- Find Last Minute Cruises and Cruise Deals - Photo from Seneca77 at MorgueFile
To book cheap cruises, bargain hunters need to be prepared for a little research and negotiating. They research before booking to find the lowest rates on a cruse and they research afterward to catch any price drops the cruise line will match.
Research before Booking Cheap Cruises
Dedicated bargain hunters will start by doing their research. Sites such as Vacations to Go, Cruises.com, and Last Minute Vacations are all excellent places to begin. Often, these sites will offer to send bargain alerts of cruises matching an individual’s preferences by email.
Vacation planners can narrow down the options these sites offer by setting parameters such as dates for their vacation, length of cruise, cruise line and room preference. They should keep in mind though, the more restrictions they set, the less likely they are to find the real bargains. Flexibility is key to scoping out cheap cruises.
Thrifty planners shouldn’t be surprised to come across price differences of $100 or more for similar accommodations and dates. Price isn’t the only thing that will vary from site to site.
Shoppers should read fine print before jumping in. Restrictions vary with each deal. With one arrangement, ticket holders may be able to cancel without penalty up to two months before departure. Another deal may entail a $50 cancellation penalty. Researchers should prioritize their needs and decide what’s the best deal for them.
When shoppers have a clear idea of the going rates, a good price is often obtained by calling the cruise line directly. It’s likely the first rate offered by the cruise line will be higher than the lowest scoped out by a careful bargain hunter. In this case, the one booking the cruise merely needs to state the rate they found and where they came across it. A cruise line representative will most likely match or beat the price.
Cruise Lines’ Price Guarantee
Most booking agents or cruise line representatives offer to match any advertised rate up to two months after booking. Certain offers allow ticket holders to match the difference after two months with on-board credit. Thrifty passengers who don’t typically use on-board credit for massages, souvenirs, and other extras can use this credit to cover essentials such as tips.
The moral is, bargain hunters need to be just as diligent in finding deals after they’ve booked as they were before. No one will alert them to a price drop, so shoppers need to be their own advocates. If they see a better rate on the particular cruise they’ve booked, they need to call their cruise line representative or booking agent and let them know they’d like a price match.
Cruise Deals and Special Booking Offers
Cruise lines offer discounts to certain passengers. Bargain hunters will want to keep these offers in mind when determining the member of their vacation party who’d get the best rate when booking.
There’s often a resident price for passengers who live in the same state as the departure port. Returning cruisers sometimes get an incentive such as $20 off the price or a room upgrade. Veterans or those currently serving in the military can usually find specials offered by cruise lines. Finally, certain cruise lines offer a discount for passengers over 55.
When making arrangements with a cruise line representative or booking agent, it never hurts to ask for upgrades and lower rates. Vacation planners may also want to check out tips for finding deals when booking a last minute cruise.
Marcy Paulson - From the moment Marcy Paulson picked up a recorder in fourth grade music class, she was hooked. Since then, her passion for music has ...
