10 Cheapest Cruises In 2026
- Tori Carter
- 21 hours ago
- 5 min read
How We Cruise the World for Less: 10 INSANELY Cheap Repositioning Cruises for 2026
This post supports our YouTube video where we visually break down each cruise, show real ships and cabins, and explain how we actually find these deals in real life.
Cruise prices have gone up — sometimes shockingly so. But here’s the good news: if you know where to look and when to sail, cruising can still be one of the cheapest ways to travel the world.
One of our favorite strategies for keeping costs low while traveling full-time on cruise ships is repositioning cruises.
In this post, we’re breaking down:
What repositioning cruises are
Why they’re so cheap
And 10 insanely affordable repositioning cruises for 2026, across 10 different cruise lines
Some of these sailings come in as low as $29 per person, per night — and no, that’s not a mistake.
👉 We’ve added links throughout this post to our YouTube channel, so you can see the ships, cabins, and onboard experience for yourself before booking anything.
What Is a Repositioning Cruise?
A repositioning cruise happens when a ship needs to move from one cruising region to another due to seasonal changes.
For example:
Caribbean ➝ Europe
Europe ➝ North America
Alaska ➝ Asia
Instead of sailing the ship empty, cruise lines sell the cabins — often at deeply discounted prices.
These cruises usually include:
More sea days
One-way itineraries
Longer sailings
For flexible travelers, retirees, digital nomads, and long-term cruisers like us, repositioning cruises are absolute gold.
Why Are Repositioning Cruises So Cheap?
Several reasons:
They’re one-way (not ideal for traditional vacationers)
They include long stretches at sea
Fewer people are searching for them
Cruise lines just need the ship moved
But here’s the thing — you still get:
Your cabin
All meals
Entertainment
Transportation across oceans
That’s why we often say repositioning cruises can be cheaper than flying, especially when you factor in hotels and food.
The Cheapest Repositioning Cruises for 2026
Below are the cheapest repositioning cruise we found for each major cruise line in 2026. Prices are based on interior cabins and are meant to show realistic budget potential, not luxury splurging.
Throughout this list, you’ll see prompts like:
“If you want to see what this ship or cabin actually looks like, check out this video here.”
That’s intentional — because seeing the ship matters just as much as the price.
1. MSC Grandiosa — $29 Per Night
14 nights | April 18, 2026
Port Canaveral ➝ Barcelona
Interior cabin
Ports include Port Canaveral, Miami, St. Maarten, Funchal (Portugal), and Barcelona.
At roughly $29 per person, per night, this transatlantic crossing is one of the cheapest we’ve ever seen.
👉 Want to see what an MSC balcony cabin looks like? Check out our MSC Fantasia cabin tour on YouTube here. MSC offers strong entertainment, solid food, and a comfortable place to sleep — which is really all you need at this price.
2. Carnival Freedom — $620 Total
13 nights | August 18, 2026
Port Canaveral ➝ Barcelona
Interior cabin
Stops include the Bahamas, Gibraltar, Malaga, and Alicante.
Carnival is known for its fun, lively atmosphere — casual, energetic, and very approachable for first-time or budget cruisers.
👉 Curious what a Carnival ship experience is really like? We’ve been on Carnival Radiance and posted it on our YouTube channel — This sailing works out to about $48 per night, making it an excellent value for a transatlantic cruise.
3. Sky Princess — $51 Per Night
14 nights | March 8, 2026
Port Canaveral ➝ Southampton
Interior cabin
Ports include Portugal, Morocco, and Spain.
Princess Cruises offers a polished, relaxed onboard experience with great food and entertainment — a very comfortable way to cross the Atlantic.
👉 We've been on over 30 Princess cruises. Do you want to know more about them? We have a playlist on Youtube, or you can watch a video about the Sky Princess specifically.
4. Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas — $54 Per Night
15 nights | October 16–31, 2026
Southampton ➝ Galveston
Interior cabin
With stops in Spain and Portugal, this Freedom-class ship delivers big entertainment, lively promenades, and plenty to do during sea days.
👉 Want a real look at Royal Caribbean entertainment? Check out a video of a band called "Backchat" here.
5. Holland America Rotterdam — $60 Per Night
14 nights | March 22, 2026
Fort Lauderdale ➝ Rotterdam
Interior cabin
Stops include multiple ports in England and Belgium.
Holland America is known for excellent food, enrichment programs, and a calm onboard atmosphere — perfect for longer sailings.
👉 We’ve sailed Holland America extensively. You can see a few Holland America videos here on our YouTube channel here.
6. Cunard Queen Mary 2 — $61 Per Night
8 nights | January 3, 2026
New York ➝ Southampton
Interior cabin
This iconic transatlantic crossing has no port stops — just classic ocean-liner elegance, formal nights, and afternoon tea.
👉 If you’re curious what Cunard and the Queen Mary 2 are really like, we have Cunard-related cruise content you can watch on YouTube here.
7. Celebrity Constellation — $61 Per Night
15 nights | April 12, 2026
Tampa ➝ Rome
Interior cabin
Stops include Bermuda, Portugal, and Spain.
Celebrity Cruises delivers a modern, refined experience with strong dining and comfortable accommodations.
8. Norwegian Star — $64 Per Night
13 nights | April 13–26, 2026
Tampa ➝ Lisbon
Interior cabin
Ports include Key West, Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.
Norwegian’s freestyle cruising makes this a relaxed, casual option with plenty of dining choices.
👉 If you want a real walkthrough of Norwegian ships and cabins, check out our Norwegian Cruise Line videos on YouTube here.
9. Costa Fascinosa — $71 Per Night
20 nights | March 6, 2026
Caribbean ➝ Barcelona
Interior cabin
This itinerary includes Guadeloupe, St. Kitts, the Dominican Republic, Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, the Canary Islands, and Morocco.
Twenty nights. That many ports. At that price? An outstanding deal.
👉 We’ve done a full video on Costa Fascinosa. You can watch that ship tour and review on our YouTube channel here.
10. Azamara Quest — Luxury Pick at $93 Per Night
12 nights | March 26, 2026
Miami ➝ Lisbon
Interior cabin
Stops include Bermuda.
Azamara is a luxury cruise line — and this fare includes drinks, gratuities, and specialty dining.
👉 We’ve sailed Azamara and documented the experience. You can watch our Azamara videos on YouTube. For under $100 per night, this is exceptional value.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever thought cruising was “too expensive,” repositioning cruises completely change that narrative.
Repositioning cruises are one of the smartest ways to travel long distances comfortably — and affordably.
You don’t need unlimited money to cruise the world... You need flexibility, timing, and the right strategy.
These 10 repositioning cruises for 2026 prove that incredible travel deals are still out there — if you know where to look and you’re willing to be flexible.
👉 For full ship tours, cabin walkthroughs, and honest cruising advice, be sure to explore our YouTube channel and watch the companion video to this post.
👉 Be sure to watch our full YouTube video for visuals, ship tours, and real-world commentary from our experience living full-time on cruise ships.
Happy cruising!
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