Norwegian’s fleet of mega ships are decked out with activities, with everything from ropes courses and bowling alleys to crazy waters slides and ice bars. The best part? These high-energy vacations — great for both families and party-goers alike — won’t break the bank if you know where to look for deals. Just keep these key tips in mind when hunting for a low price.
1. Look for promotions.
Norwegian consistently runs a “Free at Sea” promotion that let you choose up to five offers including unlimited drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, shore excursions, or a free third or fourth guest. The more you spend on your cabin, the more offers you’ll get to choose. Book, say, an interior cabin and you’ll get to pick one offer, or book a top-tier suite and get all five.
2. The best deals are from Florida.
Check out the Bahamas sailings, especially on the line’s oldest ship Norwegian Sky, which has unlimited open bar (including top-tier liquor!) regardless of your cabin category. Even with that perk, we’ve seen prices as low as $150 for a three-night Bahamas cruise on this ship.
3. Know when to pull the trigger on Alaska and Hawaii.
A cruise to the Last Frontier can be pricey, so we say if you see fares fall in between $650 and $700 — book it! That’s probably the best deal you’ll find on this line. The same goes for Hawaii: Prices on the line’s Hawaii-based ship, Pride of America, usually hover around $1,299. But, keep a diligent eye in the off-season and you could find sailing as low as $899. (Our advice? Book it!)
4. Pick the right ship in the right region.
If you want to see South America, you can routinely find a 10-night cruise on Norwegian Sun for under $500. And if your heart is set on Europe, look for an off-season 10-night cruise with Norwegian Spirit for the best value. Norwegian Gem, which sets sail out of New Orleans, usually has great deals for cruises that visit the line’s new private island, Harvest Caye.
5. Short sailings on older ships are cheapest.
It’s not atypical to find three-night cruises for under $200 on this cruise line. They’re usually on the line’s oldest ships, (Norwegian Sky,Norwegian Sun, and Norwegian Star), which don’t have all the bells and whistles of the newest ships but have been refurbished within the past few years.
6. Sailing solo? Book a studio.
The line’s newest ships (Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss and Pride of America) have great cabin options for singles — and you won’t have to pay the dreaded single occupancy fee for a double room. You also get exclusive access to the studio lounge, where you can mingle with other solo travelers.
7. Book last-minute, or way in advance.
It pays big to be an early bird or a procrastinator. Norwegian usually slashes prices a week leading up to sailing, so if you can afford to drop what you’re doing next weekend, you’ll save big. The same goes for scheduling a year to two years in advance.
8. Shop for deals in January, February, and March.
You’ll find the greatest deals all year during these months, collectively known as “Wave Season” — that’s when the majority of cruises are booked for the year so the lines try to entice you with some great deals!
