Thursday, April 11, 2024

Why now is the best time to book your 2023 cruise vacation

best time to book a cruise for 2023

For more mild weather and less crowds than during the busy summer season, aim for a Mediterranean voyage in early May or September. Amenity add-ons, like beverage packages, onboard credit, Wi-Fi, laundry service, and included gratuities, only have a value if you are going to use them. A person who drinks only one glass of wine each day or someone who likes to disconnect from tech on vacation may find little worth in an unlimited drinks package or premium Wi-Fi, respectively.

What About Sailing During the Winter or Hurricane Season?

Further, the addition of specific features or bonuses at once or onboard can as well make the final price rise or fall. Those promotions could include free stateroom upgrades, highly reduced cruise fares, discounts on deposits, free sailings for children, complimentary airfare, and discounted beverage packages, among other offers. Moreover, the destination you are hoping to sail to will make a difference in what sales you find during these months. If there is a high demand for your specific sailing that has been booked well in advance, it is unlikely that they will offer any jaw-dropping sales a few months prior to departure. That being said, the best day to book once-in-a-lifetime itineraries -- like world cruises -- or holiday sailings is the day that they are released. It is not uncommon for these limited bookings to sell out within hours, even if they are some of the most expensive options on the market and especially if you are hoping to stay in a suite.

Tracking Fares

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Silversea gives Antarctica travelers the option to skip two days of sailing the often-rocky Drake Passage. Instead, they can fly in comfort over the waters separating South America from the continent, then hop aboard the 127-suite Silver Cloud and 100-suite Silver Endeavour for trips along the frosty coastline. If you have to make any other travel arrangements to arrive at your cruise ship, this benefit of an improved price will also include those, such as any planes or shuttles you’ll have to take to your cruise line.

January

If you want more mild weather that isn’t in the rainy season, consider April to May or September to October. For the least chance of a rain shower (but the hottest temperatures), take a cruise to Hawaii in June, July, or August. For the best prices, look into voyages that sail in November and early December. While there’s not necessarily a wrong time to book a cruise, there are time frames where travelers can benefit from discounts and promotions.

How do I know if I'm getting a good deal when I book?

The main advantage here is that if you have a problem or want to change something about your booking they can do it on the spot or within hours, even minutes after you land the final price. It can be difficult for families with children to accommodate a small getaway but the difference in prices in comparison with the rest of the year is relatively big. Although it is winter in North America at that time of the year, the Caribbean still provides tourists with sun and warm weather. Booking 6-12 months in advance is recommended to grab the best prices and accommodations.

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When are Cruises on sale?

A game changer in lowering emissions, Ponant’s brand-new hybrid-electric Le Commandant Charcot can operate on less-carbon-intensive battery power and liquefied natural gas and has room for 245 guests. The game-changing ship, which has already hosted eclipse watchers on a trip to Antarctica and sailed to the geographic North Pole, also offers adventures in places such as Iceland and Svalbard. The Alaska trips on Ocean Victory, a fuel-efficient, 93-cabin ship from American Queen Voyages, come with the opportunity to kayak past glaciers and spot bald eagles and grizzlies. The vessel, which first debuted in 2021, represents an evolution in ship design for American Queen, with its cutting-edge X-Bow design (which helps reduce fuel burn) and chic suites, including many with private verandas. Justin Hollon added that airfare deals are usually in the 3-6 month range as well, so keep that in mind if you need other travel arrangements. Additionally, if the cruise line has any last-minute deals or cancellations, this would be the time to look for them.

Going on the same cruise ship twice. Is it boring the second time around?

best time to book a cruise for 2023

However, if the line sees a certain cabin category on a specific ship failing to sell as expected, it could drop rates halfway into the sale period. The largest cruise discount period of the year, "Wave Season" is when cruise companies run a ton of promotions in preparation for people booking their spring and summer cruises. They usually charge a commission for their services, but you can find good deals there if you do enough research to compare prices with cruise lines and OTAs. In addition, they can often offer more flexible cancellation and refund policies, better deals on last-minute cruises, or members of certain organizations.

Cruises from the U.S. to the Far East or Australia are best booked months in advance. We get Florida resident last-minute cruise deals all the time at Pixie Vacations and they are so good we often contemplate moving to Florida. So, I always suggest to my guests to let me know well in advance what cruise they are interested in.

best time to book a cruise for 2023

Even Disney Cruise Line, which rarely has promotions or sales on its sailings, is offering reduced deposits during this year’s wave season for sailings departing between June 19, 2023 and May 2024. On the other hand, Royal Caribbean is currently offering 30% of all cruise bookings and its popular Kids Sail Free promotion (excluding holiday sailings). For example, Norwegian Cruise Line is offering 50% off all cruises, including free airfare for a second guest, free unlimited open bar, free specialty dining, free wifi and free cruise fares for 3rd and 4th guests. It’s not hard to find wave season sales; these promotions can be found right on the cruise lines' websites.

But what time do cruises board, and is there a best time to board a cruise ship? Read on to find out the answers, as well as when you should plan to arrive in your departure city before you set sail. Once the final payment date has passed, the cruise line has a more accurate count of who is sailing. When you have paid for the entire trip, you are unlikely to cancel unless there's an extreme emergency, like an illness or death in the family. If the ship isn't too full, that is when you will see the last minute deals kick into action. This is why it is important to sign up for cruise line newsletters, as they will inform you of when they are planning on releasing new sailings.

Your best bet is to always book as far in advance as possible, you could try for a last-minute booking instead. Police officers, firefighters, and military members almost always have additional programs that might be included in their profession that can be chosen during this month. While it might be cold in North America, the weather stays fairly consistent in the Caribbean. For instance, the average high temperature for Cozumel is about 84 degrees in January and 91 degrees during the peak of August.

Of course, offerings vary based on ship and destination; however, if I wanted to place a deposit on a 7-day Western Caribbean cruise onboard Carnival Jubilee that departs on April 11, 2026, I could do so! That being said, the majority of their itineraries are only released through April 2025. With that, though, you are never guaranteed to find the cheapest rates of the year during these months. Sometimes, cruise lines will inflate their prices right before a sale, so 30% off everyone's fare might not be as great of a steal as you think it is. Think about if there was a certain time when booking your cruise meant cheaper fares. If that was the case, many people would put off their bookings until that time of year.

Waiting until at least February or March is a good idea for avoiding crowds, as Australian and New Zealander kids’ summer break generally runs from mid-December through January. For a voyage in northern Australia, consider March or later, as the cyclone season runs through February. From interesting new routes to tried-and-true ones that now have new ships, this list will prime your sense of wanderlust for both far-flung destinations and places close to home as we head into the new year. While the potential savings of going with non-refundable cruise fare are attractive, your best bet is to book refundable just in case.

Through January 15, 2024, guests can book an MSC cruise starting at $279 with an Easy Plus drink package, Wi-Fi for up to two devices per stateroom, and up to $400 in onboard credit. Wave Season is the sales period that historically takes place between January and March since a large percentage of cruisers book their trips in the early months of the year. The new year, an empty calendar plus the cold winter months get travelers thinking about vacations and because of this cruise lines and travel agents often offer extra incentives. This time of year is a great time to cruise because it’s after the busy holidays and before spring break.

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