Finding a cruise vacation special today has been made a heck of a lot easier because of the internet.

One thing to remember about cruise holidays, they are not flexible but you have to be. In other words, when a cruise is announced a departure is set and that’s always going to be your starting date. Your job is to look for the best possible deal on that particular cruise and thanks to the internet, there are specific sites designed to find you that elusive cruise special.

For example, CruiseDirect has been used by cruise enthusiasts for more than two decades to fish out those elusive cruise deals. They are very good at sniffing out those last minute cruise deals and customers have been able to make some huge savings.

Last Minute Cruises

Those who like to take a punt will usually wait until a cruise is close to departure. The general rule of thumb is 90 days however, with the right resources such as those mentioned above, a cruise special can be found much closer to departure.

As the sail date approaches, cruise lines often lower prices to fill staterooms and agencies may lower their price to meet their quota of the number of passengers they are responsible for booking.

Travel agents are a good source for late minute deals. They may pre-purchase tickets on a pre-set price but if they don’t sell out as the cruise date approaches then there is scope for bargaining.

You may find a cruise special on a suite instead of an inside room or just the opposite, depending on the importance you place on the type of room you will be in. If you’re the type planning to party and spend the majority of your time on deck, then the type of room you sleep in probably won’t be that important and some of the best cruise special deals can be found for some of the least expensive rooms.

In the end, you’ll need to be savvy with your shopping. Build a list of “go to” resources you can count on and draw on them when needed.  A cruise vacation special may simply mean saving an extra $50-$100 off the overall price.