
By Jacob Passy
Jan. 3, 2025
Looking to save money on a getaway in 2025? You may want to hit the deck.
The beginning of the year is generally the best time to book a cruise vacation, thanks to the promotions different cruise lines offer during what cruise veterans call wave season.
Those deals may be a little less exciting this year—the cruise industry is booming, and companies aren’t feeling pressure to discount—but there are still deals to be had.

Sailing on newer cruise ships like Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas comes at a premium. Photo: paola chiomante/Reuters
For the new-to-cruise, choosing the right sailing is no small feat. And the options go well beyond the Caribbean—everywhere from Alaska to the Mediterranean to Tierra del Fuego. Factors like trip length and the ship’s age can make the difference between feeling like you got your money’s worth and wasting away at sea.
An ocean of offers
The wave season, roughly between Christmas and early March, is when cruise lines traditionally have marketed the biggest bargains on upcoming voyages. This year, the deals look a bit different, industry analysts say.
The post-Covid surge in cruise bookings has shown no signs of abating. Cruises continue to sell out, and people are booking their cabins further in advance, says Tanner Callais, founder of travel website Cruzely.com. In late December, Carnival Corp. CEO Josh Weinstein said all of the company’s brands were already nearly two-thirds booked for 2025.
“Get used to paying more,” Callais warns.
Still, wave season is the best time to snag deals, even if they’re not as eye-popping as in previous years. As of Tuesday, Carnival Cruise Line was offering up to 40% off the rates for cruises that include a stop at Celebration Key, its new private destination in the Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean was advertising savings of up to $500 on future cruises, while Norwegian Cruise Line was promoting a New Year’s sale featuring up to $1,500 off its cruises, future cruise credits and savings on amenities like drinks packages. Celebrity Cruises is discounting up to 75% off a second guest for a booking, along with other savings, as part of its semiannual sale.
Another piece of good news when evaluating offers: Recent legislation aimed at eliminating surprise taxes and fees has prompted cruise lines to advertise the total cost of bookings, Callais says.
To maximize the savings, travelers can adopt a few strategies:
Follow the demand. Like hotel rooms or airfare, cruises that take place during peak travel periods are more expensive. Saving money, Callais says, can be as simple as sailing when school is in session, especially on cruise lines that cater to families.
Pit travel agents against each other. Yes, it still can pay to use a travel agent. Agencies often have access to special pricing unavailable to the general public via cruise lines’ own websites. Some travel agents will proactively reserve blocks of rooms for their customers in advance to lock in lower rates, says Bob Levinstein, chief executive of CruiseCompete.com, a website where travelers can compare vacation deals from different agencies. The best prices are going to be offered directly to a customer by a travel agent rather than advertised publicly, he says.
Lighten up on the frills. If you’re not the type who needs fancy meals or unlimited drinks to have a good time, the more all-inclusive packages offered by higher-end cruise lines may not be a good deal. Along those lines, sailing on newer ships chock-full of amenities comes at a premium. The same sailing on an older vessel often costs less. (Type the ship’s name along with the phrase “maiden voyage” into a search engine to find its age. You can look up when it was most recently refurbished, too.)
Other factors to consider
Cost is just the starting point when choosing which cruise line to book. Two ships that visit the same ports over the same length of time could offer vastly different vacations.
“When it comes to cruising, about 80% of the experience is the same,” Callais says. “You’re going to have your day at sea where you’re hanging out poolside. The drinks are going to be flowing. There’s going to be gourmet dining.”
But the atmosphere from one ship to another varies widely. A trip with Virgin Voyages is an adult-only experience, while Disney Cruise Line caters to families and doesn’t offer casinos on its ships. Someone looking for a calmer, more traditional cruising experience will want to skip the megaships that feature waterslides, roller coasters or go-kart tracks, says Justin Wolfson, a personal travel adviser with Chubit Travel.
Even within the same cruise line, a given sailing’s vibe can differ depending on the port the ship leaves from. Sailings out of Miami are often considered to have a more raucous atmosphere than those out of smaller ports across the Southeast. Plus, a smaller port may be easier—and cheaper—to reach.
Similar itineraries even within the same region of the world can make for vastly different experiences. Say the choice is between two cruises to the Bahamas, with one visiting a private island and the other stopping in Nassau.
The private island will be less crowded, and arguably less authentic in terms of experiencing Bahamian culture. The stop in Nassau could allow a family to choose from a wider range of activities, but if multiple ships can dock there in the same day they might find the atmosphere too hectic.
Write to Jacob Passy at jacob.passy@wsj.com
Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
