MONEY-SAVING MOMENT: Clark is not a fan of cruises, but right now there are great deals for those who do enjoy them.

USA Today recently reported that NCL has been offering 3-night and 4-night cruises for $99/person! That rate is so low it may seem like a scam, but it's completely legitimate. Other NCL deals include $40/day for a Mediterranean excursion, according to the article.

It's not just NCL that has the sweet deals. There are deals from many of the ultra-luxury cruises that traditionally catered to high-end customers who historically weren't price sensitive. But right now, the people feeling the most pinched are precisely these "aspirational" wealthy clients.

What's in it for a cruise line to offer these kinds of deals? A cheap cabin and cheap meals are loss leaders; the real money comes not from cabin fare, but from what you spend in onshore excursion packages and onboard extras like gambling and liquor.

So if your finances are ship shape, find a ship and go! There are 2 ways to do this, Clark says. If you are an experienced cruiser, you can shop on the web and use sites like CruiseCritic.com for guidance. For the rest of us, however, it's best to book with a real person at a cruise-only agency or an experienced cruise agent at a regular agency. A good cruise agent will ask questions about your lifestyle and what activities you enjoy to gauge which ships and cruise lines will best suit you.