The days of cruises being an elitist activity for the well-to-do are long gone.
Latest offerings from cruise lines show that even a fortnight’s sailing does not have to break the bank.
Trips covering 14 nights from Southampton to Iceland and Norway and back are available from as little as £2,479pp all-inclusive, which works out at £177 a day.
Or how about a blockbuster 35-nights sailing from Southampton to the Caribbean and back from £2,399pp.
See details for both below.
With huge competition across ocean and river cruise lines passengers can secure extremely reasonable deals including flights, all meals, drinks and tips.
This means there’s little else to pay – whereas in the past you might have found yourself forking out for those G&T sundowners and wine at meals, plus for extras such as gratuities.
Here we’ve scoured the market to find our pick of the crop of the world’s best budget cruises.
Canaries for under £1,000
Make the most of Fuerteventura’s golden coast, featuring Costa Calma beach
Build sandcastles on Fuerteventura’s golden beaches and marvel at Lanzarote’s lunar landscapes during Marella Discovery II’s ‘Canarian Flavours’ cruise, which visits six of the volcanic islands. All-inclusive food, drinks, flights and tips make budgeting easy.
Book it: A seven-night Tenerife round-trip is from £999pp all-inclusive with flights from Bournemouth to Tenerife on March 11 (tui.co.uk).
£529 Moroccan adventure
Head to Marrakech’s vibrant market scene in Morocco
Book an inside stateroom and receive a free balcony upgrade on Sky Princess’s 15-night cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Southampton. Calls include Madeira’s capital Funchal, Marrakech and Casablanca in Morocco, and La Coruna for Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
Book it: A 15-night ‘Moroccan Passage’ cruise departs from Fort Lauderdale on March 9 from £529pp full-board, excluding flights (princess.com).
£599 mystery trip
Experience the Northern Lights through the naked eye
How about booking a cruise without knowing where you’re going along the way? The captain will give nothing away so expect an air of anticipation as passengers try to work out their destination as the 1,360-passenger Borealis departs Portsmouth, passing the Historic Dockyard into open waters.
Book it: A five-night round-trip sailing from Portsmouth departs on November 5 from £599pp full-board, including a £75 onboard spend (fredolsencruises.com).
Family fun from £129
You could find yourself living the high life on the 3,500-passenger MSC Preziosa
Pose on Swarovski crystal staircases or whizz down the 390ft Vertigo waterslide on 3,500-passenger MSC Preziosa. Teenagers also have their own disco and video arcade so it might be hard to prise them off the ship when it moors in Hamburg.
Book it: Two night mini-cruise from £129pp full-board, departing from Southampton on April 25 (msccruises.co.uk).
Heavenly discounts
Mediterranean magic is on offer with Celestyal Journey’s trip to Greece, Italy and Croatia
Celestyal Journey’s ‘Heavenly Greece, Italy and Croatia’ round-trip from Athens has been reduced by almost 50 percent from £1,420pp to £749pp. The 1,260-passenger ship’s tours include crafting your own gin in Dubrovnik and visiting a wine-producing cooperative in Kefalonia.
Book it: A seven-night sailing on April 26 is from £749pp including all meals, soft drinks, wifi, onboard entertainment and tips; flights extra (celestyal.com).
Winter warmer
Saint Lucia could be the perfect escape from winter’s chilly weather
Leave behind the chill of winter on 3,078-passenger Ventura’s sailing to the Caribbean. The Southampton round-trip features Barbados, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Bonaire, Curacao, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua, Saint Kitts, Tortola and St Maarten.
Book it: A 35-night ‘Caribbean Winter Warmth’ no-fly cruise departs January 3, 2026, from £2,399pp full-board (pocruises.com).
Norway solo deal
Norway’s skies make for a remarkable experience at this time of year
It’s a good time to chase the Northern Lights as Norway’s skies are so active this year. Solo travellers on Ambassador Cruise Line’s 1,400-guest Ambience can travel from £65 per night as the ship sails north of the Arctic Circle to Alta, Tromso and Bodo.
Book it: A 17-night ‘Land of The Northern Lights’ no-fly cruise departs from London Tilbury on March 20 from £1,099 full-board for solo travellers (ambassadorcruiseline.com).
UAE for £81 a night
An adventure around the Arabian Gulf can be secured for as little as £81pp per night
Celestyal Journey’s new voyages in the Arabian Gulf start from £81pp per night including all meals, soft drinks, wifi, entertainment and tips. After an overnight call in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the ship sails to Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.
Book it: A seven-night round-trip from Doha in Qatar on December 13 is from £569pp full-board (excluding flights) when booked by February 28 (celestyal.com).
Jolly with Dolly from £769
Gibraltar offers spectacular views from its cable car journeys
Celebrate all things country on Marella Explorer 2 with a ‘Dolly’ show, barn dance, line-dancing classes, country-based trivia and best-themed dress award. A £125pp deposit secures the adults-only ‘Country Rhythms’ cruise to Gibraltar and the Canaries.
Book it: Five-night sailings depart from Malaga on February 5, 2026, from £769pp all-inclusive including flights from Gatwick, East Midlands and Cardiff; or £30pp extra from Manchester or Glasgow (iglucruise.com).
Single idyll in Oz and Fiji
Head to Fiji and Down Under for the chance to see a beautiful part of the world
A balcony cabin during an all-inclusive trip around Australia and Fiji is the deal for solo travellers on Norwegian Sun. Calls include Airlie Beach, Townsville and Cairns in Australia, plus Port Vila and Mystery Island in Vanuatu, as well as Dravuni, Savusavu, Denarau and Lautoka in Fiji.
Book it: A 17-night ‘Idyllic Australia & Fiji’ holiday, including a 14-night cruise, departs on April 21 from £2,999 all-inclusive with flights to Brisbane and returning from Fiji (passionforcruises.co.uk).
School’s out special
If you prefer to be outdoors, spending this summer in the Norwegian Fjords may be ideal
Summer in the Norwegian Fjords means mild temperatures and long days for outdoor adventures. A highlight on Celebrity Apex’s round-trip from Southampton to Norway is cruising to the Flam Valley, where passengers can opt to board the Flam Railway train for spectacular views of waterfalls and mountains.
Book it: A seven-night sailing is from £1,165pp on August 15, 2026, including meals, children’s clubs and theatre shows (cruise.co.uk).
Enjoy £868 credit
Madeira’s pcturesque setting is best ventured to by cruise
There’s plenty of onboard spending money provided for passengers on Queen Victoria’s ‘Unbeatable No-Fly Exclusive Caribbean’ cruise from Southampton via Maderia. The amount of ‘credit’ allowed for passengers depends on the category of cabin (the minimum amount is £868). It can be used towards costs such as drinks, tours, wifi and spa treatments.
Book it: A 35-night Caribbean cruise from Southampton, departing on January 4, 2026, includes an onboard spend from £848 on the lead-in cruise price of £2,879pp (rol cruise.co.uk).
Croatia price drop
Romantic Star is offering delightful winery tours around Croatia
Swim in crystal waters and join winery tours during 36-berth Romantic Star’s ‘Wines of Croatia’ themed sailing to Milna, Hvar, Vis, Vela Luka, Korcula and Mljet.
Book it: A seven-night sailing from Split to Dubrovnik, departing on April 27, is now from £1,729pp (down from £2,169pp), excluding flights (sail-croatia.com).
Midnight sun
Iceland and Norway’s 24 hours of daylight provide a unique experience for travellers
Make the most of the midnight sun on Sky Princess’s no-fly cruise to Iceland and Norway this summer with wifi, meals, drinks and tips included. With 24 hours of daylight, there’s plenty of time to enjoy the sundeck and pools. There are also kids’ clubs, a theatre, casino, nightclubs, bars and restaurants.
Book it: A 14-night Southampton round-trip is from £2,479pp departing on June 28 (rolcruise.co.uk).
Japan under £3,500
Enjoy a two-night stay in Tokyo, which features Mount Fuji in its skyline
A two-week cruise plus a two-night stay in Tokyo are included in Celebrity Millennium’s autumn ‘Asia Voyage’. After a complimentary escorted Mount Fuji tour, ride the bullet train before joining the ship to Singapore via Kagoshima, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
Book it: 18-night cruise and stay holiday departs October 26 from £3,499 pp including flights, drinks and wifi (imaginecruising.co.uk).
Half-price expedition
Polar bears can be spotted on Svalbard archipelago
Explore the Arctic on 189-passenger expedition ship Ocean Albatros with tours to Gjesværstappan, Skarsvag, the North Cape and Bear Island before exploring Svalbard and Longyearbyen for sightings of polar bears.
Book it: Seven-night ‘Arctic Odyssey’ departs Tromso, Norway, on May 30, with half-price fare now £4,079 pp (was £8,158) excluding flights (albatros-expeditions.com).
Canada under £3k
Witness dramatic autumnal skies in Nova Scotia
Spend two nights in Montreal, Quebec, before Azamara Quest’s cruise to Miami, Florida. See the best of the autumn colours across Nova Scotia, Boston, Rhode Island and New York before ending the cruise on a high-speed airboat tour over the Florida Everglades.
Book it: 14-night ‘Canada/Colonial America Intensive Voyage’ on October 17 from £2,879 pp excluding flights (azamara.com).
