Comparing the advantages of booking in advance vs. last-minute: Which is more advantageous?

Booking a vacation or an excursion is often a significant decision, affecting not only your budget but also your overall experience. When it comes to choosing the timing of your booking, you often encounter two main approaches: booking early or booking last-minute. Each of these strategies has its advantages and disadvantages, which is why it's important to consider them before making your decision.

EARLY BOOKING

Booking a vacation or an excursion in advance means planning and booking your stay ahead of time, often months in advance. This approach has several advantages:

1. Wide range of options: With early booking, you have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of cruises. You don't have to worry about limited options, which could mean cabins with inadequate positioning, restricted-view cabins, sold-out departures, or cabins available only at high prices.

2. Better prices: With early booking, you benefit from better prices. Thus, you save not only on the cruise but also on airfare and accommodation.

3. Planning and preparation: With early booking, you have enough time for planning and preparing for your excursion. You can choose the best activities, seek recommendations from locals, and ensure everything necessary for a comfortable and enjoyable stay.

4. Splitting the price into installments: When booking a cruise 7-8 months in advance, upon confirmation, you only pay a portion (30% deposit), with the remainder due 30 days before departure. This gives you enough time to not pay everything immediately.

In 2023, cruise companies surpassed the records from 2019 in terms of the number of bookings and occupancy rates. The same trend continues even faster in 2024, as cruise prices have increased due to increased demand and limited availability. This makes early booking more advantageous.

LAST MINUTE BOOKING

If you prefer to wait until the last minute, you should consider the following aspects:

1. Reduced prices, not always: In the past, we have become accustomed to associating last-minute booking with reduced prices. However, this is only true when there are still offers available on the market. If the cruise company has sold 90% of its capacity, the last 10% will be sold significantly more expensive, as they know that demand is higher than supply.

2. Flexibility: Last-minute booking means you need to have enough flexibility with your plans. Since the last cabins are available, you don't have the option to make an optional reservation, as cruise companies do not allow this, which means you don't have time to plan and need to decide quickly. Also, the costs associated with last-minute travel can surprise you and be significantly higher.

3. Chosen cabin categories are not available - Let's say you're a family and you need a cabin for 4 people. Usually, these cabins are not available at the last minute, meaning you don't have the option to choose.

Despite these advantages, it's important to also consider some disadvantages of both approaches. With early booking, you might encounter higher prices and unlimited options, while with last-minute booking, you risk not having enough available spots or having limited selection options.

The choice between early booking and last minute booking depends on personal preferences, budget, and flexibility. It's important to consider all factors and make a decision based on your individual needs and priorities. Regardless of the option chosen, it's important not to forget that a cruise is about discovering new places and experiences and enjoying every moment of your vacation.