Aruba Cruise Deals: A Guide to Scoring the Best Cruise for You
Dreaming of Aruba and wondering if you can get a deal on a cruise that goes there? The answer is yes, you can. Even though cruises that travel to the deep Southern Caribbean, where Aruba is found, are often labeled "exotic," Aruba cruise deals are not impossible to find. Known for its stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters, Aruba has something to offer everyone, whether you're looking for adventure, relaxation, or a little bit of both. The port city of Oranjestad has an abundance of shopping, casino, restaurant, and tour options.
Aruba cruises leave from a variety of ports, including Florida ports like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral, plus San Juan, Puerto Rico and even Barbados. That makes finding the deals somewhat complicated, but Cruise Critic has done the research for you. We checked cruise lines looking for every possible option, from budget to luxury. We've done the math to help you discover what is considered a deal (and what is not). We've also got plenty of tips to help you score the best Aruba cruise deal for you and your travel partners. Let’s dive in.
What Kind of Aruba Cruise Deals Can You Expect to Find?
Deals on inside cabins on cruises to Aruba may surprise you, with fares starting at around $60 per person per night (before taxes and port fees). Anything close to that is a deal. For oceanview rooms, fares near $100 per person per night are deals, but you may find them as low as $70. Any balcony cabin on an Aruba cruise priced under $150 per night is a good deal. When it comes to suites, look for rooms priced under $250 per person per night.
The surprising part is the choice of cruise lines offering deals in those ranges. The list includes Holland America, Celebrity, and Norwegian Cruise Line, posting the lowest priced Aruba cruise deals, followed by Carnival and Royal Caribbean. And if a bit more luxury is your aim, check out Windstar, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, and Seabourn, which all cruise to Aruba in the winter and early spring months.
Seasonal Aruba Cruise Deals
Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be the best times to book your cruise to Aruba. Black Friday deals often top off low fares with extras like onboard credit, low deposits, and extra perks like beverage packages. If you miss those Aruba deals, shop during the coldest months of January and February, when cruise prices are typically at their lowest.
Aruba cruise prices are at their peak in June and July, followed closely by March when spring breakers pour onto cruise ships and airplanes bound for anywhere warm. Because there are no short Aruba cruises, prices and capacity are affected a little less by spring break season than say Bahamas cruises, but they do still rise a bit, and you can expect to find the island overwhelmed by young people most of March and into April.
The lowest prices we found for Aruba cruises were in late November and early December, followed by February.
Aruba Cruise Deal Boosters and Busters: Itineraries, Packages, Excursions and Onboard Attractions
We found good deals on cruises as short as seven nights, but the best prices were often 9- to 12-night itineraries. An example was the 12-night sailing we found on NCL from Miami, offering balcony cabins for as low as $123 per night. Factor in NCL’s “Free at Sea” inclusive packages, and that becomes a sweeter deal.
Aruba is a relatively small island, but it packs a big punch when it comes to what it offers to cruise guests. Popular excursions include snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, and visiting the Aruban Arikok National Park. There are also several golf courses on the island. The cost of excursions can make or break your deal. Because Aruba has an abundance of tour offerings, you may find that it’s possible to save money booking independently, rather than through the cruise line, unless your line offers included tours or excursion credits.
Because cruises to Aruba often are heavy with sea days, this may be a cruise where you’ll benefit from cruising on a ship with all the bells and whistles that you and your cruise partners need to stay busy. Ahem, we’re talking to you, parents of tweens and teens. Yes, you’re going to have fun in Aruba and on the other islands your cruise visits, but you’ll all be happier onboard a ship with slides, rides, and gizmos designed with families in mind between those ports of call.
How to Snag the Best Aruba Cruise Deals: Tips for Beginners
Here are some basic tips for finding the best Aruba cruise deals:
Sign up for email lists. Many cruise lines offer special discounts and promotions to subscribers of their email lists. And don't forget the Cruise Critic deals list.
Check out Cruise Critic's Caribbean cruise deals, which are ranked with an easy-to-understand score from 0 to 100. The closer to 100, the better the deal.
If you have specific dates you can cruise to Aruba, like when your kids are out of school, aim to book a full year ahead. We found those prices were consistently better than what you'd find booking only six months ahead of time. That especially applies to Disney Cruise Line. Plan to book a summer Disney Aruba cruise 18 months ahead.
Compare prices. Don't just book the first cruise you find. Instead, take some time to compare prices between different cruise lines and travel agencies -- always breaking down the price per person per night so you can compare accurately.
Aruba Cruise Deals Tips and Tricks for Aspiring Experts
Even though we said book ahead, watch for last-minute deals. If you're flexible with your travel dates or live close to a homeport, you can often find astonishing deals on cruises that are leaving soon. We found $85 per person per night balcony cabins on a last-minute 7-night cruise on Celebrity from San Juan.
Join social groups dedicated to cruising to Aruba. You'll be amazed at the information you can get. Topping the list is the community on the Cruise Critic message boards.
If your heart is set on getting to Aruba, don't rule out the lowest priced interior cabins. The worst that can happen is that you'll find yourself spending more time on deck than in your cruise cabin.
Do "test" bookings, where you walk all the way through to the final fare with all your discounts applied (including loyalty memberships and discounts for age, residency, and occupation if you are a first responder or member of the military). On lines that have add-on packages, you'll usually be able to see what the cruise-only fare is so you can compare your other options. Going all the way to the end is the only way to know what you’re getting and what you'll really be paying.