How To Find A Discount Cruise

Sometimes getting a discount cruise might resemble a game of Russian roulette. There are many theories about the best way to land a cheap cruise deal and while some of them have have some substance to them, the honest truth is discount cruises are available most of the time.

Book Early Or Wait

There's an old saying that goes something like this... "six of one, half a dozen of the other." Basically you'll be able to locate a discount cruise whether you book early or wait to the last minute. The crux of the matter here is what are your circumstances? Can you afford to wait to the last minute to book? Are you flexible enough with work committments to be able to take time off at short notice?

Last Minute Discount Cruise

Cruise lines hate leaving port with empty staterooms. That's understandable as it costs a fortune to run a seven day trip from anywhere. Quite often, especially during the low seasons, empty rooms will be available pretty close to departure time and savvy discount hunters will usually pounce and grab a great deal.

As a first time cruiser, what's your best chance of getting in on these discount cruise specials? Seriously, if you don't deal with a travel agent then you will probably be paying too much.

It's a travel agent's business to know the ins and outs of locating cheap cruise deals. Usually, travel agents will deal in bulk sales of cabins and can pass on some pretty big savings to their customers. How much can you save? Well, anything from 10 per cent all the way up to over 50 per cent! The savings can be much higher for last minute cruise deals.

Cruise lines won't advertise these last minute deals on the major print or electronic media outlets as a matter of courtesy to travel agents who's job it is to fill the cabins. Full fare paying customers interests are also protected.

Where To Look

Certainly your local travel agent will more often than not provide you with the information you require. However, there is some excellent information online from a multitude of websites. Your best bet is to stick with the first half dozen sites listed for your search and then check to see if they offer a newsletter. This is a great way to stay informed and don't worry about getting innundated with mail as you are usually given an option of just receiving the newsletter or other offers.