It's Cruise Week, an annual industry event meant to entice travelers with special offers and discounts. That means there are good sales going on until Oct. 13 or Oct. 14 depending on the cruise line.
That got me thinking about short cruises and how some of them stack up favorably to the average weekend getaway on land if you live close enough to drive to a cruise port.
Let's run some of the numbers on a few sailings I quickly researched.
Princess Cruises is offering free prepaid gratuities in addition to fare discounts. For example, a four-day sailing out of Fort Lauderdale, you and that special someone can enjoy a long weekend sailing to the Bahamas and back for about $600.
Norwegian Cruise Line gives 10 percent back in onboard credit for its Cruise Week special. Book a four-day sailing on Norwegian Sky out of Miami to the Bahamas and it will cost you less than $400 for a two-person vacation.
Carnival Cruise Line's two-day sailing from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico, on Carnival Imagination comes with a $50 onboard credit per stateroom and will end up costing a couple about $400.
Remember: For all these cruises, meals, shows and accommodations are included. Plus, you have access to a broad range of onboard amenities like waterslides, hot tubs, pools, casinos and more. You'll pay more if you want to drink alcohol, of course.
Compare these trips with a traditional land-based getaway that includes a hotel stay for two or three nights, buying all your meals and entertainment such as movies and theater shows. You're right in the same price range. Plus on a cruise, you can be sunning on a beach in the Caribbean or Mexico.
When I see deals like this, I often wish I lived within a short drive of one of these departure ports.
Travel happy!
Thanks for reading,
JR