When To book Your Cruise?

The cheapest times to cruise are typically in the late summer and fall because of hurricane season, but you can often find patches of bargain sailings, especially during the early weeks of December and in the spring.

It's best to book a cruise six to 12 months ahead for the best price, but you might be able to snag a better deal if you have the flexibility to wait a bit longer. Getting the delicate balance right on booking a cruise can be tricky. Book too early and you risk paying through the nose.

The closer you get to the departure date, the cheaper the cruise becomes because cruise ships don't want to depart with half-empty boats, so they drop prices steadily until that boat is leaving port, since for them empty cabins mean less money.