When Should I Book My Cruise? Well... It Depends!

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me, “When is the best time to book a cruise?” I could probably afford one of those fancy suites with a butler.

Okay, maybe a window cabin. But still.

The answer nobody really wants to hear is: It depends.

I know. That's not nearly as satisfying as, “Book exactly nine months, three weeks and two days before sailing at 10:17 on a Tuesday morning.” But cruise pricing just doesn't work that way.

There are a lot of things that can affect the price of a cruise: the time of year, the destination, the ship, the sailing date, the type of cabin you want, where that cabin is located, how many people are staying in it, how close you are to the sailing date and, perhaps most importantly, how many other people want the same thing you do.

Cruise prices can move. Sometimes quite a bit. That's why the better question isn't always, “When will this cruise be the cheapest?” Sometimes it's, “When is the right time for ME to book this cruise?”

A Week Can Make a Big Difference

One of the first things I look at when someone has flexible travel dates is what happens if we move the trip a little.

I'm doing exactly that right now while looking at dates for a group cruise I'm considering. I found one sailing I liked, then checked the following week. The difference was approximately $200.

One week.

Same basic vacation. Same general time of year. But suddenly we're spending another $200 that could be used for something a whole lot more fun than simply leaving seven days later.

That's why, if you tell me, “We'd like to cruise sometime in April,” I may check several different dates. If you tell me, “We can only leave April 17,” that's fine too. We just have fewer shelves to shop.

Sometimes being flexible by even a week or two can help you get more bang for your buck.

Where and When You Cruise Matters

A Caribbean cruise that sails throughout much of the year is a very different thing from a seasonal destination such as Alaska. Holidays, summer vacation, spring break and other popular travel periods can also affect both price and availability.

If you have children in school and can only travel during spring break, you're shopping for the same dates as a whole lot of other families. If you're retired and can say, “Eh, Tuesday works,” you've just given me a lot more room to play with. There are definitely some advantages to not having to ask the school principal for permission.

The destination matters too. Some itineraries have lots of sailing dates and ships to choose from. Others don't. If there's one particular itinerary you really want, waiting for a magical bargain may mean watching the cabins you wanted disappear instead.

What Kind of Cabin Do You Want?

This one makes a HUGE difference.

If you tell me, “Becky, I don't care. Put me on the ship. I'm only going to the cabin to sleep,” we have flexibility.

If you tell me you want a balcony, midship, on a particular deck, near the elevators but not too near the elevators, and you want your sister's cabin next door...we have a much more specific shopping list.

Neither traveler is wrong. They just have different priorities.

Certain cabin types and locations can become limited long before the ship itself is sold out. Connecting cabins, accessible cabins, suites and cabins that accommodate three or four guests can also require more planning.

Not all balcony cabins are priced the same. It's common for cabin prices to increase as you move higher on the ship. For example, a balcony cabin on Deck 6, closer to the water, may cost less than a similar balcony cabin on Deck 12 or on a higher or spa deck.

That doesn't automatically make the more expensive cabin better. Some people actually prefer being lower on the ship. This is another reason I look at where the cabin is located, not just the word Balcony beside it.

Midship vs. forward/aft can affect category and price too. And sometimes two cabins that look practically identical on the deck plan have different category codes—and different prices.

So when someone says, “There are still cabins available,” my next question is usually, “Yes...but are they cabins YOU want?”

There's a difference.

Don't Count on a Last-Minute Bargain

Don't Count on a Last-Minute Bargain

I hear this one fairly often: “Maybe I'll just wait until the last minute and get a really good deal.”

You can wait. And I mean, it might happen, but...it has never been my experience.

There are even stories floating around the internet about people showing up at the cruise terminal without a reservation, walking up to the check-in counter and getting some fabulous last-minute deal on an empty cabin.

In my experience, that's a myth.

Cruise passengers don't simply show up at the terminal and hop aboard because there happens to be an empty cabin. Passenger information has to be submitted and cleared through the cruise line's security and manifest process before sailing. The days of showing up at the pier with a suitcase and asking, “Got anything available?” are long gone.

After more than 35 cruises of my own and hundreds of cruise bookings for clients, I have never found last-minute cruise pricing to be the bargain people expect. In my experience, as the sailing date gets closer, prices generally go up, not down.

As cabins sell, your choices also get smaller. The ship may still have cabins available, but the less expensive categories may be gone. The location you wanted may be gone. That balcony you had your eye on may now cost considerably more than it did several months ago. The ship can sell completely out of certain category types.

Could you get lucky? Sure. Cruise pricing is variable enough that I would never say never.

But would I deliberately wait until the last minute because I'm counting on the cruise line practically giving away a cabin?

Nope. That's not a strategy I'd recommend. That is a gamble.

The Best Price Isn't Always the Best Value

I love a bargain as much as anybody. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting the most bang for your buck. But here's the thing: the lowest price and the best value aren't always the same thing.

I learned this lesson myself many years ago.

I was booking an inside cabin for a couple who needed to keep their trip as economical as possible. While I was looking through the available cabins, I found an inside cabin with a porthole window!

I was so excited. It was still within their budget, and in my mind I had just given them a little upgrade. They were paying for an inside cabin, but they'd actually be able to see outside.

Travel Advisor Becky was feeling pretty proud of herself.

Well. That budget cabin was cheap for a reason.

It was located directly underneath the anchor room. Yep.

Every morning when we pulled into port, somewhere around 5:00 or 6:00 a.m., that anchor started doing whatever anchors apparently need to do directly over someone's head.

It was so loud they couldn't even carry on a conversation.

I learned a lesson on that cruise. A valuable, travel-advisor-reputation-building lesson. 

From then on, I didn't just look at the cabin number and the price. I looked at what was above it, below it and around it. That bargain cabin taught me to pay attention to the deck plans.

And that's exactly what I mean when I say the cheapest cabin isn't necessarily the best value.

Some travelers aren't looking for the cheapest cruise they can possibly take. They're willing to pay a little more for the right cruise. Maybe they want a particular itinerary. Maybe the balcony is important to them. Maybe they prefer a certain cruise line. Maybe one sailing fits their schedule much better than another.

For that traveler, saving another $100 isn't necessarily the goal. The goal is getting the vacation they actually want at a price they're comfortable paying.

Sometimes the least expensive option really is the best choice. Great! Other times, spending a little more gets you something that will make a significant difference in your vacation.

That's value too.

So...Should I Book Now or Wait?

Here comes that annoying travel-advisor answer again.

It depends.

If you've found an itinerary you really like, on a date that works for you, in a cabin you'll be happy with, at a price you're comfortable paying, that's worth serious consideration.

Could the price go down later? Maybe.

Could it go up? Yep.

Could that perfect cabin disappear while we're waiting to see what happens? Absolutely.

Cruise pricing isn't a crystal ball. It's more like trying to decide which checkout line at the grocery store will move fastest. You change lanes because the other one looks better, and immediately the lady in front of you pulls out seventeen coupons and asks for a price check.

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you stand there wondering why you ever switched lines.

That's one of the reasons I don't just look at the number beside a cruise and say, “Yep. That's the one.” I look at the dates around it. I look at the cabin choices. I look at the itinerary. I look at what's included. Most importantly, I listen to what matters to the person actually taking the vacation.

Because the best time to book your cruise isn't necessarily when somebody on the internet says cruise prices are at their lowest.

It's when the cruise, the cabin, the timing and the price come together in a way that makes sense for YOU.

CRUISE TIP!

Some of the best cruise prices can often be found during the “off-season” or shoulder season. These are the quieter travel periods after a holiday or just before or after the busiest school vacation periods. In my own cruise shopping, I've often found some very good pricing in February/March and September/October.

Of course, itinerary and destination still matter. Alaska in February might be a little difficult.