Holiday Cruises That Won't Bankrupt You

Exploring exotic destinations during one trip is just part of the quest. Being onboard award-winning ships with crazy adventures such as skydiving will certainly not ruin your trip. Doing all that during the holidays instead of staying home cooking large meals is even better. The trips' prices on the following list are all based on booking interior rooms.

How about celebrating Thanksgiving on a ship and have the meal prepared for you? It'll probably be cheaper than buying the products and cooking it yourself. The 4-Day Bahamas from Miami cruise is $299 from Nov. 20-24 and $199 from Nov. 27 – Dec. 1. The best part (for some): Open Bar! Island hop your way to Grand Bahama Island, swim with dolphins, kayak in a national park, and have an unforgettable holiday.

Start the new year right with an adventure at sea. You can be on the Norwegian Start ship departing from Los Angeles on Dec. 29 for a week. The 7 Night Mexican Riviera trip will take you to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas for $849, or $121 per person per night. The price includes shipboard accommodations, ocean transportation, entertainment and daily activities, on-board meals and non-alcoholic beverages.

Spending 11 days on a cruise, including Thanksgiving, for $599 is a great deal. The 11-Day Southern Caribbean from Miami will bring you to the incredibly white sands and cobalt blue seas that make Aruba a popular destination. See the picturesque, sherbet-colored Dutch colonial buildings. Walk around the quaint harbor town of Willemstad, Curacao and you'll think you've travelled back in time to Old Amsterdam. Other places you'll visit are St. John's, Antigua, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas.

Wouldn't you like to spend Christmas in Rome after a sensational week-long trip cruising the Mediterranean Sea? The 7 Day Western Mediterranean Cruise will take you to Palermo, Valletta, Barcelona (go before they put a cap on tourists), Marseille, Genoa before going back to the Eternal City. It will cost you $629, but kids under 11 years age sail for free. Members of the U.S. military get discounts.

Go on an amazing 11-day vacation traveling the Mediterranean Sea around Thanksgiving. Immerse yourself in the ancient ruins and rich culture of Rome, explore Mt. Etna through the scenic countryside, and learn about the beautiful Gothic architecture in Granada. The 11 Day Mediterranean from Rome cruise costs $649, and you get an unlimited free open bar.

See the stunning Baja California Peninsula in Northwestern Mexico and celebrate New Year in style. There are several departing options for the 4 Day Baja Cruise, one of which is leaving on Dec. 31. The price start at $479 but you can get up to $1,600 cash back, $50 onboard credit, reduced rates on high occupancy cabins as well as special resident rates.

You don't have to fly to Miami to save money on a dream cruise that includes Thanksgiving. The 11 Night Eastern Caribbean will take you from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Basseterre, St. Kitts, and Tortola, British Virgin Islands for $499 or $45 per person per night. You'll be on the Norwegian Gem ship which offers the ultimate Freestyle Cruising experience. It features many dining options including Asian, French, Italian and steakhouse restaurants, lots of bustling bars and lounges, a casino, a spa, and dazzling entertainment.

This is a trip that starts on Nov. 20 and ends on Nov. 30. Relax this year at sea and spend quality time with your family. You can visit Cartagena, Colombia, the Panama Canal, Puerto Limon, Costa Rica and Grand Cayman for as little as $649. The ship, Caribbean Princess, offers a perfect blend of indoor and outdoor amenities. Take in a film at Movies Under the Stars and relax in The Sanctuary adults-only area. Have fun at the four pools, while the little ones are having fun at the kids club.

The 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Tampa will take you to Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Roatan, which is an otherworldly island you have to see before you die. Why not see all these places around Thanksgiving instead of staying home cooking an impossibly large mea? You may wonder if the price is right. Is $430 for a week OK? You can get up to $150 instant savings before Oct. 15 and  the second guest gets half off if booked by Oct. 31.

Spend Thanksgiving at sea for as little as $331 or $47 per person per night. Explore San Juan, St. Thomas, Basse Terr, Saint Johns, Castries and Bridgetown. The fare of the 7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise includes first-at sea features, lively entertainment, dining, rock climbing walls, ice skating, a zip line and FlowRider® surf machines. Some ships have Broadway hit musicals like Chicago and Hairspray.