What Will 2011 Cruise Deals Look Like?

The number of UK cruise passengers is forecast to rise by 8% next year to a record 1.77 million and that means that we can expect to see some changes to the deals we get offered. For those who like to fly, inclusive cruise deals with options from regional airports are coming in at bargain prices – for the best Caribbean deal, look out for the two weeks after Thanksgiving as these are traditionally very flat for the American cruise industry and so good fly-cruise options are likely to be on offer.

The luxury cruise sector has performed better than expected over 2010 so don’t expect to see really substantial deals here – the biggest bargains will come from the middle of the range, middle-sized ships that are having to compete for passengers with some of the newly-built ships that sailed for the first time in 2010.

Watch out for family offers – these are likely to be real bargains, and four (or more) berth cabins or suites can work out at nearly half the price of two twin cabins on some lines next year.