With the start of a new year, it’s time to start locking in those spring break plans! It will be here before you know it, and there’s no better time to book a cruise than right now.
You might be wondering why now is the best time to book a cruise for 2023? Well, that’s because it’s wave season - the time when cruise lines have some of their biggest sales of the year.
While you might assume that cruises will be more expensive in March to April because of spring breaker, this time is actually shoulder season for many popular destinations. Since summer is considered the busiest travel time of the year, you can snag some pretty fantastic cruise deals.
Here’s a list of 10 of the cheapest spring break cruises we could find.
1. Spain and Portugal Cruise, 2-night sailing
Where: Departing from Lisbon (Portugal), sailing to Malaga (Spain), including a stop in Seville (Spain)
Dates: March 31, 2023- April 2, 2023
Price: $99 per person
Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship: Norwegian Sun
When searching for the cheapest spring break cruises, this incredibly cheap 2-night sailing was the first option that popped up through Norwegian Cruise Line.
If you’re already studying abroad in Europe or looking to add a little pizazz to your European spring break trip, consider taking this 2-night sailing on Norwegian Cruise Line. Airfare to Europe in March is much cheaper than fares you’ll pay in peak summer - and you can enjoy some cooler weather.
For this cheap spring break cruise, you’ll embark on a short 2-night sailing from Lisbon, Portugal to Malaga, Spain. This cruise has one stop in Seville, Spain as well. These are cities rich in culture with incredible beaches to enjoy as well.
Although this itinerary is short, the total price of this cruise is easily less than you would pay for a hotel for two nights. Don’t forget, this includes the price of transportation, food and accommodations onboard. You’ll also get access to all of Norwegian Sky’s onboard amenities and entertainment.
2. Catalina and Ensenada Cruise, 4-night sailing
Where: Departs from Los Angeles (California) with stops in Catalina Island (California) and Ensenada (Mexico)
Dates: March 27, 2023 or April 3, 2023 or April 24, 2023
Price: $300 - $390 per person
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Ship: Navigator of the Seas
For those living on the West Coast, this 4-night itinerary on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas is an excellent option for a quick and cheap getaway.
In fact, this is a cruise that I did back in high school for spring break with my family! For many years, Royal Caribbean did not offer regular sailings from the West Coast, but this has since changed with Navigator of the Seas becoming regularly deployed to California.
Mexico is a popular destination for spring breakers, so this itinerary is sure to be a popular choice for many.
This itinerary also includes one sea day after embarking from Los Angeles, allowing you to enjoy Navigator of the Seas and all of the ship's onboard amenities, thrills and offerings. With multiple dates to choose from, this is a great itinerary for spring break.
3. Western Caribbean Cruise, 4-night sailing
Where: Departing from Miami, Florida with stops in Key West (Florida) and Cozumel (Mexico)
Dates: March 27, 2023 - March 31, 2023
Price: $294 per person
Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
Ship: Carnival Conquest
Heading to the Sunshine State of Florida is the quintessential way to celebrate spring break!
If you’re looking for cheap cruises, Carnival Cruise Line is going to be your best bet for the multiple sailings throughout March and April. Carnival is known for having the most fun ships at sea, so you are sure to have a wild time for spring break if you choose to sail onboard one of their cruise ships.
Back in college, I actually did this same itinerary for my own spring break cruise!
During this 4-night sailing, you will visit Key West, Florida and Cozumel, Mexico. You’ll also enjoy one sea day, which Carnival has coined as Fun Day at Sea. We love to use sea days to kick back, relax and enjoy a poolside cocktail.
Carnival Cruise Line also has tons of nightclubs, bars and lounges; so, even while you’re onboard, you can still have a great time.
4. Western Caribbean Cruise, 5-night sailing
Where: Departing from Tampa (Florida), sailing to Mahogany Bay (Honduras) and Cozumel (Mexico)
Dates: March 25, 2023 - March 30, 2023
Price: $414 per person
Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
Ship: Carnival Paradise
If you’re wanting to visit Central Florida, you could consider taking this cheap cruise from Tampa.
Again, Carnival Cruise Line has tons of different cheap cruises for spring breakers looking to enjoy a quick getaway. While Carnival Paradise is one of Carnival’s older ships, it’s been retrofitted with signature Carnival offerings like BlueIguana and Guy’s Burger Joint.
For this 5-night sailing, you will have two Fun Days at Sea to enjoy Carnival Conquest.
Carnival Cruise Line also has tons of nightclubs, bars and lounges; so, even while you’re onboard, you can still have a great time.
5. Dominican Republic & St. Thomas, 9-Night Caribbean Cruise
Where: Departing from Miami (Florida) with stops in Great Stirrup Cay (Bahamas), San Juan (Puerto Rico), St. Maarten, St. Johns, St. Thomas, Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic)
Dates: March 21, 2023 -March 30 , 2023 or April 8, 2023 - April 17, 2023
Price: $449- $549 per person
Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Ship: Norwegian Sky
While shorter cruises will be inherently cheaper overall, you can still find cheap cruises that feature longer sailings with more port-intensive itineraries.
Norwegian Sky is an older and smaller ship in Norwegian’s fleet, but it was recently refurbished. During this 9-night sailing, you will have two sea days onboard the ship.
Great Stirrup Cay is Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, located in the Bahamas where you can enjoy a plethora of complimentary amenities. During this port-intensive itinerary, you’ll also visit the wildly beautiful islands of St. Thomas, St. Johns and St. Maarten.
For ports with tons of history and culture, you’ll also enjoy San Juan in Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.
6. Transatlantic Spanish Cruise, 12-Night Sailing
Where: Departing from Miami (Florida) sailing to Barcelona (Spain) with stops in Malaga (Spain), Valencia (Spain)
Dates: March 9, 2023- March 21, 2023
Price: $447 per person
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Ship: Symphony of the Seas
Transatlantic and repositioning itineraries are excellent choices for those looking to snag a cheap cruise.
I found this incredible deal on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas, which is one the biggest cruise ships in the world. Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships are packed with tons of onboard amenities and thrills.
Although you’ll be onboard Symphony of the Seas for the majority of this sailing (it is a transatlantic cruise, of course!), you can still enjoy two port days in Spain. This transatlantic sailing docks in Malaga, Spain and Valencia, Spain at the end of the itinerary before ending in Barcelona, Spain.
If you’re someone who is taking online classes or you can work remotely, this cheap cruise is an amazing price!
7. Bahamas Cruise, 4-Night Sailing
Where: Departing from Miami (Florida) and sailing to Nassau (Bahamas) and Ocean Cay (MSC Marine Reserve)
Dates: April 10, 2023 - April 15, 2023
Price: $179 per person
Cruise Line: MSC
Ship: MSC Divina
New to the North American cruise market is European-based cruise line MSC - and they are offering some very cheap itineraries for 2023’s spring break season!
For this 4-night sailing to the Bahamas, you’ll enjoy two stops in the Bahamas, including Nassau and MSC’s private island, the MSC Marine Reserve. Additionally, you’ll have one day at sea to relax onboard MSC Divina.
For just $179 per person, this cheap cruise is a great choice for those looking to sail on a budget. MSC cruises is one of the more budget-friendly cruise lines due to offering tons of add-ons and frills to their pricing. If you want to sail for the dirt cheap fares, you still receive dining, entertainment, accommodations and transportation in the cost of your cruise fare.
8. Key West and Bahamas Cruise, 4-Night Sailing
Where: Departing from Miami (Florida) sailing to Key West (Florida) and Nassau (Bahamas)
Dates: March 2, 2023 - March 6, 2023
Price: $249 per person
Cruise Line: Celebrity Cruises
Ship: Celebrity Summit
Right now, Celebrity Cruises is having some amazing promotions and sails for cruises in the coming months.
Celebrity Cruises is considered an upscale cruise line with a more refined experience. If you’re looking for a more serene and tranquil cruise environment, you should consider taking this 4-night spring break cruise.
You probably shouldn’t expect to find wild parties onboard, as Celebrity Cruises focuses on having a more luxurious cruise experience onboard its vessels.
For just $249 per person, you can sail to Key West and Nassau - and with Celebrity’s current promotion during wave season, you’ll receive $100 onboard credit per stateroom. These cheap fares are comparable to budget cruise lines, like Carnival Cruise Line.
This cruise fare includes dining (excluding specialty dining), entertainment, accommodation and transportation between ports.
9. Cabo, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan Cruise, 7-Night Sailing
Where: Departing from Los Angeles (California) with stops in Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Mazatlan (Mexico), Puerto Vallarta (Mexico)
Dates: April 7, 2023 - April 14, 2023
Price: $481 per person
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean
Ship: Navigator of the Seas
Another cheap cruise for those of you living on the West Coast or wanting to visit California. While we typically see shorter sailings with the cheapest rates, this cheap cruise on Navigator of the Seas is tough to pass up.
If you have enough time to do a 7-night sailing during your spring break, you should absolutely consider this cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas.
Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta are very popular destinations in Mexico for spring break, but why choose just one location when you can visit both?!
This cheap cruise on Navigator of the Seas includes two sea days at the beginning and end of your cruise. You’ll have three full days of sunshine, beach and cocktails in Mexico, visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.
10. Bahamas Cruise, 5-Night Sailing
Where: Departing from Jacksonville (Florida) and visiting ports in Nassau (Bahamas) and Princess Cays (Bahamas)
Dates: April 17, 2023 - April 22, 2023
Price: $334 per person
Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line
Ship: Carnival Elation
Our final cheap cruise for spring breakers has to be Carnival Cruise Line, as they are known for having the cheapest cruise fares in the industry.
Carnival Elation is offering a 5-night spring break sailing for $334 per person. You’ll enjoy stops in Nassau, Bahamas and Princess Cays, Bahamas. These are the perfect places for you to head to the b
This means you have two Funs Days at Sea to relax onboard Carnival Elation and enjoy some of the cruise line’s signature amenities, like Sea day Brunch, Waterworks slides, and Spa Carnival.
Final Cheap Cruise Tips
As we mentioned, this is the best time to book your spring break cruise for 2023, as most cruise lines are having big promotions, sales and discounts. Some cruise lines, like Celebrity Cruises, are even providing free onboard credit if you book during their wave season promotion.
To look for the cheapest cruises, head directly to the cruise line's website and punch in the dates you want to travel. For this, I selected March and April of 2023. You do not need to choose a specific destination or departure port; instead, you can simply click search with just the date frame.
Once you see your results, you can sort all of the cruises by Price: Low to High. This way, you aren't limited to certain destinations, departure ports or number of sailing nights.
Also, consult with a travel agent before you decide to book a cruise during wave season. Travel agents can often secure better deals for your cruises without costing you anything extra.
Read more: What to know before booking a cheap cruise
Finally, don't be afraid to sail in the cheapest cabins onboard. If I am sailing on a budget, I almost always cruise in an inside cabin guarantee. Choosing the cheapest cabin allows you more flexibility in your budget to purchase shore excursions, drink packages, or specialty dining onboard your cruise.
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on nearly 30 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.