Do cruises get cheaper the closer you get?

The prices of some cruises will decrease last minute – but this doesn't always happen. Booking a cruise within the last 60/90 days may not always be the best way to get a bargain. If you leave it this late you run the risk of the cruise line only having a few cabins left and the prices increasing.



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If a cruise is filling up quickly, the company has no reason to release a sale to entice customers. But if a cruise's departure date is fast approaching and the ship is only partially booked, prices will drop, and complimentary add-ons will increase, resulting in some happy customers.

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Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. It's also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate.

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According to an extensive study that followed price drops in the cruise industry, Thursdays may be the best day to book a cruise. Prices associated with travel are always in flux due to supply and demand, so the prices of a cruise can change daily. Prices could spike on a Wednesday and drop, well, on a Thursday.

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According to an extensive study that followed price drops in the cruise industry, Thursdays may be the best day to book a cruise. Prices associated with travel are always in flux due to supply and demand, so the prices of a cruise can change daily. Prices could spike on a Wednesday and drop, well, on a Thursday.

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Booking a cruise one to two years in advance is not practical for many families, so a great time to book a cruise is between six and 12 months before sailing. In addition to the lower prices, booking well in-advance of a cruise assures you of the ship and stateroom you want to reserve.

MORE DETAILS

According to an extensive study that followed price drops in the cruise industry, Thursdays may be the best day to book a cruise. Prices associated with travel are always in flux due to supply and demand, so the prices of a cruise can change daily. Prices could spike on a Wednesday and drop, well, on a Thursday.

MORE DETAILS

What is the cheapest time to book a cruise? Prospective cruisers can usually find a lot of good deals at the beginning of the year during wave season, Goldberg-Glazer said. That period typically lasts from January until March.

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So how much money do you need? The answer to this question varies a lot by person, their travel habits, spending preferences, length of the cruise and destination. Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences, but there are a lot of variables to consider.

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Short cruises tend to be less frequent and this can mean that if you want to do a cruise of a certain length you are extremely limited to only a few cruises per year. Cruises that cruise over the weekend are incredibly sort after compared to mid-week cruises so the prices of these are usually higher.

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Like airfare, cruise fares can move up and down over time (though not near as drastically). If you book a cruise and see the price drop later, you should call the cruise line and request a refund of the difference. Many last-minute cruise fares (those sold within 30-45 days from the sail date) have their prices locked.

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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.

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The summer months, especially June, July, and August, are the peak travel season for cruises. This is primarily due to families taking advantage of school holidays and vacation time. With increased demand, cruise prices tend to be higher during these months.

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The lower and more central you are in a ship, the less roll and sway you will feel. Even if you choose a balcony room, choose a low level and a room closest to the ship's center. The higher decks and cabins at the front (forward) or back (aft) of the ship will rock and roll the most.

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The price of a cruise is the same whether you book onboard or at home, but Royal Caribbean will give you extra onboard credit for booking onboard. It's a bonus on top of other promotions the cruise line has, and is one of the best ways to rack up onboard credit.

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A few cruise lines feature a limited number of cabins designated for single occupancy sparing the solo cruiser from having to pay double. While cruise lines advertise these single cabins as having no supplement, the single rate is usually slightly higher than the per-person rate of comparable double occupancy cabins.

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To avoid crowds and experience cooler temperatures, consider traveling in the shoulder months of May and September or early October. Most Mediterranean cruises sail in the summer months, when the sun and sand in coastal ports are at their peak and cities come alive with activity.

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The cheapest months to cruise to the Caribbean are May, September and October. The peak season for the Caribbean is December to April when it is driest – cheaper months tend to experience more rainfall and the risk of hurricanes causing changes to itineraries.

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Booking a cruise one to two years in advance is not practical for many families, so a great time to book a cruise is between six and 12 months before sailing. In addition to the lower prices, booking well in-advance of a cruise assures you of the ship and stateroom you want to reserve.

MORE DETAILS