When do cruises go on sale

Book a cruise early if Book a cruise late if This strategy is best for cruisers who live close to a homeport and don't have to rely on last-minute airfare. And if you miss out on booking early but a last minute cruise is too dicey, you can find a low price in between. Just look for cruise line promotions -- fare sales and extra-perk offers -- and book when you see a good offer.

It might not be the absolute best price, but you will get a deal. Cruise Travel Agent vs. Online Booking. Tips for Finding Cheap Cruise Deals. How to Book a Luxury Cruise for Less. Find a Cruise. Cruise Tips. You may also like Dismiss. There's a lot to consider before booking a cruise during the pandemic, including your personal comfort level and the health and safety measures in place on the ship and at ports of call.

We'll go deeper into pandemic-era considerations to keep in mind when booking a cruise below. The only way to really know the best time to book a cruise is to track fares, which is not an easy task. Luckily, rate tracking on the Shipmate app and Cruise Critic make it a bit more realistic. They'll let you know if there's a price drop, taking some of the extra work off your plate.

The best time of year to book a cruise is often January through March. During this period — also known as wave season — industry-wide sales occur and the price of that cruise you've been dreaming of may drop significantly. It's also a good time to find booking promotions, like free upgrades, prepaid gratuities, or onboard spending money.

Wave season may be a popular time to find cruise deals, but not every company releases their best deals and promotions during that period. Coiro says that Direct Line Cruises' promotions don't necessarily follow the same patterns as the cruise lines. So, if the cruise lines are advertising deals for wave season, his company might offer its own incentives before or after those times.

How do you know if you're getting a great fall deal? Consider monitoring cruise line's wave season promotions and comparing those to the line's fall promotions.

And, make sure the deal is right for you. If you only drink the occasional glass of wine, an offer of a complimentary beverage package won't be as beneficial as onboard credit or a cabin upgrade. If you don't spend a lot of time in your cabin, skip the upgrade promo and look for a value-add like prepaid gratuities or free shore excursions. Just want the lowest cruise fare possible?

Know that those deals come with no or fewer extra perks than booking a balcony cabin or suite at a discounted but not rock-bottom rate. It's hard to predict if this fall will see an outpouring of amazing deals or just some average early-booking incentives. Either way, if you know you want to cruise next year, it makes sense to keep an eye on the sales from September through December.

You might discover a great offer on next year's dream vacation. Find a Cruise. Cruise Tips. How to prepare for Wave Season So, how can you make the most of wave season and any other good cruise sale?

Research which cruises you want Arm yourself with knowledge. Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises Join cruise line email lists. Sign up for our daily newsletter. Sign up. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. The Points Guy will not sell your email. Please enter a valid email address Please check mailing preferences. Sign-up Successful! Welcome to The Points Guy! Rotondo is director of content for travel news and features at TPG.

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