Table Of Content
- Tip 8 for Finding a Cheap Cruise: Book the cheapest cabin category
- secrets to getting a luxury cruise for less
- How do you get the best deals on cruises?
- $364 pp — 3-Nt. Bahamas w/Exclusive $25 bonus, up to $200 to spend, free upgrades & more
- Ask for a Price Drop Credit When Cruise Fares Change
- Cheapest Cruise Months: January, February, September, October
If you keep your schedule flexible, you can jump on mid-cruise specials, advertised in your daily schedule or newsletter, and save on specialty dining, arcade games, spa treatments and more. Cruise line boutiques often run BOGO sales or "everything for $10" hours on items like T-shirts, evening purses and sunglasses. If you're thinking of purchasing some souvenirs, look for promotional events listed in your daily schedule. If you're looking to splurge on high-end jewelry or other expensive gifts, look for specials in those boutiques. These purchases won't be cheap, but you might be able to save a bit or get an extra bauble thrown in for free.
Tip 8 for Finding a Cheap Cruise: Book the cheapest cabin category
Luxury and river lines sometimes offer promotions that will include economy-class airfare, or a pre-cruise hotel stay at the price of your upscale cruise. Nearly every mainstream cruise line offers special deals that let you save on the total cost of your cruise vacation. For some lines and sailings, you can forget it unless you book months -- or a year -- in advance. This is particularly true for bucket-list voyages to places like Antarctica, the Galapagos Islands and world cruises -- some of which can sell out in a single day. A weeklong Regent Seven Seas cruise to the Caribbean in February costs $10,349 per person for a 655-square-foot Grandeur Suite (with a 166- to 263-square-foot balcony).
secrets to getting a luxury cruise for less
Because of supply and demand, they will be priced high to start with. And because they are rare and likely to be booked up fast, you won’t be eligible for price drops. The more cabins that exist in your specific cabin category, the more likely it is you will benefit from a price drop. If cruise lines have a bunch of a certain category type left as sailing nears, they will often drop the price significantly. This means the cruise line selects the specific cabin for you (at any point prior to sailing – sometimes pretty far out, but sometimes even the day of sailing). Some may find this too risky, but I’ve always had a positive experience with it.
How do you get the best deals on cruises?
Or, even better, book a guarantee (meaning the cruise line selects the specific cabin for you) inside cabin (more on that in a second). Some people can’t imagine sailing in an inside cabin (meaning it has no window or balcony), but I love them. Under certain conditions (for example Carnival’s Early Saver program – more on that later too) a line will honor price drops and either refund you the difference or issue onboard credit. If they don’t (especially after your final payment due date), they will often upgrade you to a better cabin or offer a smaller amount of onboard credit. This doesn’t always happen, but I’ve found that it can’t hurt to ask and 9 times out of 10 I’ve received some sort of concession.
You'll also find some repositioning cruises every year between the Caribbean and Alaska, and between the West Coast of the U.S. and Asia. One line recently said bookings have been so strong that it would be stopping all last-minute discounts indefinitely. The big downside to this website, though, is that you have to call the brand’s number to book. Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts... It’s a great option to be able to pay for your cruise with points, and Marriott Bonvoy makes that possible.
We are a team of global travelers and cruise enthusiasts with several combined decades of experience in providing world-class luxury travel to our clients. Cruise vacations can easily fall prey to flight disruptions or storms that can snarl plans. Check online for insurance policies from places like VisitorsCoverage and Seven Corners, which have reasonable prices for comprehensive coverage.
13 ways to snag cruise ship suites for less - The Points Guy
13 ways to snag cruise ship suites for less.
Posted: Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:56:15 GMT [source]
But even if you book all your land trips on your own, you might want to use a travel agent who is a cruise specialist to book your next voyage. The older ships are, of course, older, and they sometimes don't have quite as much to offer on board as the newer ships. But if you're looking for a deal, they can bring great value. If you're flexible and can travel on short notice, you sometimes can find a last-minute deal for cruises where the line is scrambling to fill berths. Note that not all fare types allow for changes to the fare you've paid after booking. It's important to read the fine print for the fare category you're booking.
Cheapest Cruise Months: January, February, September, October
This is a site that’s a little more catered toward the seasoned cruiser. It gives you a lot of information and a lot of options, meaning newbie cruisers could feel a little overwhelmed. One great thing, though, that this site offers that some of the other cruise-specific booking websites don’t? The site also acts as a metasearch engine for cruises, allowing you to compare prices from lots of other websites.
Bonuses for United Premier Members
This is my favorite cruise site, as it seems to find all the deals and makes finding a cheap cruise easy. In addition to lower fares, cruise travel agents also sometimes throw in extra perks like onboard credit or amenities when you book through them. CheapCaribbean.com sometimes offers extra bonuses, like extra onboard spending credit. Often times, travel agents can offer perks, such as onboard credit, free gratuities, reduced/free airfare, or other discounts.
It doesn't offer hotels, flights, rental cars or other reservations you may want for your next vacation. CruiseDirect does, however, offer bonuses for travelers booking through its site. In other words, book an inside cabin on a low floor all the way at the front or back of the ship.
However, you can sometimes find additional bonuses for booking your cruise through Expedia. There’s no shortage of websites out there that can help you book a cruise. There may even be more options to book cruises than hotels or flights. In addition to the traditional online travel agencies, there are a bunch of cruise-only sites that you can choose from, too.
I’ve never ended up with a cabin I’ve hated and several times I’ve ended up with awesome free upgrades (I’ve even booked a guarantee inside and ended up in a balcony). Of course, I offer no “guarantees” except that you will be assigned a cabin in the category you booked or higher. Doug advises that you start with a travel agent, as they have relationships with the cruise companies and can often get better rates and last-minute deals. While there are many “do it yourself” options, travel agents often can find much lower prices and can act as liaison to cruise companies when something goes wrong. Many cruise lines offer discounts for booking drinks packages, Wi-Fi plans and shore excursions online in advance of your cruise.
Sometimes, these cruise deals just find there way into your email inbox, or they are shared on social media. Sloan agrees and says people book cruises much further in advance than a hotel or flight, which means that inventory can get gobbled up quickly. Many cruise lines open up their reservation window as far as two years in advance, which means certain cabins can get snatched up. Don’t forget that many travelers are looking to use leftover credits they have from the pandemic, which further compounds the demand. While that’s a good idea for some, Sloan also points out that cruise lines don’t always put their best ships on shorter runs. The ships on these itineraries can sometimes be older and have fewer of the bells and whistles that draw people to cruising in the first place.
