Thanksgiving Cruise deals

(1:15 p.m. EST) - The cruise industry has finally caught on to the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal phenomenon in a big way, with lines and cruise agents offering a bevy of bargains over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

If you want to go into the holiday prepared, here's our preview of the deals and sales to come - including some that have started already.

Cruise Lines

Norwegian: Norwegian Cruise Line is running a holiday sale November 23 - 29, with savings on sailings of three days or longer to Alaska, Bahamas and Florida, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Europe and Hawaii. Perks include up to $250 onboard credit per stateroom (based on cruise length and cabin category) and reduced deposits.

Celebrity: You can save up to $150 on a Celebrity cruise if you book a balcony stateroom or suite. Celebrity's sale runs November 25 - 28.

Princess: In its first-ever After Thanksgiving sale, running from November 25 at noon PST to November 29 at 11:59 pm PST, Princess Cruises is offering savings on Alaska cruises and cruisetours. Book a tour, and you can save up to $1, 000 and receive up to a $50 onboard credit. Book an Alaska cruise, and you may be entitled to a free balcony upgrade and up to $100 onboard credit. Fares start at $699 per person for seven-night cruises. Note that the sale is available to residents of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico, and sale bookings require a nonrefundable deposit.

Costa: Costa is running a Thanksgiving sale on Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises, with 11-night Eastern Mediterranean cruises starting from $599, seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises starting from $399 and 10-night Caribbean cruises from $699. Plus, certain balcony cabin bookings are eligible for $100 per person in onboard credit, and select sailings featured reduced kids' fares. Online bookings open at midnight EST on November 24, and phone bookings begin November 25 at 9 a.m. The sale runs through Friday, while availability lasts.

Royal Caribbean: Royal Caribbean's Thanksgiving Holiday Sale will run November 25 - 29. It will feature reduced fares on select last minute sailings departing in December 2011 and January 2012.

Holland America: HAL is running a Thanksgiving Sale November 23 - 28 with offers on select itineraries. Seven-night Alaska cruises are on sale from $599, seven-night Caribbean cruises also start at $599 and include a free upgrade to an outside cabin, and reduced air add-ons, starting at $499, are available on select Europe cruises.

Travel Agents

Cruise.com: During Cruise.com's annual Black Friday Cruise Sale, you can take advantage of reduced rates, onboard credits, free kids' fares, complimentary balcony upgrades, free gratuities and two-for-one cruise fares on select cruise lines and departures. The sale begins at 8 a.m. EST on November 25 and runs through November 28; however, specials are first-come, first-served, with some of the best deals only available on as few as 25 cabins. Look for the Black Friday link on Cruise.com's homepage, but know that not all deals can be booked online. Call 866-401-0895 to access all the deals.

CruCon: CruCon's 20th Annual "Day After Thanksgiving" Sale takes place on November 25 only, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST (last calls taken at 5 p.m.), and you must call to book. Deals on 2012 and 2013 cruises include limited-availability reduced rates (sometimes as few as 50 eligible cabins), as well as perks like onboard credit, reduced deposits, prepaid gratuities, coupon books and free specialty dining. All cruises purchased November 21 - 23 that appear in the one-day sale will be price adjusted.

Avoya Travel: Avoya's so-called Black Friday sale is actually available for half the month, running from November 18 to 30. However, each offer will have its own booking window, so be sure to check the fine print. The promotions vary by cruise line and include sale fares, free dinners in specialty restaurants (Royal Caribbean), onboard credit (Norwegian, Oceania), reduced deposits and coupon books (Princess, Holland America) and free kids' fares (Disney).