Best Time to Cruise It's one of the most common cruising questions: When is the best time to cruise Australia, Alaska, the Caribbean, Canada/New England, Hawaii, Europe or the South Pacific? The answer depends on many variables. For example, those who enjoy exploring in port may prefer the cooler winter months for Australia cruises whereas families like to sail in summer when temperatures are warmer for swimming. The best time to cruise to Alaska will vary depending on your preferences for viewing wildlife, fishing, bargain-shopping, sunshine, warm weather and catching the northern lights. For most cruise regions, there are periods of peak demand (high season), moderate demand (shoulder season) and low demand (low season), which is usually the cheapest time to cruise. High season is typically a mix of when the weather is best and popular travel periods (such as summer and school holidays). However, the best time to cruise weather-wise is usually not the cheapest time to cruise. The cheapest time to cruise is when most travellers don't want to go because of chillier temperatures or inopportune timing (too close to holidays, the start of school, etc.). But the lure of cheap fares and uncrowded ports might make you change your mind about what you consider the best time to cruise. As you plan your next cruise, you'll want to take into consideration the best and cheapest times to cruise and see what works with your vacation schedule. Here's a when-to-cruise guide for popular destinations.
5 Booking Hacks That Will Change the Way You Buy a Cruise Heed our advice using these five cruise booking hacks and you might be able to find secret pricing, score double the bonuses and land the upgrade of a lifetime.
7 Dumbest Cruise Mistakes Ever We've all been there: almost getting your Romanian spouse forcibly debarked -- and expatriated; sprinting through the St. Thomas jungle to catch your departing ship; eating three of Guy Fieri's 1,000-calorie burgers in one sitting. Perhaps not, but as Bram Stoker wrote in Dracula, "We learn from failure, not from success!" What has failure taught Cruise Critic's editors and contributors when it comes to cruising? Do your homework on visa requirements, and triple check that you know how to get where you're embarking. Be careful what you eat and what you book. Read our seven mini-stories of supreme stupidity, have a laugh at our expense, and vow never to make the same mistakes.
The Free Cruise Offer: Scam or Legit? Thank you for your interest in Royal Seas Cruises on Ticketmaster. You will soon be receiving a call to book your free Bahamas cruise. Can't wait? This seemingly simple sales pitch began a yearlong journey of phone calls, complete with lightning-fast decisions, scheduling and hand-wringing, as I attempted to determine whether the free cruise offer was a scam, legit or something in between.
8 Overrated Activities in the Caribbean Here are 8 overrated activities you might encounter during Caribbean cruises that you can easily skip.
12 Bad Decisions That Could Ruin Your Cruise Don't let it be your fault that your sailing turns sour. Any of these 12 bad decisions could ruin your cruise. We're here to help you say no so you can save your vacation.
