CRUISE TIP: How to save a lot of money on cruises: A study by Cruisewatch.com, a next-generation cruise advisor based on artificial intelligence, has determined how to save a lot money on cruises. For example, cruises are greatly reduced, on average, five weeks before cruising. Here are more tips.
There are significant differences between major cruise lines regarding timing and discounts on how to save a lot of money on cruises.
Be selective when you book your cruise
Even though cruise lines try to optimize their prices and secure long-term bookings from customers, they usually end up with a good number of unsold cabins close to the sailing date.
In order to fill those cabins, they often start reducing prices closer to departure, which means that customers can save a lot of money on cruises. These savings are pushed even further by additional ships entering the cruise market.
“Determining the right moment to book a cruise on one’s preferred cruise line is the most crucial factor to save money,” says Markus Stumpe, CEO and co-founder of Cruisewatch.com.
Based on extensive research, which took into consideration more than 25,000 cruise sailings departing in 2018, the highest discounts for major cruise lines can be found within 70 days prior to departure, with discounts up to 59%.
When to get the best discounts by cruise line
Cruise price discounts for the major cruise lines (the data for other cruise lines is also available) range from 22% up to as much as 59%.
Holland America Line: 59%
Norwegian Cruise Line: 55%
Princess Cruises: 55%
Azamara Club Cruises 54%
Cunard: 52%
Celebrity Cruises: 46%
The club of below 40% reduction includes:
Royal Caribbean Cruises: 36%
Costa Cruise Line: 31%
Carnival Cruise Line: 25%
Disney Cruise Line: 24%
MSC Cruises: 22%
Essentially, you should always book short-term to get these kinds of cruise discounts, especially when you can get hot deals in the last 10 days before departure (like with Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises).
Discounts are specific to cruise ship cabin type
Cruisewatch.com went even further to analyze the discounts offered per cabin type for each cruise line in the study. What they found was that interior cabins feature the highest discounts closer to departure, followed by ocean view and balcony cabins. Suites receive the lowest discounts of all cabin types.
“What remains true year after year is that it pays to be a little flexible, especially regarding cabin type or cruise ship, unless you are looking for a specific cruise itinerary,” Stumpe.
Cruisewatch.com offers a free price drop monitoring system that utilizes big data and machine learning to help customers find the perfect time to book their cruise.
Users can get notified automatically when prices are reduced or when good deals are coming up with their free cruise price alerts.
They also offer 100% free, automatic forecasts on when to book a cruise for the best price on their website. Keeping true to their mission: right time. right cruise. right price, cruisewatch.com is “levelling the playing field and offering consumers up-to-date technology to make the right decisions,” says Stumpe.
Source: Cruisewatch.com
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