Thinking about booking a cruise?
Saving big is all about timing, flexibility, and research. You’ll need to familiarize yourself with the market rates in order to be able to spot a good deal. You need to start your search at the right time. You may want to start packing now too. A willingness to drop everything and set sail at a moment’s notice can have a dramatic impact on how much you may be asked to pay.
Those interested should take comfort in knowing that most cruises have a huge inventory of unbooked rooms that they’re desperate to sell. If you look in the right places, and wield a few of the following veteran cruise tricks, you can secure an incredible deal on your last-minute cruise bookings.
Cruise Ships Must Sell Out
The goal of every cruise is to exceed 100 percent occupancy. Which means booking more than two passengers for every cabin.2 Every time a cruise ship sails with unsold rooms the cruise line loses money. Which is good news for anyone on the hunt for a last minute deal. Cruise lines are incentivized to fill as many cabins as possible before leaving port.
So, when they’re in a pinch to get rooms filled, they are forced to sell them at a high discount. As the departure date draws nearer, the deals get better. This creates a lot of opportunity for the savvy travel junkie.
Search for Deep Discounts at The Right Time
The trick to finding unsold cruise cabins for less? Searching and waiting.
First, perform an online search. Cruise lines, in an effort to make as much money as possible, don’t want to make it easy to find deep discounts. So, you’ll need to search around to compare prices and uncover deals.
You’ll also need to search during the right time. Cruise lines increasingly lower prices if rooms aren’t getting booked. The first discounts appear when an itinerary is first released–about one year to 18 months from the departure date. But these are the worst deals as they aren’t really a discount, but the original price.
Wait Until the Last 60 Days
As soon as customers who booked in advance make their final payments, cruise lines know how many rooms are unsold. And this is when they start offering incredible deals.
60 days from departure, the first deep discounts appear. If no one is willing to book, cruise lines will keep slashing prices on cabins.3
Want the absolute lowest prices? Search a little longer and be a bit more flexible – you need to wait until the very last minute. The cheapest cruise prices appear in the seven days before departure. These last-minute discounts can cut the price by 30 to 85 percent, depending on the timing.4
Be Flexible
It costs money to plan the details ahead of time. Cruise lines know that the vast majority of their potential guests like to plan their cruises well in advance. They like to know what they’re getting, and when they’re getting it, and are willing to pay a premium for the luxury.
That’s why flexibility pays. A willingness to set sail in a matter of months or weeks opens you up to more opportunities. Veteran travelers willing to travel to hop on a cruise anywhere is even better still.
Zeroing in on a desired departure date, or not being prepared enough to cash in an aggressive last-minute cruise deal could get in the way of you and substantial savings. So remain open minded, and always be prepared to set sail.
Book Early
Yes, booking early is the opposite of last-minute, but if saving big is the name of the game, then booking early could be the right call for you too. Booking a cruise ship 18-months in advance could net you a number of complimentary upgrades and value-adds.
To that same point, you may be in line for a last-minute upgrade offer as your departure date nears. Cruise lines often reward the earliest guests first dibs on discount room upgrades. As such, if there’s a specific location that you’re desperate to visit or a particular vacation window that works best for your schedule, book early and squeeze out as much value as you possibly can.
How to Find the Best Deals
Of course, most cruise lines don’t want you to know about these deep discounts. You can’t go on their website and expect to get the best rates up front.
Do your research. Search for last-minute cruise bookings.
These discounts will vary, changing every week, so it’s important to keep a close eye on prices and availability. An online search can score you a deal that saves thousands of dollars off a cruise; all it takes is an online search for available cruise deals to save.
Like anything, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the latest research. We recommend comparing at least three or four options before making a final decision. Doing a search online is typically the quickest, most thorough way to discover all the pros and cons you need to keep in mind.