Cruise Booking Considerations

Cruise planning may not be rocket science but it can be complicated. One of the more difficult factors to nail down is when to book your cruise. Should you book a year in advance to lock in just what you want, or hold off as long as possible in order to get the best price?

There is probably no single best answer, given the variety of cruises, changes in company policy and marketing practices, political events and other factors. But there are some guidelines that can be helpful.

First, you should definitely shop around. No two cruises offered are exactly alike, but there are so many good cruise lines today that you can get an excellent voyage on several different ones. Also, since the Internet has made researching them not only infinitely easier but even fun, you'll find more choices than you could possibly investigate.

After you've done some initial research to get the range of prices for the season and destination of your choice, you can start to zero in.

If you have to take your vacation on specific dates, you are limiting your choices. Just as with the airlines, if you are flexible on your departure/return dates you will be on track to getting a better price. If you're locked in for whatever reason, be sure to book as early as possible - preferably at least six months in advance.

You won't usually be able to take advantage of the absolute best possible price by booking early. Some companies are not accommodating when it comes to changing dates, though you may be able to get an upgrade to your cabin. But you will have a nearly-guaranteed reservation. No company can fully guarantee any specific departure date or cabin, though most have an excellent record.

Being flexible allows you to take advantage of the deals that do pop up from time to time. You may be able to book a superior cabin on a stellar voyage with little notice that way. But you need to be prepared to act quickly. That means you need to have a passport and other documentation already in hand and be ready to leave home on short notice.

Naturally, if your destination is less popular or if you choose to go during the off-season, you'll have more options. You'll have a better chance to get a great price for a good cabin.

The Alaska season, for example, runs from May through September. That isn't just because people prefer to travel during summer months. Alaska can become horrendously difficult to travel to during the winter. Modern technology hasn't completely conquered the weather, yet.

As a result, peak sailing dates between July and August sell out around 9 months in advance. Booking for early in May will give you more choices, but keep in mind that the weather that early can be challenging in some years.

Cruise Booking Specifics

When considering when to book, which can be a tricky choice, there are a few specifics that can guide your planning.

On Alaska cruises, for example, balcony cabins sell out first. Balcony cabins on newer ships usually sell out long before less desirable accommodations. Though these are more expensive, the demand from those who can afford it is still high enough (and the supply small enough) to make booking far in advance a necessity. This trend has continued despite the changes in the economy for the last few years. For a balcony cabin on Alaska cruises, getting in early is a must.

Route matters, too. The Gulf Route between Vancouver and Anchorage is the most popular choice for Alaska cruises. Several lines offer on shore excursions as part of a package deal. Book as far in advance as possible, certainly no later than six months ahead for May-September departures.

Round Trip cruises beginning at Vancouver often have more spaces closer to the departure date. Booking for May or September will give you more choices, too. In every case, unless you just get lucky, you can expect to pay $100 (and up) more for a ocean view cabin than for an interior one.

You'll find you have a lot of factors to weigh as you do your research. Having a checklist of your wishes, your budget and a table of options in a spreadsheet will help you decide.

Trips to Bermuda are popular for a number of reasons. It's a great island to visit and the trip from Florida is short, making for a great two or three day cruise. As a result, prime cabins in the summer months of July and August will sell out six to nine months in advance.

The Bahamas/Caribbean cruises are slightly different. Though they too require planning in order to get a good deal, there are so many lines going so often you have much more choice. Also, the weather is less of a consideration.

Holidays, not surprisingly, sell out first. Spring Break week (when college students flood every tourist destination), the Christmas-New Year week, and of course July and August are the most desired times. Even with all the options to the Caribbean, demand is so high that you'll need to book almost a year in advance to get a good cabin on a nice voyage. Fortunately for cruise-goers, the weather in April-May and September-October can be great. Those off-peak months give travelers many more options. Still, keep in mind that hurricanes, or at least heavy storms, can affect travel near the end of October. Be prepared to be flexible.

Increased demand in the face of limited supply leads to a higher price. (There's no escaping basic economics!) Summers are, of course, more common vacation times for families traveling together. Book accordingly.

The late winter/early spring months (in the Northern Hemisphere) of Feb-April will start to book up next. By then, many living in sections of the U.S. that get cold in winter are looking to find relief from the cold. Even though they won't leave for months, the act of booking seems to provide some relief from the winter doldrums.

Bargains abound for September-early December and you may find a good cabin available as short as 60 days before departure. If you can, take advantage of that, since the weather can still be pleasant. Take account of the possibility of hurricanes during that time of year, though. Be prepared to be flexible.

Cruises from New York (and other points) to Europe are still some of the best, 100 years after they first began. Cruise lines have responded by offering more trips but demand still presses on supply, keeping the price high.

Others, such as 7-night cruises to the Mediterranean, continue to do equally well. The Baltic remains a popular destination. As with other European trips, plan to book a year in advance to get the type of voyage you want.

You'll have more options, with shorter booking times, by selecting an older ship or a less popular destination. Luckily, cruise ships have become so advanced that even older ones are still floating palaces. Though it was exceptional, the Normandie, for example, was as fine as the finest hotel 70 years ago and things have continued to improve since then.

Though most people fly, Hawaii is still a desirable voyage for many. Trips to Australia will require booking far in advance at almost any time of the year. When it's winter in the U.S. it's summer there and vice-versa. South America is still a hot destination, in more ways than one.

There are even cruises up and down the two coasts of the U.S. and U.S. to Mexico, from San Diego to Cabo, and New England to Florida. Though not as glamorous perhaps as a European cruise, the ships are still first rate. You'll have a great time on board and there are, in fact, several excellent stops on the way.

Booking for those is often less intense and less expensive. You may still want to take advantage of early booking discounts. If you see a better deal a couple of months before departure, you can sometimes get it by working through a travel agent. Cruise lines try very hard to accommodate all requests in order to keep customers happy. They know those return and recommend them to others.

Bon Voyage!