When do you book your cruise vacation?

🚢 WHY BOOKING YOUR CRUISE A YEAR OUT IS THE SMART MOVE! If you already know you want to take a cruise vacation, waiting until the last minute may actually cost you more — and leave you with fewer choices. One of my biggest cruise tips is simple: book your cruise 9–12 months or even farther in advance! 🏆 GET THE BEST CABIN SELECTION The biggest advantage of booking early is cabin availability. Want that perfect balcony cabin? A midship location? An aft-facing balcony? Connecting cabins for the family? Or a cabin close to the elevators without being right next to them? The best cruise cabins can disappear LONG before the ship sails. If you wait until a few months before departure, you may find plenty of cabins available — but not necessarily the cabins you actually want. 💰 LOCK IN A LOWER CRUISE FARE Cruise prices can rise as a ship fills up. Booking early gives you an opportunity to lock in today’s cruise fare rather than hoping for a last-minute deal that may never happen. And depending on your cruise line, fare rules and promotion, you may be able to take advantage of a lower price later if the cruise fare drops before final payment. Always check the specific terms of your booking. 💵 DON’T FORGET GRATUITIES Cruise lines periodically increase their daily gratuity rates. When your cruise line allows you to prepay gratuities at the current rate, doing so can protect you from a future increase. On a 7-, 10- or 14-night cruise, those increases can add up — especially for couples and families. 📅 Booking a year ahead also gives you more time to budget for airfare, hotels, excursions, drink packages, specialty dining and everything else that goes into a great cruise vacation. Last-minute cruise deals DO exist, but you’re trading price uncertainty for limited cabin selection. If the ship, itinerary and cabin location matter to you, EARLY BOOKING WINS! How far in advance do YOU book your cruises? Drop your strategy in the comments! 👇 #Cruise #CruiseTips #CruiseVacation #CruiseDeals #Cruising #CruiseTravel #CruiseTipsAndTricks #RoyalCaribbean #CelebrityCruises #CarnivalCruise #NorwegianCruiseLine #MSCcruises #CruiseCabin #CruisePlanning #TravelTips #CruiseGratuities #CruiseNews #CruiseLife