Booking a cruise holiday can offer the best way to escape the unpredictable British weather and tick off a variety of destinations, whether you are interested in sunny beaches or snow-capped mountains.
The industry’s ‘wave season’, where companies release new year offers to tempt passengers on board and fill their ships for the year ahead, is over, but there are still opportunities to secure a bargain fare or even a cabin on a dream cruise ship.
At the moment, passengers are spoilt for choice, with several new ships launched this year, including MSC World America, Norwegian Aqua, which launched in April, and Royal Caribbean’s latest Star of the Seas due in August.
Many cruise lines have spring and summer sales with decent deals and discounts to get a place on newer as well as classic cruise ships. Promotions can vary from extra on-board credit to discounts on drinks packages or reduced cruise fares.
Read more: The best adult-only cruises
Of course, it is important to shop around to ensure you are still getting value for money and check the total costs, including any flights and tips.
Here are some of the best cruise deals for 2025.
Azamara
Luxury small-ship brand Azamara is offering up to $500 of on-board credit for select sailings up to 11 May 2026.
Passengers booking a sailing of up to 10 nights can earn $200 (£158) of on-board credit per cabin when booking a Club Interior or Oceanview cabin, $300 (£216) on a Veranda and $400 for a suite.
This rises to $300, $400 and $500 respectively for each category on bookings for 11 nights or more.
One itinerary option is an 11-night Gems of the Adriatic and Aegean Voyage aboard Azamara Pursuit. It departs from Venice on 22 July 2025 and includes long 10-hour stops in destinations such as Koper in Slovenia, Dubrovnik in Croatia and Santorini in Greece – giving plenty of time to explore.
Prices start from £1,639 per person for a Club Interior cabin, while suite rates start from £7,397 per person.
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Celebrity
Celebrity Cruises is offering up to 60 per cent off a second passenger as well as up to $400 (£303) of on-board credit depending on the length of the sailing.
The discount is applied to sailings up to 30 April 2027.
Passengers can also book flights to Europe for their cruise departure from £99.
Cruisers on a three- to five-night sailing will receive $100 per stateroom on inside and oceanview cabins, rising to $150 on balcony or Aqua category cabins and $200 for its Retreat.
Those on sailings of six nights or longer will get $100 per inside or oceanview cabin, $200 in the balcony or Aqua category or $400 per cabin in Retreat suites.
It includes a departure from Barcelona aboard the brand’s newest ship Celebrity Xcel for a seven-night cruise around Italy, Spain and the French Riviera from £1,214 per person in June 2026.
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Read more: How to avoid getting seasick on a cruise
Celestyal
Celestyal has launched a summer sale with up to 60 per cent off select sailings in 2025 and 2026.
The offer is available on bookings made up to 31 August.
For example, the price of its seven-night Idyllic Greece cruise has been cut from $1,830 (£1,351) per person to $769 (£567) per person.
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Cunard
Cruisers can receive up to $580 (£428) of on-board credit per cabin on select Cunard bookings made until midnight on 1 September 2025.
The promotion is available on more than 365 voyages across the luxury line’s entire fleet, including ocean liner Queen Mary 2 and the brand’s newest ship Queen Anne.
It can be used on short breaks as well as Cunard’s world cruises departing between 8 December 2025 and 21 April 2027.
Guests can choose their stateroom or suite and secure their booking with just a 15 per cent deposit.
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Read more: Best cruises for teenagers
Havila Voyages
Havila Voyages, has cut cruise fares on Norway sailings by up to £440 per cabin based on two people sharing.
Passengers booking by 15 June can search for the northern lights on a voyage across the north or south of the region with £220 off per cabin or the full £440 for a longer Round Voyage.
Prices for the Round Voyage start from £906 per person on full board basis for a choice of departures in November or December 2025.
The shorter sailings start from £827 per person.
The cruise line is so confident of passengers seeing the aurora borealis that it has a “northern lights promise” to refund passengers on its round voyage with a free six- or seven-night sailing the following winter if there are no sightings during their trip.
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Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line has reduced cruise fares by up to £1,200 per person.
Discounts range from £700 for an interior cabin to the full £1,200 for a balcony or £2,500 in its haven suite.
The offer runs until 16 June 2025 and upgrades to premium drinks packages and wifi are also available from £159 per person.
Passengers can also get up to £250 of airfare credit per person on select cruises. Port fees and expenses are excluded.
Using this deal, a family of four could sail aboard Norwegian Epic for a week-long Mediterranean cruise departing from Barcelona on 9 August for £791 per person instead of £1,010.
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Oceania
More than 200 sailings with the culinary-focused luxury cruise brand Oceania are currently on sale at up to 30 per cent off the fare.
This applies to select departures until 31 March 2026.
All bookings made by 30 June 2025 will also receive a beverage package and on-board credit of up to $800 (£600).
Itineraries include a scenic 16-day cruise from Reykjavik to Montreal aboard OceaniaMarina, from £4,426 per person, departing on 11 July.
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Princess
Passengers who book a 2025, 2026 or 2027 sailing up until 15 December 2025 with Princess Cruises are being offered a “Best Price Guarantee”.
If passengers find a better fare on princess.com for the same cruise, stateroom category or sail date at any time before they make their final payment, Princess Cruises has this offer; 120 per cent of the difference back in the form of an on-board credit, up to $2,000 (£1,500) per person/booking/stateroom. This applies up to 90 days before sailing.
The cruise line is also offering up to £500 off per cabin on select sailings if you book by 30 June 2025.
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Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean regularly launches flash sales for short periods.
The cruise brand is currently offering up to £640 off cruise fares and some itineraries let kids sail for free.
For example, a seven-night Greece and Adriatic cruise aboard Explorer of the Seas departing on 16 August 2025 would cost £1,092 per person.
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Saga
Over-50s brand Saga has launched its summer 2025 sale, with up to £350 per person off river cruise sailings.
Discounts have been applied to all-inclusive European sailings in June, July, August and September this year.
This includes nine-night river cruises on the Rhine in July and August from £1,949 per person.
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Star Clippers
Tall ship cruise operator Star Clippers is offering free child places on select sailings this summer.
It is part of an initiative to educate children on the workings of a tall ship.
Any child up to 18 years of age and sharing a third-berth cabin with two adults will travel for free, with only port charges to pay.
Fares for any additional children will be discounted by 50 per cent.
The deal can be used on three Mediterranean sailings on Star Flyer. These include an 11-night cruise from Venice to Rome that departs on 3 July, a reverse trip on 19 July and another from Venice to Athens on 30 July.
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Virgin Voyages
Fans of Virgin Voyages can benefit from 70 per cent off a second ‘sailor’ as well as up to $300 of on-board credit on its 2025 and 2026 itineraries.
There are also free balcony upgrades available to a Sea Terrace when booking a Sea View cabin on select European sailings.
The offer can be used for sailings in the Caribbean from Miami or San Juan or to explore Europe but bookings need to be made by 28 August 2025.
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Read more: The best mini cruises from the UK
