This deal will run through March 28, and it's valid on select cruises of seven nights or longer departing between May 16, 2023, and Jan. 3, 2025.
Disney Cruise Line
Want up to 35% off cruises or half off deposits? Disney Cruise Line voyages, which are notoriously expensive and rarely go on sale, are currently discounted by as much as 35% when you sail from select ports — including Miami, Port Canaveral, San Diego, Vancouver and international destinations like Civitavecchia (Rome), Barcelona, Copenhagen and Southampton (London) — on select dates.
Emerald Cruises
Through March 31, Emerald Cruises is giving cruisers a chance to save up to $3,000 on river sailings and up to $4,500 on yacht voyages. For 2023 Europe and 2023-2024 Southeast Asia river cruises, couples will save up to $1,000, or they can take up to $1,500 off all luxury yacht sailings in 2023 and 2024.
If you pay in full at least 12 months prior to sailing (or within 72 hours if sailing is less than 12 months out), you'll snag up to an additional $2,000 per couple on river cruises and $3,000 per couple on yacht sailings. Instead of the extra savings, passengers can, instead, choose a free drinks package or free or discounted airfare.
Holland America Line
Holland America is offering discounts, cabin upgrades and additional perks as part of its Time of Your Life wave season offer. Passengers booking select voyages departing from summer 2023 through spring 2024 can book an ocean-view room for the price of an inside cabin or a balcony stateroom for the price of ocean-view accommodations.
Also, kids sail free as third and fourth guests in the same cabin as two paying adults, and shore excursions, specialty dining, and basic Wi-Fi and beverage packages are included in the price of certain sailings. This offer runs through March 31.
Margaritaville at Sea
For a limited time, Margaritaville at Sea is running a "Celebrate Together" promo that features savings of up to $600, 50% off cruise fares for the second passenger in each cabin and free fares for the third and fourth passengers in each room. a second passenger to sail free (not including taxes and fees) on two-night cruises when one cruise fare is purchased. With prices from just $50 per night when you sail with three other people, it's a steal.
Want to extend your vacation? You can also book a land-based resort stay in Freeport from $399 per person, including accommodations, priority boarding for the ship and unlimited alcohol.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line is currently running a couple of enticing offers.
The first is the opportunity to purchase future cruise credits at a 50% discount. Until further notice, you can take advantage of the line's CruiseFirst program, which gives cruisers $300 off a future cruise when they buy $150 worth of credit. Passengers who opt for this deal have three years to use the credits they purchase on sailings of six nights or longer.
Another option is to book a sailing where the second passenger sails free, plus free airfare, alcohol, specialty dining, shore excursions, Wi-Fi, and third and fourth passengers (when sharing a room with two other paying adults). This offer is valid on select sailings only, and although it has a short expiration date, the line is notorious for extending its deals at the last minute, all the way through wave season.
Oceania Cruises
Running through April 30, Oceania Cruises will kick off its 20th Anniversary Sale, just in time for wave season. The promotion will add up to $800 in onboard credit to the line's ongoing OLife Choice amenities, which include two-for-one cruise fares, complimentary airfare and transfers, and a choice of eitehr free shore excursions, an alcohol package or additional onboard credit. The offer is valid on select voyages departing in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Overseas Adventure Travel
O.A.T., which operates Grand Circle Cruises, is offering up to $5,000 in savings per couple on select summer departures. Five voyages from June through August are part of the deal, which runs through March 17. This promotion is valid for Mediterranean cruises on the line's small ships, each of which carries 50 passengers or fewer.
Regent Seven seas Cruises
Through March 31, ultra-luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises is giving passengers 20% off select Europe voyages, plus a two-category stateroom upgrade and reduced deposits as part of its "Upgrade Your Horizon" deal. Reduced deposits and cabin category upgrades are dependent on the type of accommodations booked.
Royal Caribbean International
If you're looking to book a Royal Caribbean cruise this year, the line is running a deal that features 30% off fares and a "kids sail free" promotion. The line will also run unannounced flash sales that include offers like instant savings and discounts on beverage and dining packages, shore excursions, internet and more.
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
Through March 31, when booking Scenic's wave season deals, passengers can save up to $1,500 per couple on nearly two dozen Europe river voyages and up to $5,000 per couple on sailings aboard new ocean expedition ship Scenic Eclipse for sailings departing in 2023 and 2024.
Passengers can also choose from additional benefits when they pay in full at least 12 months from their sailing date (or within 72 hours if their sailing is less than 12 months away). Bonus perks for river cruises include free or two-for-one airfare, depending on the cabin booked; a free pre- or post-cruise land extension; or an extra $1,000-per-person discount on voyages of eight days or longer.
Ocean travelers can choose from free or two-for-one air, depending on stateroom type, or an extra $3,000 discount per person.
Silversea Cruises
Silversea, known for its high-end luxury offerings, is discounting its all-inclusive "port-to-port" prepaid, nonrefundable sailings by 10% to 20% for passengers who book by May 31. To receive this offer, passengers must pay in full within five days.
The line's port-to-port fares include tons of extras, such as butler service, included gratuities, complimentary Wi-Fi, free shore excursions, on-demand caviar and gratis alcohol.
Star Clippers
In honor of the new year, Star Clippers is offering passengers $230 in onboard credit per person when they book by March 31 for select Mediterranean, Caribbean and Central America cruises on masted sailing ships Star Clipper and Star Flyer. This deal is valid on voyages departing through November 2024.
Windstar Cruises
Until further notice, Windstar has brought back its popular Seize Your Someday sale, which allows passengers to pick a perk. When they book, they can choose from a pre-cruise hotel stay, a $1,000 onboard credit per stateroom (based on cruise length) or, if booked in a premium suite on select voyages, an upgrade to the line's all-inclusive package. The package covers crew gratuities and offers complimentary alcohol and Wi-Fi access.
Additionally, the line is currently running a promotion for solo travelers that waives single supplements on select voyages to the Caribbean, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, the Holy Lands, and the Panama Canal and Costa Rica. The line has also reduced single supplements to just 20% on certain cruises to Greece, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and Tahiti, among other destinations.
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