Is there a "best" time to book a cruise?

[cruiseagona]

Been on many cruises and the price seems to be about the same no matter when I book. Is there a "best" time to book a cruise? We want to cruise next February, 2023 and do a back to back cruise. I know we should book early so that we don't have to change rooms after the 1st week, but what is early? Is there a best time?

[LGW59]

9 minutes ago, cruiseagona said:

Been on many cruises and the price seems to be about the same no matter when I book. Is there a "best" time to book a cruise? We want to cruise next February, 2023 and do a back to back cruise. I know we should book early so that we don't have to change rooms after the 1st week, but what is early? Is there a best time?

If you find the itinerary you want and the room you want, book it ASAP.  You can always follow it along and see what if any additional is offered etc.

[Selion]

What @LGW59 said.  You can have new promos applied to your existing reservation before its final payment date.

[dbrown84]

I would suggest booking it now, with just putting down the deposit.  Even better if you have a cruisenext cert.  That way, if the price goes up you're protected, and if the price goes down you can rebook at the new, lower price.  You'd have until October of this year before final payment is due

[julig22]

That's like asking when to buy/sell stock.

 

Book what you want and watch the prices.  You can always take advantage of better pricing/better perks up until payment due date - you just have to call and have your reservations adjusted.  Just remember that if you update your reservation, any perks associated with the original booking are gone and you get whatever is offered at the time.

I have a cruise this summer that is more than 30% above the price I originally booked, a little more than a year in advance.  It also depends a lot on the itinerary. 

[j&bcruzing]

We have a cruise already booked for October 2022, March 2023 and July 2023. We booked when the current deal originally came out because we didn't know how long it truly was going to last. 

[aubreyc1988]

After final payment is when I find the best deals. I usually wait until a month or so before the sailing. This tactic is not for everyone, but I HATE having a long "Countdown" for a cruise and do typically find some decent deals after final payment.

[Trimone]

We are about to retire, and will go at the drop of a hat, last minute deals always outstrip early bookings.

[CDR Benson]

2 hours ago, cruiseagona said:

Is there a "best" time to book a cruise? 

 

Like most things, the answer is, "It depends."

 

The best bargains for a given cruise are found 1) as early as possible before its departure date, and 2) after the deadline has passed for the fares to be paid in full.  (Typically, four months before the departure date.)  The latter circumstance can see fares drop because, at that point, the cruise line has a tally of how many staterooms on that sailing it has yet to fill and will attempt to lure customers by lowering fares accordingly.

 

There are benefits to both approaches.  If one is particular about the level of accommodation he wants and its location on the ship, then booking as early as possible, while the selection of available cabins is greatest, is the way to go.  And the fares will be at their lowest, at least until that four-month-until-sailing mark is hit.

 

If one is less exacting and willing to choose from whatever staterooms are left in that one-hundred-twenty days before sailing, then he might very well get the best price, lower even than the early-booking fare.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by CDR Benson

[ChiefMateJRK]

55 minutes ago, CDR Benson said:

The best bargains for a given cruise are found 1) as early as possible before its departure date, and 2) after the deadline has passed for the fares to be paid in full.

Yep.  That's the one-two punch I use as well.  We have around a dozen cruises booked through 2025, some as backups if/when plans change.  I've repriced a few already as prices have dropped or promos have improved.  The hard decision point is the final payment deadline.  I cancelled two May cruises a week before final payment because of Covid uncertainties.  One of those has dropped several hundred below my former booking, so no loss if we wind up rebooking that one (we probably will, but no hurry at this point).  We're in a strange time right now with the combo of the reduced capacity plans but the loosening Covid restrictions.

[marktwothousand]

Within a month. The deals out there are phenom rn like holy f 

[UKstages]

 

9 hours ago, cruiseagona said:

Is there a best time?

 

personally, i like to book around 2 AM, although sometimes i get better deals before 11 PM.

 

YMMV.

[MoCruiseFan]

11 hours ago, cruiseagona said:

Been on many cruises and the price seems to be about the same no matter when I book. Is there a "best" time to book a cruise? We want to cruise next February, 2023 and do a back to back cruise. I know we should book early so that we don't have to change rooms after the 1st week, but what is early? Is there a best time?

Define best...

[Oceansaway17]

I used to book new trips on New Years eve as a way to have something to look forward to.

 

I know when new ships come out or new itineraries come out, the suites and a lot of good locations sell out fast.  

So good to book something when you see it, and then monitor for price reductions and or other itineraries that look good too.