Thursday, March 28, 2024

Who Has The Best Cruise Deals

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Rule #: Dont Get Distracted By Cruise Line Sales

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The cruise lines are like department stores they constantly run sales and special offers. Sometimes it is 50% off the second fare. Sometimes its lower deposits. Sometimes its onboard credit.

Weve found that there is a constant flow of deals, and they usually are all about the same. In other words, we dont really think you should let it influence whether or not you buy or let it affect the timing of your purchase.

Yes, it is possible that one deal might be better than another. However, they typically end up around the same price. If a cruise line really needs to fill rooms, they will simply lower the price of the specific cruise instead of offering a fleetwide discount.

Where Should You Stay On A Ship To Avoid Seasickness

The date range of your cruise will have more impact on seasickness than the placement of your cabin. Mid ship lower decks experiences less rolling but in calm seas this is practically irrelevant. Some itineraries traverse open seas more than others, and certain times of year are more likely to have better weather. If you get motion sickness in a car or airplane, you will probably feel sea-sick, and that does not stop people from enjoying cruises you are better to speak to your doctor or pharmacist about motion sickness if you routinely get car sick.

Rule #: Do Choose Your Room Location Carefully

While not every cruise line does it, many will charge you different amounts for the same class of room in different locations of the ship. For example, a room on a higher deck will cost more than one on a lower deck. Through years and years of bookings, the cruise lines know which rooms are most desirable and charge accordingly.

Most times the premium you pay for room location wont seem like a big deal. The cruise lines typically frame it by adding something like $3-5 per person, per day.

Lets do the math, however.

A room with two people being charged an extra $5 per person, per day would rack up $10 per day or $70 in room location charges over the course of a week-long cruise. That may not sound like much to some of you, but that comes about to about 6-8 drinks from the bar if you were to want to spend your money on alcohol instead.

The rule of thumb is that the higher up your room is on the ship, the more you will pay.

For the absolute best rate for your particular room class, let the cruise line place you automatically at their lowest rate.

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Norwegian Cruise Line Deals

Norwegian Cruise Line deals lead you directly to the amazing world of freestyle cruising. Grab a burger off the grill or savor a multi-course meal cooked by world-renowned chefs with freestyle cruising you choose your own adventure. NCL features a wide-variety of staterooms from a family suite to a stay in The Haven by Norwegian, a luxury experience with massive rooms and private pools.

Every ship in their extensive fleet features entertainment options youll never forget like Broadway-style plays After Midnight and Rock of Ages. Add to that Cirque shows and illusions from around the world and every moment will be a moment to recount to friends after your cruise vacation. Research and compare Norwegian Cruise Line deals now and book the cruise of your dreams.

Rule #: Do Be Flexible With Your Days To Cruise The Cheapest

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As you can see in the chart below, the fares for the same cruise can vary dramatically, depending on when you sail.

Holidays like Christmas and New Years fetch the highest prices by far. These rates can often be double what you would pay in the lower season.

The highest rates found around the holidays are closely followed by peak summer rates when families with kids like to cruise.

The best times with the lowest rates? The fall months when people are back at school and work are less popular for cruising, meaning that rates hit their lowest. You can also find low rates in the time between New Years and Spring Break.

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How Can I Maximize The Value Of My Cruise Vacation

There are plenty of ways to get more bang for your buck when you sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra.

Royal Caribbean also offers deals based on departure ports and destinations, so if youre a flexible traveler looking for great savings, you can plan your next vacation around which itineraries are on sale. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers. You can even browse sailings and deals by homeport, destination and season, so you can rest assured youre getting the best possible deal no matter when or where in the world you choose to set sai.

Know When Cruises Are Cheapest

The same cruise same ship, same destinations can have very different prices at different times of year. In general, cruises tend to be cheapest in fall and late winter . At these times, more people are at work and kids are in school, and there are fewer holidays to take advantage of. Be aware of local and regional holidays, however, which can dramatically impact pricing.

A Caribbean cruise may be cheaper in fall when schools are in session and hurricanes can impact sailings, for example, but a New England and Canada cruise may be most expensive at the same time because fall foliage is peaking. Similarly, cruises in Asia are often more expensive in late January and early February during Chinese New Year when more people are on holiday.

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Is It Worth Getting A Balcony On A Cruise

Yes for the majority of people. Proof is that there are far more balcony cabins than any other type for sale on all the major lines. This evolved over the last couple decades from outside cabins . Even if you dont sit on the balcony much, the floor to ceiling windows of your sliding doors let more light in. You will feel like a balcony cabin is bigger.

The Best Cruise Deals For 2021 And 2022

11 Ways To Get Lower Cruise Fares

Cruising might not have resumed just yet, but thats not stopping the flood of eye-popping cruise deals via this years wave season. This three-month-long annual bonanza of the year’s best cruise deals traditionally kicks off in January and runs as late as March. During this period, cruise lines of all types offer up everything from discounted fares to free perks, like spending credits for the ship, cabin upgrades, beverage packages, prepaid gratuitiesand even hotel stays and greatly reduced airfare.

During the industry-wide event this year, cruise lines are looking to reel in travelers with some serious pent-up wanderlust. Youll find these incentives for sailings embarking later in 2021 and into 2022 . Need more reason to book now? You’ll get first dibs on the best cabins, too. Here are 11 wave season cruise deals we recommend, to help you nab one of the most value-packed cruise vacations of the year.

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This article was last published in January 2020. It has been updated with new information.

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Does It Pay To Plan Ahead Or Should I Wait Until The Last Minute

Its an age-old question does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a wait-and-see approach? If youre booking a cruise vacation, youll find there are benefits to both strategies. Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. Its 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. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings but only if the itinerary youre interested in hasnt sold out yet.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Known for smaller ships that resemble floating boutique hotels, Uniworld’s Cruise Back Into Travel special includes up to 30 percent off select itineraries, including a 10-day sail around northern Italy, with stops in Milan and Venice and a 12-day sail down the Nile, from Cairo through the Valley of the Kings. .

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Book Early But Not Too Early

Most cruise lines do not offer significant last-minute savings. While there are occasional last-minute deals, especially for weekend cruises, those sailings are often nearly full and there wont be as much choice in cabins. Instead, book your cruise earlier several months in advance for the best pricing as well as the best choice of cabins.

Also Read: How to Get a Good Deal On Your Next Cruise

Similarly, there is no great advantage in booking more than a year in advance, except for very special or limited cruises. Seasonal cruises such as voyages to Alaska or Antarctica, for example, dont operate year-round and they will fill up much more quickly, and maiden voyages of the newest vessels are always sought-after. For the best prices, it is wise to book those cruises a year in advance or even further if possible.

Rule #: Do Monitor Price Dropsand Call The Cruise Line

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So what if after all this you book your cruise, and then the price drops?

First, you should be monitoring the price of your cruise after you book if you want to save money. Were not saying to check it every day, but once or twice a week is sufficient.

If you run across a price drop, then you should contact the cruise line immediately. This is where having put down only a deposit and not paying in full buys you some leverage.

Many times the cruise lines will work with you to compensate for the lower fare, even though they often arent obligated to do so. They can refund the difference or offer onboard credit to make you happy.

Some lines have price protection policies in place. Carnival, for example, has its Early Saver Program:

1. When you book a 3-5 day cruise three months in advance, or 6 day or longer cruise five months in advance, you are assured the lowest rate.
2. In the unlikely event that you do find a lower Carnival-advertised rate after booking your cruise, we will honor it and adjust your cruise rate accordingly. Simply fill out the Price Protection Claim form and well take care of the rest.

If you only have a deposit down, and they wont work with you on the price difference, determine the refund policy to see if it is worth it to cancel your original trip and re-book the cruise at the lower rate.

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What Is Wave Season

Every cruise enthusiast and keen traveller should have a calendar reminder set for the onset of Wave Season. Dubbed the Black Friday of the cruise industry, Wave Season is the period of time when cruise lines and travel companies launch their biggest deals and savings on cruise holidays. Running from January to the end of March, Wave Season lasts three months, so theres plenty of time to snap up a steal.

How Do I Find The Best Last Minute Cruise Deals

Its easy! Check out our last-minute cruises and youll find the last cabins available for voyages happening in the next 180 days. While you might think these cruise holidays will cost more, these last-minute cruise deals can be more affordable as the cruise line wishes to bring aboard as many people as possible before it sets sail! As such youll often find cruise deals and cruise sale offers for a majority of these last-minute voyages. If youre in need of the best cheap cruise deals Australia has on sale today online, this is the best place to be. Well make sure you receive the lowest cruise prices on all the cruise holidays we have on sale. For massive deals to all the major destinations across the globe, look to no other place than Cruise Guru for all your cruise holidays.

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Planning The Perfect Cruise To Alaska

Plan the perfect getaway to Alaska with a cruise! There’s no better way to see the natural wonders of this awesome region than sailing along the Al …

Planning the Perfect Cruise to Alaska

Plan the perfect getaway to Alaska with a cruise! There’s no better way to see the natural wonders of this awesome region than sailing along the Alaska coast on a cruise ship. Leaving from Vancouver and Seattle, Alaska cruise vacations provide opportunities for travelers to enjoy seeing glaciers, explore the wilderness, experience historical port cities, and see a wide range of wildlife, including whale sightings. Adventurous travelers can enjoy shore excursions by train to the Yukon and Denali National Park and stay in exclusive wilderness lodges. The top three Alaska cruises are offered by Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland American Cruise Line. Read on to find out more about planning the perfect cruise to Alaska.

Use Marriott Bonvoy Points To Pay For Your Cruise

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Its a great option to be able to pay for your cruise with points, and Marriott makes that possible. However, its not the best use of your Marriott points.

When booking a cruise with Marriott points, youll only get 0.4 cents per point in value. Since about 0.7 cents each youll be missing out on some value. You might want to look into other ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy including hotels, flights, or Hotel + Air packages.

Pros and Cons of Marriott Cruises

Pros:

  • Members can earn extra Marriott points.
  • You can pay for your cruise with Marriott points.
  • The site offers a 110% best price guarantee.

Cons:

  • Youll be charged a non-refundable processing fee of $24.99 per reservation.
  • Marriott points are not useful if you dont stay at

Bottom Line: When you book a cruise through Marriott, you can pay for your cruise with points or you can choose to pay cash and earn Marriott points on your purchase.

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Book Your Next Cruise While On Your Cruise

The cruise lines know that the best time to sell a cruise is when their passengers are having a wonderful time on their current cruise. Most cruise lines are very generous and offer special savings to passengers that reserve and deposit a future cruise while still onboard. You may receive onboard $$$ credits towards that future cruise, a discounted rate, category upgrades and a reduced deposit.

Another advantage of booking onboard, if you know when youd like to cruise, is that you can usually find a perfect cabin location, itinerary and sail date. Most important, all you have to do is to tell the cruise lines onboard booking agent that you want to have your travel agent back home handle your new reservation.

If youre not sure of when youd like to take your next cruise, but want to take advantage of the discount, cruise lines offer a future cruise booking opportunity. You place a small deposit for a future cruise and then when you know when and where you want to go, you or your travel agent will inform the cruise line of your future cruise deposit by using the reservation number given to you at time of booking.

Future cruise bookings may have time limits or other restrictions, so be sure to know what youre buying.

The Onboard Cruise Consultant will look up your travel agents name from your existing reservation and give the credit to that agency. Chances are, the agent at home will be so excited that you might even receive a special thank you gift for your effort.

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The Best Time Of Year To Book A Cruise

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 youve been dreaming of may drop significantly. Its also a good time to find booking promotions, like free upgrades, prepaid gratuities, or onboard spending money.

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