Many holidaymakers consider summer as the best time for a cruise holiday. However, winter cruises offer plenty of advantages, including fewer crowds in popular ports and temperatures in the low twenties.
According to Google Trends data, Iglu Cruise reveals that searches for “winter cruises” have risen by 119% in the last three years, with more people looking to escape the UK during the colder months.
Seasonal deals are another reason why people want to cruise in the winter. With Black Friday creeping up, Dave Mills, Chief Commercial Officer at Iglu Cruise has revealed some cruise hacks to find the best winter deals.
1. Consider less tropical destinations
Destinations with warm climates during the winter, such as the Caribbean are extremely popular from December to March. As a result, demand is often high, meaning a higher price.
While the Mediterranean and southern Europe are often regarded as “summer destinations”, visiting them during the winter offers plenty of advantages. Firstly, you’ll find the ports to be much quieter, meaning you can avoid the queues when exploring a museum or Cathedral. Temperatures will also be much cooler, making it easier to walk around and explore.
Dave Mills of Iglu Cruise said: “Customers don’t often think about visiting destinations such as the Mediterranean in winter. However, for those looking to benefit from fewer crowds and more room to explore, winter provides an excellent opportunity to visit Italy, Spain, Greece and more. Take advantage of lower prices during the winter and visit some bucket list destinations at the same time.”
2. Take advantage of Black Friday sales
On Friday the 29th of November, or Black Friday, you’ll find incredible deals within the cruise industry. Cruise lines release competitive offers and promotions, huge savings and benefits, such as onboard spending, upgrades and discounts.
From Celebrity Cruises, to Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises, there are plenty of Black Friday deals for sailings in Europe, North America, Asia and beyond. Whether you’re looking for a cruise discount, a low deposit, a free cabin upgrade or a complimentary drinks package, the Black Friday sale 2024 is the perfect chance to grab a bargain.
Dave Mills said: “Whilst Black Friday itself, the 29th of November, is the main day for great deals, you’ll be able to find new offers all throughout November each day. Make sure to keep checking, as many of the sailings will get picked up quickly.”
3. Lookout for Wave Season
The cruise industry’s Wave season typically runs from January to March, with three months to find yourself some incredible offers. These offers can include incentives and perks such as fare reductions, drink packages, low deposits, flight savings, and onboard credit.
Many cruise passengers look forward to Wave season as you can find some of the best deals of the year. Plus, having something to look forward to after December is always a bonus.
Dave Mills said: “Take advantage of Wave season and get yourself some incredible deals. We run deals with all major cruise lines, for sailings through winter and into spring and summer. Keep your eyes peeled for Wave season deals and when you see the package for you, give our travel agents a call or book online, and make sure to act fast as demand is usually incredibly high during this period.”
4. Research last-minute options
Many major cruise lines offer last-minute sailings, often for a reduced rate. These types of sailings are suitable for those who may be a little more flexible with when they can travel. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway to Amsterdam or Hamburg or a longer cruise to the Canary Islands or even the Caribbean, last-minute options often include exclusive fair reductions.
Another benefit of a last-minute option is potentially visiting some great, unexpected destinations. Although most of us want to cruise to a bucket list destination, it can also be exciting to explore the unknown and visit somewhere you have no preconceptions about.
Dave Mills said: “You can keep your eye out for last-minute cruise deals all year round, however, in the summer, demand is extremely high, even for last-minute cruises. Winter is a great time to take advantage of last-minute deals as it is much less competitive. Keep your eyes peeled during the winter months for last-minute sailings to incredible destinations in Europe and beyond.”
5. Sign up to newsletters
Signing up to newsletters is a great way to ensure that you’ll be among the first to receive the best deals, so you can snap them up before they sell out. Not only that, but you may also get some travel inspiration for your next trip or be the first to hear about new sailings.
Email newsletters will come straight to your inbox and you can often tailor them to your preferences. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway or a longer cruise stay, you’ll be guaranteed to hear about it through a newsletter.
Dave Mills said: “Many of our customers get great deals through our newsletter service. It’s very easy to sign up and fantastic offers come through whenever we make them available. If you’re looking for a bargain this winter, consider signing up to our newsletter on our website.”