With the increasing violence in parts of Mexico, the U.S. Consulate has urged residents to avoid certain areas of the country, leaving many travelers contemplating other spring break plans this year. Although only a portion of the mainland is currently under advisory, some people have decided to skip traveling to the entire country this year.
For those looking for alternate plans for this spring break season, why not take advantage of some great cruise rates and consider traveling somewhere that is not in the "top 10" of places to party for spring break.
1. Consider a repositioning cruise
Holland America is currently offering a 16 night cruise departing on April 3, leaving from Florida and ending up in Rome. Repositioning cruises take place as the cruise lines move ships between seasonal ports, ready to start their peak cruise season in another part of the world. These are great cruises for deep discounts as the cruise lines want to keep passengers on board as they move the ship, but the downside is these cruises may include more days at sea versus other itineraries.
As the peak season for Mediterranean cruises is approaching, Holland America is moving the Eurodam from Florida to Europe, giving guests a nice 75% discount to sail along during this repositioning. The Eurodam starts at $649 for inside cabins and $899 for oceanview cabins.
The itinerary is:
- April 3 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- April 4 - April 11 - At Sea
- April 12 - Lisbon, Portugal
- April 13 - Portimao, Portugal
- April 14 - Cadiz, Spain
- April 15 - Almeria, Spain
- April 16 - Ibiza, Spain
- April 17 - Barcelona, Spain
- April 18 - Monte Carlo, Monaco
- April 19 - Rome (Civatecchia), Italy
2. Enjoy a Partial Transit Panama Canal Cruise
Partial transit Panama Canal cruises often include stops in the Caribbean or Central America, still giving cruisers exposure to the Panama Canal, minus the typical higher cost seen with many full-transit cruises. Holland America is offering a great deal on their 10 night cruise departing on March 31, which includes stops in the Caribbean and Central America.
Inside cabins start at $699 and oceanview cabins are $799. Balcony and Suites are available on this cruise as well. The itinerary is as follows:
- March 31 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- April 1 - Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
- April 2 - At sea
- April 3 - Aruba
- April 4 - Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
- April 5 - At sea
- April 6 - Panama Canal (Partial Transit) (Cruising)
- April 6 - Gatun Lake, Panama
- April 6 - Panama Canal (Partial Transit) (Cruising)
- April 6 - Cristobal Panama
- April 7 - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
- April 8 - At Sea
- April 9 - At Sea
- April 10 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
3. Explore the Orient for less
Costa Cruises has a screaming deal on a 14 night cruise exploring Asia. Northern and Central Asia do not enjoy the hot tropical climate year-round as Southeast Asia does, giving cruisers a deep discount on itineraries before the warm summer months hit in China and Japan.
This cruise normally retails at $3,049 for inside cabins, but Costa Cruises is offering them at $799 on this itinerary. Oceanview cabins are a pretty big jump and start at $1,299. Here is the itinerary on Costa's Classica:
- March 27 - Hong Kong
- March 28 - Hong Kong
- March 29 - At sea
- March 30 - Taipei (Keelung), Taiwan
- March 31 - Okinawa (Naha), Japan
- April 1 - At Sea
- April 2 - Kobe, Japan
- April 3 - Kobe, Japan
- April 4 - Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan
- April 5 - Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan
- April 6 - At Sea
- April 7 - Nagasaki, Japan
- April 8 - At Sea
- April 9 - Shanghai, China
- April 10 - Shanghai, China
4. Do not be afraid of options for Middle East Cruises
While the economy of the United Arab Emirates continues to try and rebound, take advantage of the deep discounts in effect for this region. With the recent opening of the Burj Khalifa, this is a great time to be one of the first to see the new record holder for tallest building in the world.
Royal Caribbean has a 7 night cruise starting at $499 for inside cabins, $599 for oceanview, $999 for a balcony, and $1299 for a suite. This priced itinerary is:
- March 29 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- March 30 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- March 31 - Muscat, Oman
- April 1 - Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
- April 2 - - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- April 3 - Mina Sulman, Bahrain
- April 4 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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April 5 - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Sacramento residents looking to take advantage of these deals can look for discounted air fare rates from either SMF or SFO. Here are a couple tips to help find the best airfare for your spring break vacation:
- For cruises departing from Florida, consider departing from SMF on carriers like Southwest who offer great coast to coast discounts.
- For cruises departing from Asia, consider flights originating out of SFO for better prices and direct flight itineraries.
- On cruises like the UAE or European departures, consider a variety of options. Check for international departures from SFO or look at east coast departures and fly from SMF on a domestic carrier. Often times, you will find the highest part of the airfare is the domestic portion. With a little creativity and flexibility, you can sometimes cut your airfare in half.
For other great budget travel tips and news on not-to-be-missed airfare deals, check out Jeremy Branham - Sacramento Budget Travel Examiner.
All aforementioned cruise rates are available through Vacations To Go and prices may differ between travel agencies.
Comments
Enjoyed your photos, especially the ones of Hong Kong.
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