Seven strategies to cut costs when reserving a luxury cruise

As demand for cruises has increased, the price of booking one has nearly doubled from pre-pandemic levels

To save money while still enjoying luxury at sea, try these best tips.

To see new destinations without having to worry about frequent airport delays, more and more vacationers are choosing cruises.

Last year, a record 20.4 million people in the UK took a cruise, according to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (Clia), an industry association.

You can reach a number of locations by venturing out to sea while remaining comfortable on a cruise ship.

For newsletters from the cruise lines you love, so you can be informed when they have sales or promotions.

During the "wave season," when the industry offers discounts at the beginning of the year, it was worthwhile to search for bargains. This time frame typically spans January through March, and cruise lines will use special offers like onboard credit or discounted fares to entice customers to board during slower times or to guarantee they have cabins reserved for the upcoming year.

Discounts might also be offered during well-known sales occasions like Cyber Monday or Black Friday.

4. Make reservations for activities ahead of time or go it alone

Seeing multiple locations is one of the best things about taking a cruise. But you might end up spending more money than you planned if you're not careful. You will want to explore when you stop at various ports. An example would be Caribbean Cruises' five-night Western Caribbean Cruise, which departs from Miami, Florida, and makes stops in Haiti and Jamaica. Two more nights on the Western Caribbean Cruise adds the Bahamas to the itinerary, demonstrating that the longer you go, the more places you will see.

You may be pressured by the cruise lines to reserve their excursions for every port. This will not only be expensive, but it will also likely be draining. You can go off and explore yourself; there's nothing stopping you from doing so, and it costs nothing more. Moreover, you may simply want to unwind on the beaches if you are taking a Caribbean cruise. Thus, it's worthwhile to think about going on a few excursions if you're feeling adventurous, but you can save money by doing it yourself.

Andrews suggests booking a cruise and tour package together if you believe you will want to take most, if not all, of the guided tours. "Reserving all the components at once, such as flights, transfers, hotel stays, and guided tours, is frequently more cost-effective than purchasing them separately," he continues.

5. .

Do you require a package of drinks? The majority of cruise lines offer complimentary water, breakfast juices, tea, and coffee all day long.

But for anything else, you might have to pay more.

This can quickly mount up, particularly on American ships where bartenders may tack on a service fee.

Buying a drinks package, which can provide you with access to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages during your sailing, could save you money.

A drinks package can be expensive, so it's a good idea to check the drinks menu online to see how much you'll spend and if paying for each drink is worthwhile.

6. The best websites and apps for cruise deals

Finding the best deal and conducting thorough research do pay off. These are a few of the best websites and applications to check out.

Seascanner.

Seascanner is the comparable service for cruises if you are familiar with Skyscanner, which offers deals on flights. You can use the site to filter your cruise by destination, date, length of stay, and preferred cabin location. You can choose the type of cruise you want, such as an all-inclusive, family, or even last-minute cruise, if you're unsure about your destination or any of the other important details. You can view ships according to the cruise line you are interested in, such as Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Celebrity Cruises.

The website's deals page, which features several exclusive discounts with codes and cruise line offers, is always worth checking out. As of this writing, Princess Cruises is giving up to £400 per person for onboard spending (subject to terms and conditions), and you can reserve an MSC Cruise with just a one-dollar deposit. Seascanner Super Six is another unique page on Seascanner. These six cruises are hand-picked by the website every week because they believe they have the best offers.

A cruise that I like.

A website and app called My Kind of Cruise lists all of the best offers for vacationing at sea. There are weekly deals as well as cruise line-organized deals. Offers from Virgin Voyages, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, PandO, and Celebrity Cruises are among them. To ensure you receive real-time notifications and can swiftly secure an offer you like, it is best to download the app and create an account.

Seven.

Take a repositioning cruise. A repositioning cruise occurs when a ship shifts positions in response to the changing seasons. For instance, a ship may spend the summer in the Mediterranean before spending the winter in the Caribbean. These repositioning cruises are still available for reservations when a ship moves from one region to another in anticipation of the upcoming season, according to Andrews. Although they are offered at a discounted rate, they will primarily offer sea days rather than making stops at various locations.

Celebrity Cruises offers several repositioning trips, such as Sydney to Hawaii, Barcelona to Florida, and Lisbon to Florida. As early as October 2025, these leave. However, since the majority of the basic cabin options are already sold out, you will need to act fast on these.