When you’re ready to plan a cruise, there are so many different categories and dates available, sometimes it’s hard to know just how to get the best price for your cruise ticket. Since this is not a one-size-fits-all situation, the best answer I can give, when asked for advice, is “it depends.”
Even if you pay the full retail price, cruising is still the least expensive and lowest hassle way I know of to vacation. At least it is when you consider the level of food and service you get in one all-inclusive price. As for hassle, cruising is the only way you can unpack once, and still see several widely-spaced destinations.
But it’s possible to reduce the cost substantially below the prices published by the cruise line. Here are some tips to help you get the best price for your cruise ticket.
A number of factors are involved, not the least of which is the flexibility of your vacation schedule. If your schedule is very flexible, you can sometimes get the best pricing between one and two months before the sail date. That’s because the final payments for reservations are generally due two months before the sail date, and at that time, the cruise line will know exactly what inventory has not been sold, and may be eager to unload it for whatever it can get. After all, an empty cabin does not produce any revenue. Even if the cabin itself is sold at a steep discount, the cruise line has a chance to get some money out of you in the casino, the bar areas, excursions, or the on-board gift shops.
Sometimes the last-minute booking tactic doesn’t work. If you are trying to book a cruise during the “high” season, it may well be booked completely when the 60-day final payment cutoff arrives. If your vacation schedule doesn’t have any flexibility, you may end up completely out of luck. Or, there may be a few cabins left, none of which would appeal to you unless you are interested in an inside cabin with absolutely no outside view, and so small you have to practically crawl over the bed to get to the other side. That wouldn’t appeal to me, although I do have a good friend who likes it that way because he absolutely must have a room that is totally dark in order to sleep well. During the day, of course, he doesn’t spend any time in his cabin.
Last-minute booking works best during the “low” and “shoulder” seasons. To find out when those are, just ask your travel agent. An example of a “low” season would a Caribbean cruise during the peak of the hurricane season (August to early November), or the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Speaking of hurricane season, never skimp by leaving out travel insurance — it’s inexpensive, and can save you a lot of money.
Last-minute booking is not generally possible (at least in the US) less than about 2 or 3 days before sail date. That is because the cruise line is required by law to furnish a final passenger manifest to the government at least 2 days before departure.
So, keep in mind flexibility and timing, contact your travel agent to enlist his (or her) help, and remember that whatever you pay, it’s likely to be less than any comparable vacation taken by any other method.
Happy cruising!
