When is wave season

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Home Advice What is Wave Season? What is Wave Season? By Brooke Franco. Display name. Notify me when others comment. Contact us. Full name. Need help from a personal vacation planner? Enter phone number. This is really the opportunity [for travelers] to take advantage of early booking specials, upgrades, onboard credits, and incentives before prices begin to rapidly increase.

Dive into a long read online, and paragraphs are interspersed with a Cunard banner teasing double cabin upgrades. There are almost too many deals to choose from, which is why wave season is also boom time for travel specialists, who track such trends and can often negotiate additional, agency-exclusive perks—and help guide you on which one to book.

Start with our own list of recommended Travel Specialists. As cruise lines release their deals, we're here to give you a primer on everything you need to know. Wave season is generally the first-quarter booking period each year, running January through March, when winter-weary North Americans begin longing for trips to the warm, sunny Caribbean and start thinking about planning their cruise vacations for the coming year.

Generally, each cruise line releases deals, add-ons and other perks as incentives to entice travelers to book. These could include everything from discounts on cruise fares themselves to onboard credit, complimentary gratuities, gratis dining or beverage packages, reduced deposits or inclusions like free Wi-Fi access.

If a river cruise piques your interest, AmaWaterways has three deals for passengers this wave season. Those who book back-to-back sailings through by December 31, , will receive a discount of 10 percent on any consecutive voyages after the first one, with no limit on how many can be booked.

This offer is available through December 31, , and must be booked through a travel agent using a personal referral code. Until further notice, Carnival's ongoing "Early Saver Sale" discounts select sailings departing through April by up to 40 percent. On certain voyages and vessels, passengers can also take advantage of reduced deposits and complimentary room upgrades. As part of Emerald Waterways' "Explore the World With Us" wave season campaign, cruisers can take to the rivers of Europe and Southeast Asia on select sailings in and receive 10 percent off their fares when they book and pay in full at least 12 months in advance.

Freebies include a "BIG" stateroom upgrade, free one-night specialty dining, the line's Signature Beverage Package, 50 percent reduced deposits, free or reduced fares for kids in the same cabin, and a 10 percent discount on shore excursions.

Additionally, the line is featuring a "Kids Sail Free" promotion on select voyages, allowing up to two children 17 and younger to sail free in the same cabin as two paying adults. For bookings through April 30, , MSC is also offering a 50 percent discount on cruise fares for healthcare workers. For even more savings, this offer can be combined with other promotions currently offered by the line. Until further notice , NCL is offering a 30 percent discount on cruises across all 17 of its ships for select sailings of three nights or longer into The line is also running a two-for-one airfare promotion.

When you book one airfare through Norwegian Cruise Line for a sailing of four nights or more to select locations, you'll get a second airfare free not including taxes and fees. Further, travelers can double their money through Norwegian's CruiseFirst program.

Certificates can be applied to any sailing of six nights or longer within the next three years.