The Cruise Industry’s Wave Season. What is it?

Each year, in January, February, and March, river and ocean cruise lines make a big push to fill their ships with passengers during the coming year. And this big push is called “wave season”.

Over the coming months, we are all certain to see exciting new ocean and river cruise itineraries, as well as attractive offers to encourage consumers to book now.

But, one might ask, is wave season the absolute best time to book a cruise?  Well, the answer is yes and no. Let me explain…

Is Wave Season the Best Time to Book an Ocean or River Cruise?

In the past, river and ocean cruise lines reserved their very best offers for wave season.  However, we’ve noticed over the years that many ocean and river cruise companies are not adverse to making spectacular offers to fill empty spaces in their inventories during the course of the year.  This is why we say that from a price perspective, wave season isn’t necessarily going to net you the very best financial offer.

However, and here’s the reason you should seriously consider booking your ocean or river cruise during wave season, a vast majority of the industry’s capacity will be filled during the early months of the year.  In other words, if you wait too long to book that dream ocean or river cruise, you will be left picking from the scraps.

The most desirable ships, destinations, and staterooms are certain to be sold out.  In fact, many of the absolutely most desirable itineraries, with the best of the best providers are already nearly sold out.  Cruising, and in particular river cruising, has become so popular that cruise companies can’t seem to build ships fast enough.  For example, Viking Cruises broke a Guinness World Record last year for launching the most new ships in one day. Eighteen new ships in 2014, and 12 more for 2015!

Our Advice

So, our best advice is for you to give serious consideration to booking your ocean or river cruise during the industry’s wave season.  You’re certain to find attractive offers, but perhaps more importantly, there will still be capacity to accommodate you on the best ships, the best destinations, and the best itineraries.

Moral to the story: book now or we might have to say we told you so!

To get more information about booking an ocean or river cruise, call us at (480) 550-1235, or use our convenient online information request by clicking the red button below.

Through our affiliation with the $12 billion/year Virtuoso Travel Network, we have access to all of the major ocean and river cruise lines.  Plus, many times we’ll have a few exciting, complimentary VIP perks to pass along to you as well.

As they say on TV, operators are standing by.  🙂
 
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