When is the best time to reserve a cruise?

Question

Some people say wait till the last minute, but other sites say to book far in advance. Suggestions please...

Answer 1

Book as far in advance as possible. Case in point, we are taking a cruise during Christmas and New Year's this year (2007). We booked over a year and a half in advance. Not only is the category we booked sold out - the other categories have doubled (maybe even closer to tripled) in price! Book early, get the cabin you want, AND, if the price goes down, call the cruise line or your travel agent to get the new rate. They WILL honor it (provided your original booking wasn't part of a special promotion)

Answer 2

Do not do it during usual school break time or you will be around rich children the entire time. I did a 10 day cruise and I think it costed about 1500 dollars and I had to share a room with another and the last day of the cruise I was searching the entire ship with a girl I met for a place to spawn because her room was also occupied by another. We almost had the laundry room but no lock on the door. I was told when you board the ship try to get a free upgrade room if they have one vacant. It is competitive so insist on a private room especially if you are on a lower deck.

Answer 3

I've always booked far in advance and enjoyed watching the prices go steadily upward as the date approaches. We have friends who wait until the last minute and a lot of times, they don't get the accommodations we would want. It doesn't seem to bother them to be stuck in a tiny windowless room and to have some activities already filled up by the time they are ready to book, but we don't like that. We like to have the best accommodations we can get ... and that's why we book as far in advance as possible.

Answer 4

If you book far in advance, you get
the cheapest rates.
(don't book one for hurricane season )