Cruise pricing over the year
Savvy cruisers with flexible plans track pricing to snag excellent deals.
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Cruise pricing varies over the year, primarily due to sailing date and seasonal demand.
4 Tips
Sailing date
The best pricing comes to those those that wait. Most cruise ship expenses are fixed. When the ship sails the cruise line has the same costs for capital payments (the ship), staff, entertainment, etc., whether the vessel is half or totally full. So it’s critical for them to fill all cabins.
The final payment deadline, typically 3 or 4 months before sailing, is a key time. Before this date, cruisers can effectively cancel their booking by skipping the payment and only losing their deposit. After this date, cruisers are locked in, giving the lines a hard passenger count.
If the ship isn’t close to being full, the line will drop the price until it is. Fares can be found for 50-75% off normal rates.
Seasonal pricing
Avoid high season. Peak demand and pricing is March, June, July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s driven by kids, family vacations, and holidays. Spring Break typically runs early March to mid-April.
Slip into mid-season if you can. Late April, May, and late August transition into summer and winter and bring moderate pricing. Shoulder-season trips are ideal for destinations like Alaska or Europe.
Aim for low season. Excluding major holidays, February, September, October, and November offer the lowest rates. Kids are in school, and the risk of hurricanes in the Caribbean is higher.