After disasters, cruise discounts

Cruise lines are using two-for-one deals, onboard ship credits, discounted airfares, "free" gratuities, even chocolate-dipped strawberries to jump-start business as they cope with a tsunami of bad news this year.

First came safety fears raised by the January shipwreck of the Costa Concordia in Italy, then a fire aboard a sister ship, the Costa Allegra, in the Indian Ocean in late February. An outbreak of the norovirus forced a Princess Cruises ship to return to port.

Meanwhile, summer airfares to Europe are soaring, cutting into European cruise sales.

As "wave season," the January-March period when cruise lines offer their best deals, draws to a close, lines are offering what Rich Skinner, co-owner of Cruise Holidays, of Woodinville, Wash., calls "the special du jour." "We're seeing a lot of cruise lines doing spot promotions, one- or two-day sales targeted to very specific departures," he said.

Can't commit to a full week of cruising this summer? Princess Cruises recently dropped ocean-view cabin fares from $899 a person to $549, plus $118 in taxes, for its five-day Alaska "sampler" cruise starting in Vancouver, British Columbia, May 15 and ending in Seattle May 20.

Planning way ahead? Carnival Cruise Lines offers an "early saver" program with up to 20 percent discounts for sailings purchased three to five months in advance.

Sweeteners are common, says Clem Bason, president of Hotwire.com, which carries a running list of top cruise deals on its website.

Norwegian Cruise Line recently enticed passengers with free cabin upgrades, $150 onboard credits and free soda packages.

Carnival told investors recently that passengers holding out for deep discounts may be disappointed, but with bookings running far behind last year, Bason isn't so sure.

"I would tell people to really keep looking for value this year, because I think you're going to be able to get it."