Is there a better time to cruise

[Mor4cruisin]

We have always cruised during April vacation. Is there a better time of year to take a cruise? We were wondering if it may be cheaper to cruise during July or August. Any information you could pass along would be great. Also, where can you find the best prices?

[jewopaho]

April and July are prime cruising months, so you'd be paying top dollar (as you likely know). Of the choices you posted, your best bet is late mid-to-late August. School has resumed in much of the country ... and it's close to the peak of hurricane season (the arbitrary date is 9/10, but that all went out the window last year). You'll certainly save at least $300/person - likely more. So if an extra day or two at sea (or a radical change in itinerary) is not a problem for you, start looking now, before the prices begin to rise dramatically.

 

Speaking of which, it's a matter of hunt-and-peck to find the best deals. We can't recommend particular sources here; but several on-line agencies consistently offer better deals than most - and travel agents often do better than booking through the cruise lines (Royal Caribbean has pretty much fixed prices, but there are "preferred" agencies that rebate money back in the form of a MasterCard with a pre-determined amount programmed in).

 

Hope this helps. Have a great cruise!

 

Al

[vijoge]

We have always cruised during April vacation. Is there a better time of year to take a cruise? We were wondering if it may be cheaper to cruise during July or August. Any information you could pass along would be great. Also, where can you find the best prices?

 

I guess it depends on when you're going. For Caribbean cruising, my preferred time is the first two weeks in December. Low prices and no extreme heat.

[mared1]

We have always cruised during April vacation. Is there a better time of year to take a cruise? We were wondering if it may be cheaper to cruise during July or August. Any information you could pass along would be great. Also, where can you find the best prices?

 

We have cruised in November, January and February - those are great times for us to escape the midwest winter. It probably is cheaper in July or August if you cruise the caribbean but it is also hurricane season so you run the risk of having the cruise changed if a hurricane is in the forecast.

We used to find good prices on the internet, but now an agreement has been made between the top 5 internet agencies and the cruise lines and prices are pretty much the same.

[clackey]

We have always cruised during April vacation. Is there a better time of year to take a cruise? We were wondering if it may be cheaper to cruise during July or August. Any information you could pass along would be great. Also, where can you find the best prices?

 

Miss Ginger and I became addicted to the cruise life 3 years ago and being the monetarily deficient people that we are, we book the cheapest, no frills, put me in the bowels of the ship, route. By booking online we have had four trips for less than $450 pp. All of these trips run from late November into mid January. with the week before Christmas usually being the cheapest of the year.

 

Check out a couple of the online sites and then compare them with a TA. TA's can come up with some good deals, but so far we have been able to book on our own the cheapest.

 

Have a great trip and eat a shrimp for me.:D

Clackey

[Melissa at Mohair Meadows]

We have found January to be the cheapest time to cruise - right after the holidays, kids are back in school and the cruiselines usually have some terrific deals. The downside, it's a bit cooler crossing the Gulf if leaving from Galveston or New Orleans (I've never tried Mobile). Also, the seals seem rougher to me.

 

March/April is a lot warmer - and we know when it is over that winter won't be hanging around much longer. Less painful.

[waytog]

I thought I would list cruise seasons to show advantages of each season. I noticed someone mentioned they had traveled in Jan, Feb and Nov. and thought July and August would be cheaper. So, thought I should clear this up as Nov. is actually the cheapest month mentioned above. Keep in mind that cruising is a marketing strategy and although there are season guidelines, if a ship is not selling as well as they would like, last minute deals can be found even in high season. But, on the contrary, if you are not flexible in dates you will usually do better to book ahead for a couple reasons. First, value is important and with a larger selection of cabins, including triples, quads and connecting cabins that sell out first you will find better availability. Second, you can get the price adjusted down at least up to final payment without any penalty. In general your seasons are as follows in the Caribbean:

 

January- Immediately after the New Year week is usually a bargain right before high season starts. Because most have just taken their vacations the cruise season is considered low for at least the first half of January.

February to Mid April- High season gradually gets started at the end of January and peaks in Feb. and March. The first half of April especially when Easter falls during this time is still a big seller and mid season does not set in until spring breaks are over.

Mid April to Late May- Mid/shoulder season. This is a good time to travel and not have a ton of kids on board and prices that are good, but not as cheap as fall.

Memorial Day to Mid August- High season again. Although hurricane season starts in June, high season prices are present because of the high demand for cruising when school systems are on vacation. Hurricane season peaks in September, so June and July are pretty safe bets.

Mid August to Late December (excluding holidays)- The lowest season of the year. Prices are fantastic. Hurricane season peaks in Sept., so if you don't mind a possible itinerary change then take your chances and go during this time. Nov. and December are good weather months and you get good prices. Of all the fall months, September and early December will usually have the cheapest prices. ***NOTE: Thanksgiving week is priced high and Christmas/New Years week IS the most expensive week of the year!

 

HOpe this helps!!