Awesome Ways To Cut Cruise Costs
Looking for ways to shave off the price of your cruise? Do things the right way, and you could find yourself taking advantage of a serious bargain. Here are our top 6 tips for booking a cruise!
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Book Early
Popular routes fill up fast so it is unlikely you will get the opportunity to get any discount late in the day. Always try to book early – at least nine months in advance – to get the best deal possible. Booking early will also give you the best chance to pick a great cabin. You don’t want your trip of a lifetime to be spoiled by sleeping under the liner’s nightclub or next to the engines.
Last-Minute Deals
If you are flexible about where you want to go and the dates you can get away, it is possible to pick up some great last-minute deals. Sign up to as many cruise company mailing lists as you can, and they will notify you of cruises they are struggling to fill. They will often drop the price to ensure a fuller ship. Choose some dates when you want to travel, and check discount websites a week or so before. Nothing is guaranteed, but many people find success and have a great cruise experience this way.
Book Off Season
Vacation prices rocket during holiday seasons, so if you can get away off-season when the kids are in school, you will pay far less. There are still some great times to get away that fall out of peak season – the last week in August, for example. If your kids finish or go back to school outside of the peak season dates, take advantage. You could save up to half of the costs!
Use Auction Sites
Many major cruise lines hold auctions on their websites. You can get the odd deal, but you can get better from independent auctioneers. Try skyauction.com and even eBay. If you are feeling flush and want to go on a trip of a lifetime, you could even search out a much more spectacular cruise on a Luxury Cruise Company auction.
Don’t Forget Insurance
If you are traveling abroad, make sure you have insurance. If you aren’t covered to receive medical attention should something happen, the costs of your holiday could be dwarfed by your medical bills. Medicare, for example, only covers you for travel within the United States. There are some exceptions, however. If you have Medicare eligibility, you can travel through Canadian waters to Alaska and still have coverage. But in the main, you will need to extend your coverage, or take out insurance for any travel abroad.
Use An Agent
Every cruise line has a number of experts on hand that can help create your perfect cruise. If you are clever in what you ask, they can often arrange discounted fares, onboard credits, and free meals at the speciality restaurants. You will pay them a little extra to begin with, but the amount you save on extras will dwarf that figure.