Cheapest Weeks of the Year to Take a Cruise

Cheapest Weeks of the Year to Take a Cruise
July 22, 2017 by Ben Souza

While we believe that there are no bad times to take a cruise, certain weeks of the year are often cheaper than others.  A good rule of thumb is that prices are likely to be higher around any holidays or when kids are out of school.




What causes prices to change from week to week?  It is all based on supply and demand.  While some weeks (especially Christmas) are notorious for having high rates due to an increase in demand, the following weeks are generally the cheapest times to take a cruise. It is worth noting that any week can have high prices if a specific sailing is selling well, even if it is during a week listed below.

• 2nd week of January through early February – Great rates can often be found right after the extremely popular Christmas through New Year’s Eve season.
• Last week of February – Prices are often higher for Valentines Day week, who doesn’t want a Love Boat cruise?  However, prices tend to drop after Valentines Day until Spring Break.
• Early May – After the popular Spring Break weeks, there tends to be a slight lull in early May before kids get out of school for summer.  Once Memorial Day comes around, prices will go up.
• September after Labor Day – With kids back in school and hurricane season in full swing, great rates can normally be found from the week after Labor Day through October.
• First two weeks of December – Sandwiched between the popular cruise weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas, the first two weeks of December will often have great rates.

Our recommendation?  Book early and take advantage of price drops, guaranteeing that not only will you get the best selection of staterooms, but also the best price.