Repositioning cruises are one-way journeys which bring ships from one destination to another which is often thousands of miles away. The benefits of repositioning cruises include the itinerary, which tends to be completely unique, and the rate, which is often greatly reduced. Repositioning cruises are usually a deal since they require passengers with enough free time to make a multi-week journey, they usually take place during shoulder season, and they tend to be one way. For example Royal Caribbean's 16 -Day Suez Canal repositioning cruise with stops in the UAE, Muscat, Italy and Spain starts at $499 per person as of 2011. Most repositioning ships move from the Caribbean to Europe in the early spring, back to the Caribbean in early fall and up to Alaska in the summer months.
Shorter three or four night weekend getaway cruises can be a good bargain. Families and couples who want to enjoy the cruising experience but don't have the time or the money for an extended journey can still indulge a bit with one of these shorter trips. Quick cruises are offered in ports around the country but the best selection can be found in New England during the summer and in Florida and Los Angeles all year round. A constant supply of quick cruises can be found on any of the online cruise brokers or travel sites where fares can be as low as $169 per person for a four-day cruise (see resources). The drawbacks to short cruises include limited itinerary options and limited relaxation time.
If your schedule is open and you are open to any available itinerary, last-minute cruises can be a terrific deal. Cruise fares tend to start going down about three months prior to sailing as the cruise line begins to offer incentives to fill any empty cabins. If there is a particular category with more availability than others, you may see it drop even further. There are many cases where balcony rooms will be priced lower than oceanview for this reason. Additional incentives may include onboard credit, reduced excursion rates and free upgrades for which you should always ask when booking. You will often find cruises with fares well under $99 per person through Moment's Notice Travel, a specialty agent dealing in last minute cruises and vacations (see resource).
Try to book your cruise from a port near your home. Airfare to and from the ship can really increase the cost of your cruise vacation no matter how good the deal. Penalty-free cruise cancellations have a deadline from 60-120 days prior to sailing. This is when the most cabins become available and when real last minute deals appear. Consider an onboard drinks package. Unlimited non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks packages are offered by most major cruise lines and can provide a significant savings over purchasing beverages a la carte. Apply for a cruise rewards credit card. Several cruise lines have partnered with banks to offer cards which accumulate points with every purchase. These points can be used towards free cruises and onboard benefits (see resources). Join a cruise-line rewards program. Most major cruise lines have free programs which reward repeat customers with cruise benefits and discounts. The specifics will vary by cruise line (see resources).
