Millennium Cruises All Booked? Bargains Abound on Christmas Sailings

With heavily promoted millennium sailings stealing the thunder from Christmas cruises, bargains are afloat everywhere.

Although Crystal Cruises says its millennium sailings are a sellout, its 13-day Christmas sailing aboard the Crystal Harmony is not, and it has been discounted up to 33% off the published price, with fares beginning at $5,075 per person, double occupancy, for bookings made before Aug. 31. Passengers board in Barbados Dec. 14 and sail to Buenos Aires. Dance music will be provided by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Stops include the Brazilian ports of Belem, Fortaleza, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro, and an overnight stay aboard the ship in Buenos Aires offers a chance to check out the city’s night life.

Foodies willing to forgo the millennium crush can savor the cuisine of some of America’s top new chefs while cruising South America at discounts up to 45% off brochure rates. Crystal Cruises is teaming up with such award-winning young chefs as Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles during sailings aboard the Crystal Harmony Jan. 19, Feb. 3 and 16 and March 2. Prices begin at $2,870 per person, double, or $205 a day for the Jan. 19 sailing, which docks overnight in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival, a real bargain for this top-rated vessel.

The second passenger in a cabin saves 50% off published fares on a South America circumnavigation aboard Radisson Seven Seas’ new Seven Seas Navigator. The ship is all suites, with 90% of them featuring private balconies. You can choose the full cruise, which departs Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Oct. 28 and returns Dec. 6, or one of three two-week segments: Fort Lauderdale to Rio de Janeiro with some West Indies ports of call; Rio around Cape Horn to Callao, Peru; or from Callao through the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale.

Kids sail free (except for an obligatory port fee of $85) when sharing a cabin with two full-fare paying adults aboard December sailings in Hawaii of American Hawaii’s Independence.Seven-night cruises on Dec. 4 or 11 or a three-night cruise Dec. 18 include holiday lights, caroling and a talent show.

Hawaii is also the destination for Holland America’s Statendam on 16-day fall sailings between San Diego and Honolulu, with savings from 42% to 46% off the published fares. Rates start at $2,799 per person, double occupancy, for the Sept. 30 sailing from Vancouver, Canada, around Hawaii to San Diego; $2,899 for the Dec. 7 departure and $2,999 for Oct. 26 and Nov. 21 round trips from San Diego/Ensenada, Mexico. Port charges and taxes are included, but air fare is extra.

For as little as $799 per person, double, you can enjoy the big band music of the Harry James Orchestra for seven days aboard Holland America’s Maasdam, sailing on Aug. 29 from London to Boston, or spend a week cruising out of Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Nov. 22. Beginning at $999 per person, double, you can sail between Boston and Montreal Sept. 5 to 12, stopping along the New England coast and in Canada’s maritime provinces, or board the Rotterdam for an eight-day Venice-to-Rome cruise.

Snare the early-bird Super Saver discount from Carnival’s Jubilee and sail round trip from San Diego to the Mexican Riviera for as little as $679 per person, double, including port taxes but not air fare. Sailings depart Oct. 23 and 30, visiting Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Manzanillo.

For more information:

American Hawaii, telephone (800) 765-7000, Internet https:// www.cruisehawaii.com.

Carnival, tel. (800) CARNIVAL, Internet https://www.carnival.com.

Crystal Cruises, tel. (800) 820-6663, Internet https://www.crystalcruises.com.

Holland America, tel. (877) SAIL-HAL, Internet https://www.hollandamerica.com.

Radisson Seven Seas, tel. (800) 285-1835, Internet https://www.rssc.com.