Be flexible. If you're looking for the absolute lowest price, you need to keep your options open. Have several different dates that you're willing to travel. Consider more than one cruise line, and even be open with the destination. The more adaptable your plans, the better the chance for huge savings.
Do your homework. Visit the different cruise lines' websites to see what is offered. Check out the same cruises on the discount sites. Some of the discount sites have a low-price guarantee. Examples of discount cruise sites that you might want to peruse are Orbitz.com, CruiseMagic.com and DiscountCruises.com.
Join a community. An online cruise forum is a great way to learn from cruise enthusiasts. Take advantage of other people's experience---longtime cruisers know many money-saving strategies. Cruise Critic has one of the largest online cruising communities. Other such communities can be found at the Cruise Line Fans and Cruise Direct Online websites.
Ask a professional. Stop by a travel agency that specializes in cruises and ask questions. While it's true that you can book your cruise online, a travel agent knows the ins and outs of the business. She may be able to find you discounts that aren't available to the general public.
Call the cruise line directly. It's easier to negotiate with a live person than with a computer program. Have the rates from the discount brokers in hand when you make the call. The cruise line doesn't want to split the money with a broker, so it will often match or beat the discount price. It might also throw in some incentives to sweeten the deal.
Keep checking back. If you don't mind taking a spur-of-the-moment trip, wait until the last possible day to book your cruise. The lowest prices will be offered closest to the cruise departure date.
