Deal watch: 7-night Europe cruises selling for less than $200 as lines struggle to fill ships
Have you always wanted to cruise in Europe? If you can get yourself there on short notice, this could be the time to do it.
With demand for fall cruises in Europe weaker than expected, one major cruise line has dropped fares for soon-to-depart sailings to stunningly low rates to increase bookings, while a second line also is offering notably low fares.
As of Monday, Europe-based MSC Cruises was offering soon-to-depart, seven-night fall voyages in Europe for as little as $180 — or less than $26 a day. Rival Costa Cruises was offering seven-night fall voyages in Europe for as little as $449 — about $64 a day.
The deeply discounted fall cruises include:
- A seven-night MSC Virtuosa round-trip sailing out of Hamburg, Germany, to Amsterdam; Zeebrugge, Belgium (the port for Bruges); Le Havre, France; and Southampton, England, departing Nov. 14 starting at $180 — about $26 a day. Departures on Nov. 27 and Dec. 11 start at $249 and $419, respectively. Passengers can also embark and disembark for the same sailings in Le Havre or Southampton for the same price.
- Seven-night MSC Fantasia round-trip sailings out of Naples, Italy, to Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Marseille, France; and Genoa and La Spezia, Italy, departing Nov. 15, Nov. 22, Nov. 29, Dec. 6 and Dec. 13 starting at $189 — $27 a day. Passengers can also embark and disembark in any of the other ports in the itinerary at the same price.
- A seven-night MSC Bellissima sailing out of Valencia, Spain, to Barcelona with stops at Palma de Mallorca, Genoa, La Spezia and Naples, departing Nov. 12 starting at $199 — about $28 a day.
- A seven-night Costa Deliziosa round-trip sailing out of Trieste, Italy, with stops at Split, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Katakolon and Piraeus (the port for Athens), Greece; and Bari, Italy, departing Dec. 10 starting at $449 — about $64 a day.
Costa on Monday was also selling a six-night Costa Deliziosa round-trip sailing out of Trieste with stops at Split, Kotor, Katakolon and Bari departing Dec. 17 starting at $399 — about $67 a day.
All the deeply discounted fares above are only available for the lowest-category cabins on each of the ships, which all are windowless "interior" cabins. However, the lines are offering notably low rates on ocean-view and balcony cabins on the ships, too.
Related: 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise
Ocean-view cabins (that is, cabins with a window) on the seven-night MSC Virtuosa cruise departing Nov. 14 were listed on MSC Cruises' website Monday for $360 — just $180 more than a windowless cabin. Balcony cabins on the sailing were listed for $560. That works out to about $80 a day for a balcony cabin.
In addition, all the fares are per-person base rates that include accommodations, meals and entertainment; fares don't include port taxes and fees, which range from $140 to $150. Cruise lines typically advertise their fares without port taxes and fees included but add these costs to final bills at the time of checkout.
Perhaps more significantly for a U.S.-based customer, the fares don't include the cost of flights from North America to Europe to reach the ship. That said, Americans looking to take advantage of the deals on short notice might be able to use miles and points to reach Europe.
As is typical with cruise ship pricing, the per-person fares are "based on double occupancy," which means they are available only to passengers when booking two people in a cabin. Customers who want to have a cabin to themselves will pay more.
Passengers who book many of the lowest fares available also will pay extra for things like alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi and service charges while on the cruises.
Deal alert: This single Amex offer could cover half the cost of your Royal Caribbean cruise
Still, even with such extra charges, the cost of the above cruises is notably low when compared to the sharply rising cost of staying in a resort or hotel on land. Cruise pricing this year has fallen significantly behind pricing for lodging on land, with some industry watchers saying the differential is now in excess of 30%.
The low rates for fall cruises in Europe come as cruise lines struggle to fill ships in the region. Some Europeans — the main market for European cruises at this time of year — have cut back on spending amid worries about fuel shortages for the coming winter, high inflation, rising interest rates and slowing economic growth.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- 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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.