Best Cruise Deals in 2004 Found in the Caribbean

Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Cruising continues to be one of the cheapest travel deals around, with the Caribbean topping the list for savings in 2004, according to inventory available at discount travel site Hotwire.com.

Cruise lines are unveiling 12 new ships in the Caribbean alone this year, meaning more than 24,000 additional cabins to fill and big discounts to fill them. According to Cruise Industry News, the cruise industry is expected to grow 12 - 14 percent in 2004, with the most growth concentrated in the Caribbean.

"We're seeing all-inclusive cruise deals to the Caribbean for less than $70 a night per person -- clearly one of the best travel deals this year," said Gregg Brockway, chief product officer at Hotwire.com. "While the new ships are showing great prices to fill empty rooms, we're also seeing amazing last-minute deals on some of the older ships, as cruise lines are dropping prices to compete."

Catch the Wave with a Hotwire.com Cruise

Below are examples of discount cruise rates offered this week on Hotwire*

• Sail from Galveston to the Western Caribbean -- Five nights from $309 on Carnival's "Celebration"
• Cruise from San Juan to the Southern Caribbean -- Seven nights from $349 on Carnival's "Jubilee"
• Five Star Voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Key West/Cozumel -- Four nights from $417 on Celebrity Cruises's "Summit"
• Four Star Cruise from San Juan to the Southern Caribbean -- Seven nights from $749 on Royal Caribbean's "Serenade of the Seas"
• Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean -- Seven nights from $599 on Princess Cruises's "Grand Princess"
• Sail from Fort Lauderdale to Key West/Cozumel -- Four nights from $432 on Royal Caribbean's "Enchantment of the Seas"
• Cruise from Port Canaveral to the Eastern Caribbean -- Seven nights from $549 on Holland America's "Zaandam"

Hotwire's discount cruise product guarantees the lowest rates available on more than 25,000 cruise itineraries worldwide via a partnership with CruisesOnly, the World's Largest Cruise Agency and a division of NLG. All cruise sales are backed by Satisfaction and Best Rates Guarantees. In addition to guaranteed best pricing, customers can view and choose all details of a Hotwire cruise, including port and destination cities, cruise ship reviews, 360-degree virtual tours of more than 80 cruise ships and 24-hour customer care.

Best Rates Guarantee: After you book a cruise with Hotwire, if you find a lower advertised rate for which you qualify, Hotwire/CruisesOnly will match the rate. Full details of the "Best Price Guarantee" are available at www.hotwire.com under "cruises."

* All rates are per person, double occupancy and include port charges. Government taxes and fees are additional. Limited availability and based on minimum fares for select departure dates. Other dates may be higher. Cruise only fares do not include $14.95 per booking service fee. Foreign Departure Taxes up to $45 may also apply and are payable to the Foreign Government Authority. These rates are for new individual bookings only. Not responsible for last minute changes of price or itinerary by cruise line, or any errors or omissions in the content of this ad. Some restrictions and cancellation penalties may apply.

For more information, visit www.hotwire.com.

Source: Hotwire.com