Mediterranean Cruises-Tips on Finding Good Deals
Mediterranean cruises are hot right now. If you are thinking of taking a Mediterranean cruise in the near future, here are some tips that might help you find a better deal. First off, look at the off-peak dates. For instance, the peak times of a Mediterranean cruise are the the summer months-June, July and the first two weeks of August. This is because that is when the kids are out of school and it is a traditional American vacation season. If your travel plans allow you to be flexible, search for the off-peak dates, such as May, the last two weeks in August, September, October and November.
These are the times when you will have the best chance of getting a good bargain. Since these are off-peak dates, the cruise line typically lowers the rates to attract more passengers. This year, Mediterranean cruises are the hot destination so the rates for the off-peak season are higher than normal so you’ll have to do a little more searching than usual and be more flexible with your travel dates. Oh yes, and please don’t book a Mediterranean cruise unless you have your passport IN HAND! The passport wait times are longer than normal so don’t chance booking your cruise thinking the passports only take 6 weeks.
Be flexible with your choices in cruise lines. If you limit yourself to one particular cruise line, you are at the mercy of their pricing computers. Compare your first pick with 2 or three comparable cruise lines, ships and itineraries. 7 day Mediterranean cruises have better rates than the 10 day Mediterranean cruises and the 10 day cruises have better rates than the 12 day cruises. Not only because they are longer in duration, but because they are the most requested Mediterranean cruises. Don’t forget about airfare. We highly recommend that you get the airfare through the cruise line. They offer comparable rates to what you will find on your own plus they include the roundtrip transfers as well. The biggest reason to get their air is they HAVE to get you to the ship! For more information on your Mediterranean cruise go here.