How long did you plan?

[SongsInMyHead]

Hello! I’m Jenni, completely new to cruising, and posting for the first time! I’m planning to go on a solo cruise as a way to celebrate. The last few year I have been battling a bone infection and almost had to amputate my leg! I won’t be hiking anytime soon but I am walking. This is my treat to myself after all I went through. 
 

anyway. I am thinking will likely go cruising sometime in 2025 and I’m just now starting to really look. I’m curious how much planning everyone did ahead of time to go on their cruise? How far in advance did you book or start looking?

[olemissreb]

I'm a planner. I like to book a year or more in advance to give me time to pay off the cruise, airfare, and any meal/beverage/spa packages. It also allows be to research the port stops and look for interesting excursions and to book those early and pay them off.

 

 

[crystalspin]

3 minutes ago, SongsInMyHead said:

I’m curious how much planning everyone did ahead of time to go on their cruise? How far in advance did you book or start looking?

Welcome to Cruise Critic! and, congrats on keeping your leg!!!

 

I just booked a cruise for January 2026! But, be sure to book with a refundable deposit because many things can happen. Then, about 3 months before the cruise sails you will come to the Final Payment Date. Before that happens, you should have researched how (and how much) you want to protect yourself from developments after they have all your money, which is nonrefundable from there out.

 

Keep asking questions here, to help you narrow down your choices.

[mom says]

We try to book our cabin  at least a year in advance. Overseas flights can wait til 6 months out. Flights to North American embarkations can wait til 3 months. Once the cabin is booked we research ports of call for excursion possibilities, booking as we find them.

 

If you are brand new to cruising, and going solo, I'd really recommend finding a cruise specialist TA who can help you understand the solo supplement charged by most lines, or can steer you to ships with solo cabins. They can also help you find a cruise within your budget with an itinerary you want.

[ldubs]

For our very first cruise, the lead-time was relatively short.  But that was a short cruise out of San Pedro (Los Angeles).  For our first longer cruise, which happened to be two weeks in the Mediterranean, I'm guessing it was booked 6 to 9 months out.  Keep in mind booking and planning can be two different things on the timeline.     

 

These days I would say it is between 6 and 12 months.

 

I certainly don't think it is too early for you to start looking into a 2025 cruise.  Enjoy! 

 

 

[Knightofni85]

Hi Jenni,

 

Congrats on keeping your leg and deciding to celebrate! 

 

I'm also completely new to cruising and booked my first cruise on 28 March that sails 22 November 2025. 

 

It's part of a significant birthday celebrations and we're going to try and see the northern lights. 

 

In terms of planning I knew I wanted to do something special and the lights are a bucket list item but, it was a spur of the moment booking. 

 

I LOVE to plan so have been trawling these boards and the interweb reviewing previous itineraries, menus and making a long list of things in each port that I'd like to see.

 

So, I don't think it's ever too early to plan, particularly when you're celebrating 

Edited April 20 by Knightofni85

[CDNPolar]

11 hours ago, SongsInMyHead said:

Hello! I’m Jenni, completely new to cruising, and posting for the first time! I’m planning to go on a solo cruise as a way to celebrate. The last few year I have been battling a bone infection and almost had to amputate my leg! I won’t be hiking anytime soon but I am walking. This is my treat to myself after all I went through. 
 

anyway. I am thinking will likely go cruising sometime in 2025 and I’m just now starting to really look. I’m curious how much planning everyone did ahead of time to go on their cruise? How far in advance did you book or start looking?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and WELCOME to Cruising!  

 

I hope you love it and hope that it is a great celebration for you!

 

We may not be the norm, but we plan up to 2-3 years out.  We map out the areas of the world that we want to see and then start to book as much as 18+ months out.

 

Why 18+ months out?

 

We cruise - so far - only on Viking River and Ocean.  We also book the lowest category of cabin on a Viking River or Ocean ship because other than location of the cabin, all else is pretty much the same.  To get these cabins, we have found that we must book as much as 18 months out.

 

There is a lot of discussion on Cruise Critic about using a Travel Agent.  I encourage you to search for and read these discussions.  There are many.  As someone new to cruising, you may want to find a TA that specializes in cruising that could help you.  You may get a deal through them too.  (Not all TA's have deals on fares or give credits on board). We book direct with the cruise line and then transfer to a TA to get the credit on board.  We know what we are booking so we do the pre-work ourselves and book direct and then transfer.

 

Good luck with this and be sure to ask lots of questions.

 

Once you find a cruise line, port of departure, or ship you are interested in, start to read those forums and post your questions there for better insights.

Our November River cruise this year was booked 14 months out.

 

Our March 2025 cruise was booked 18 months out.

 

We even have an April 2026 cruise booked at this point.

 

I think your planning time also depends on what cruise line and where you want to go.  Do you want a Caribbean cruise or a Mediterranean Cruise.  Do you want a cruise around Japan?

 

So much to choose from, but you will find some itineraries are booked out much further in advance than others. 

[cruiseaholic777]

 I book anywhere from 6 months to a year and a half out. After you book keep watching the price of your cruise, I have had as many as 3 price drops on 1 cruise. Black Friday sales are the best.

[SongsInMyHead]

7 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

encourage you to search for and read these discussions.  There are many.  As someone new to cruising, you may want to find a TA that specializes in cruising that could help you.  You may get a deal through them too.

Yes, as Mom says, figuring out the solo costs became very complicated very quickly. I just reached out to the TA that my parents recommended. 
 

one of the reasons I asked the question…I didn’t want to feel like I’m contacting an agent too early! lol. I am happy to know that isn’t the case. 

[SongsInMyHead]

I want to take a cruise to the Caribbean! I was thinking of HAL but that is mostly because my parents recently told me about their Japan cruise. I am not a “night life” kind of person and I don’t mind kids but would rather not be surrounded by them. Maybe a TA will also come up with some ideas!

[MacMadame]

For my first cruise (also to the Caribbean), I booked it on a whim about 20 days out from departure. I, too, was treating myself. For the next two, one was a honeymoon and one was a 10th anniversary so I booked them as part of planning for those events. So maybe 6-9 months out?

 

But all of that was before cruising became so much more complicated.

 

For our Panama Canal cruise, first I researched the best way to see the PC. Then, I researched which ships and itineraries I was interested in and how much they'd cost. Once I found the cruise I wanted, it was 17 months out. I would have been happy to go a bit earlier but I wanted that cruise and was willing to wait.

 

In your case, it seems like you are flexible about when to go and are going to a popular destination with tons of options, so I say, find a good TA, start planning, and see what cruises and timelines pop up.

 

Good luck! 

[wdw1972]

My next cruise is my 48th, and most of those have been on HAL (my preferred line). I book as soon as the next season opens up, so roughly 1-2 years in advance.  I'm currently booked through February 2026. I like having the future cruises booked, and since I always want a cabana in HAL's Retreat, booking early ensures I get what I want. I'm not interested in booking last minute to get a "deal" because without the cabana I'm not interested in cruising. I almost always book solo - I cruise with a friend or 2, but we all book our own staterooms, and occasionally I'll book a cruise with my husband and share a stateroom with him. In the ideal world we'd have separate staterooms - but sometimes cruising comes with sacrifices 😉 

 

Sue/WDW1972

[CDNPolar]

17 hours ago, SongsInMyHead said:

I want to take a cruise to the Caribbean! I was thinking of HAL but that is mostly because my parents recently told me about their Japan cruise. I am not a “night life” kind of person and I don’t mind kids but would rather not be surrounded by them. Maybe a TA will also come up with some ideas!

 

I personally think that a Caribbean cruise is a great way to start.  That was my first cruise - Western Caribbean.  As we were coming out of Covid and wanted desperately to cruise we did a Panama Canal partial crossing out of Ft. Lauderdale returning to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

You probably won't see us on another Caribbean cruise soon but that is just preference for us.  I am not saying that there is nothing to do or see with some Caribbean islands, but we in general are not "warm or hot weather people".  We are just more focused on Europe and the APAC region now in our interests.

 

Look carefully at the solo charges by cruise line.  They can be massively different.

 

Look also at the areas of some ships that are adult only and what the cost is for you to be able to stay in or access these areas.  Some are premium fare for adult only areas.

 

Exciting for you to be planning this.

 

We are such "cruise people" and so many of our friends have never been on a cruise and for some reason very negatively doubtful that they would ever enjoy one.... but they have never tried one.

[Noledad77]

I have yet to plan and book my own cruise. The 2 I've been on and the upcoming one have all been done through a 3rd party, because either 1 or both of my girls were dancing on board. I'm currently mulling over the idea of one in Feb 2025 during my birthday. Once we figure out if it's in the budget, we're going to use a TA that we know, and hopefully can get us a good deal.

 

I really want to have the control in my hands, though, because for the upcoming cruise, the details were originally to sail with Royal Caribbean and (due to some of the parents not having their money in on time), it had to be changed to Carnival. I'm ok with that, since we're gaining "status" with Carnival, albeit very slowly and not very much each time. Once everything was settled, it took forever and a day to get our booking numbers, but finally two of them trickled in via email. Problem was, there should've been a third as well. So, I bugged my wife to ask the studio owner about it. Over, and over, and over, and over again, to the point where I called the booking agency and got it myself. I don't consider myself to be a squeaky wheel, but I wasn't about to wait until March or something to get our last booking number, because we also decided to book excursions, and I'm not exactly patient sometimes. That has all been worked out.

 

I think a year to 18 months is plenty of time. It allows you to plan for excursions (if you're so inclined), and to pay it off at a reasonable monthly rate. Whatever you choose, I hope you have a fantastic time!!

[KimA75]

I am also a planner.  I book at least a year out.  For my upcoming cruise on Icon I booked on opening day in October 2022 and won't be on it until September this year.  So, almost two years.

 

Booking early often gets you the better prices.  But, once you do book, keep an eye on any price changes to call back in and get lower prices, better cabins, or more onboard credit.  It also gives me the chance to wait for sales on excursions, drink packages etc.  I was able to book everything through the Black Friday sale last year and got almost everything at much better rates than I had seen before and am definitely seeing now.

 

Popular excursions can sell out ahead of time, so booking those early can help.  Plus early booking allows me to manage finances better.  I split the amount over the months and make smaller payments.

[klfrodo]

I’m sailing out of Europe in Aug 2025. 14 day cruise with 1 week precruise and 1 week post cruise.

Have already started my “thought & ideas” document. Researching possible hotels, transportation, excursion options, transportation options to next port should we miss the ship during a port stop, etc

[crystalspin]

On 4/20/2024 at 11:09 AM, SongsInMyHead said:

I want to take a cruise to the Caribbean! I was thinking of HAL but that is mostly because my parents recently told me about their Japan cruise. I am not a “night life” kind of person and I don’t mind kids but would rather not be surrounded by them.

Hi again Jenni!

The cruise I mentioned booking for January 2026 is actually a B2B (back-to-back) combination of two cruises, both R/T (round-trip) out of FLL (Fort Lauderdale) on HAL. I think HAL will be a good fit for you by the criteria you mentioned.

 

Our cruise is comprised of a 12-day cruise plus a 9-day 'leg', first is partial transit of Panama Canal, second visits the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) AKA "southern Caribbean". Those destinations may not be what you are thinking of for a Caribbean cruise, but I would suggest you do look for something at least 7-days and preferably longer, and not during Spring Break times. The shorter later spring cruises sometimes attract a party-crowd, commonly called Booze Cruises.

[SongsInMyHead]

6 hours ago, crystalspin said:

 I would suggest you do look for something at least 7-days and preferably longer, and not during Spring Break times. The shorter later spring cruises sometimes attract a party-crowd, commonly called Booze Cruises.

That is something else I have been wondering about. I read the post about the big group that took over parts of the ship and it seems like going longer is better for that too. 
 

Sometimes the idea of a month-long cruise sounds amazing! But of I do worry about being overwhelmed and then stuck on the ship. Mostly it isn’t in my price range though. 😂 Maybe 10-12 nights would be doable. 

[CDNPolar]

21 hours ago, SongsInMyHead said:

That is something else I have been wondering about. I read the post about the big group that took over parts of the ship and it seems like going longer is better for that too. 
 

Sometimes the idea of a month-long cruise sounds amazing! But of I do worry about being overwhelmed and then stuck on the ship. Mostly it isn’t in my price range though. 😂 Maybe 10-12 nights would be doable. 

 

Yes avoid spring break, and Thanksgiving, and Christmas and New Year.  These are all party times on Caribbean cruises with sometimes huge family / friend groups.  This is my experience anyway.

 

Longer definitely count out many families especially if they are during school times.

 

Although I can understand your "stuck on the ship" concern, I don't think that would be the case unless you are doing a trans-atlantic type cruise where you have 5 or 6 sea days in a row. There are always things to do on the ship, and believe me you spend your time moving between meals a lot of the time!

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

I'm a hiker here, too! I can't imagine not being able to hike. I'm glad you're on the mend and hopefully getting to a place where you can start wandering again!!! 

 

Welcome to cruising. It's so much fun! And Cruise Critic can become an addiction - so be careful! 

 

I cruise with my husband, so not solo as is your case. Our first ever cruise was booked in late January/early February, 2022 for an April, 2022 cruise. Since then, we have gone on four additional cruises. Only one of those was booked outside Norwegian's final payment (120 days prior to cruise). We like to wait to see where prices go. Every time, the price has fallen after final payment, so it's definitely scored us some impressive fares. 

 

As far as planning goes, well I'm on Cruise Critic daily. I used to watch YouTube videos all the time - I've stopped doing that. I do listen to a couple of cruising podcasts still. I read a bunch of articles on all the website and I am in the cruise groups on Facebook. 

 

Since you're cruising solo, definitely check out Norwegian (it's the only line we cruise, so definitely some bias here). They do treat solos better than most other lines and have more offerings. If you do book a solo room, you probably do have to book further out than we do as the solo cabins tend to book up quick. 

 

Have fun booking and planning your first ever cruise!! 

 

[Nebr.cruiser]

Definitely not a first time cruiser but we usually book 3 or so months out. We have booked three days before the cruise and 8 months (longest) before a cruise.  

 

I actually like booking closer to the cruise date as it just takes too long for the cruise to get here.  I hate waiting month and months.

 

  We used to get really good deals closer to the cruise date but sometimes that is more difficult now.