We're all looking for ways to save money – and sometimes when you buy is as important as what you buy, so get your calendar out and strategize to cut those costs.
The key to finding the best deal on a cruise is to book early, especially to get the time frame you want, like a Christmas cruise or a great room.
The best rooms on new ships tend to sell quickly, so the longer you wait the higher those fares will be.
For an even sweeter deal, look for early-bird sales that offer incentives like onboard credit or free upgrades, or book your cruise right before you go at about the 90-day mark. That's when cruisecritic.com says most full payments are due and companies want to fill their ships.
Keep in mind, you usually want to book air fare four to five months out, so make sure that the price of the ticket doesn't wipe out those cruise savings.
