Luxury Spring Break Cruises To Europe: Top Ships With Beer, Wine and Spirits Included

There are all-inclusive luxury alternatives to the budget transatlantic cruises we highlighted yesterday. These fares include beer, wine, and spirits as well as all gratuities. If you think every day you'll drink wine with lunch, an afternoon rum punch by the pool, a sunset cocktail, wine with dinner, and a nightcap, you may find some of these rates attractive, compared to much lower priced cruise lines that charge extra for drinks and tips.

Silver Spirit Dolce Vita Lounge

Silversea has April departures to Lisbon and London (docking at Tower Bridge rather than Southampton, which avoids a two to three hour transfer by train or road.) 

Silver Spirit Vista Suite

April 2, Silver Spirit, built 2009, refurbished 2018, 606 passengers, 13 nights Fort Lauderdale to Lisbon, including overnight in Hamilton, Bermuda, and days in Horta and Porta Delgaga, Azores. Current promotion through March starts at $5,900 per person for a 312 square foot cabin. Included are free round trip economy or reduced cost business air. There may be some further savings, up to $500 per cabin, for bookings during February. Independent agents may use their promotion allowances to pitch a lower price, free cabin upgrade or on board spending money.

Silver Wind

April 30, Silver Wind, built 1995, refurbished 2018, 298 passengers, half as many guests as its sister ship Spirit. 16 nights Fort Lauderdale to London Tower Bridge. Overnight in Manhattan, where a luxury hotel suite of similar size would cost you $500 to $1,000 or more, then calls on Halifax, Nova Scotia, St. John's, Newfoundland, Waterford, Ireland and a final overnight docked in London. That would be another $500-$1,000 hotel bill. Silversea rates start at $6,800 per person for a 240 square foot Vista Suite.

Odyssey & Quest Club Lounge

Odyssey & Quest Veranda Suite

Seabourn's transatlantic runs are among the least expensive cruises it offers.

April 6, Seabourn Odyssey, built 2009, 450 passengers. 11 nights Barbados to Lisbon, with days in Funchal and Porto Santo, Portugal. Guarantee 300 square foot veranda suites are the same price as ocean view at $2,300-- about $200 per day per person, around the lowest Seabourn ever charges.

April 17, Seabourn Quest, built 2011, refurbished 2018, 450 passengers. 16 nights Barbados to Lisbon, four stops in the the Canary Islands, then Casablanca and Tangier, Morocco, and Portimao, Portugal, before disembarking in Lisbon. Guarantee veranda $3,700 per person.

Odyssey

Some cabins are in short supply, so if you are considering one of these cruises, have your agent put a "courtesy hold" on a cabin before you take time to check air fare and other arrangements.

 

Use airline points to buy the return flight, or consider carriers like Norwegian for discounted coach fares or its "premium" economy that is reviewed by many fliers as similar to business class-- without a fully reclining sleeper seat. The cruise lines and travel agents also have access to discounted "bulk" one-way seats in economy, business or first class.