Spring thaw cruises, from $493

updated 1:26 p.m. ET Sept. 29, 2008

Book by: ASAP
Travel by: April 2009

The deal
By March, many of us are anticipating April showers and subsequent May flowers. Sure, there may be delightful discounts on late-season skiing, but if you’re among the savvy-traveler contingency looking forward to a getaway where you can leave the boots and parkas behind, we suggest taking advantage of the hot early-bird discounts we found on March cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean. With rates reduced as much as 72 percent these sailings are sure to aid the spring thaw. Priced from $493, cabins won’t last!

Save $1,150 on Caribbean seven nighter
For a seven-night cruise at deep discounts, look no further than Carnival’s weeklong Western Caribbean sailing. Normally priced from $1,669, cabins on both the March 8 and 22 departures start at just $499. That’s a reduction of 71 percent off rack rates! Ocean views can be had for just $100 more. The Carnival Triumph makes a circle around Cuba from Miami stopping first in Cozumel, just off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. George Town, Grand Cayman, is the second port of call and then it’s on to Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Three days at sea are also mixed in to the itinerary before the ship returns to port in Miami.

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57 percent off Disney cruise
If you prefer a shorter trip, then consider this three-night Disney jaunt to the Bahamas, aboard the Disney Wonder. The ship departs Port Canaveral, Florida, for a day in tropical, pastel-hued Nassau, followed by a second day on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Later, you’ll cruise overnight to ensure an early morning arrival back in Florida. With four sail dates to choose from in March — the 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th — you have more than a few opportunities to save as much as $710! Interior cabins, normally priced at $1,153, start as low as $493 on the March 5 departure.

68 percent off San Juan departure
Another cruise from Carnival — a seven-night excursion from San Juan, Puerto Rico — delivers as many as seven vacations in one, with savings as great as $940, to boot. The expedition aboard the Carnival Victory features six ports of call. Setting sail from San Juan, the ship stops first in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, before heading deeper into the Caribbean. Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua and St. Kitts are also on the itinerary. Interior staterooms on four out of the five sailings in March start at $529. And you can snag ocean-view cabins on the March 1 and March 29 departures from just $649.

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Cool Caribbean
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The dollars
Rate are per person and based on double occupancy. All your on-board accommodations, meals, and entertainment are covered, as well as port charges. Taxes, government fees, alcoholic beverages, gratuities and personal, on-shore costs are your responsibility.

The catch
Expect a few more weeks of chilly temps even once your return home.

Spring thaw cruises, from $493

Sail to the Bahamas and the Caribbean for up to 71 percent off

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