Apply for and get your passport before you start looking for Carnival cruise deals. Carnival cruise ships stop in many ports of call and most of them require you to have a valid passport. A passport can take 6 to 8 weeks to get, depending on the backlog of applications. Make sure you have yours in hand before you start looking for your next cruise.
Search through the list of available cruises from Carnival cruise line on the site that you have chosen to use to purchase your trip. You can choose to purchase your trip straight from Carnival or through a discount firm. There are times when the cruises will cost the same amount no matter where you book, unless the discount site is running a special Carnival cruise deals promotion. You need to be flexible in the dates that you will want to go on the cruise to get the best deals. You also need to be flexible with where the cruise is going to. This is where having your passport already in hand will be a great benefit.
Look for cruises that are offered in the beginning of the fall season and cruise that are going to set sail from two weeks from the day that you are looking to get the best Carnival cruise deals. Carnival cruise lines often charges less for cruises that depart from late August through the beginning of October because of the lack of demand for these vacation times. The cruise line will also offer steep discounts on last minute cruises that they haven't booked at least 75% of the rooms on.
