Set Sail and Save: Cruise Packages Make the Best Bargain Vacations

If you're the kind of traveler who enjoys the act of traveling as much as the vacation portion of a trip, we encourage you to book a sea-bound voyage. Not only are cruise packages at some of the lowest prices we've ever seen, but the destinations are abundant. Thinking about a warm weather vacation? Head to Mexico or the Bahamas. Prefer the romantic old world? The Mediterranean and Europe await. With a cruise package deal, you'll enjoy more than just the pleasures of traveling at sea and days in port; the savings to be had with these cruise deals may change the way you think about fun and relaxing vacations.

With spring kicking into gear, it's time to plan your summer vacation. Cruise into the season, and your only concerns will be about lemonade and pool time. If you've got just a weekend to spare for said pool time, book a 3-night Bahamas Carnival cruise for two (from $338, a low by $40; expires March 31) and soak in the sun as you travel from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas and back. Or, to really work on your tan, spend quality time with your travel buddy on a 7-night Mexico Carnival cruise for two (from $718, a low by $90; expires April 7). Just remember to peer out from behind your sunglasses and check out the sights in Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, before you return to Long Beach, California.

If the warm waters of the Pacific and Caribbean are familiar, why not explore Italy, Tunisia, Spain, and France on a 7-night Mediterranean MSC cruise for two (from $998, a low by $80; expires April 11)? Aboard the MSC Sinfonia, you'll get to visit the ruins of Pompeii, the historic sites in Tunis, and go out dancing in Ibiza. Plus, the cruise docks in Mallorca, Marseille, and Genoa. We know that the Mediterranean is home to a variety of cultures, so if destinations like Greece, Turkey, Ukraine, Israel, Malta, and Cyprus, are in your sights, you'll find additional cruise packages through MSC Cruise; book a 7-night, 8-night, or 11-night cruise package (from $1098) that venture to these destinations and beyond.

Thinking that even an 11-night vacation is still just a little too short? Add an extra few days to your trip with a free 3-night hotel stay when you book a 12-night Mediterranean cruise for two (from $1598, lowest by varies; expires March 30) through Priceline. Making stops in Monaco, Croatia, and various cities throughout Italy, this journey is perfect for those travelers who want to do it all. And since you'll score extra nights in a hotel, you'll even have time to regain your land legs.

If these specific at-sea adventures aren't on your radar, we think you'll find your perfect cruise package during Expedia's Sail into Spring fare sale (from $298 for two people; expires April 2), which offers savings of up to 75% on select cruises from a variety of cruise lines across the world. From the mountains of Alaska to the volcanoes of Hawaii, and across the Atlantic Ocean, these cruise vacations also receive an assortment of room upgrades and credits.

No matter where you decide to set sail to, we know you'll enjoy these discounts on cruise packages. However, if you can't find the perfect vacation here, be sure to check out our daily travel deals for more destinations and sales.

Photos credits top to bottom: Hola Miami,
Repositioning Cruises, and Travel and Leisure