With so many trips to visit friends and family during the holiday season, it’s easy to get travel burnout. So why not take a vacation from your vacation? Traveling during the first week of December and January is the secret to beating the high prices and the crowds. In the industry, it’s known as the Dead Week since so many others are staying home.
This year across the board the biggest dead week savings are with cruises. For last-minute cruises at the start of December rates start under $200 for four nights. At the end of the month, rates jump three or four times. With deals starting as low as $30 a night, why not treat yourself ? And remember when it comes to cruise deals, don’t worry about it being a last-minute booking; these ships set sail regardless of the number of guests on board, so prices often remain low as the liners hope to lure as many customers as possible.
Last-Minute December Deals:
Royal Caribbean is offering a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas departing December 3 from Port Canaveral starting at just $119 for an interior room. If you’re ready to depart earlier, Royal Caribbean is also offering a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise departing on December 1 starting at $349 for an interior cabin.
Carnival has a 4-night and a 7-night Caribbean cruise departing December 2 from Miami. Rates starting at $129 for the four nights and $239 for the seven nights. Both trips include a cabin upgrade.
NCL is offering a four night Bahamas Cruise departing December 3 from Miami starting at $129. The cruise includes on-board credit of up to $300 depending on the price of your room. AARP members also receive a 10 percent discount.
What about Europe? MSC Cruises has a seven night Mediterranean cruise which departs December 1 from Genoa, Italy, starting at $299.
Start the Year with a Vacation:
Royal Caribbean is offering a 9-night Cruise through the Eastern Caribbean departing January 5 from Baltimore, Maryland. Tickets start at $549.
NCL has a 10-night cruise through the Mediterranean departing January 2 from Rome starting at $349. An on-board credit of up to $300 dependent on the price of your room is also included. In January, you can also take a 9-night Western Europe cruise from NCL departing January 6 from Malaga, Spain. Tickets start at $549 and include on board credit based on room price.
Carnival has a 4-night Bahamas cruise departing from Port Canaveral on January 6 with rooms starting at $199. Also from Carnival is a 7-night Bahamas cruise departing from New Orleans on January 6 with prices starting at $359.
For more dead week specials and deal, check out:
- Peter’s Tool & Tips for the Dead Week on CBS This Morning
- Our Daily Travel Deals and Travel Deals archives
- The Budget Travel section
By Steven Knight for Peter Greenberg.com
