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Welcome to the start of the most significant sale period of the year - Wave Season 2025!

Writer's picture: Fleet Captain JamesFleet Captain James

New Website: www.6star4less.com
New Website: www.6star4less.com

Watch. Wait and get ready to jump in when your dream cruise drops in price.


Things have started to thaw after an extended, cold snap (price-wise) over Christmas with few discounts. Only this weekend have we begun to see a slow trickle of great discounts hitting our inbox. As the ice of the corporate shutdown starts to melt, this trickle will become a flood.


Airline employees: Azamara has not yet dropped any new or significant interline rates (Regent and Explorer), but all the others will follow shortly.


From $300 USD p/p -p/n
From $300 USD p/p -p/n

Most high-end brands are still being pretty cagey about blinking first.


However, I am pleased to report that Azamara has just released some ripper deals, not just for this year but also for the peak season in 2026.


Below, I have highlighted only a dozen of the most exceptional deals. This is just the start, and I expect to see more deals from Azamara across all dates and regions.


Azamara offers the biggest bang for your buck, including beer, wine, standard spirits, and all taxes, port fees, and gratuities on small ships with a capacity of no more than 700 people, so getting on and off the ship is a breeze.


They can dock when bigger ships have to tend, and they routinely stay much longer in port with late-night departures and many overnight stays in the most sought-after ports. This means you will often be the only ship in port after 6 pm and the local town to yourselves.


If any of these match what you are looking for, I’ll jump in now, as these are the most sought-after itineraries in prime peak seasons.


A few cautionary notes:


The Balcony conundrum:

  • Limited balcony cabins are available on the voyages highlighted below.

  • Many people won't consider a cruise unless they can get a balcony.

  • This can be a limiting mindset because these are some of the most in-demand itineraries featuring smaller ports with less capacity, and hence, fewer options are available.

  • If you are not willing to consider non-balcony options, you may be unable to afford the higher prices that balconies command.

  • Trust me on this: in the Med, in the peak of summer, the last place you want to be is in your cabin.

  • Sailing into or out of exotic ports, the only place to be is up on deck, by the pool bar, enjoying the live music.

  • For my money, I'd take an ocean-view cabin to get the itinerary I most desire rather than sail in a balcony cabin on a B List voyage.

  • Jack and I still, to this day, will happily book an ocean-view cabin.

  • Heck, some of these itineraries are so incredible that we'd even book an inside cabin, especially if your budget is tight.

  • If you are not convinced, think back to all the crappy views I'm sure you have encountered in even top-end hotels in Europe. I firmly believe that a room is to sleep, and your money is better spent on experiences.


The best of the best come at a premium:

  • Any cruise that touches Venice, Rome, the Greek Islands, or Croatia will always command a higher price.

  • I can absolutely guarantee that when you sail these regions, you will understand why they come with a premium and will be glad you spent the extra money.

  • Be mindful that you may visit some of the ports included below only once in your life; I'd much rather go now when you can than miss out because of a few hundred or even a thousand dollars.


Book now or wait - how to decide:

  • If your heart and mind are irrelatively set on a balcony, here's what you should do to help you decide whether to book now or wait.

  • Click through to the cruises you have short-listed and check how many cabins remain unsold. Future discounting all swings on this.

  • If there are many cabins left, there is a good chance that prices might drop.

  • If there are not many, you run the risk that prices may increase or that the cruise will sell out.

  • Many get too focused on how much a cruise retails for and the size of the discount they have obtained, and I am guilty of this, too, in how I promote our deals.

  • But in the end, if you find a cruise that ticks all of your boxes and is within your budget, it doesn't matter if it is discounted by 5% or 95%.

  • If it's the cruise you want and can afford, that is a Great deal.


Value vs Cost

  • Focusing on the cost per night rather than the size of any discount or the total fare is a better metric for deciding on the best deal.

  • If you have been to Europe recently, you will know that hotels, meals, transport, entertainment, and sightseeing can easily see you spending a minimum of $300-$500 daily.

  • When you compare the deals below, remember that Cruising helps your hard-earned dollars go further by offering a set-price component of your holiday at a much lower cost than you can ever do on land.


Over the next few weeks, we will see a flood of deals from all brands across all regions and all dates.


Will these be the best deals and prices?

Maybe not, but will these be the best deals for these itineraries? If only a few cabins are left, the answer is likely yes. Again, the bigger cruise lines are limited in offering similar itineraries, especially along the Croatian coast.

I will make more posts highlighting the best and regularly posting to our Facebook Groups.


With all that in mind, I am pleased to present the best deals for the year ahead.




  • Click through to access the World's Largest Crusie Database and view

  • Live pricing

  • All unsold cabins

  • Price available upgrades

  • With Azmara, avoid you can Cat 8 Ocean View as these are heavily obscured.



Note that all prices below and links will display prices in USD.

We can sell these in AUD, but this may not always be the cheapest option. Ask us to check.



From $318 USD p/p - p/d
From $318 USD p/p - p/d

From $330 USD p/p - p/d
From $330 USD p/p - p/d

From $234 USD p/p - p/d
From $234 USD p/p - p/d

From $330 USD p/p - p/d
From $330 USD p/p - p/d

From $303 p/p - p/d
From $303 p/p - p/d

From $290 USD p/p - p/d
From $290 USD p/p - p/d

From $269 USD p/p - p/d
From $269 USD p/p - p/d

From $357 USD p/p p/d
From $357 USD p/p p/d

From $300 p/p - p/d
From $300 p/p - p/d


From $314 USD p/p p/d
From $314 USD p/p p/d

From $300 USD p/p - p/d
From $300 USD p/p - p/d

The deals detailed above are my picks. However, you can run your DIY search below. Save the link, as you can check price fluctuations in real-time 24/7.


Change the month and year in the filter to when you want to cruise.



Before I close, if you have the Arctic or the Kimberley on your bucket list for 2026 - it's not too late to go on the waitlist and join me sailing on a Silversea Expedition Voyage in June or the Kimberley on Seabourn in August - full details here:


To book any of these above, click here.





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