Cruising Goddess

When should you book a cruise to get the best cruise deal?

Book as soon as possible

Booking early (at least 6 months in advance) lets you lock in the current rate while being able to take advantage of price drops. Unlike other travel reservations, you aren’t locked into a rate and stuck. If the price for your cruise drops, cruise lines will usually honor the lower rate, except during some promotions, as long as it’s not after your final payment.

Book last minute and be flexible

Booking less than 6 weeks in advance gives you last minute deals on cruises the cruise lines are trying to fill but you have to be flexible because you never know which cruises will have last minute deals. A good place to shop for last mintue cruise deals are Cruise Critic’s Last Minute Deals and VacationsToGo’s Last Minute Ticker.

Book onboard a cruise

All cruise lines give passengers special perks for putting a deposit down for a future cruise while onboard a cruise. Usually, they offer onboard credit towards your next cruise and the amount depends on the cabin type you book for the future cruise. This onboard credit will be given on top of any awesome deal from your travel agent!

Book during a sale

The cruise lines often have sales, where they’ll give you reduced deposits, free cabin upgrades, or onboard credit. To find out when sales are, check out my blog about Cruise Deals Newsletters.

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my tips on getting a cruise deal!

Using a reputable online travel agent is my #1 secret to getting a good deal on a cruise. A good travel agent will ALWAYS be able to get you a better deal on your cruise than booking directly with the cruise line by offering discounts, onboard credit (OBC), or amenities, such as free wine, spa treatments, dinner at a specialty restaurant, or gratuities. OBC can be used for expenses you incur while on the cruise, such as gratuities, shore excursions, photos, shopping, spa treatments, and specialty restaurants. I typically save between $100-500 when using a travel agent to book my cruise.

What to Consider Before Using an Online Travel Agent

Fees: Online travel agencies can give you a great deal but there are some trade-offs. Many of them charge fees for booking, cancellation (in addition to what the cruise line charges), changing your cabin, and honoring a price drop. Make sure you read the Terms of Service on their web site and that you’re getting the best price when you factor in any booking fees they charge. Also, if your cruise has a decent chance of being cancelled or postponed, you may want to avoid an agency that charges cancellation or change fees.

Customer Service: You should NOT use an online travel agent if you are looking for a good resource in helping you plan your trip. Don’t expect any hand-holding from them or to answer any questions you have about the cruise itself. Many of these agencies make money by booking in bulk, keeping overhead low, and running their agencies like a call center. When using some agencies, you won’t be assigned an individual agent and will deal with a different person each time you call. You should expect that they will help you with the cruise reservation itself and nothing more. If you want to know about the cruise line, ports, and anything else related to planning your cruise, you will need to research this on your own. With the combination of Cruise Critic, the cruise line’s web site, and calling the cruise line myself, this has never been a problem for me. I love to plan my own trips, do my own research, and become an expert for every place I travel so I don’t mind not having the same level of customer service you would find at a traditional travel agency. However, if you are looking for a travel agent that will help you plan your trip or give you a lot of guidance, you should consider a traditional travel agent or booking through the cruise line directly.

Reputation: Once you’ve found an online travel agent, make sure you check them out by looking them up on the Better Business Bureau and doing a Google search for negative reviews. Even then, you should always get travel insurance that covers financial default, in case the travel agency or cruise line goes out of business.

Finding an Online Travel Agent

So who do I use to book my cruises? I use CruiseCompete.com to find the best deal on the cruise I’m considering. You input the ship, cruise date, number of passengers, cabin category, and if you’ve cruised with the cruise line before. Within a few hours, you’ll receive quotes from multiple travel agents and there is no obligation to book the cruise.

Once you’ve narrowed down a few good quotes, give each travel agent a call and double-check the rate since prices change all the time. Also, the agent may even quote you a better deal because often they cannot publish their best rates.

In addition to using CruiseCompete, I’d also recommend checking these agencies if you are a member:

• AAA Travel
• Costco Travel

Travel Agents I’ve Used

These are agencies I have personally booked and completed a cruise with…

• Cruises-n-more.com
• BestPriceCruises.com
• CruiseDeals.com
• Dreams Unlimited Travel (Disney cruises/vacations only)
• CruiseOne (Anne Waters)

There are a few more agents I’m using for upcoming cruises so I’ll update this list once I’ve successfully completed cruises with them.

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my tips on getting a cruise deal!

On the lookout for a great cruise deal for your next vacation? Finding the perfect cruise bargain can be as easy as checking your e-mail.

Cruise lines and travel agents use e-mail newsletters to spread the word about promotions going on in the industry. Promotions are usually for a limited time so if you don’t know about it, you’ll miss out. I’m signed up for at least 10-15 different newsletters but I know that is a lot of e-mail to the average person so I’ve listed some of my favorites below…

The Best Cruise Deals Newsletters

These are my “hands down” favorite newsletters and I make sure I read them every week. You never know when your next cruisemay be inside!

• Cruise Critic’s Newsletter: Cruise Critic’s weekly newsletter features some of the best cruise deals you’ll find in the industry. They include a variety of cruise lengths, destinations, and cruise lines so you’re getting a good mix of everything. Even if you have already booked your cruise, it’s good to keep an eye on this newsletter to see if a better deal comes along. (It happened to me and I save $1,000!)
• Travel Zoo’s Top 20: Travel Zoo, who specializes in all travel deals, including cruises, compiles a list of their Top 20 best deals for week. These deals will include everything from vacation packages, airfare sales, hotels, and cruises.

Other Good Deals Newsletters
These are also travel newsletters that I recommend for finding cruise deals. Similar to Travel Zoo, these companies publish weekly deals newsletter that include all types of travel, including cruises, but I don’t find the deals AS GOOD as Travel Zoo’s Top 20…

• Dunhill Travel Deals
• TripAdvisor’s Deals Newsletter

If you are able to cruise “last minute” (within 6-8 weeks), check out Cruises-n-More’s weekly newsletter, which gives a good rundown of bargain last minute cruises.

Cruise Lines

The cruise lines often have sales, where they’ll give you reduced deposits, free cabin upgrades, or additional onboard credit. If you know you’re interested in specific cruise lines, it’s good to sign up for their direct newsletters to stay up-to-date on their sales. For example, Royal Caribbean has their 2-day WOW sale twice a year for and they give their newsletter subscribers a heads up when its coming. Also, if you are a past passenger of a cruise line, they often have promotions for past passengers only and these discounts may not be advertised by travel agents.

To sign up for a cruise line’s newsletter, visit their web site:

• Azamara Cruises
• Carnival Cruises
• Celebrity Cruises
• Crystal Cruises
• Cunard
• Holland America
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Oceania Cruises
• Princess Cruises
• Regent Seven Seas
• Royal Caribbean
• Seabourn
• Silver Sea

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my tips on getting a cruise deal!

Drinks often fall into the “hidden fees” category of cruising and I’m not just talking about the alcoholic variety. While tap water and iced tea are free onboard, soda, juices, and bottled water are expensive. Juices (not the fresh squeezed kind) are free during breakfast only and Disney Cruises offers free soda but otherwise, you can expect to pay $2-3 per glass of soda and juice, including a mandatory gratuity. Also, certain cruise lines may not serve your favorite brands. For example, NCL only serves Pepsi products.

You can save money and stick to your favorite brands by bringing your own non-alcoholic drinks onboard. To check them in with the rest of your luggage before boarding the ship, I recommend putting them into sealed extra large Ziplock bags, in case they spill or explore, and then into a tote bag or suitcase with your cruise luggage tag on it. Some porters will not accept a case of water/soda with a luggage tag slapped on it. If you don’t have an extra tote bag or suitcase to put drinks into, you should hand-carry the drinks onboard. I have not heard of any cruise line that does not allow you to bring non-alcoholic drinks onboard. In addition to carrying them on at embarkation, you can also buy more drinks at ports of call but could be very inconvenient, depending on the port and your shore plans.

If you like to have a little fun in your drink…as in alcohol, alcoholic drinks are always extra and start around $3.50 per drink. Some cruise lines do not allow passengers to bring alcohol onboard so check the cruise line’s alcohol policy ahead of time or you may have your fun confiscated and end up in the “naughty room”, the room where you claim your contraband luggage and get a stern lecture.

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my cruise tips!

What are the must have items for a cruise? Whether you are a first time or repeat cruiser, there is always room for improvement when it comes to packing for your cruise. Outside of the usual things I pack for any vacation, here are some things I pack specifically for cruises:

• $1 bills: Tips for porters ($2 per bag), room service ($2-5 depending how much food ordered), and self-service laundry (change available in the laundry room or from front desk). I try to bring at least $20 worth.
• $50-75 cash in $5, $10, & $20: Cash tips on top of cruise line gratutity for excellent crew members. We usually wind up giving extra tips to our room attendent, waiter, and any exceptional reception staff who help us out. U.S. dollars are fine on any American cruise line, meaning you don’t need to tip in Euros on a European cruise.
• Address labels: for your disembarkation luggage tags
• Battery-operated alarm clock: most cabins do not have a clock
• Meclizine (Bonine/Dramamine: Less Drowsy Formula): prevent sea sickness
• Power Strip: cabins have very few plugs to recharge your electronic gadgets
• Small flashlight or night light: it’s pitch black at sea
• Hair elastics: outside decks are very windy for women with long hair
• Highlighter: to highlight interesting activities on the daily schedule
• ID Lanyards: onboard the ship, cruises are cashless so leave your wallet and purse in your cabin safe and wear your cruise card around your neck. You can also get a retractable ID holder.
• Insulated lunch bag & Ziplock bags: if you plan on packing lunch for a busy port day
• Laundry detergent & dryer sheets: for ships with self-service laundry. I HIGHLY recommend Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets! Each sheet contains both detergent and dryer sheet so you don’t have to worry about messy liquids and powders. If you plan to do your own laundry, don’t forget to bring quarters too.
• Magnets: Cabin doors are made of metal so I put our cruise itinerary and weather forecast on the back of the door
• Magnetic hooks: Hang your ID lanyards on the back of the door
• Post-it notes & pen: for writing little notes to your room attendant. I stick them in the middle of the bathroom or desk mirror so he/she will see it.
• Sea Bands: prevent sea sickness without drugs
• Waterproof watch: you’ll be hard pressed to find a clock anywhere in the public spaces on the ship, including the pool areas
• Small scissors or pocket knife: to cut off airline & embarkation luggage tags. Your airline tag should be be removed before arriving at the port. Your embarkation tags should be cut off before leaving out your luggage for disembarkation.
• Clear Packing Tape (Tear By Hand): for attaching and securing embarkation luggage tags
• First Aid & Medicine Kit
• Downy Wrinkle Releaser: Cabins don’t have irons and cruise lines do not allow you to bring your own because they are a fire hazard. Some cruise lines have irons in the self-service laundry but when they are there, there are very few and you are restricted to using the iron in the laundry room.
• Drinks: Save money & enjoy your favorite brands by bringing your own drinks
• Extra Tote Bag: Pack an Empty Tote Bag, especially shopaholics!
• Formal Attire: For formal nights, including dresses/suit, evening bag, dress shoes, and jewelry
• Day Bag(s): Consider what you might need…a port purse, backpack, beach bag, and reusable tote for shopping

Check out Cruising 101: Cruise Planning Tips, Tools, & Resources for more of my cruise tips!

I’m planning another cruise to the Caribbean. I’m pretty open to anytime of the year and I’m letting cruise prices steer me to a specific date but how do I know if it’s a good time to cruise in the Caribbean?

The most important thing to keep in mind is Caribbean hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1st to November 30th. October has the most frequent occurrence of hurricanes and June is second. Of course, this doesn’t mean that a hurricane won’t hit outside of these dates but it’s much more likely to occur within these dates. It also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t travel to the Caribbean during this time period but if you do, make sure you have good travel insurance. Learn more about hurricane season in the Caribbean.

Chris hates hot weather so he wants us to avoid the hottest months. This is a great web site that shows the Average Weather in Caribbean by Month for the Caribbean’s most popular cities so you can look up the cruise ports you’ll be visiting and what the weather will be like. It turns out the hottest months are summer, which overlaps with hurricane season.

Finally, even if you don’t have kids like us, knowing the school holidays is important. Caribbean cruises tend to cost more when kids are out of school: holidays, summer vacation, and March because of spring break. Cruises during these times will also have more families onboard so I’ve officially made a mental note to avoid Caribbean cruises during the summer.