Cruise Lines

Christmas is coming and there are some amazing bargains out there for anyone who can get away at fairly short notice.

Here are some of the latest "can't afford to say no" prices I've received in the past few days.

* Gills Cruise Centre: 15-day Caribbean Christmas cruise from Barbados on P&O Cruises' Ventura departing 18 December 2009. Balcony from £1,499 per person including flights from East Midlands. That's less that £100 a night and you get a flight and balcony in the bargain.

Or if you'd prefer to spend the new year at sea, there's a 15-day cruise on Ventura departing Barbados on January 1 2010. Better price -  from £999 per person - but it's for an inside

To book either cruise, click here or call Gills on 08456 58 23 23.

* Tropical Sky: 17-night cruise-and-stay, combining a 13-night transatlantic crossing and Caribbean cruise on Costa Cruises' Costa Mediterranea with four nights' all-inclusive at the Almond Smugglers Cove in St Lucia. Departs Savona in Italy on December 5 2009 and costs from £1,099 - less than £65 a night - including flights from the UK to Savona. To book, click here or call 0870 907 9600.

* Carnival Cruise Lines: Seven-night Southern Caribbean Christmas cruise on Carnival Victory departing San Juan in Puerto Rico on December 20 costs from £619 per person for a balcony cabin. That's £88 a night, but you have to book your own flights.

Or if you fancy trying Carnival's new ship, Carnival Dream, there a seven-nighter departing Port Canaveral in Florida on December 19 with inside cabins from £579 per person. Again, no flights though.

The Carnival prices are only available through your travel agent - tell them to look in Amadeus Cruise.

* Oceania Cruises. OK, not Christmas and not quite so cheap, but a great deal nontheless - a 21-night cruise from Sydney to Bangkok on Nautica departing February 8 2010 from £1,799 per person.

It doesn't say, so I'm guessing it's for an inside cabin and I know there's no flight, but that's 60% off the normal price and they'll pay your gratuities as well. There are also big savings on South American and Asian cruises. To book, click here or call Oceania on 0845 505 1920.