7 Ways To Get The Best Cruise Deals!

Save Money On Your Next Cruise

Have you ever wondered if you could go on a cruise even for just once in your life? You may not believe this could be possible for the simple reason that you think you would never be able to afford it. But really, are all these trips that expensive? In the succeeding subsections we will show you how to find the best deals in the industry. For all you know, it may lead you to a deal that may very well be within a budget that you can save up for.

1.

Book ahead

This should be a no-brainer but we’ll include it anyway just to remind you. The rule is simple: the earlier you book, the bigger the discount. For a Disney Cruise, for example, a booking of one year in advance is recommended to get the best prices.

You’ll also want to do this for another reason. If you opt for one of the major companies, cabins are easily filled up through reservations even many months before the sailing date. Since your vacation schedule might only fit on certain dates, it would be very disappointing if you would be turned down because of fully booked accommodations.

2.

Book on the last minute:

Although it may sound contradictory to the previous suggestion, booking on the 11th hour is really one way to get the biggest discounts. This is because these companies would prefer to fill up their cabins before leaving the port. The discount can easily be absorbed. Once the passengers are on board, they would already have a captured market for other transactions.

3.

Avoid summer cruises:

Summer is considered a peak season for cruising, so it would be best to avoid these months. To give you an idea, a 3-day Bahamas Round Trip that embarks in Miami on board the Norwegian Sky has an Inside stateroom priced at $349 if the sailing date is on July 3, 2009. Compare that exact same trip and accommodation with a sailing date of March 27, 2009, wherein the price is $199.

4.

Find inexpensive state rooms

In any given ship, you will always notice that staterooms in the interior of the ship (that would mean no windows) will generally be priced at a cheaper rate. A particular 7-day Mexican Riviera on Carnival Cruises for example, has the following prices: $824 for an Interior state room, $879 for one with an ocean view, and $979 for one with a balcony. That’s more than a hundred dollar difference. Hence, you should take that difference into consideration when choosing an accommodation.

5.

Other discounts you might want to know about

There are other discounts that are based on your standing in society such as being a senior or one who is rendering service in the military.

6.

Discounts for seniors

If you’ll be traveling with someone aged 55 or above, or if you’re a senior yourself, you can avail of special discounts from practically all of the cruising companies. In the Mexican Riviera mentioned earlier, the best rate for seniors for an Interior state room is $629.

7.

Discounts for military personnel

Military personnel are given special discounts by most cruise lines. In the case of Celebrity Cruises, the person seeking this particular type of discount should be reserved through a participating SATO travel agency. You can find which agencies are affiliated by contacting their Human Resources Department.

Try to keep these deals in mind the next time you browse through the websites of cruise lines. By knowing what to look for, you can easily filter out information so you can best decide whether or not such a trip is something you can look forward to.