For the last several years, the best travel deals have come with last-minute purchases. That’s often still the case–but not if you’re taking a cruise, experts say.
“The cruise ship industry is having one of the best years of their history,” budget travel guru Arthur Frommer said. Many European cruises this summer already are sold out. “People cannot wait.”
Jason Sheets, director of cruises for the online travel agency Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), says travelers looking to cruise in prime summer months–especially to Europe–should be booking their trips 300 days in advance. His agency is running its annual cruise sale, but instead of slashing cruise prices, it’s offering Target gift cards to those who book before Feb. 17. And at Star Clippers, discounts on Western Mediterranean sailings are available, as long as they last–but only on air-sea packages. Discounts can run as much as $800 per person, depending on the itinerary.
On other types of trips, a few tour companies are offering early booking credits and discounts. As with cruises, though, price isn’t the only factor. “Earlier is better, not so much for price as for availability,” says Dan Austin, partner with Austin-Lehman.
If you see a great deal, you should jump on it, says Kelley Ford, vice president of marketing at Travelzoo (www.travelzoo.com). One place to find specials: Travelzoo’s e-mail “news flashes,” sent to 3.8 million subscribers.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale ([email protected]) and Curt Wagner ([email protected])