Lured by iconic cities and beautiful beaches, an increasing numbers of travellers are choosing a cruise for their holiday – and you can still bag a bargain for this year and beyond.
There are plenty of benefits to a cruise. You only have to unpack once and you can visit exclusive islands and beaches, or wake up in a new town city every day or so.
Passengers are spoilt for choice, with several new ships now on the water. Royal Caribbean’s latest Star of the Seas and Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady hit the water in August 2025, while Princess Cruises Star Princess launched last October.
There will be a range of new cruise ships sailing away for the first time in the coming months such as Legend of the Seas and MSC World Asia.
Guests can choose from convenient UK departures with brands such as Celebrity Cruises, Princess, P&O Cruises and Disney Cruise Line. Alternatively, there are plenty of fly-cruise options to travel the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and beyond.
The cruise industry’s traditional sales period – known as wave season – runs from January until the end of March but there are still decent deals available now.
It is also worth keeping an eye on your favourite cruise line’s website as deals can change regularly.
Here are some of the best cruise deals for wave season and beyond to catch a top cabin in 2026 or to plan ahead as far as 2028.
Best cruise deals 2026
Ambassador Cruise Line
Ambassador Cruise Line is offering up to 20 per cent off sailings when booked by 29 July.
The offer is available on departures in 2026, 2027 and 2028 for short breaks and for cruises of up to 14 nights.
Guests can sail on Ambassador’s 13-night Solar Eclipse Cruise around the Arctic region, departing from Dundee, from £1,754 per person.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises is offering up to 60 per cent off a second guest in the same cabin, plus European flights from £99 per person.
Additionally, each guest can currently get £100 off an inside or ocean view cabin, £200 off for a balcony or Aqua cabin and a £400 discount when staying in the Retreat suites.
The offer applies to cruises departing until 30 April 2028, including on the cruise line’s newest ship, Celebrity Xcel.
Read more: How to avoid getting seasick on a cruise
Cunard
Guests can get $250 (£186) of onboard credit with Cunard on select sailings across its fleet including in the Norwegian fjords and transatlantic voyages.
Bookings need to be made by 31 August for sailings in 2027 and 2028.
Explora Journeys
Luxury cruise brand Explora Journeys is offering savings of up to 30 per cent for bookings made by 23 June.
For example, you could sail on the cruise line’s newest ship Explora III from Copenhagen to Southampton on 2 September for £3,160 per person instead of £4,850 each.
Holland America Line
Holland America Line has launched a “Fly and Cruise Caribbean” offer for its 2026/27 season.
Guests booking until 31 August 2026 can get air credit worth £600 per person, a free one-night pre cruise hotel stay and free return transfers from the airport, hotel and ship.
The deal applies to more than 120 Caribbean cruises sailing from October to April covering the eastern, western or southern Caribbean, as well as the Panama Canal, with select calls taking in Belize and Mexico.
Holland America has six ships in the Caribbean for its Caribbean season, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Eurodam, Volendam and Zuiderdam, with iteniraries ranging from seven to 21 days. Prices start from £899 per person.
Read more: Best cruises for teenagers
HX Expeditions
HX Expeditions is offering 25 per cent off or a complimentary suite upgrade on its 2026 Antarctica departures to mark its 130th anniversary this summer.
The expedition cruise line’s Highlights of Antarctica sailing now starts from £7,576 per person, compared with £10,999 per person previously, on select departures between October and December 2026.
The price includes all meals and select drinks, guided activities, tips, wifi, expedition gear and a professional photo log of your trip.
Marella Cruises
Marella is offering passengers savings of up to £200 per booking on selected sailings departing until 30 April 2027.
Deals include a repositioning cruise from Gran Canaria to the Caribbean, departing on 26 April 2027 from £1,978 per person.
Read more: How to save hundreds of pounds when booking a cruise
Norwegian Cruise Line
Fares are on offer from £699 per person on Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) sailings, including on the new Norwegian Luna.
Guests booking a balcony can also get up to £250 of airfare credit per person towards European flights and can upgrade to NCL’s “More at Sea” package for wifi, drinks and speciality dining from £249 per person.
Oceania
Culinary-focused luxury cruise brand Oceania, which recently launched a new ship Allura, is currently offering up to 50 per cent off on more than 150 sailings across 2026 and 2027.
Guests can also choose from complimentary wine and beer or shore excursions.
Offers include a seven-day sailing from Barcelona to Rome aboard the newest ship in the fleet, Oceania Allura, £2,272 per person.
Guests need to book by 30 June 2026.
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is offering guests up to £500 of onboard spending money on select Caribbean fly-cruise holidays departing between 23 October 2026 and 18 March 2028.
The limited-time offer applies to more than 100 fly-cruise holidays, available to book until 17 June 2026.
Examples itineraries include a 14-night eastern Caribbean sailing aboard Iona that departs on 12 November.
Prices currently start from £2,649 per person based on two people sharing a balcony cabin with a deposit of £99 per person and includes £500 on board spending money.
The prices include economy flights from London Gatwick, transfers in Barbados, children’s clubs, full board meals and entertainment.
Princess
Guests can get up to $1,000 (£735) of onboard cabin credit when booking a 2027 or 2028 sailing with Princess Cruises.
Bookings can be made on routes from the UK, in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean on ships including the new Star Princess.
The amount of credit depends on your cabin choice and the length of sailing but ranges from $100 (£75) for a six to eight day sailing in an inside cabin to $1,000 (£735) if you book 18 or more days in a suite.
The cruise line is also offering free balcony upgrades for last-minute bookings on Med sailings aboard Sun Princess and Enchanted Princess this summer.
Bookings need to be made by 15 June 2026.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean regularly launches flash sales for short periods so it is worth signing up to its newsletters so you don’t miss out.
The cruise brand is currently offering up to £755 off sailings and a third and fourth guest in the same cabin can get a reduced rate of £99 each.
This includes a four-night sailing from Rome to Barcelona aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Legend of the Seas, departing on 28 October 2027 and starting at £793 per person.
Virgin Voyages
Fans of Virgin Voyages can benefit from 70 per cent off a second “sailor” as well as an upgrade to a balcony on bookings made by the end of July.
The deal is available on sailings until 10 April 2028. Itineraries include the cruise line’s seven-night Comedy Fest aboard Valiant Lady. It departs from Portsmouth on 20 August for a northern Europe roundtrip and prices currently start at £946 per person. Acts include Milton Jones and Lucy Beaumont.
VIVA Cruises
River cruise operator VIVA Cruises has launched a ‘Summer Special’ campaign, offering free cabin upgrades and onboard credit as well as a reduced single supplement of 20 per cent for solo bookings.
Guests will receive €25 per person onboard spending money on cruises of up to six nights and €50 per person for voyages of more than seven nights. The credit can be used for shore excursions, spa treatments and in onboard shops.
Cabin upgrades will be made up to the next cabin category.
The offer is valid on 65 river cruises departing in 2026 and bookings need to be made by 30 June.
