Sometimes, it’s easy to plunge for the first deal you see online, especially if you’ve been trawling through hundreds of websites to get to it. However, with a few savvy shopping skills, getting the best deal for your money doesn’t need to be that hard. Below you’ll find some easy-to-follow tips that’ll make sure you’re getting the best holiday for your budget:
Be Flexible with Your Dates
Getting a cheaper cruise holiday is a lot like getting a cheaper airline ticket – the fares will vary dramatically on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, if you’re willing to travel without much notice, you’re much more likely to get the lowest possible fares. When it comes to cruises, these fares often become available around three to six weeks before the ship’s due to depart. However, you do need to be prepared for cabins that aren’t as popular with other guests, e.g. ones without balconies.
Look Out for Deals
A lot of companies, like Bolsover Cruise Club Limited, will offer promotions and deals at certain times of the year. These are often from January to March, with a lot of travel companies, cruise liners and airlines joining in with these sales. To make sure you’re on the ball with these deals, sign up for newsletter alerts and emails that will bring these offers to you as soon as they become available.
Book in Advance
Even though there are savings to be made if you can travel last minute, there are also some great deals if you can book in advance. For example, a lot of savings can be made by booking up to 18 months before the sail date, with excellent fares, add-ons and upgrades being available. Look for things like complimentary drinks, excursions or dining packages as well as reduced or free airfare.
Take a Large Group with You
If you can gather lots of friends and family together for the cruise, you might find that someone can travel for free (you). Many cruise companies will offer rewards to large groups who book with them, providing a free ticket for one of the passengers. This tends to be a minimum of 16 people, however, it’s always worth seeing if you can get a discount if there’s a few of you travelling together, even if it isn’t such a large group.
Finding affordable cruises needn’t take up lots of time as there are plenty of deals to be had. All it takes is a little bit of planning, flexibility and smart shopping skills and you could be embarking on the trip of a lifetime for a low-cost price!
