What is wave season? Perhaps the cheapest time to book a cruise

When is wave season?

There are several reasons why wave season takes place when it does. Cold winter weather in many northern areas has travelers dreaming of and eager to book warm-weather getaways. Many families make that year’s vacation plans at the start of the year after the hectic season of holiday shopping, entertaining and traveling is over. Plus, cruise lines have closed the books on the previous year and are eager to start filling ships for the coming year. This convergence of interests makes January through March the perfect time to offer incentives for people to book a cruise.

What cruise deals are offered?

The important thing to know about wave season sales is that you aren’t just looking for reduced cruise fares, though those are a great place to begin. The real incentive is the bevy of bonuses cruise lines add to their promotions, making it tough to pass up booking a cruise (or three).

Here are the three types of booking incentives you’ll see during wave season.

Cruise deals and discounts

• Discounted cruise fares (e.g., 40{6932ee47e64f4ce8eedbbd5224581f6531cba18a35225771c06e4f1b3f0d9667} off, $500 back, etc.).
• Reduced deposits (e.g., lock in your cruise with just $1 or $25 and pay the remainder 90 days before sailing).
• Two-for-one cruise fares, or get a discounted second fare when you pay full price for the first.
• Third and/or fourth passengers in a cabin sail free or at a discounted rate.
• Kids sail free or at a discount.

Freebies and extra-value perks

Some cruise lines prefer to keep prices higher during wave season but offer certain amenities for free that you would otherwise have to pay. These include perks that add value to your purchase and save you from a higher onboard bill when you finally set sail.

Complimentary booking perks might include:

• Free airfare from select U.S. gateways.
• Pre-cruise overnight hotel stay.
• Onboard credit you can use to pay for specialty dining, shore excursions and more.
• Beverage packages.
• Prepaid specialty dining fees.
• Prepaid gratuities.
• Free internet access.
• Complimentary shore excursions or tour credit.

Cabin upgrades

The last type of offer you can expect to see during wave season is complimentary cabin upgrades. You pay the rate for one type of cabin but get to stay in a “nicer” room that would usually cost more.

Cabin upgrades come in two types:

• Upgrade within a cabin category (e.g., from a cheaper inside cabin to a larger or better located inside cabin).
• Upgrade to the next cabin category (e.g., pay the inside cabin price but stay in an outside or even balcony cabin).

Typically with wave season promotions, these upgrades are essentially a discount on the higher-category room, and you still get to pick the location of the upgraded cabin.

Related: 5 reasons to turn down a cruise ship cabin upgrade

Where can you find wave season deals?

Nearly every cruise seller wants a piece of the wave season spending spree, so you can expect to find wave season deals in many places.

Almost every cruise line will offer its own wave season deal, which will be valid whether you book directly through the cruise line, via an online travel seller or with a travel agent. It’s not just the major cruise lines that offer promotions at this time. A small expedition cruise line might put its bucket list Antarctica voyages on sale, or a river cruise line you’ve been eyeing might slash fares on its Rhine and Danube river sailings.

In addition to the lines themselves, travel sellers may tack on their own promotions as well. The travel agent down the street might throw in a bottle of Champagne, or your favorite travel website, such as Expedia, might offer an extra deal or two. Cast a wide net when looking for deals, and you’re sure to find a bunch.

How do you know if you’re getting the best deal?

It is true that cruise lines can sometimes be tricky when it comes to deals. That “free” beverage package might require you to pay actual money for an automatic bar gratuity calculated on its theoretical value, and that 50{6932ee47e64f4ce8eedbbd5224581f6531cba18a35225771c06e4f1b3f0d9667} off deal might be based on an inflated cruise fare that no one ever pays. If you want to make sure you’re getting the best deal during wave season, you need to do some research in advance.

As you narrow down your cruise choices in the fall, take note of the current per-passenger fares and any available perks for the cruises that interest you most. Don’t forget any special discounts you might be eligible for (think: senior, teacher, military, Florida resident). Price out different cabin categories above and below the room you think you’ll book. Also, look up prices for onboard extras, such as beverage packages, internet access and specialty restaurant meals, so you have a sense of what you might spend on top of the cruise fare.

Then, as cruise lines announce their sales and included promotional perks, you can compare the promotional rates to previous prices. In that way, you can determine if the sale actually represents a good value for you.

If you don’t know which cruise line would suit you best, don’t just choose whichever line has the best wave season deals because the onboard vibe might not fit your personality. Instead, read TPG’s beginner’s guide to picking a cruise line to help you determine which brands and ships are the best match.

Armed with this knowledge, you can then keep an eye out for wave season deals for the trip parameters you’ve determined.

Join cruise line email lists

You could monitor cruise line websites and social media feeds over the next few months so you don’t miss any sales, but an even better idea is to join the email lists for the cruise lines you like. That way, they’ll tell you exactly when a sale is about to begin.

Find a travel agent

While you might not use a travel agent for other sorts of trips, you should consider one whenever you cruise. Agents that specialize in cruise travel often get advance notice of sales. They also typically have access to special rates or perks you won’t be able to find on your own, and they tend to offer their own suite of bonuses as an incentive to book through them.

For example, the right travel agent could get you several hundred dollars in onboard credit, even with Disney Cruise Line, which is notoriously light on sales and discounts. You can work with a large online travel seller, all of whom have sales representatives you can call for help, or find an individual travel agent in your area. Ask your friends if they can recommend someone, call up your local AAA office or locate a cruise-certified agent on the Cruise Lines International Association website.

Also, note that cruise line deals have all sorts of terms and conditions. A knowledgeable travel agent will know which itineraries offer the best version of the current deals and can guide you appropriately.

Sign up for the right credit card

If you’re a fan of stacking deals, you can enjoy cruise discounts, cash back and perks when you work with a travel agent to book a cruise during a sale and pay with a credit card that gives you a cruise-related bonus. If you don’t already have a card that gets you extra perks for your cruise purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, you might want to apply for one in advance of wave season.

A cruise booking, plus the affiliated travel purchases (think: a pre-cruise hotel stay and flights to the departure port) can be a significant investment, even with wave season promotions. Consider signing up for a new credit card and using your cruise purchase to reach the minimum spend necessary to earn the booking bonus. You’ll want to apply in advance of wave season so you’ve got the new card in hand when you’re ready to pay for that sailing.

Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises