Want to slash the cost of your next cruise? This is when to book

Demand for cruising is high, so bargains are becoming increasingly elusive. Still, a few strategies might help you save money.

Cruise bookings have increased, most cruise ships sail at near capacity, and overall fares have risen significantly. As a result, discounts are no longer as common as they once were.

Last-minute deals are unlikely on luxury cruise ships as it diminishes the brand reputation.

As a general rule, you’re far more likely to get a discount – sometimes up to 50 per cent, with other bonuses such as complimentary flights, cabin upgrades or beverage packages – if you book at least a year in advance or, even better, two. This is especially true on luxury and small ships.

Cruise lines also roll out special offers to promote new itineraries. These too are advertised far in advance of actual sailings.

You may also find reduced prices on perfectly acceptable older ships at the moment a cruise line announces a new ship to great fanfare, and cruise fans scramble to get on board.

Timing matters. Prices are often better a few months before the busy summer cruise season, when cruise companies go all out to fill their ships.

Look for specials appearing in January or February for Europe and North America, and in September or October for Australia and the Pacific.

Prices are often better a few months before the busy summer cruise season.Credit: iStock

The end of the summer season in either hemisphere can also be a discount sweet spot, since most customers have just finished their holidays and aren’t yet thinking about booking another one. You might get a discount or a bonus such as a kids-sail-free deal.

The way to hear about deals is to keep an eye on cruise advertising in print media and online, and to sign up for cruise-company newsletters, which might also offer spot sales and other promotional enticements.

You should also consult a travel agency, particularly one that specialises in cruising, since agents sometimes get advance notice of special offers.

Don’t bank on last-minute deals. Cruise lines only sell so many cabins at the lowest prices, and fares usually increase as time goes by.

If you wait too long, your choice of itineraries and cabins becomes limited. Even if you do get a last-minute saving, it could well be offset by higher air fares, so aim perhaps for last-minute cruises in or near Australia.

The current demand for cruising isn’t favourable to last-minute bargains, however. Indeed, Princess Cruises announced it won’t be offering any discounted fares at all in 2025.

Still, cruise ships at the bigger, more budget end will sometimes drop fares in the last three months before sailing if they have to fill cabins. This is because many such cruise lines have no-penalty cancellation policies between 75 and 90 days prior to a cruise. Some customers drop out, and their cabins need to be filled quickly, so keep a lookout.

You aren’t likely to get a last-minute deal on luxury cruise ships, any more than you’re likely to find a deeply discounted Gucci handbag, since it diminishes the brand reputation, and annoys full-paying passengers.