Cruise Booking Guide: Here’s why you should book your cruise early

When planning a cruise, travelers often debate when the best time is to book a cruise. Will you get the best prices by booking early? Should you wait and see if there are any last-minute deals? While anytime is a great time to book a cruise, we always suggest booking early — as soon as you’ve committed to the vacation.

Most major cruise lines release itineraries up to two years in advance. These itineraries are usually made available for booking at set intervals throughout the year based on the cruise region. We generally book our vacations at least six months to a year (or more) in advance, as there are many benefits to securing a reservation well is advance of the sail date. Here are our top five reasons to book a cruise early.

Quick Summary

There are several reasons why we believe it’s best to book a cruise early. Some of these reasons concern having more choice: you’ll have a better selection of staterooms to choose from, and also have a better shot at your preferred dining time. Booking earlier also means you’re likely to have a better shot at securing the best price for the cruise, and you’ll also be afforded more time to pay it off. Reserving your cruise early also gives you more time to plan the vacation — including everything from flights and hotel stays to shore excursions, onboard packages, and must-do activities and entertainment.

Top 5 Reasons to Book a Cruise Early (2025)

1. You can secure the best price

The biggest reason you should book a cruise early is to secure the best prices. While it used to be true that you could sometimes score last-minute deals, the cruise industry has been moving away from that business model. Instead, you’re most likely to get the best prices the further out you book.

If you are planning to cruise on a specific ship or itinerary, you should not wait until the last minute. As specific sailings begin to fill up, prices will go up. This is especially true for newer and popular ships. We almost always book our cruises a year in advance for the most savings. Cruise lines will often offer incentives to book early that can save you money.

If you don’t pay for your entire cruise upfront, you also have the advantage of watching for price drops as the cruise date approaches. On the rare occasion that the price does drop after you’ve booked, you can often get the difference back in the form of onboard credit.

2. You’ll have the best selection of cabins

Popular room categories and locations often book up quickly. Therefore, by booking your cruise early, you will have a greater selection of staterooms to choose from.

Mid-ship cabins on the most conveniently-located decks, aft balconies, and suites are among the popular stateroom options. Given that there’s a limited supply of these rooms on each ship, ideal cabin locations and categories are often sold out months in advance of the sail date.

This is especially true on the ships and itineraries that are in the highest demand. If you wait too long to book your cruise, you might get stuck with a stateroom that is not ideal. So, ensure the best accommodations by making a reservation as early as possible.

3. You can choose your preferred dining time

Most cruise lines will offer you a main dining option at the time of booking. This usually includes an early or late seating for traditional dining and an anytime dining option.

Unless you truly don’t mind either way, you’ll likely have a preferred dining method in mind for your vacation. When you book your cruise early, you have a greater likelihood of being assigned your preference. As the cruise begins to fill up, so do the dining options. Thus, you may get stuck eating earlier or later than you want, or be assigned set time when you wanted anytime (or vice versa).

If this is the case, you can request to be put on a waiting list, but this is not a guarantee. Note: even if you book late and don’t receive your preferred option, you can visit the maître d’ once on board to see if they can accommodate your preference.

Similarly, prime dining times for specialty restaurants book up quickly as well. If you have plans to dine at any of these upscale venues during your cruise, you should also secure your spot early.

4. You’ll have more time to pay your vacation off

It goes without saying that the earlier you book a cruise, the more time you will have until your final payment is due. While it varies slightly by cruise line and the length of the sailing, final payment is usually due about 75 to 90 days prior to your sail date.

If you are budget-conscious, you can even set up your own payment plan. You can either make payments on the cruise as you go, or you can just set aside the money until the due date approaches. If you do make payments along the way, you will be refunded the money if you decide to cancel before the final payment window. Do be sure to read the fine print though, as select rates may not provide a full refund.

If you need to cancel your cruise after the final payment is collected, you will usually receive a pro-rated refund.

5. You’ll have more time to plan

Having a cruise booked is always a good thing. Not only does it give you something to look forward to, but it also gives you more time to plan the perfect cruise vacation. This includes virtually exploring all that your ship has to offer. You can review the deck plans to gain a general sense of direction and decide which amenities and attractions are on your “must-do” list.

You will also want to research your ports of call to determine the most popular things to see and do while ashore. Then, you can book your favorite shore excursions. Again, popular tours often sell out before the cruise.

Further, there are several things that you should book before your cruise. These include specialty dining reservations, entertainment reservations (if applicable to your ship), and other add-ons like drink and wifi packages. These items can often be purchased cheaper pre-cruise — especially when timed with cruise line promotions.

Comments

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