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World of Cruising, along with our sister publication, Cruise Trade News, has one of the UK’s most experienced teams of cruise journalists and contributors. Our experts have racked up hundreds of nights at sea with most cruise lines. Most weeks, one of our writers will be at sea or on a river. Here, that expertise shapes our advice on snagging a Wave Season deal.
What is Wave Season?
Wave Season is the cruise industry’s biggest annual sales period, typically running from January through to March and, in some cases, into April. It’s when cruise lines release time-limited offers designed to drive early bookings, making it one of the best windows for securing a deal that feels genuinely ‘worth it’.
Incentives vary considerably between cruise lines, but often include fare reductions, low deposits, complimentary drinks packages, onboard credit or flight savings.
We’ve reviewed this season’s offers and selected 20 that stand out for all the right reasons.
1. Marella Cruises
This all-inclusive cruise line kicked off 2026 by launching its Wave Season sale, offering guests the chance to save up to £300 by booking with a customer account and using the code SAILAWAY. The promotional code is valid on sailings of seven nights or more departing between April 1st, 2026, and April 30th, 2027.
The deal includes £200 off per booking on short and mid-haul sailings around the Canaries and Mediterranean, or £300 off per booking on transatlantic cruises and long-haul sailings around the Caribbean. Be sure to book before the offer ends at midnight on March 2nd, 2026, to make the most of the discount.
For a full roundup of eligible itineraries and T&Cs, head to TUI’s website.
2. Princess Cruises
This premium cruise line has launched a V.I.P. sale, offering guests the chance to secure their voyage with a £99 deposit per person. Savings of up to £800 per stateroom (or £200 per person) are also available, depending on voyage length and cabin category.
To take advantage of these savings, you must book an eligible cruise by the 2nd of March 2026. Destinations covered include East Asia, the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada, the Mediterranean and more. Notably, a number of no-fly cruises sailing directly from Southampton are featured.
Princess Cruises is additionally offering up to $500 in onboard spend per stateroom on bookings made by January 19th, 2026. This can be redeemed on extras like shore excursions, gifts from the onboard boutique or bottles of bubbly.
See Princess Cruises’ website for full T&Cs.
3. Seabourn
This Wave Season, those with a taste for ultra-luxury can make the most of Seabourn’s best deal of the year. With its Explore More Event, the cruise line is offering up to 15 per cent savings, along with up to $1,000 shipboard credit per suite, dependent on the category you select.
An expansive selection of cruises and expeditions to destinations such as Asia, Alaska, the Mediterranean, Antarctica, South America and the Caribbean are eligible. Examples include a seven-day cruise of classic Caribbean yacht harbours, a two-week sailing of Japan in cherry blossom season and 15 days exploring the Chilean fjords and Patagonia.
To save on your sailing, make sure to book by the 17th of February 2026. Check out Seabourn’s website for full T&Cs and more itineraries.
4. Riviera Travel
The winner of the Grand Prix at the 2025 Wave Awards is offering its best-ever offer this Wave Season: 10 per cent savings across every 2026 Riviera holiday booked before the 16th of February 2026. Plus, selected boosted departures will get a total of 20 per cent off.
You can enjoy discounts on cruises on boutique, five-star river ships sailing waterways such as the Danube, Rhine, Rhône, Seine and Nile, to name but a few. That’s as well as ocean cruises, including yacht sailings in the Adriatic and tall ship voyages around the Greek Islands.
Visit Riviera Travel’s website for the full T&Cs and a rundown of its different holiday types.
5. Hurtigruten
If you’re dreaming of a holiday spent among the Norwegian fjords or above the Arctic Circle, Hurtigruten’s Wave Season sale is a compelling reason to book.
You can save up to 30 per cent on Coastal Express cruises running until the 31st of March 2027, across all cabin grades. Savings are also available on Svalbard line sailings between May 12th and September 9th, 2026, and on the North Cape Line between the 20th of November and the 10th of December 2026, though discounts on these itineraries apply to select staterooms only.
In addition, guests can claim up to £250 in onboard credit on select Northern Lights and astronomy-themed voyages.
To make the most of these Wave Season promotions, book by the 28th of February 2026. See Hurtigruten’s website for travel inspiration and full T&Cs.
6. Oceania Cruises
To start the year off right, this luxury line is offering an ‘Upgrade Your Experience’ promotion. The incentive includes up to 40 per cent off and deposits reduced by up to 50 per cent. If that wasn’t generous enough, Oceania Cruises is also offering guests the choice of a double shore excursion credit or an upgraded beverage package with unlimited wine, beer and spirits.
Itineraries included in the promotion feature the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Australia, the Mediterranean and South America, among other bucket-list destinations.
To take advantage of the deal, book by the 4th of March 2026. See all other T&Cs at Oceania Cruises’ website.
7. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has launched its Upgrade Your Horizon offer, which applies to select 2026 sailings booked by the 28th of February. Guests can enjoy a free suite upgrade, plus up to 30 per cent off select 2026 sailings, depending on the stateroom category. That’s on top of a low 7.5 per cent deposit across destinations.
Examples of eligible itineraries include their Icelandic Rhapsody, Spanish & Moroccan Delights, Alaskan Escape, Lesser Antilles Journey and many more.
Visit the Regent Seven Seas Cruises website to read the full T&Cs.
8. HX Expeditions
In 2026, HX is marking a significant milestone: 130 years of exploration. To celebrate the anniversary, it’s launching a special Wave Season campaign, with the chance to score up to 30 per cent off all-inclusive expeditions in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Guests new to HX can also receive up to £200 per person in onboard credit to spend on excursions, wellness treatments and more, while returning guests can enjoy five per cent off.
Examples of eligible destinations include the Galápagos (up to 30 per cent off), Antarctica (up to 20 per cent off) and Greenland (15 per cent off).
To see the full T&Cs, head to HX Expeditions’ website.
9. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
This cruise line, known for its mid to small-sized ships with strong enrichment programmes, is offering £200 per cabin in onboard credit for guests who book by the 29th of January. This can be redeemed against extras like curated wine tastings, shore excursions and luxurious spa treatments.
This is alongside Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ more inclusive pricing model, which has been introduced for 2026. Along with everything already covered, such as full board, entertainment, luggage porterage and guided walks in select destinations, the line’s Freedom Fare will now also include house wine and beer with lunch and dinner, as well as gratuities.
See Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ T&Cs on their website.
10. Silversea
This ultra-luxury cruise line is offering a time-limited Limitless Discovery offer on voyages departing through 2028. Guests can secure up to 40 per cent off voyages, with the precise reduction dependent on the suite category selected. A reduction in deposits is also available, starting from 15 per cent for an all-inclusive plus fare.
To access the deal, guests must book by February 28th, 2026, and select an eligible sailing. At the time of writing, that includes over 850 cruises, featuring destinations such as French Polynesia, Monte Carlo, Rio de Janeiro, St Barts, Antarctica, Easter Island, the Galápagos and more.
See Silversea’s website for full T&Cs.
11. TUI River Cruises
Guests can claim discounts on river cruises sailing between March 2026 and October 2027 by logging into myTUI and using the code RIVERSALE. Savings of up to £200 are available when you spend £2,500, or £300 when you spend £3,500.
Eligible itineraries include European rivers, such as the Danube, Rhine and Moselle, as well as all-inclusive Nile sailings with onboard Egyptologists on hand to provide guidance.
Note that this offer is only applicable to cruises of five nights or more. To see the full T&Cs, head to TUI’s website.
12. Cunard
With this heritage cruise line, known for its old-school glamour, you can enjoy up to $600 in onboard credit per balcony stateroom on selected voyages, so long as you book by midnight on the 16th of February 2026.
This can be redeemed against a variety of perks, from Harper’s Bazaar Wellness packages and photography classes to champagne afternoon tea and whisky tastings. The exact amount of onboard credit you’re entitled to is dependent on your cabin category.
To see eligible itineraries (including several sailing directly from Southampton) and full T&Cs, head to Cunard’s website.
13. Azamara Cruises
On select sailings, you can claim up to $1,000 in onboard credit per stateroom, depending on the length of your itinerary and your cabin category. This can be redeemed on shore excursions, spa treatments, speciality dining or other extras.
Eligible cruises include a Grand Prix weekend in the Mediterranean, an Eastern Caribbean itinerary that’s part of Azamara’s golf programme, and a transpacific sailing from Japan to Alaska.
To get the full amount of onboard credit, you must opt for a spa, ocean or world owner’s suite on a 12-night cruise. However, generous credit packages are available for shorter itineraries and lower stateroom categories.
Visit Azamara’s website to see full T&Cs.
14. Windstar Cruises
This luxury line, known for its fleet of yacht-style ships, is marking Wave Season with a Cruise Beyond promotion. With this deal, you can enjoy a complimentary all-inclusive package valued at £74 per guest per day, plus up to a third off your cruise fare. Select voyages departing through March 2027 feature the incentive.
Note that the deal is subject to availability, and bookings must be made by March 31st, 2026. See Windstar’s website for full T&Cs to find out more.
15. Holland America Line
HAL’s Start Your Journey Sale features free stateroom upgrades, up to $500 in onboard credit, reduced kids’ fares and more when you book select 2026 and 2027 cruises or cruisetours by the 26th of February. Destinations featured in eligible itineraries include Alaska, the Caribbean, East Asia, the California Coast, New England, Australia and more.
Guests taking a no-fly cruise from the UK can also benefit from free parking at Dover for the duration of their voyage, so long as they book by the 19th of March 2026.
See Holland America’s website for more itineraries and full T&Cs.
16. Norwegian Cruise Line
To see in 2026, NCL is offering enticing deals, including 50 per cent off all cruises booked before the 20th of January. That’s on top of other perks, such as £250 per person in airfare credit for guests who select a balcony category or above on voyages of six days or more.
Popular destinations to visit on an NCL cruise include Hawaii, the Mediterranean, Alaska and the Caribbean.
Guests also have the option to maximise value onboard by upgrading to a Free at Sea package from £249 per person.
Find out more and see the full T&Cs at NCL’s website.
17. Virgin Voyages
This adults-only cruise line, known for its sociable approach to cruising, is offering ‘a buy one fare, get the second for 80 per cent off’ deal. Additionally, if four sailors are travelling together and sharing one stateroom, all of them will receive 40 per cent off.
On top of this, Virgin Voyages is offering up to $400 in complimentary drinks per cabin. The amount on your bar tab will depend on your voyage length and your cabin category.
To claim this deal, you must book a featured itinerary by the 29th of January. Eligible sailings include Virgin Voyages’ iconic themed cruises – such as their comedy fests at sea – and Brilliant Lady’s inaugural season.
See Virgin Voyages’ website for comprehensive T&Cs.
18. Celebrity Cruises
For a limited time, you can enjoy at least 60 per cent off your second guest on a huge range of itineraries from Celebrity Cruises. These cover over 300 destinations, from Bermuda to Bali. Also, guests can enjoy an all-included upgrade for £50 per person per day for first and second guests on European sailings from May to December 2026.
To take advantage of this deal, you must book by the 2nd of March, though note that other deals, such as savings on select European flights, are available until January 19th.
See Celebrity Cruises’ website for T&Cs.
19. Viking
If you’re looking for a value-friendly approach to luxury, consider the Wave Season offering from this adults-only cruise line. With 2026, 2027 and 2028 river, ocean and expedition bookings, you can select between a free drinks package, £150 in onboard credit or a £150 saving per person. Destinations included on eligible itineraries vary from the Mekong and the Mississippi to the Great Lakes and the Panama Canal.
To claim your perk, simply book before the 26th of February and quote “Choose your offer” when on the phone with Viking’s reservation team. Alternatively, use the codes on the line’s special cruise savings page.
See Viking’s website for full details and T&Cs.
20. Havila Voyages
Guests interested in a bucket-list-worthy sailing in Norway on Havila Voyages' eco-conscious ships can now save £500 on a round-trip journey or £250 on a one-way trip. This offer will be automatically applied at checkout as long as you book before the 15th of March 2026.
As a bonus, 12-day round-trip voyages also come with a Northern Lights promise. This means that if you sail between the 1st of October and the 31st of March and the Northern Lights don’t appear, you’ll receive a complimentary six or seven-day voyage.
See Havila’s website for T&Cs.
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