If you’re looking for the best deal on a last minute cruise, here are some helpful tips and tricks so you can find a great cruise at an even better price!

Best Deals on a Last Minute Cruise in Your Inbox

Email newsletters can be kind of annoying, but they’re also a great way to find the best deal on a last minute cruise. From major and minor cruise lines looking to fill empty staterooms to travel agencies and cruise review sites pushing sponsored deals, there are tons of savings to be had if you do your due diligence. Signing up for cruise email newsletters means the deals are right in your inbox, no Googling required.

RELATED: Cruise Control: How to Get the Best Cruise Deals! (Video)

Sometimes the deals discount the price of the ticket, other times they offer value once on board the ship, like free drinks, spending money for the onboard shops, free shore excursions and much more. No matter what kind of deal you’re looking for, you’ll find it in a cruise industry email newsletter.

Cruise During the Offseason

Everyone wants to be on a beach in the Caribbean from December to March, but that means you’ll probably end up paying full-price for a ticket. Cruising during the offseason often offers the same basic cruise experience complete with the same on board activities, ports of call and more, but at steep discounts on the price of the ticket.

You may also have heard the term “repositioning cruise” before. That’s when a cruise ship spends one part of the year in a certain location, then when the weather changes, it’s off to a new part of the world. Getting the ship from point A to point B isn’t cheap, so cruise lines look to fill the ship with passengers, often at discounted rates. Even though the weather and the ports of call may be different, many aspects of the cruise remain the same.

Don’t be Picky

When you’re looking to save big on a last minute cruise, that often means forgoing the most popular destinations and cabin options. Sitting on a private balcony is certainly a nice perk, but it’s also going to cost you. At the end of the day, an inner stateroom still offers a similar cruise experience and there are plenty of cool spots on the main decks to enjoy the scenery.

The same goes for location. You may really want to see the Mayan ruins of Belize, but it’s okay to settle for the Mayan ruins in Mexico, as the price could be cheaper, or vice versa. You’ll still get a wonderful cruise experience and see some really cool things, but you’ll save some money too

— Evan Gove