NEW YORK, Sept. 4 — Labor Day weekend arrives with its usual promise: one last window of summer before the calendar turns. For those watching the clock, the holiday itself falls on Monday, September 7, with the full weekend running from September 5 through 7.
Travel brands are treating the moment as a final call, rolling out deals that span airfare, hotels, cruises, trains, luggage, and outdoor gear — an invitation to either book a hasty escape or lock in plans for the months ahead. ## Cruises take the lead The sea is where the savings run deepest. Celebrity Cruises has extended a sale through September 21, offering up to 75% off a second guest plus an additional $750 off per stateroom on select sailings that run through May 10, 2029.
Virgin Voyages, with bookings due by November 2, is dangling a free balcony upgrade and 70% off a companion on select sailings through 2028. The math gets interesting for specific routes: trips to Greece, Turkey, and Istanbul come in under $1,000 per sailor, while the French Riviera, Italy, and Ibiza sit under $1,200. The line’s Semi-Annual sale also features voyages starting at $99 per sailor per night.
MSC Cruises keeps its Labor Day offer open only until September 7, with up to 40% off select sailings, up to $400 off US departures, and kids sailing free. Four-night cruises start at $176.
HX Expeditions is marking an anniversary with a different structure: new bookings through November 9 earn an extra 5% off cabins or 10% off suites on select 2026-2028 all-inclusive voyages to Antarctica, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and the Galápagos. Royal Caribbean rounds out the list with Late Minute Cruise deals, where three-night sailings start at $298 and departures stretch through the end of 2027. ## A new all-inclusive arrival On land, JW Marriott is stepping into the all-inclusive arena for the first time.
The JW Marriott Costa Elena Resort and Spa opens on Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Coast, and the brand is sweetening the debut with its Be First Experience: up to 15% off the all-inclusive rate, a $150 spa credit, a complimentary room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out, and a signature JW experience. The offer requires booking by the end of November for stays from September 10 through December 20, using promo code S5235.
The property itself is sizable — 415 rooms — with what the brand describes as Costa Rica’s largest resort poolscape, JW Marriott’s largest on-property garden, 11 restaurants and bars, and a full spa. It is a statement of intent for a company historically associated with business travel rather than beachfront buffets. ## The gear gap For travellers not ready to commit to a voyage, the retail side is active too.
Retailers like Away — known for suitcases that have earned editors’ favour — are part of a broader push on luggage and accessories. The message, such as it is, is simple: the weekend is an excuse. Whether the purchase is a last-minute flight, a future cruise, or simply a better bag, the deals are framed as permission to move.
The question now is how many travellers take the bait before the offers close out one by one.
