How To Save Money Booking Your First Cruise Holiday

A cruise is great way to see more of the world on a single trip. With so many options available to you, through, the booking process isn’t always simple, especially if this is your first time. If you want to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible, there’s a few things you’ll need to understand before you grab your place. Here’s what you need to know.

Timing Is Everything

As with many things in life, timing is everything and it’s no different when booking a holiday. There are two strategies available to you here: you can either book as early as possible, sometimes as much as 18 months in advance, or, if you don’t have a particular preference for where you’d like to visit, leave it late to see what deals are on offer. While the latter may seem like a risky approach, it can also net you significant savings.

Sites like planetcruise.co.uk give you a useful overview of the best last minute deals available, including spots in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Getting in as close to the departure date as possible is the best way to get the optimum price, as the holidaymakers will be incentivised to cut the price in order to fill any empty spaces available. Staying open-minded is key if you go for this approach. You never know, a location you’d previously not considered might turn out to be your favourite yet.

Understanding the Sales

The cruise industry is notorious for offering various sales tactics to try and entice potential buyers. While this is typically a good thing, there’s often more to these deals than meets the eye. For instance, you may see some retailers offering as much as 65% off. The rate quoted here will be based off the brochure price, though, which you shouldn’t expect to pay unless it’s an heavily desired trip where the demand far outweighs the supply.

The kind of promotions that you should be looking for are the ones that add extra value to your holiday. It’s important to remember that even if your cruise is advertised as “all-inclusive,” this won’t include everything. Shore excursions, beverage packages, and service tips will all start to add up over the course of your trip. If you can receive any credits to be used on any onboard activities or dining at the speciality restaurants, this could end up being your most important saving.

Even though booking a cruise isn’t always easy, one of the advantages of this kind of holiday is that it removes a lot of the hard decision-making other trips have. If this appeals to you, take a look here to learn more about the advantages of booking a tailor-made holiday experience.

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