Sail Away for a Long Weekend
By Jason Frye
Set your sights on the high seas for a short cruise that will delight your family and set a high bar for vacations to come. Join an inaugural sailing to the Caribbean, sail on the biggest ship on the seas or head out to Mexico. Whether you hop aboard a ship from Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises or Carnival Cruise Line, these shorter cruises offer great escapes from ports in the United States.
Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas rendering
ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Sail With Royal Caribbean’s Biggest
Royal Caribbean launched the largest cruise ship in the world, Icon of the Seas, in early 2024. This massive ship holds 7,600 passengers, stands 20 decks tall and is nearly 1,200 feet long. It’s packed with experiences, from the biggest water park at sea to an ice rink. But Icon sails out of Miami on seven-night sailings across the Caribbean, so if you want to get on a brand-new mega-ship for a weekend getaway, what can you do? Wait. In June 2024, Utopia of the Seas launches. This massive sister ship has more than 40 restaurants, bars and entertainment venues; five pools, eight hot tubs and three waterslides; and it sails the Caribbean on three- to four-night sailings. Utopia voyages to Nassau, Bahamas, and to Perfect Day at CocoCay (the line’s private island for family fun).
Having fun at Perfect Day at CocoCay
Other ships also ply the seas for long weekends—Allure of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas—additional ones in the Royal Caribbean fleet call on the Western Caribbean and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. For example, Radiance of the Seas sails the West Coast from Los Angeles to Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada.
Mayan ruins, Tulum, Mexico
GETTY IMAGES
Cruise Like a Celebrity
The dining on Celebrity is so good you might look in the mirror and mistake yourself for an Oscar winner, but you don’t need to spend movie star-money to sail with this renowned line. Its affordable two- to five-day cruises depart from a long list of U.S. ports to explore the Caribbean—The Bahamas, the Mexican Riviera, Bimini and beyond. Eight ships sail from Miami, Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fort Lauderdale or Tampa. Each vessel is loaded with things to do, from kids’ clubs and Broadway-style shows to casinos and spas. Dine in dozens of venues, where the yummy noshing runs the gamut from casual bites to fine dining designed by Chef Daniel Boulud.
Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands
Set Sail for Fun With Carnival
Carnival continues to set a course for fun with a long list of sailings departing throughout 2024. Sailings depart from a dozen U.S. ports, including Miami; Port Canaveral (Orlando); Galveston, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; Long Beach (Los Angeles, California); and New York, among others. The voyages last three to five days and call on The Bahamas and Half Moon Cay (the line’s exclusive island playground), Cozumel, the Mexican Riviera and Bermuda.
Family Harbor stateroom on board a Carnival ship
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Every ship in the fleet was built for a good time. With kid-focused and adults-only areas, more than a dozen restaurants and bars, and plenty of pools, games and onboard activities, passengers never lack for a good time. Restaurants sometimes include offerings from celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri, plus personalities like Shaqille O’Neal and Carnival’s own Chef Rudi Sodamin, a character in his own right.
Whether your palate needs refreshing or your soul rejuvenating, these short cruises satisfy.
Your knowledgeable AAA Travel Agent can help you find the long weekend sailing that fits your budget and quick getaway goals. When you book with AAA, whether online or with an expert travel agent, you receive special AAA Member benefits and AAA Vacations® amenities.