《Time for Cruising》 Getting cheap cruising deals

Getting on a cruise could be an insane idea for poor travelers.

However, I think cruising is always the best getaway from the bustling city, which is unnecessary expensive when you know where to get a good deal.

1. Get on a cruise dealer site

Travel agent does direct negotiation with  cruise lines, so they have cheaper prices than booking directly from the cruise company. A cruise dealer site also offers ships from different cruise companies for the best cruising route and price at your choice. The layout of these sites are easy to read and understand, hence the first easy step looking at cruising deals.

However, please note for any additional fee such as government taxes - some sites gives an addition of $50+ from the listed price.

Vacation To Go>>   Clear and easy to read for cheap deals, also the usual site I used
(see more on how to get a deal>> )
Cruise Sheet>>       Have extraordinary cheap deals depending on your luck
Cruise Deals>> Subscribe to weekly deals newsletter

2. It is not about when to book, it is about your luck when the great discount is on.

There is a rumour that the ship is at their best fares in either last-minute or far-in-advance. But after reading the prices, I can say that this is not always the case. Cheap prices are not limited to ships that is going to take off soon - it's simply happened to be cheaper on a certain departure date - when the dealer gets the deal from the cruise company. Although you can see that cruise are generally cheaper when you book 2 years in advance or  4 months before the departure date.

3. Get the deal that is on great discount
There's always a fare status on the dealer site for the cruise with higher discounted price. The common cheapest price is $70 per night around Asia routes. On the other hand in Europe, you can even get cheaper deals that is up to $30~45 per night. The rate cut for a great deal is 55%+，whereas the best deal is 81%+ with $150 on-board credit. It is also a good way to look for cheap cruises based on price per night.

3. Get on a routine ship
Since routine ship has a bigger flexibility in pricing, you can simply jump on the cruise that is on the greatest discount - the best way to ensure a great deal within your mobility zone. There could be $100 difference in the same cruising route for different cruising dates.

4. Get the interior room
If you are not an ocean-lover like me who demands listening and viewing the sea for every second on the ship, the interior cabin would be the cheapest choice for you. The price of an interior and a balcony cabin differs $100+ depends on cruise duration. Since you could still find the sea view from the public deck and restaurants, you can just kick yourself out of your room and get mingled with other passengers and the sea-view.

5. Go to places that is high in mobility
Another additional charge to your vacation is the costly excursions. It could be expensive and add a triple cost to the original price of your cruise. To avoid this, better check the port before your go - arrange private transportation, tours or excursions with local travel agency - a cheaper way to get around.

6. Smaller ship but less entertainment
Some of the cruise is smaller in size without entertainment theatre nor disco. Selecting these ships is a cheaper option but it depends if you just want a vacation travelling around and be with the sea, or you still need some entertainment around the ship.

7. Never limit yourself to your own home port
Some ports simply have their cruise charged at a higher cost, say cruises departing from Hong Kong priced from $600 whereas cruises from Singapore priced from $300 for the same cruising duration. The vacation is actually cheaper even having to buy the return air ticket! Plus, departing from Singapore would have a better mix of different nationalities.

8. Check the price before departure
Contact the agency whenever you find your deal is on a greater discount, the agency will award you the price difference as an onboard credit - extra pocket money you can spend on the ship!

9. Repositioning Cruise for Sea Days
Unless you simply want some quiet days (and cheaper days) with the ocean, there are ship that goes from one part of the world to another for the upcoming season, say Royal Carribean has their ship moving from Singapore to Australia in summer. These ship often has 7+days at sea and stopping at only 2-4 ports.

Good luck with the discount and Bon vonyage`