Cruise lines run sales throughout the year, not just on Black Friday.
Knowing when these sales are likely to happen will help you understand people’s typical cruise booking patterns.
It will make you realise that these well-advertised sales aren’t always the best or cheapest time to book – despite the cruise lines’ claims of “once only” offers not to be missed.
Black Friday (Mid – Late November)
Black Friday is one of the biggest and best-publicised sales of the year.
Of course, sales aren’t just available on Black Friday – sale prices are available in the weeks before and after the big day.
“Black Friday” is a relatively new sale in the UK. The term comes from America and has only been around in the UK for about 15 years.
Why Is It Even Called “Black Friday”?
The term is said to date back to the early 1960s.
Police officers in Philadelphia began using the phrase “Black Friday” to describe the chaos that resulted when large numbers of tourists arrived in the city to begin their holiday/Christmas shopping and, in some years, to attend the Saturday’s annual Army-Navy football game.
The huge crowds created problems for the police, who had to work longer shifts than usual as they dealt with traffic jams, accidents, shoplifting, and antisocial behaviour.
The phrase “Black Friday” didn’t come into use to signify a big boost in retail sales until the late 1980s.
Black Friday was described as the day shops began to turn a profit for the year and as the biggest shopping day in the United States. In truth, most stores saw their largest sales on the Saturday before Christmas.
Black Friday became a major event in the UK in 2013, when the Asda supermarket launched large in-store sales – although Amazon had introduced the concept to online shoppers in 2010.
While Amazon introduced the idea in the UK first, Asda’s in-store promotion in 2013 sparked a significant surge in popularity, prompting other major retailers to join in with their own sales the following year.
Typically, cruiselines offer reduced deposits, WiFi and drink offers, onboard credit, or other perks to encourage you to book.
Often, cruiselines don’t wait until the actual “Black Friday” and start their sales far earlier in November.
Wave Season (January – March)
This is the cruise industry’s main sales season – in the UK, certainly.
In the UK, the moment Christmas Day is over, TV ads for cruises and holidays begin.
People want something to look forward to and plan for in those cold, miserable winter months of January, February and March.
Cruiselines offer reduced fares, deals on drinks packages, Wi-Fi, upgrades, “Kids Sail Free” promotions, reduced deposits, etc, to try to entice customers to book.
“Wave Season” often beats Black Friday deals in terms of overall value.
Summer Flash Sales (June – August)
These are used to fill late-summer and early autumn sailings when there is space onboard.
It’s good for flexible travellers who don’t mind where or when they go and can take time off of work at short notice.
End-of-Season Sales (September – October)
You can often get very good deals on repositioning cruises at this time of year.
Transatlantic crossings are often available at very reasonable prices, as the cruise companies move their ships to more profitable locations ( like the Caribbean) for the winter months.
As long as you don’t mind plenty of sea days, this can be a really good way of landing a bargain and getting to explore the ship at a bargain price.
These repositioning cruises are more about low base fares than big perk bundles and added extras.
Find out more about the pros and cons of booking a repositioning cruise here:
You Need To Take a Repositioning Cruise – Here’s Some Huge Reasons Why
New Ship Launch Sales (Varies by Cruise Line)
When a new ship is built and cruiselines open for bookings, cruise lines offer launch deals.
Typical offers include reduced deposits, Onboard credit, and free upgrades.
This is great for travellers who like to book early and plan their holiday well in advance.
Bear in mind that sailings on new ships are always going to be in demand and will be more expensive to book.
If you know there is a new ship you just have to get on, book as soon as the booking opens, would be my advice. Prices are only going to go up as availability goes down.
Last-Minute Deals (4 – 8 Weeks Before Sailing)
If a ship has capacity, you might get a last-minute deal if you aren’t too fussy about where and when you sail.
By four to eight weeks beforehand, the cruiseline knows exactly how many people will be onboard and how many free cabins they have. They will then sell off any remaining cabins.
These deals are usually low fares with fewer perks and limited cabin choices.
But it’s a gamble, though – there may be no free cabins at all. If you have a set idea about the ship you want to sail on and when, these fares probably won’t be for you. Flexibility is the key!
I got a bargain, last-minute deal on Celebrity Infinity. See whether I got value for money here:
Anniversary Or Birthday Sales
Some cruise lines run promotions for fleet milestones or ship anniversaries.
Cunard launched sails in 2025 to celebrate the 185th anniversary of the company.
Sales often include bonus onboard credit or small fare reductions.
Holiday or Event-Based Sales
You might find smaller promotions around Mother’s Day, Easter, or Bank Holidays (public holidays).
These aren’t the big sales of Black Friday or Wave Season, but they are still worth watching out for.
Are Sales Always the Best Time to Book?
I don’t really ever book a cruise just because the sale is on.
Fares can drop at random points in the year depending on demand, ship occupancy, or itinerary changes.
I have a “junk” email address that I sign up for all the cruiselines and cruise travel agents’ daily/weekly deal emails.
I constantly monitor this, and I can often see prices of particular cruises I am interested in go up and down – and that is not just when the cruiseline tells me there is a sale.
When I see an offer that is of interest to me, I contact my own partner travel agent and see if they can get me a good deal on that cruise – as they obviously have cabins they want to shift.
If you don’t already have an agent you know and love, I have some recommendations here.
The “best time” To Book Varies By Traveller:
- People who want perks and added extras often do best in Wave Season.
- People who want the lowest fare may benefit from booking very early or very late.
- People who want specific cabins (solo deals, accessible cabins, suites, etc) should book early, not wait for a sale.
The “best deal” is whenever the price, perks and cabin choice work for you – not when the cruiseline website banner tells you they have a sale on and you should bag a bargain.
Before You Go
Find out why I booked a river cruise a year in advance here:
5 Benefits of Booking a Cruise Over a Year in Advance (I Just Did It!)
Find out whether cruising has become more or less affordable here:
Was Cruising More Affordable in the 1990’s? Or Is It More Affordable Today?
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