Cruise Guide

When you look at the brochure cruise prices they can seem high, some very high. You can factor in the value of the food and entertainment, but if the price is out of your reach, it isn't a bargain. Fortunately, there are ways to sail for less; there are cheap cruises and cruise deals out there and this guide will help you find them.

Finding a Discount Cruise - Getting Started

Sometimes, cruise deals will fall in your lap, but most of the time you have to work to find them. This means getting organized, prepared and doing the leg work.

There are many cruise websites; from the individual cruise lines owned sites, to travel agencies, to discount brokers. Some of them are better than others and it will behoove you to make sure they are members of the BBB online and have a secured site before considering them.

Another thing to remember is to always get confirmation numbers! If you are booking over the phone, write down the names and extensions of every person you deal with and have them email you all confirmations and changes. Now let's go find that deal!

Early Bird Cruise Discounts

An early bird discount is given when you book your cabin far in advance. Along with getting a price discount, booking early assures the pick of the ship. It is a great opportunity to nab one of the larger balconies, or to get the exact ship placement you prefer. Some passengers enjoy a cruise so much, they book it for the next year right there on the ship!

Early bird cruise deals often include a specific percentage off and an added draw such as $100 credit per cabin. You can pick up early bird discounts from the cruise lines own websites as well as most travel sites.

Considerations for Early Bird Discounts

1. Are your vacation days set in stone? Things happen and even though changing the date of your trip before your final payment is possible, you may lose that dream cabin and your low price. If you have the same vacation dates yearly, it may still be wise to pick up some travel insurance when booking many months ahead of time.

2. Do you want to sail on a popular ship and/or route? When we were on the Disney Wonder Cruise and every family I spoke to had booked at least 9 months in advance - it made me realize our last minute purchase must have been available because of a cancellation. If your heart is set on a specific cruise ship, cruise line, or location, it might be best to start making arrangements as soon as your decision is made.

3. Are you willing to keep track of the going price? Up until your final payment is made, you can always ask for a price adjustment if the price goes down. It is not automatic and with some drops lasting only a short time, you will need to be a conscientious searcher. It isn't always black and white -. if the price is lowered by the cruise line, you should be able to get it without a problem but if it is lowered by only one broker (or site), you may be required to drop your reservation and then rebook from them to get the lower price. You will not be guaranteed the same cabin and if you were given any extra perks, you will lose those by transferring. But if the price drop is substantial, it may be worth it.

A note about price adjustments - if you make any reservation changes, you must always go through the agent (or agency) who originally booked your cabin. Therefore, in cases of early bird booking, it is often best to book directly with the cruise line (which can be through the web) so you can call them yourself and get the adjustment instead of dealing with whoever did the booking and have them call the line and get the price change. If you have a top notch agent he or she may be a great help and watch for price changes, but normally you are doing all the work and then have to depend on someone else to try and get the price adjusted. Even if you feel your agent is looking out for you, it will behoove you to follow the price changes yourself, just in case he or she misses one.

Last Minute Cruise Deals
A last minute deal is just as the name implies, a deal that pops up at the last minute. Cruise ships want to have the lowest vacancy rate as possible and therefore, will drop the price of any unsold cabins. The closer the sailing date is, the more likely you will get an even lower price, this is especially true for discount brokers that have pre-booked a number of rooms, they could lose money if they don't get them all sold. Once they reach their "bottom price" they will often start offering extras. We have gotten free excursions (from a select list), free 3rd person and bottles of wine on top of a great price.

The only problem with "waiting" for a last minute cruise deal is it may not happen! Some cruise ships sell out early so there are no last minute deals to be had. We were able to get great last minute deals on two Alaskan cruises, aided by being so close to the port. The first time, we were able to get on Norwegian Cruise Line's Spirit Cruise for a big discount because they added her Alaskan run late in the season and many guests had already booked other ships. And then last August, I got an email about a great deal on Celebrity Cruise Line- Mercury. The ship was leaving in less than two weeks and the prices had dropped over 75%! I immediately called to see if they had any triple or quad cabins left and had the choice of three rooms. I grabbed one and then called my cousin who quickly called them only to hear they were already sold out, even for double rooms!

Considerations for Last Minute Cruise Deals

1. How close are you to the departure port? If you have to add in last minute airfare the bargain aspect of your cruise may no longer apply.

2. Are you able (and prepared) to leave now? You could be sailing out in a week and you will need to be able to quickly take care of any necessary arrangements. Can you rearrange your schedule, find someone to watch the house, feed the animals, and get your medications in order etc. in little time?

3. Do you have a passport? It is impossible to get a passport within a week and you will need one if you are leaving the country. This includes children, regardless of their age. If you do not already have a passport, and plan on cruising (or any type of travel) having a passport will only be an asset - take the time now to get one. Then, should a last minute deal come up, you can grab it!

4. Will you be happy with any cabin? Last minute deals normally have very limited cabin choices. To make sure their higher priced rooms are full, they are often offered to pre-booked guest (at a bit of a discount) first, and as they move up, their room is then offered to guest in a lower category and on and on. We have gotten balcony and ocean views at the last minute but have also had to settle for an inside. If you are willing to take whatever is available, you will have a better chance of nailing a great deal.

Remember: LAST MINUTES CRUISES CAN GO VERY FAST

Finding a discount cruise- Repositioning Cruises

Many cruise ships depart from different ports during different seasons and therefore they must "reposition" the ship to its new port. Booking one of these one-way repo cruises can be a huge money saver. They can vary greatly on the number of nights; we have taken Norwegian Cruise Line Sun on a one night repo cruise from Seattle to Vancouver and my sister-in-law just booked the Princess Cruise Line- Emerald Princess for a 16 day one departing from Ft. Lauderdale and ending in Spain! There are many choices and if one way doesn't work, remember they will also be going back at the end of the season.

Considerations for Repo cruises

1. Can you use the cruise to get somewhere you need (or want) to be? If you can use a repro cruise to arrive (or get home) from another destination, they are a much better deal than if you have purchase one way air fare for the other half.

2. Will you be able to combine the repo cruise with another cruise or vacation? We have combined two repo cruises, one from Seattle to Vancouver; and then getting onto another repo ship from Vancouver to LA to take a RT 8 day cruise from there. The one day cruise cost was the least expensive way for us to get to Vancouver.

3. Will you be satisfied with fewer Ports? Some repositioning cruises (especially long distances) will make fewer stops. In fact, we took one to Dover that only stopped three times. That is a lot of ship time which may be a consideration.

4. How much will it cost to return? One-way airfare can be ¾ the cost of a round trip fare which could raise the bargain price up a lot!

Other Cruise Deals

While everyone can get a discount cruise by booking early, late, or on a repo cruise there are some deals which are given only when specific criteria is met or for certain individuals, let's see how these savings work.

Groups

Many cruise lines will give a free cabin to the 9th one booked. In other words, after getting 8 double cabins booked the next cabin is free. Taxes and port charges must still be paid but it is still a wonderful deal. Some lines go by "beds" while others only count the cabins first two passengers in the count - be sure to ask for clarification before booking.

One way share the discount among the entire group is to take the total (including the extra charges for the "free" cabin) and divide it by 9 - dividing the cost (and savings) evenly between all 9 cabins. When the local college did this they reduced every cabin by $50 from the beginning, they then took the extra savings and divided it by the days on the trip, holding a drawing every morning on the ship.

Groups can also get extras such as welcoming gifts, complimentary group photo, etc. If you can get a group together (family reunions, spring break) and want to work out a deal, call the cruise line itself as well as asking some agents (online or local) and see who can get you the best deal. Get at least three quotes as the prices and offers can vary a great deal. Whatever you do with the savings, it is a fun way for large groups to vacation and save together.

Returning Cruisers

Every cruise line has some kind of loyalty program which you become a member of after your first cruise with them. They have different levels with different amenities starting with the "past guest reception" which includes drinks, music, drawings, and the Captain. Returning guests also get reduced offers for specific cruises. If you have previously sailed on a line, check their website to see which sailings qualify.

Senior Discounts

Special cruise rates are sometimes offered to seniors - one person in the cabin must prove they qualify at the pier before boarding. Passengers are considered seniors at 60 years of age by the following cruise lines: Costa, Crystal, Disney, Holland and Princess and age 55 by the other lines. If you qualify, be sure to inquire if there are any additional senior discounts before booking

State Residents

Occasionally discounts will be offered to different state residents, usually the state in which the ship departs from. Florida seems to get most of these discounts, probably because of the large number of sailings from there. It won't hurt to ask if any State discounts are being offered, especially if you are departing from you resident Sate.

Three and Four in the Same Cabin

This is a wonderful way to save A LOT of money! Many sailings reduce the cost for the third and fourth persons sharing the same cabin. This is one of the best ways for families and friends to save on a cruise.

Young people (who don't mind being cramped) can save a lot by booking the lowest priced inside quad with discounted prices for the second set. They can then split the cost in 4 and get a really sweet deal - after all they won't be in their rooms that much anyway. And the discount is a terrific way to allow families to vacation together, we have paid as little as $99 each to bring two children along for a week's cruise.

Since these rates are often the same regardless of which cabin type you book, your pp price can drop dramatically. On our last cruise they were offering 3rd and 4th rates at $149 pp which lowered our balcony cabin pp rate to lower than the pp price of an inside double cabin. What is really nice is these reductions are often available along with other offers such as last minute deals. I never book a cabin without checking for this offer.

Online Cruise Discounts- Tips!

Sign up For Emails

Now you know what bargains to look for, you need to get going. The first thing you need to do is set up a free email account which you can use solely for cruising, this way you can have quick access to all the emails that start pouring in.

Once you have your free email account, you should start searching the different websites. Since prices and inventory are constantly changing, it is important to check back often to get the best possible deal. By signing up for their emails, you can get new information set to you. You will still need to keep checking individual websites but the emails can make the difference of getting in on the deal or not. Good cruise deals are limited and they can sell out very quickly. Many people get the same email and you could lose your opportunity to book a cabin in a very short time, therefore every extra angle you can get is worth getting.

Here are five sites to get you started:

• Cruise Cheap: They have a really smart layout with multiple choices on the home page. Not only can you search for cruises through the departure port or by the cruise line (and more) but you can get information about different destinations and basic cruise answers.
• Online Vacation Center: You will get a lot of emails from them, some very pricey and others a steal. They have an easy to understand front page with their today's best deals, as well as a win a free cruise contest.
• Orbitz Cruises: There are some amazing travel deals through Orbitz, and cruises are no exception. They not only list deals from multiple sites but often offer "extras" such as spa treatments and room credits.
• Travelzoo: This is another site that offers great deals on not only cruises, but all travel. After searching the web, they put together the latest offers for you to see at a glance. Travelzoo claims 12 million subscribers - so check often and move quickly on their email deals.
• Vacations to Go: This site has a 90 day ticker for last minute deals which allows you to search by date, price or departure area. You have to register to view the deals but it is only your email and name.

Cruise bargains are all over the net and constantly changing, by following the steps covered in this guide, you should be on your way to finding yourself a wonderful cruise vacation and at a bargain price too!

Sources:

Personal experiences; cruisecheap.com, Online Vacation Center, Orbitz Cruises, TravelZoo, Vacationstogo.com and Viewpoints