Cruise guest shares tip to ‘find a deal’ on a cruise holiday

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Cruise holidays can be expensive but there are a few simple ways that Britons can find a good deal. A regular cruise guest shared their top tips for British tourists.

The guest wrote on Reddit: “I have cruised for 43 years and been on almost all the brands.”

The passenger said they wanted to share everything they had learned to help first time cruisers choose a holiday.

They warned passengers that there aren’t the same deals on cruise holidays that there used to be.

The passenger said: “In the past, you could spend a few hours searching for a specific cruise and find a gem of a deal.

“Now everything is controlled by computers. Prices are standardised to you directly, to your travel agents and to the discount houses.”

However, they added that sales will come up “from time to time” and passengers should look out for brands’ annual sales.

They said: “Another example is when I was going solo. I waited until a week or so before the cruise, I got my suite for half the double occupancy rate which had recently been reduced. The key was my willingness to be flexible on my timeframe.”

Flexibility could help a British tourist bag a deal on a cruise holiday as bargains may come available last minute.

The guest added that passengers should book “the earlier the better” if they want to secure the best deal.

They said: “If the price goes down, you can simply call the agent or the cruise line and get a better cabin or rebook at a lower cost.”

If cruise tourists opt to book with an agent or directly with the cruise line they may be able to renegotiate their holiday price.

Sometimes an agent may offer the customer a better cabin for a bargain price if the cruise is struggling to fill rooms.

Many cruise lines will offer passengers flights with their package if the starting port is overseas.

The guest warned: “Sometimes you get a bargain on airfare if you catch a cruise promotion.

“As with everything on a cruise, read the fine print. When the cruise line purchases your air, they control the day, time and brand.

“If you want control, there are additional costs. Be an educated consumer.”

Passengers can also book their own flights but may not be able to get as cheap a price as the cruise company.

However, a cruise line may book flights in the middle of the night or very early in the morning which won’t be to everyone’s taste.

Passengers should also check the luggage allowance on their plane ticket as it may not be as much as they need.

Guests should also check whether the cruise line includes airport transfers with their plane ticket.

Ports can often be quite a way from the airport and passengers will need to make sure they can reach the ship in time for departure.

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