There’s a golden rule about cruise fares: Prices are cheapest when school is in session.
The reason is simple. When the kids are out of school — Spring Break, Christmas holidays, and summer — families have an easier time with being able to take time off to cruise. That leads to more demand for cabins.
When school is in session, however, it’s hard for families to find the time to set sail. As a result, cruise lines slash prices to fill up rooms. That means you can find some great deals as you look for a trip in the fall and winter months.
Below, we’ve rounded up a dozen of these deals, all with prices of below $300. Most of them leave in the fall, with a few in the winter after Christmas holidays. We’ve also included links to the deals themselves.
If you want to do your own search, you can do so on Orbitz (with up to $750 in onboard credit in some cases). Please note that we receive a small commission for any cruises booked through the links in this article.
The fares shown below are at the time of writing and subject to change. All fares are for interior cabins, before taxes and port fees.
4 Night Caribbean Cruise From Long Beach on Carnival
Date: December 2, 2018
Ship: Carnival Imagination | Ports: Catalina, Ensenada
Price: $179
Forget just a good deal, this cruise departing Long Beach is among the absolute cheapest in the entire country. For under $200 per person, you can set sail with port stops in Catalina and Ensenada. The trip departs December 2, and the same low fare is also available on December 9. Learn more about this trip.
4 Night Caribbean Cruise From Tampa on Carnival
Date: November 29, 2018
Ship: Carnival Paradise | Ports: Cozumel
Price: $234
Sailing from Tampa in late November, this cruise makes only one stop — Cozumel. Still, it is four nights of vacation for just $234 per person for an interior cabin. November 1 and November 15 are also available starting at $264 per person. That’s still well below the $300 per person threshold. Learn more about this trip.
4 Night Caribbean Cruise From Mobile on Carnival
Date: December 7, 2017
Ship: Carnival Fantasy | Ports: Cozumel
Price: $249
Mobile isn’t a cruise mecca, but if you are within driving distance, then it’s a great option for good deals. This four-night trip departs on December 7, sailing round trip with a stop in Cozumel. Best of all, it’s just $249 per person for an interior cabin. Compare that to the same cruise departing on December 26 that costs more than double that rate at $604 per person. Learn more about this trip.
4 Night Caribbean Cruise From Miami on Carnival
Date: December 13, 2018
Ship: Carnival Sensation | Ports: Key West, Cozumel
Price: $199
Similar to another cruise on our list, this trip departs from Miami aboard Carnival, with stops in Key West and Cozumel. For just $199, that’s a great deal but it gets even better when you compare it to the same trip just a two weeks later. The same exact trip departing December 27 (in the middle of the holiday season) costs $499 per person — $300 more. Learn more about this trip.
4 Night Caribbean Cruise From Miami on Norwegian
Date: January 22, 2018
Ship: Norwegian Jade | Ports: Cozumel
Price: $249
This four-night sailing is pretty basic. It leaves Miami in late January for a cruise that ports only in Cozumel, Mexico. Still, it does get you to the Caribbean during the coldest part of the year in the United States… and it doesn’t it for a rock-bottom price. Learn more about this trip.
5 Night Caribbean Cruise From New Orleans on Carnival
Date: November 5, 2018
Ship: Carnival Triumph | Ports: Cozumel, Progreso
Price: $299
Many people like to sail from New Orleans while also tacking a day or two onto the trip to enjoy the city itself. With this trip you can do just that while also taking a five-day cruise with stops in Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico. Best of all, it’s just $299 for departures on November 5 and November 10, 2018, so you’ll have plenty in your budget to enjoy the Big Easy. Learn more about this trip.
5 Night Caribbean Cruise From Galveston on Carnival
Date: December 10, 2018
Ship: Carnival Valor | Ports: Cozumel, Progreso
Price: $259
Just about 15 years ago, there were hardly any cruises sailing from Galveston. Today, it’s the busiest U.S. port outside of Florida. Carnival has multiple ships sailing from the Texas island, including the Carnival Valor, which sails this route from Galveston to Cozumel and Progreso. You can sail in December 2018 for just $259 per person. That’s just $52 a night. Learn more about this trip.
4 Night Caribbean Cruise From Galveston on Royal Caribbean
Date: February 5, 2018
Ship: Vision of the Seas | Ports: Progreso
Price: $286
While Carnival has sailed shorter four and five-day trips from Galveston for years, Royal Caribbean is just now getting into the game. Starting this year it will move the Vision of the Seas to Galveston and offer shorter trips to Mexico. This cruise departs on February 5, 2018 and stops in Progreso, Mexico. For just $286, this is among the cheapest Royal Caribbean trips available. Learn more about this trip.
5 Night Caribbean Cruise From Miami on Carnival
Date: November 24, 2018
Ship: Carnival Sensation | Ports: Amber Cove, Grand Turks
Price: $264
Want to get away right after Thanksgiving for a quick vacation? That’s a cheap time to sail. Case in point: This Carnival trip departing Miami, with stops in Amber Cove and Grand Turks. At just $264 for an interior room, you can take a cruise without ruining your Christmas budget. Learn more about this trip.
5 Night Caribbean Cruise From Tampa on Carnival
Date: November 5, 2018
Ship: Carnival Paradise | Ports: Roatan, Cozumel
Price: $274
Sail from Tampa, have five nights of vacation, and hit tropical ports of Roatan and Cozumel… all for less than $275 per person. That’s a great deal even if you are sailing on one of Carnival’s older ships — Carnival Paradise. If November 5 doesn’t work with your schedule, you can also sail on November 24, just after Thanksgiving. Learn more about this trip.
4 Night Caribbean Cruise From Miami on Carnival
Date: December 3, 2018
Ship: Carnival Victory | Ports: Key West, Cozumel
Price: $189
Miami is hands-down the cruise capital of the world thanks to its prime location near dozens of ports in the Caribbean. So many ships means you can find some great deals. This trip aboard the Carnival Victory takes you to Key West and Cozumel before returning to Miami. You can also sail the same trip on December 10 for $199 per person. Learn more about this trip.
5 Night Caribbean Cruise From Miami on Carnival
Date: December 8, 2018
Ship: Carnival Sensation | Ports: Nassau, Half Moon Cay, Grand Turks
Price: $259
Sure you can find a number of four-night cruises for under $300, but this is a five-night cruise that includes stops in three ports: Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Grand Turks. That means for just over $50 a day you can have a full-fledged vacation instead of just a short getaway. Learn more about this trip.
