How do you get the best deal on a cruise?

Question

(Where should I buy it? What should I ask for?) ETC

Answer 1

Becoming friends with someone that works for a cruise company... they get really good deals.

Also, go to a cruise line that does their primary business through direct bookings like Carnival or Royal. NCL does it through Agents and you have lots of commission behind the scenes that could go towards your vacation instead.

Answer 2

I use a cruise planner out of Florida. We have booked ahead of time and last minute. If you book ahead of time with a good cruise planner you can get upgrades at next to nothing prices. And if you choose to be one of those last minute folks you can get a good price. However you can get left on the dock due to the fact the ship is booked or you waited to late.

If you need a good cruise planner email us and we can set you up.

Answer 3

The advice about last minute travel is accurate.  If you can just jump on the ship, you will get the best deals.  You might want to try VacationsToGo.com.  Good Luck to you.

Answer 4

If you can book at the last minute, there's a great chance you might get an incredible deal. They want to fill the boat before they take off. So, if spur-of-the-moment travel is okay with you. Try this out. Did this on my last few cruises and so did my friends...we went to the Bahamas for 150 bucks with Royal Caribbean! Also, they know that you are going to spend just as much money on board if not more....thats where they want it too!

Answer 5

You usually need to book at least 6 months in advance.  Also, cruises are a lot cheaper (up to 50% less) if you go in the low season, rather than the high reason.  In the low season, it's usually rainy and weather is not very good - however, if you're not planning to go outside or get off the ship anyway, it should be fine.

Answer 6

Being able to travel at the last minute is a plus.  Also, going through a travel agent can sometimes get you perks like onboard credits.  The time of year you cruise can also get you good prices.  Holidays, spring and summer months are the costliest to cruise.  Try late August, September and October, but be aware that it is hurricaine season.  Also the first week in December is a great time for good deals.

Answer 7

Sign up for ShermansTravels.com and you'll receive their weekly list of 25 Hottest Travel Deals.  I found a 5-day Bahamas cruise for $179 and it wasn't a "last-minute deal", either.  I purchased the trip with 6 weeks to spare --- no stress, and plenty of time to pack!

BTW, the trip was offered through Travelocity but when I went to the cruiseline's own website, they were offering the exact same trip for the exact same price.  Go figure!

Answer 8

I would check all the cruise lines for the dates of travel and then decide whether you wnt ot do your own airfare or what, and then if you want to go down the day before or what, and then check all the major travel sites as they can offer a better price then what even the website is offering like overstock.com, traveloicty, orbitz, and etc, and then keep on checking and then call the cruise line, and say their is a particular crusie line you want to go on but the price is a little bit more then you could ask if their is a better price saying I found this cruise to the same location for this price and they can owrk with you to get you a better price because they want your business and then you should usually for your first time use a travel agent but with that they usually charge you for their services of course and the prices they offer can be a little bit more then booking directly from the cruise lines offers. I would become apart of any special clubs they have like credit cards as that could come in handy like getting you on the ship faster and everything and could even get you discounts and if your apart of it you can also get better deals if you plan on cruising again and with that cruise line and all the cruise lines offer these clubs. So I hope that this was helpful information and have fun booking your cruise.

Answer 9

cruisepoints.com has a best rate guarantee. Booking directly through the cruise line is usually not the best way to go. They won't give a break on price just evn though they are not payinjg commission. In fact some of the lines won't let the agencies give a lower price. But most of the time the agent will give you a shipboard credit or free insurance. Something the cruise line won't do.

Answer 10

Go to your travel agent. They have to take classes and tests on Cruise knowledge every year. There is a lot of details that go into a cruise. Avoid all of the c**p just let them deal with it plus they get all sorts of deals.

I use Selvin from Intrigued Travel.

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Answer 11

Check out Travelzoo.com they have great deals for any destination.

Answer 12

I book directly with the cruise line and always getting a better deal than going through any travel agent, travelocity, orbitz or anything on line.

Answer 13

well i would think go when off season when kids are in school summer is expensive so are all holidays so check out web sits and get a good travel agent they will keep an eye out for the best deals to fit your time schedule and cost good luck to you and happy new year

Answer 14

Travelocity.com - sign up for their alerts.  They will send you an alert for low cost cruises.  Also if you go to their cruise deals they have cruises for as low as $250 per person.  You have to have your bags packed and be ready to leave though cuz those cruises will be leaving in a a week or so.  Good deals if you are very flexible in your travel plans.