How to Get the Best Deal on Your Cruise
You deserve a nice relaxing vacation; you deserve to let your worries drift away for a little while as you see a new and exciting part of the world. You deserve all of this, but that doesn’t mean you should pay any more for your trip than you have to.
If you are worried that trying to find a lower cost on a cruise means that you won’t enjoy yourself, there’s really no need for concern. We’re not talking about trying to find cheap cruises with lesser service, we’re talking about how to save money on premium cruises.
Plan Ahead
If you are able to plan out your cruise well in advance you should be able to get a better deal. It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. During the most popular times of year to go on a cruise more people are going to want to book trips. But if you plan your cruise well ahead of time you can save money. For example, if you are planning to go on a cruise in August, this is a popular month to plan a trip for, so you would normally be looking at paying a higher price. But, if you book that August cruise a year or more in advance, then you should not only be able to ensure you can get passage, but you should also get the lowest fare.
Check If Fares Drop After You Have Booked Your Trip
Believe it or not, it’s not unheard of for the cost of tickets to drop as a cruise ship gets closer to its departure date. Most of the time this is due to the ship having too many vacancies so in order to get the ship as full as possible the cruise line will offer some pretty great deals. Well, why shouldn’t you be able to take advantage of those deals? Just because you had the foresight to plan ahead doesn’t mean you should have to pay more. If the price on a cruise drops before your departure make sure you contact the cruise line and ask to be reimbursed the difference, in most cases, they are more than happy to accommodate you.
Keep an Eye Out for Last Minute Openings
If you have a flexible schedule, make sure that you keep an eye out for last minute specials. As mentioned above, many cruise lines will offer great deals as they get closer to their departure date if the ship doesn’t have enough passengers booked. A cruise line would rather charge less for tickets than to depart with a ship that is too empty. If you have the type of job that allows you to get away at a moment’s notice, then make sure you keep an eye out for a last-minute special on the cruise you have always wanted to go on.
Book A Trip in Bulk
If you have ever wanted to get the extended family together for a vacation, why not consider a cruise? If you can gather a large enough group of people together to book the trip, you can usually get a significant discount on the price per person. Don’t have enough family and friends to get the discount? Then, why not consider booking a cruise for you and your coworkers? If you want a chance to get to know everyone else from the office, and want to find a way to bond and grow as a team, a cruise can help you to do just that.
Take Advantage of Loyalty Discounts
Anyone that has ever flown knows all about frequent flyer miles. In fact, even people that don’t fly have probably heard about frequent flyer miles. Not as many people have heard about cruise line loyalty discounts. If you find a cruise line that you really love, and can stick with them long term, then there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to get some great loyalty discounts. You reward the cruise line with your continuing business, and they reward you by offering you a better deal. It’s a win-win scenario.
Work with A Travel Agent
Did you know that most travel agents don’t actually charge you anything for their services? It’s true, and no, they don’t work for free. Travel agents earn their income via commissions and other financial rewards provided by cruise lines, airlines, hotels, etc. So, rather than spending your free time trying to get the best deal possible, why not let a professional do the heavy lifting for you?
Now, you may be thinking that since a travel agent is paid by a cruise line based upon booking a trip for you, they may be looking out for the best interests of the cruise line instead of you. That’s definitely a valid concern, and it’s something that has been known to happen. But, if you take the time to work with a reputable travel agent, then you probably have nothing to worry about.
Your Dream Cruise Vacation Doesn’t Have to Cost You A Fortune
For many people, a long, luxurious, and relaxing cruise is something they have dreamed about for many years. But reality often gets in the way of letting people pursue those dreams. While going on a cruise isn’t incredibly expensive, the pricing can scare some people away. But the good news is that it really shouldn’t. If you are a budget conscious person, and still want to go on a cruise, then you can do it if you follow the suggestions mentioned above. You really can get the best of both worlds. You can go on the cruise you want, and you can do it at a great price.