At less than $500 per person (as of 2010) for an interior cabin, the Royal Caribbean's cruise aboard the Splendor of the Seas is certainly one of the most affordable. The cruise runs for 14 nights. It begins in in Santos, Brazil, and concludes in Barcelona, Spain. Port visits include Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia (both in Brazil), Tenerife and Madeira. The ship is very family-friendly, with entertainment options for both children and adults. There is no chapel, so those who do not wish to skip religious services should consider other options. Also, because this is such a long cruise, the price of tipping various staff members will be higher.
Royal Caribbean
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
800-398-9819
rccl.com
At under $600 per person (as of 2010), the "Civitavechhia Roundtrip" cruise aboard the Costa Pacifica is another affordable option. In addition to the low cost per person, this cruise departs from and returns to the same city (Civitavecchia, Italy), making airfare to and from home more affordable. This trip is seven nights, and the ports are Savona, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Tunis, Tunisia; La Valletta, Malta; and Catania, Spain. This is another family-friendly cruise. This ship does not offer as many fitness options as some others and also does not offer single-occupancy cabins.
Costa Cruises
200 S. Park Road, Suite 200
Hollywood, FL 33021
877-88-COSTA
costacruise.com
At a little over $700 (as of 2010), the Norwegian Jade cruise offers a great balance at an affordable price. Neither too long nor too short, this cruise runs for nine nights and begins and ends in Barcelona, Spain. Other ports are Casablanca, Morocco; Agadir, Morocco; Las Palmas, Spain; Funchal, Portugal; and Malaga, Spain. The ship is family-friendly and offers a wide variety of dining options, although the price of some of these is not included in the fare.
Norwegian Cruise Lines
7665 Corporate Center Drive
Miami, FL 33126
866-625-1166
ncl.com
Often the most affordable cruises are offered at the least popular times. In the cruise industry, these times generally fall at the beginning or end of a particular destination's season. The season for Mediterranean cruises goes from April through November. Those on a budget should try to book their vacation at the beginning or end of this time frame. This can sometimes be a huge advantage for other reasons: Less-popular cruise days make for less-crowded ports.
