We asked 18 of the cruise industry's most respected leaders: "What is your #1 tip for saving money when booking a cruise?" The answers we received are the best tips, hacks and tactics you'll find anywhere! You may be surprised at the most common answer!

2. "Book your cruise with a
travel agent that works
for a large agency. They
have group rates on
hundreds of cruises so
you will not only get a
great rate, but many
times you will also
receive extra amenities
as well."
Ben Souza
Creator & Publisher
CruiseFever

3. "Always use a qualified travel
agent, preferably one that
specializes in cruises.A travel
agent is more likely to save
you money because they are
aware of deals with the cruise
lines that a consumer may not
know about.Also, use a credit
card that offers shipboard
credit.American Express
Cruise Privileges offers $100
to $300 in shipboard credit
depending on the cruise line
and sailing.That’s money you
can use to enjoy excursions,
spa, dining etc."
Chris Dilkmen
President & Managing Editor
CruiseReport

4. "Find and Use A Good Travel
Agent- If for no other reason,
agents have access to rates and
special deals never offered to
the public.The special offer
you are excited about today? A
good travel agent knew about
that last week. Better yet, a
good agent will be sure your
booking always reflects the
very best possible value. Also,
using one not only costs you
nothing, but you should expect
to gain financially in addition
to enjoying a seamless cruise
experience."
Chris Owen
Creator & Publisher
ChrisCruises

5. “Always do your research
and don’t just jump on the
first offer that you see. Find
a specialist travel agent who
LOVES to cruise, they know
their stuff and will always go
above and beyond to get
you the best possible deal. I
would also recommend that
you consider purchasing a
drinks package as the
cocktails onboard can be
expensive once you add in
the service tax!"
Danielle Fear
Creator & Publisher
CruiseMiss

6. "We have found the best way to save
when booking a cruise is to combine
cruise line deals with promotions
being offered by travel agents.
Often, you can find a preferred travel
agent who will honor the current
cruise line promotion PLUS give you
additional perks, like onboard
credit .Also, don't always think that
booking the cheapest cabin will
save you money. Many times a
travel agent can give you bonuses
like drink packages, free gratuities,
or specialty dining packages when
you book a balcony room or better
which ends up saving you more
money than if booked an inside
cabin and tried to purchase the
packages onboard."
Don B
Creator & Publisher
EastSleepCruise

7. "Cruise lines put their
inventory on sale over a
year in advance. So the
best time to book your
cruise is six to 12 months
out, especially on
itineraries that have a
high demand for
balconies.A good rule of
thumb is if the kids are in
school, cruises are
cheaper."
Doug Parker
Creator & Producer
CruiseRadio

8. “To get the best cruise
deal many cruisers will
contact their travel agent
or take a look at a price
comparison site.With
most businesses within
the cruise industry now
using Twitter it’s as easy as
typing in “Cruise Deals”
into the search.There are
tons of last minute deals
for itineraries which were
probably never even
thought of.”
Emmys Thakkar
Editor
CruiseHive

9. "Today, most of the large lines are
now focusing on promotions and
'value adds' instead of dropping
prices. So, I suggest you book
earlier (not later) and keep an eye
on promotions that all the major
travel agencies and cruise lines
do. For example, free upgrades or
free specialty dining.Then, once
you've booked, set a free price
alert (can do on Cruiseline.com or
Ship Mate app) and monitor the
price of your cruise. If it drops,
you can go back to your agency
and see what they can do for you!
If booked far out in advance, they
can give you onboard credit or
room upgrades."
Faraz Qureshi
General Manager
cruiseline.com

10. "The best way to get a deal is to
book in advance and with an
experienced cruise travel agent.
You can wait until the last minute,
see if there's a last-minute bargain
and go the DIY route, but you may
end up with a stinky cabin (all the
good ones may be sold out).
Also make sure to apply any
discounts you might qualify for
such as senior,AARP, military,
teachers, police, EMTs and firefights
and past passenger.These can save
you up to 10% off the top.You may
also qualify for a discount based on
where you live -- there may be a
special offer targeting only
California residents, for instance."
Fran Golden
Chief Contributor
Porthole Magazine

11. "In my experience, the best way to
save money and add value to your
cruise vacation is by booking with a
travel agent.Travel agents,
specifically CLIA accredited travel
agents, know the ins and outs of the
cruise lines, ships, staterooms, and
can provide great deals, benefits,
and perks when you book with
them. Not only that, travel agents
take the time to get to know you and
your vacation needs, matching you
with the cruise line that will provide
the best vacation value for you. Sure,
you can book your own cruise, but
booking with a knowledgeable and
professional agent offers the best
opportunity to save on and enjoy
your next cruise vacation."
Mike Faust
Senior Editor
Cruise Currents

12. "Cruise agents are a great resource
and should definitely be used once
you've found your cruise. BUT, to save
money, you'll want to use technology.
While an agent is limited to his/her
own time and effort, software has
virtually unlimited capabilities to find
the lowest price based on stated
criteria.
The best tools to use before booking
are Cruiseline.com Price Graphs and
Alerts, as well as the Cruise Deals App
notifications. Once booked, you'll want
to set up Ship Mate's Cruise Price Drop
Notifications.We've had users recover
thousands of dollars after we've
notified them of a price drop.All of
these tools work 24 hours per day, 7
days per week - and all are free!"
Mike Jirout
Founder & Director
Ship Mate Cruise App

13. "Watch for sales. Some
cruise lines, Princess for
example, have real sales
where you truly save money.
Get a good travel agent from
a brand name cruise agency.
These companies book
cruises in high volume and
pass on the savings to you.
Be date flexible - sometimes
the same cruise will vary in
price by up to 50% if you can
just move the sail date back
or forward by a few weeks."
Paul Motter
Editor
CruiseMates

14. "I would say focus on the experience
more than the money. Of course, you
may have a budget, but don't fret so
much that you rob yourself of a great
cruise experience.And a great cruise
experience need not cost you a
fortune. For example, I was looking at
a Seabourn repositioning cruise from
Athens to Dubai that was pricing out
in the lowest category at $222 per
day per person.Think of all you get
on Seabourn - a gorgeous stateroom,
exquisite dining in multiple venues,
superior service, and you can belly up
to the bar anytime of day or night for
complimentary champagne and
other adult libations. $222 for
Seabourn is one heckuva bargain.
Sign me up!"
Ralph Grizzle
Creator & Editor
The Avid Cruiser

15. "My top tip for saving
money when booking a
Disney Cruise is to book on
opening day (the first day
the sail date is available to
book).
DCL’s fares follow a supply
and demand pricing model.
As inventory decreases the
prices jump. Depending on
the uniqueness of the
itinerary this could be
thousands of dollars in just
a couple of days."
Scott Sanders
Writer & Editor
Disney Cruise Line Blog

16. "My #1 tip for saving money when
booking a cruise? Be flexible with your
vacation days. If you can get away during
the week before or the immediate two
weeks after Thanksgiving, you’ll find deep
discounts. Generally, either side of a
holiday offers good pricing…except of
course during the summer months when
everyone wants to travel with their kids.
My other tip for saving money…if you
love to cruise, book your next cruise while
on your current cruise, providing there is
an onboard credit for your next cruise as
well as the option to adjust the rate
should the price drop before final
payment. You might pay a lower deposit,
get onboard credits and your booking will
go directly to your travel agent. Just be
sure to mention it to the person at the
loyalty desk who books your future cruise.
Occasionally they “forget" to reference
the booking to your travel agent."
Sherry Laskin
Creator & Publisher
Cruise Maven Travels

17. "My best advice for saving
money when booking a
cruise is to book as early as
you can. Cruise lines these
days typically provide the
lowest fares when
itineraries first go on sale,
and that means if you can
commit to a cruise early,
you get to take advantage
of these lower fares. The
earlier you can book, the
more likely you will be able
to lock in the savings!"
Matt Hochberg
Creator & Publisher
Royal Caribbean Blog

18. “Not all fares require a
200% single
supplement. Look out for
specials at 150% or
125% or better yet
choose a studio cabin on
an increasing number of
select cruise ships
without any premium
charge and amenities
suited just to you."
Jason Leppert
Founder & Publisher
Popular Cruising

19. "It's All About Timing - When the
nations kid's are out of school cruise
rates can double or even triple. So if
your flexible or can take kids out of
school consider cruising during off-
peak times when the kids are still in
school and many families are not
cruising.
Also - Book A Guaranteed Cabin -
One of the easiest ways to save allot
of money is booking a guaranteed
category cabin, if available when
booking.This guarantees your cabin
category type (Inside, Outside,
Balcony, etc).You allow the cruise
line to pick your cabin location, but
they guarantee your category.This is
a great opportunity to get the best
rate and any available upgrades."
John Shallo
Writer & Editor
Cruise Addicts

20. Cruise Deals App
brought to you by:
“analyzing millions of cruise prices every
day to show you the biggest price drops.
Often as large as 80% off and priced as
low as $25 per day!