When is the ideal time to book a vacation?
But that doesn’t stop vacationers from wondering if they could find a cheaper price if they waited to book tomorrow, next week or next month. It doesn’t stop people from wondering whether they can get a better deal if only they book today, tomorrow or next week. There is no single best day to book a cruise. However, knowing how cruise lines set their prices and when they run promotions can help you find the best deals. When you see one, you’ll know it’s as good a time as any to book your next cruise vacation.
What is the best day to book a cruise?
Everyone wants to know the cheapest day to book travel — as if fares drop like clockwork on Wednesday morning and rise with the sun on Thursday. This is not the case. The flash sales are still offered by these lines, but not always on the same days of the week. I have seen cabin prices fluctuate every day and stay the same over the course of a cruise sale. I could tell you it’s best to book at the start of a sale, when availability is highest. If a cruise line is unable to sell a particular cabin category, they may lower the price halfway through the sale. Bookings for the maiden voyage or early inaugural season of a Royal Caribbean or Disney Cruise Line vessel will be brisk on the first day. The most popular theme cruises are also in high demand. World cruises have sold out within hours, even with price tags of $150,000 per couple.
If you have exclusive early access to book one of these cruises, due to being a past passenger or loyalty program member, take advantage and book your vacation the day the voyage goes on sale.
Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises
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What is the best month to book a cruise?
If there’s no best day to book a cruise for the best deal, you might think there’s a best month. While you can find cheap cruises any month you look, I can give you some pointers about which months are most likely to feature cruise sales with value-added promotions.
The best months to book a cruise are January through March, when nearly every cruise line launches some kind of wave season promotion, and November through December, when Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales often start well before Thanksgiving and end days or weeks after. You might find a cheap cruise deal or a fare packed with extras (like complimentary beverage packages, free kids fares or reduced deposits).
Are you guaranteed to find the cheapest, most freebie-laden pricing during these months? You’re right! Cruise lines can inflate their prices prior to a sale. Therefore, deals of 30% or 50% may not be what you expect. If you want to book an itinerary, and the sailing is popular in that particular year, then the winter months may be the best time. If Alaska cruises are in high demand, wave season deals may not be as good since the lines do not need to offer discounts to fill cabins. But if Alaska cruise bookings are soft, the wave season specials could be the best of the year as cruise lines pull out all the tricks to fill ships.
Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles
What is the best time of year to book a cruise?
I could say that winter is the best time of year to book a cruise because that would cover the late-fall Thanksgiving week sales and wave season promotions. If you’re looking to book a cabin for a family or solo on a Mediterranean Cruise in July, it is best to book earlier than January to get the best price and availability. Denis Fischer Photography/Getty Images
How much in advance should I plan a trip?
All the talk about the best time to buy a vacation has led me to ask how far ahead I should book. The key to the answer is recognizing that cruise lines adjust pricing as cabins sell out (or fail to do so) on any given ship and itinerary.
Cruise lines want you to book as early as possible. Not only do they get cash in hand sooner, in the form of your deposit, but they can rest easy when a ship sells out early knowing they don’t have to work to get people to come on board and spend more money.
Therefore, cruise lines often offer their best fares when bookings open to incentivize travelers to book early. Bookings for cruises are open a year in advance. For example, as of August 2024, I can book a cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line through spring or fall of 2026, depending on the ship.
Related: 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise
Now, it might be the itinerary I’m looking at won’t be popular, and the cruise line will lower the fare closer to sailing. The itinerary may be popular and the cruise line will lower the fare closer to sailing. I don’t know, but I guess that trips during peak season to popular destinations aboard a newer ship will sell more quickly. If you ask me “How early should I book a trip?” the answer is as soon as possible for popular cruises and cabin categories and at least nine months before most sailings. You can, but you shouldn’t. You must pay for the full cruise price at the time you book, rather than paying only a deposit. This is the final date for travelers to cancel their trip without incurring penalties. The cruise line can get a better idea of the number of passengers who are likely to travel once final payment has been made (since, unless there is an emergency, it is more likely that you will go if you have paid). The cruise line will then know if it is comfortable full or if it needs to raise prices because the ship is not fully booked. If it is empty, it may need to run promotions in order for more people on board. Even if the last-minute deal is good, an 11th-hour hotel or airfare booking can eat up your savings. Currently, a cruise line could accept a booking mere hours before sailing, as long as boarding is still open and the ship’s manifest (the list of passengers and crew members on board) has not been submitted to the authorities.
In actuality, most cruise lines will sell available cabins through the day before sailing but limit or deny same-day bookings. Depending on the line, you might only be able to book cruises within a day or two of departure directly with the cruise line’s reservations department.
Booking a cruise just days before sailing should only be attempted by travelers within an easy drive of the cruise port. You should also make sure that you have time to get any necessary documentation, as well as make related travel plans.
CULTURA-RM-EXCLUSIVEROSANNA-U/GETTY IMAGES
How do I know if I’m getting a good deal when I book?
Regardless of when you’re booking a cruise, you’ll want to know if the fare you’re paying for your vacation at sea is a cheap deal, average or overpriced. The best way to know that is to do your research.
Tracking prices allows you to watch the rise and fall of cruise fares over time, so when the fare drops, you’ll recognize the price as a deal and be able to pounce on it. This strategy is best if you plan to book early and aren’t as concerned about the ship selling out immediately.
Don’t forget to watch for value-added promotions as well. If that seems like a lot of math, you should call a travel agent. Travel agents who are knowledgeable about cruises can help you decide if current prices are good or if it’s better to wait for a bargain. Book your dream vacation if you think you are getting the most out of a cruise. There’s no way to be absolutely sure you’re buying when the cruise fare is the lowest possible price with the maximum number of fare inclusions.
Sometimes you might be forced to choose between the cheapest possible fare and one that offers a greater total value, given the included perks. Knowing when cruise lines will likely run promotions will help you strategize, but sales can pop up anytime — and not every promotion offers the cheapest fares.
Stop trying to game the system and focus instead on planning the perfect cruise vacation you and your loved ones will reminisce about long after you’ve forgotten how much you paid for the trip.
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