Last-minute deals are a surefire way to save big when booking a Caribbean cruise, but let’s be honest: Most of us can’t cut it that close. Taking off work, securing flights for the whole family, and finding a stateroom that can comfortably accommodate everyone (and that is in a desirable location of the ship) all become a heck of a lot harder to do when you’re a few weeks or even months away from departure. Let’s not add that unnecessary stress to our plates, OK?
With a little strategizing, you can snag an unbeatable discount on one of the best Caribbean cruises for families. You can save even more with kids sail free promos, which are offered by nearly every major line. Bonus add-ons such as $100 in onboard credit, “free” gratuities, and specialty restaurant inclusions further boost the value of your bottom line.
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So, where to start? The best places to search for deals are on cruise planning websites (who feed you offers from a plethora of online travel agencies) and directly on the cruise lines’ sites. You can also keep tabs on deals by subscribing to email lists for alerts. Broaden your results by signing up with multiple cruise sites and lines.
Once you’re tapped into a network of deals, it’s time to put some money-saving tools into play. Here are three ways to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises for families.
1. Book a cruise during “wave season”
Think of wave season as the cruise industry’s Amazon “Prime Day”—only this buying window stretches for a few months. Every year from January through March, after the holidays wind down, cruise lines roll out some of their most competitive prices.
Deals advertised during wave season entice travelers to “hit the waves,” so the cruise lines can fill their ships for the year(s) ahead. This is a win-win for the lines as well as for families, who can save a pretty penny on sailings that give them plenty of time to plan in advance.
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Just about every major line gets involved in wave season. You’ll find deals on all types of ships—including big, small, and expedition—as well as itineraries. Occasionally, cruise lines will offer discounts on sailings during more sought-after times of year, like mid-summer or holidays.
Common wave season deals include discounts of up to 50 percent off, BOGO offers, onboard credits, and extras such as free cabin upgrades and complimentary packages.
2. Be strategic with Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials
Not all Black Friday and Cyber Monday promos are good deals. Some lines have even been known to raise prices around this time. Where the true value typically lies are in more generous extras like significantly reduced deposits, “free” shore excursions, and higher onboard credits. Some lines will include airfare, as well.
Sign up for deal alerts on the best Caribbean cruises for families, at least a few months beforehand, to glean how prices and offers are trending. This will allow you to better spot a deal when you see one. Don’t think you need to wait until the end-of-month retail rumpus, either. A handful of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are quietly made available in early November.
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Additionally, some cruise lines will advertise a deal for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, and keep it rolling through wave season—only rebranding it and perhaps refreshing some of the extras. So, don’t get discouraged if you’re financially stretched too thin during the holiday season, and not quite ready to book.
3. Plan to cruise during the fall
September, October, and November are among the cheapest months of the year to cruise in the Caribbean. There are two reasons for this: It’s hurricane season, and kids are back in school, so the demand is much lower.
Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Any ship sailing within this time frame technically has a greater chance of being rerouted away from a storm. Despite all this, June, July, and August are some of the most popular months for Caribbean cruises. That’s not the case for the latter part of hurricane season, however, which peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
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Even with a higher probability of storm activity, the chances of your cruise being affected are still relatively low. In the most likely scenario, you would have to call at a different port or spend an extra day at sea in order to move further away from a storm’s path. You also might run into some rain or choppy seas, but that can happen at any time of the year.
If you don’t have your heart set on a particular destination, and your family is down to go with the flow, then sailing in the fall might be your ticket to the best Caribbean cruises for families. Want to slash your chances of getting seasick? Consider a Southern Caribbean itinerary. Islands such as St. Lucia and Aruba rarely see tropical activity, due to their southward location and climates.
