Top 10 Cruises for those on a Limited Budget
A cruise has so much of the cost of your holiday paid upfront, so not only do you know exactly what the cost of your holiday is well in advance and can save, but you can go the whole time away on holiday without spending a penny.
So if you are looking for a cheap getaway, you are in the right place as we bring you our picks of the top 10 cruises for those on a limited budget.
For the sake of this list, we are only including cruise itineraries that are regularly covered by a choice of lines and one that are a full cruse of 7 days or more.
Most importantly, there are cruises that are regularly amongst the cheapest on offer.
Our Top 10 Cruises for those on a Limited Budget
Southampton to the Netherlands
If you are based in the UK or somewhere with connections to Southampton airport, you can be assured of lots of options for budget cruise holiday leaving the UK’s leading cruise port and heading across the North Sea to The Netherlands.
From the Dutch capital of Amsterdam to the port city of Rotterdam, there are great options for enjoying a day onshore in Holland and many lines also offer overnight stays to really make the most of your time in the country.
We rank itineraries from the UK to The Netherlands so highly not only because they are constantly amongst the cheapest cruises on offer but there is also a great choice of lines and ships offering the route all year around.
Southampton to Germany
Southampton is not only the biggest and busiest cruise port in the UK but it one of Europe’s busiest ports for cruise holidays, so it is perhaps not too surprising that there are lots of itineraries from the port heading to Germany.
Germany has several fantastic ports including the likes of Hamburg, Warnemunde and Kiel that are all easy to visit all year around.
No matter if you want to visit in summer and enjoy exploring in the sun or visit in the winter to take in the traditional Christmas Markets, you can do and best of all plenty a number of lines and ships heading there, you often get great value deals.
Florida to Western Caribbean
Florida is the cruise capital of the world with many of the busiest cruise ports and whilst ships head around the globe, the vast majority head to the Caribbean.
With so many ships, it is no surprise that they often struggle to sell out and that leads to great bargains to be enjoyed by all on a cruise to the Western Caribbean.
Florida to Eastern Caribbean
The same can be said for the Eastern Caribbean as most ships sailing between the US mainland at the Islands offer itineraries covering both the west and eastern Caribbean.
If you are based in the US, there are plenty of budget flights to Florida and if you are based in the UK/Europe, many of us head to Florida on holiday so why not add on a short cruise?
Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera
Los Angeles is a popular holiday destination in its own right but it is really growing as a cruise port of embarkation, with many of the ships based there heading south to the Mexican Riviera.
Most of the itineraries are around 7 nights in length and offer stops in popular seaside resorts such as Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada and Puerto Vallarta.
Southampton to Iberia
The Iberian Peninsula is within easy reach for cruise ships out of Southampton but the range and popularity of the destinations on offer mean that you are not just limited to 7 nights cruises but there are plenty of itineraries heading there of 10,12 or even 14-night getaways.
When you couple that with the variety of lines and ships heading to ports such as Bilbao, Lisbon, Porto, Cadiz and Barcelona and you have all you need to be able get a great value getaway.
Vancouver or Seattle to Alaska
The Inside Passage is a beautiful part of the world that tops many bucket lists but it doesn’t have to be a dream getaway that costs the world.
Both Seattle and Vancouver have a number of ships based there that solely travel between the US mainland/Canada and Alaska throughout the April to October cruise season but with the majority of visitors wanting to warmth and dry of the summer, bargains can be had early or late season.
New York/New Jersey to Canada
No matter which side of the Hudson you set sail from, there will be lots of ships heading up the east coast to Canada, including some of the world’s biggest and that means there are great value holiday to enjoy if you sail outside of summer months and national holiday periods.
Western Mediterranean
Although there are lots of ports where you can start your holiday, those looking for a great value holiday should look at the ports of Barcelona and Civitavecchia (Rome).
Both are home to many lines and ships, including some of the world’s biggest ships, which is ideal for the busy summer months but it you can travel early or later in the year, you can enjoy the same great trips around the Med but without the high cost.
Transatlantic
Although some ships stay in Europe or doing the US to the Caribbean route all year around, many spend the summer season sailing around Europe and the winter season sailing around the Caribbean.
That means the ships must transfer across the Atlantic twice a year and that often allows cruisers to book some of the cheapest rates out there.
You will have to enjoy many days at sea and of course you will need to do a long-haul flight at either end of your cruise, but the saving can be well worth it.
