when to book
 

looking to cruise around jan 5- when should you book to get the best deal?

now

Cruiselines give us (TA) prices a little over a year in advice they like to be booked 50% full yr in advice so they come out with great deals ,early discount rates . The longer you wait the higher the fare goes and you might not get the room you request .
Phil

Most cruise lines will honor a lower rate until your final payment date of it goes down betwen now and then, and you notice it, and ask, make sure the agency you book with is willing to ask about that for you if you see it go down later.

The sooner the better.That said, I have friends who have been "thinking" about an Alaska cruise since December.I laughed at them last week when they finally decided to pull the trigger.While most cruises have been sold out for months,my TA found Holland America 3rd week in August, $762.00 per person cruise only all in.....I fainted..So you never know.

I booked last Nov. for a Jan cruise. I got a great deal on a new ship, the NCL Pearl. You never know, if they are not sold out then they will offer last minute specials. You just never know!

"You never know" - that's for sure! Last year, we needed a respite and decided to look for a cruise. Got one on Caribbean Princess 3 weeks ahead for a Nov. cruise, a 7-nighter to the Eastern Carib., for $399 for an inside cabin that we selected.
When we got to the port, we found we'd been upgraded to an OV cabin, on the same deck, just around the corner from the atrium/lobby. And we'd NEVER sailed on Princess before! Talk about happy!