PHOTO: A number of cruise lines are offering Wave Season deals, including Celebrity Cruises, which operates the Celebrity Equinox. (Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises)
The holidays are over. It's cold and snowy in most of the country. Time to buy a cruise!
Wave Season is officially underway, and cruise lines are rolling out deals to kick-start sales. The year's first quarter is traditionally the busiest time of year for selling cruises, but nowadays the sales are more spread out, especially as the industry moved its major promotion, CLIA Cruise Week, to October.
Still, many cruise lines see sales spike during this period, and their offers only help drive the business. Here's a selection of Wave Season deals currently on offer.
Norwegian Cruise Lineis again offering value-added freebies - free specialty dining, a drinks package or an onboard credit - to those who book a new five-day or longer cruise vacation in an ocean-view stateroom or higher by Jan. 31. Inside and Studio cabins are excluded from this offer.
Those who book any destination in an ocean-view stateroom or higher can choose either the Ultimate Dining Package, the Ultimate Beverage Package or up to $300 shipboard credit. Those who book ocean-view staterooms or above on a cruise in Europe or Hawaii can choose two offers (the beverage package will be substituted with an air credit on Hawaii sailings). And those booking a suite or The Haven by Norwegian will receive all three offers, valued at up to $2,000.
Celebrity Cruises is again offering its popular 1-2-3Go! promotion that offers a beverage package for two, free gratuities for two, and a shipboard credit up to $300. Those who book an oceanview or veranda stateroom choose one freebie. Travelers selecting a Europe voyage can select two options, while those who book a Concierge Class stateroom or higher get all three freebies, a value of $2,100 per stateroom.
Booking deadline is Feb. 28. The promotion is good on cruises of at least three nights that depart April 2015 through April 2017. The offer excludes Celebrity Xpedition, trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific, Asia and South America repositioning cruises that depart March 15 and Dec. 5, 2015, and March 13, 2016.
Cunard Line is offering extra complimentary amenities to those who book a voyage in Princess or Queens Grill accommodations by Feb. 28.
Grills passengers will get complimentary services and amenities such as a wine package, Internet minutes, a keepsake photo, a specialty coffee card, gratuities and an alternative dining credit.
A bit of history: The Grills tradition began on the original Queen Mary in 1936 when guests paid an extra tariff for an evening of dining and dancing in the sophisticated Verandah Grill. The evenings proved so popular that Queen Elizabeth 2 continued the concept with the Grill Room. Now the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria all boast these upscale Grill accommodations with their own corresponding restaurants.
For Britannia guests, the 175th Celebration Package offers complimentary balcony upgrades and onboard credit.
Both packages are applicable to most sailings from May 3, 2015, to Jan. 3, 2016. The packages can be booked with the promotion codes R2G and Z2G for The Grills Inclusive Package and R2W for the 175th Celebration Package.
Seabourn's newly launched Signature Savings Event offers savings, upgrades and shipboard credits for those who book select cruises throughout 2015 and 2016.
The promotion, which doesn't have a booking deadline at this time, offers complimentary veranda suite upgrades, additional savings of up to 15 percent on combination voyages, and $1,000-per-suite shipboard credit for penthouse and premium suites.
Eligible cruises are seven to 24 days long in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Antarctica and Patagonia, Atlantic crossings, Arabia & India, Southeast Asia, Canada & New England, the Caribbean, and Australia and New Zealand. Cruise departure dates range from April 2015 through March 2016.
MSC Cruises is offering up to $200 in shipboard credits, beverage packages and reduced deposits to its Inclusive Experiences' categories booked by Feb. 15. Also, kids 11 and under sail free on applicable Wave Season bookings.
The benefits vary, depending on which pricing level is selected. For example, those booking oceanview or balcony staterooms in the Fantastica Experience receive up to $100-per-stateroom spending credit, reduced deposits of $100 per person, and a drink package consisting of 12 vouchers per person for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Those who book balcony staterooms and suites in the Aurea Experience level and MSC Yacht Club get up to $200-per-stateroom shipboard credit and reduced deposits of $100 per person.
MSC's Wave Season promotion applies to select cruises in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Europe and Canary Islands, as well as trans-Atlantic crossings that are five days or longer.
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