cheap cruise tickets

To get cheap cruise tickets, the best deals are normally made on either last minute cruises, early bookings of cruises, or limited time offers.

Some companies define last minute deals as those departing in 30 days or less, while others define it as 14 days or less.

A good rule of thumb, however, is that the closer it is to the date of departure from 14 or 30 days, the better deal you're likely to get.

The last minute deals are offered to the day of the departure, with savings on regular price as much as 70%.

For example, the last time I checked, a 3-day Bahamas tour (departing from Miami) on Carnival Fascination had last-minute rates from $269 (these prices are valid for only very short time-frames).

Similarly, if you book early with one of the cruise lines, you normally get discounted rates.

Limited Time Offers

Sometimes, cruise lines promote selected routes or cruises with selected ships with limited time promotions.

These promotions can be cash-back deals, shipboard credits, or two-for-one deals, for example.

Of these promotional offers, shipboard credit normally appears on guest's account aboard the ship.

Generally, it cannot be used for gratuities or casino credit, nor can it be redeemed for cash. Also, it has no cash value and is not transferable.

The rules on shipboard credit differ from company to company, so always check with you cruise line for the details.

Finding Cheap Cruise Tickets

Finding the best deals on cruise line tickets takes some research work. There are agencies that have offers from several cruise lines to browse through.

One good such agency for cruises is travelocity.com. In addition to regular prices on cruise tickets, the site also has a specific section on last-minute / limited-time offers.