Setting Sail in 2025? Right here Are the Least expensive Months to Cruise

In the event you’re dreaming of a cruise this 12 months, the precise timing may prevent a bundle. Every cruise vacation spot has its personal low season and peak season, and fares can range dramatically all year long. That’s in response to pricing knowledge offered to NerdWallet by Cruise Critic, a cruise ship evaluation web site owned by Tripadvisor.

Cruise Critic checked out common fares for one individual, pulled on April 24, 2025, for five- to seven-night cruises in 2025 on mainstream cruise traces in 4 main areas: the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda; the Mediterranean; the Mexican Riviera; and Alaska. Listed below are the most affordable and most costly occasions to cruise to those locations between Could and December 2025.

The Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda

Least expensive month: September.

• Common inside room fare: $758.

• Common balcony fare: $1,117.

Most costly month: July.

• Common inside room fare: $1,186.

• Common balcony fare: $1,630.

The Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda are standard locations for cruising due to their heat climate and pure magnificence. Many cruise operators have their very own personal islands — a pattern Norwegian Cruise Line led the best way on when it acquired Nice Stirrup Cay, the cruise business’s first, in 1977. These islands can enchantment to cruisers as a result of meals on land are sometimes included with cruise fare, and the islands are typically well-staffed with lifeguards. Personal islands may remove a lot of the effort of worldwide journey, comparable to exchanging foreign money.

Fares for cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and Bermuda are the very best in July. In the event you can wait only a few months till September, you’ll rating the bottom common fares to the area, saving greater than 30% in comparison with peak July costs.

However crusing then comes with dangers. The height of the Atlantic hurricane season is mid-September, in response to the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In the event you do sail then, have a great journey insurance coverage coverage and a robust backup plan.

Least expensive month: November.

• Common inside room fare: $721.

• Common balcony fare: $962.

Most costly month: August.

• Common inside room fare: $1,295.

• Common balcony fare: $1,614.

Mediterranean cruises cowl a big space that features international locations comparable to Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey. Vacationers usually select these sailings as an environment friendly technique to see a number of international locations with out having to unpack a number of occasions.

November is a perfect time to cruise the Mediterranean as you’ll keep away from the height journey crowds that are likely to hit through the summer season. Unsurprisingly, summer season — when most children are out of faculty — is the most costly cruise season, with August having the very best fares, adopted carefully by June and July.

November will even be cooler, with daytime highs typically within the excessive 60s and low 70s, permitting you to keep away from daytime temperatures within the 80s and 90s which might be typical of August.

Least expensive month: September.

• Common inside room fare: $414.

• Common balcony fare: $647.

Most costly month: December.

• Common inside room fare: $793.

• Common balcony fare: $1,133.

The Mexican Riviera is a area that traces the western coast of Mexico and contains cities comparable to Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. December is costly within the Mexican Riviera, as snowbirds search hotter temperatures. For the most affordable fares, sail in September, which is usually thought of a shoulder season.

Decrease fares in September are additionally due partially to the area’s peak hurricane exercise. Once more, journey insurance coverage might be particularly helpful for cruises throughout this time.

• Common inside room fare: $840.

• Common balcony fare: $1,235.

Most costly month: July.

• Common inside room fare: $1,071.

• Common balcony fare: $2,103.

Alaska cruises are an effective way to see breathtaking landscapes, together with mountains and glaciers. Summer season months are the preferred given their nicer climate and longer daylight.

However July is the priciest month for Alaska cruises, with fares for a balcony stateroom averaging 70% larger in July than in October (Cruise Critic didn’t embrace knowledge for Alaska cruises between November and April as a result of there are so few itineraries that sail then). The tradeoff? In October, the times are shorter, it’ll doubtless be colder and the seas might be rougher.

Learn how to save on cruise fares

Within the cruise world, “wave season” — sometimes January by means of March — is a perfect time to e book a visit, as cruise traces supply offers to fill ships for the 12 months forward. However even exterior of that window, costs can range broadly.

“Test totally different occasions of the 12 months, and be versatile with the date you sail,” says Matt Roseboom, writer of Points of interest Journal, a print and digital media outlet that covers vacationing. “Typically costs could be totally different even every week aside.”

Cruise fares might be robust to check as a result of they have an inclination to range when it comes to prices for extra visitors, children, alcohol packages and providers like Wi-Fi.

“Oftentimes value-add offers — like third and fourth visitors sail free, complimentary Wi-Fi and onboard credit score — can outweigh the financial savings you would possibly discover from strictly decrease fares,” says Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic. “You could possibly save hundreds on the ultimate price of your journey by making the most of these presents.”

However should you don’t drink rather a lot, otherwise you want a trip from the web, you may simply skip that limitless drink bundle or Wi-Fi add-on — they may not be price the additional price. The identical goes to your cabin alternative.

“Don’t get an even bigger cabin than you want, as most individuals aren’t there that a lot,” Roseboom says. “Positive, some folks like to sit down on a balcony. However should you don’t care, then get a room with no balcony, as you’ll save some huge cash.”