How to get the best cruise price

1. For the best discounts, check with large holiday sales sites or cruise booking sites which link to the cruise lines inventory database in real time because they get constant updates on sales and the first information about price cuts or cancellations needing to be resold – often at bargain prices.

2. Keep an eye out for inaugural cruises – not just new ships launching, which are often pricey, but new itineraries or an older ship changing lines – often there will be substantial discounts for ‘untried’ routes or ships so that the cruise company can fill the vessel and the reports coming back from the first passengers will be positive because they can’t feel they were overcharged for anything – bad reports for a first cruise can damn a vessel or itinerary for a long, long time.

3.Look out for repositioning bargains - as the Caribbean slows down in late spring and summer, the European cruises begin to reach their peak season, and ships from the Caribbean are sent to European and Mediterranean ports, for example – you can get incredible deals to sail on these cruises because the cruise line has to pay the staff anyway, so why not fill the ship? Of course you get a lot of sea days and very few port calls for your money.

4. Be on the lookout for last-minute specials, especially online.