Cruises can be a fun and convenient way to travel around the world, without having to spend on airline tickets and hotel costs. While all of this is true, cruises can still get expensive if you are unable to find the best deals.
How do I get the best deal on a cruise? Cruises are like the newest Kate Spade collection if you wait long enough it’s going to go on sale, especially if it’s out of season.
In this article we’ll go in depth about how to get the best deal on a cruise, when the best times to go are, some of the cheapest cruise destinations, how to budget on a journey, and what some of the best value cruise lines are.
How To Get The Best Deal On a Cruise
Traveling to another country is expensive. Plane tickets can cost thousands of dollars, hotel rooms are a few hundred per night, and finding a good place to eat can be a nightmare. Most overseas vacations can cost upwards of $5,000, which is more than most people want to spend.
Cruises allow people to experience the same sites and experiences as traveling by plane, but instead of paying thousands, most cruises are only a few hundred, plus they include room and board.
Cruises go everywhere from Europe to the Caribbean, so whether you would rather spend the day soaking up the sun in paradise or touring museums in one of the oldest empires in the world, there’s a cruise for you!
You don’t need to spend hours with a travel agent anymore to find the best deals for a cruise. Now you can sit in the comfort of your own home and find a cruise that fits all your needs.
From Twitter to booking last minute, cruise deals can come in the most unexpected places. The fewer people on board means less money so cruises will often cut prices to ensure they have a full ship.
How to find the best deals:
- Follow cruise lines on Twitter
- Sign up for cruise lines eletters
- Keep an eye on discount sites
- Look for package deals
- Book cruises either months in advance or last minute
- Monitor prices
- Ask for cash back
- Treat it like Sam’s Club and buy in bulk
- Stick with the same cruise line
- Sail offseason
Cruise lines often post about flash sales and exclusive deals so by following them on Twitter or forking over your email address can often gain you unique insight and instant access to all the hottest deals before they run out.
Discount sites like Groupon will occasionally have a limited number of exclusive deals on cruises that you can’t find anywhere else.
Some cruises offer package deals that include airfare or free items on board. These tickets may seem more expensive, but they’ll save you money in the long run.
Prices are often slashed when they’re first released and right before the cruise takes off. The cruise line wants to make sure as many people are on board as possible, the only downside to waiting last minute is you may not get your first pick of the cabin.
If you have a particular cruise in mind do some research on when prices have dropped to the lowest in the past. Once you have a solid time frame in mind, treat those cruise lines like you’d treat your stocks and monitor the prices daily until they look like they’ve reached their lowest price.
After you’ve booked your sweet cruise deal, you may want to continue to monitor prices afterward. If the price drops to below what you paid you can request a rate change, cancel and rebook at the new rate, or request the difference in cruise credit.
Turns out toilet paper isn’t the only thing you can buy in bulk. If you have a large family or want to take the office to the Caribbean, most cruises will offer discounts for large parties or provide free credit on board.
Some cruise lines will treat their loyal customers. They might offer free drinks, spa nights, or even a free cruise if you rack up enough points by sticking with the same company. You could also get exclusive emails offering deals only sent out to past passengers.
Sailing off-season can also offer some pretty sweet bargains. The only downside if you may have to put up with some unfavorable weather or an excessive number of tourists.
For more tips on how to save money for a vacation, check out this article!
The Best Times To Go On a Cruise
The best time to go on a cruise depends on what you are looking for. If you want a cheap journey in the summer, you may have to look at a few different travel sites before finding a good deal.
Cruises tend to more expensive in the summer due to children being off from school and warm summer weather. Holidays are also a trendy time to book cruises.
For all cruise destinations, there is an area of peak demand that is usually directly related to the weather.
Cruises tend to be cheaper during the chillier months, so if you want to save a few hundred dollars and don’t mind donning a sweater, then you may want to consider going in the off months.
The best time to go on a cruise based on location:
- Alaska- May
- Asia- May
- Australia- November
- Bermuda- April to June, September to November
- Canada/New England- May, October
- Caribbean- Early December
- Europe- April, October
- Hawaii- November
- Mexico- November
- South America- November, December
- South Pacific- March, April
Cruises are usually only offered in Alaska from May to September when temperatures are at their highest. May is one of the best months to visit, it’s a little on the chillier side with temperatures ranging from 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is one of the cheapest months to visit.
May is also one of Alaska’s driest month’s so you’ll be less likely to get rained out of all the activities you’ll have planned.
Cruises in Asia are more challenging to plan for with all the changing weather patterns. From monsoons to tsunamis, the weather can be unpredictable. The best time to ultimately visit is May when the tourist season is winding down and right before the humid, wet season begins in June.
The best time to go on a cruise in Australia is November. After November is when cyclone season starts and when Aussies tend to go on vacation.
Bermuda has fairly consistent temperatures year-round but right before and right after summer is when you’ll find the best deals and the least number of tourists.
In Canada, May and October will offer some of the lowest rates. The weather is a little chillier but each month provide their own unique charms, such as being able to view the colorful fall foliage in October.
Early December in the Caribbean is not only their dry season, but it’s when the most discounts are offered for cruises. Late December tends to get busier as families flood the cruise ships wanting to spend the holidays in the sun.
Prices of cruises tend to hike in Europe during the summer drastically. The best time to visit is the beginning and the end of the season.
During these times the temperature is more pleasant, and it won’t attract as many crowds. The one month you want to avoid Europe is August when it’s excessively hot, and many establishments will close since that’s when most of Europe goes on holiday.
The sweet spot for visiting Hawaii is November when Hawaii is undergoing its dry season and hasn’t gotten all of its Christmas tourists yet.
Mexico, like Hawaii, is best to visit in November. Hurricane season would have just ended, it’s beginning to enter its dry month, and this is when the most deals are being offered.
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the best time to visit South America, you’ll find great season bargains, but the weather can be varied. The one time to avoid South America is August when the waters can be extremely choppy.
March and April in the South Pacific mark the very end of their summer. It’s still warm enough to swim, and it’s the very end of the South Pacific’s wet season.
The Cheapest Cruise Destinations
There’s plenty of cheap cruise destinations available, especially if you want to stay in the same country.
Many cruise ships offer 3-4 day cruises where you spend the entire cruise on the boat as a small and cheap getaway from day-to-day life. These cruises are typically around $200 for just a few nights.
If you want to travel internationally, it can get pretty expensive pretty quick. Some international cruises can cost $4000-$5000 if you wish to go on an international cruise on a budget the following offer some pretty reasonable prices.
The following list is the average nightly price of the first five cruises offered at that location on Expedia, Kayak, and Cruises.
Cheapest international places to visit:
- Bahamas $77 per night
- The Caribbean $71 per night
- Cuba $79 per night
These destinations tend to be less expensive due to how close they are to Florida. Many cruises will offer 4-5 nights in the Caribbean or Bahamas at very reasonable prices. You can often find cruises as low as $60 per night on various travel sites.
The Caribbean tends to be a popular travel destination due to how cheap it is and how many cruises visit that location. If you’re looking for a cheap cruise and aren’t picky about location, then the Caribbean might be for you.
Tips For Budgeting on a Cruise
On a cruise, there can be a lot of extra expenses. From spas to shopping, it can be easy to rack up a bill. Instead of giving your credit card a workout, try focusing on all the free activities the ship offers.
Don’t forget that some cruises charge for Wi-Fi so try turning off your phone and bringing a book to enjoy by the pool or a few disposable cameras.
Ways to budget on a cruise:
- Skip the soda
- Take your own photos
- Avoid the restaurants
- Limit your drinking
- Bring your own supplies
- Avoid the casino
- Plan your personal excursions
- Clean your own clothes
- Skip all the extra
Soda and alcoholic beverages are often overpriced on cruise ships. Instead of spending $3-$7 on a drink, most cruises will allow you to bring one case of soda, beer, or water onboard. If you go on Pinterest, you can often find hacks for bringing more beverages onboard.
Instead of paying for overpriced family photos onboard, try taking your own or finding somewhere cheaper on land.
Avoid specialty restaurants. The food in the dining areas, the buffets, and the other shops are just as good and less costly. If you really want to try one of these restaurants, booking reservations before you’re on the ship will often save you money. (If you are looking for a cruiseline with the best food, check out that article!)
Casinos can easily be a money trap, between gambling and the overpriced alcoholic beverages, it’s best to avoid them altogether.
Instead of going on cruise excursions, try planning your own. Cruise activities are often overpriced and may not include things you’re interested in.
Just remember to get back to the boat on time because they’re not afraid to leave without you. Some companies offer the same activities as cruise lines but at a discount and with the guarantee that you’ll be back before the boat leaves.
Some cruises will charge you per item of clothing you need to be cleaned. Instead of racking up a ridiculous laundry bill try bringing onboard a travel size bottle of laundry detergent and washing your clothes in the sink.
It’s easy to get lost in all that a cruise can offer, from night clubs to spas, it can be a floating paradise of indulgences. Just remember to check what all is or isn’t included for free in your cruise before you let loose and go wild.
The last thing you want is a credit card bill to ruin all the happy memories you made on the journey.
For more tips and tricks on how to travel on a budget, check out this article!
Best Value Cruise Lines
Price isn’t always the best way to determine the value of a cruise. Some cruises offer some serious extras or marked down costs in order to attract passengers onboard.
Best Cruise lines according to the U.S. News:
- Celebrity Cruises
- Royal Caribbean International
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Princess Cruises
- Holland America Line
- MSC Cruises
- Costa Cruises
Celebrity Cruises is voted number one when it comes to value. It offers the sizeable floating city appeal of the more extensive lines but maintains the service standards, intimacy, and smaller prices that only smaller lines can uphold.
Royal Caribbean is one of the most extensive lines on the ocean with 20 ships currently on the seas. Due to how large they are, they can offer lower rates for European and Alaskan destinations.
Norwegian is making waves in the cruise industry as they’re abandoning traditional cruise rules like dress codes and set dinner times. They’re offering upscale experiences for a fraction of the price.
Carnival is known for its flash sales and early booking deals on top of already low prices. The ship’s activities won’t cost a dime, but their soda and alcoholic beverages are notoriously expensive. You may want to consider forgoing them all together or Pinterest some ways bring your favorites onboard.
You can expect to pay a similar price for Princess as you would Carnival (their parent company). The only difference is Princess caters more towards adults than families and offer longer voyages. Instead of an overabundance of waterslides, they offer extras such as cooking lessons and history lectures.
Holland America has ships that are kid-friendly and ships that are geared more towards adults. The cruise is a pretty good bargain, but that doesn’t mean they skimp on service. There is one staff member for every 3 guests, which leads to more personalized service.
MSC caters to mostly European ports, but even if you take a flight to Europe just to spend it on a cruise, you’ll find the cost is significantly lower than a land vacation with prices as low as $100 per night.
Costa is another Carnival-owned line that sails primarily to European ports. Like MSC, it offers much lower prices than European land vacations, and it provides both kids friendly and adult cruises. The adult cruises offer dance classes and theater productions.
While these cruises may not be as cheap as some of the voyages to the Bahamas of the Caribbean, they do offer more free onboard activities and a more extensive staff which can lead to a more personal experience.
Cruises often provide a much cheaper way to travel and guarantee that your day will be jam-packed with fun activities, you won’t find a dull moment on many of these cruises.
If you can’t use your cellphone onboard due to outrageous international fees at least, you can take a cooking class or go see a theater production.
Hopefully, this gave you a lot to consider for the next time you book a cruise, after all, you don’t want to worry about money when you’re on international waters.
(When you are ready to book your cruise, you’ll want to check out these best cruise destinations!)