Should You Book a Cruise Two Years Out?

Is it really necessary to reserve a sailing so far in advance?

I can’t help it. I have cruises booked all the way into 2028. Does it save me money? No. (I don’t care what the cruise lines tell you.) Can I get the perfect stateroom? No. (There are still people who nabbed them before you.)

So why do I put down a deposit that just sits with the cruise line for two years?! I could be earning interest on that money! Or better yet, fixing up the house. I can think of any number of uses for those dollars instead of being in the hands of these corporate giants for months on end.

Here’s why: I like to dream. I like to plan. I enjoy booking excursions the moment they hit the cruise lines’ web sites. I like to plan what restaurants to eat which meal.

Right now, I am about to hit the “reserve” button on a Norwegian Aura cruise out of Miami in June of 2028. I already have a Caribbean getaway booked on Royal for April of the same year. Don’t have the excursions reserved yet, only because they aren’t available until 2027.

You would be surprised at how many people feel the same. When I booked our South American journey on Princess for February of 2027, I was forced to reserve a larger suite than I wanted, because the smaller ones were already booked! 

You probably think that I am crazy and you would never reserve so far ahead. You will change your mind…Believe me. When you find your dream cruise and realize you waited too long and are stuck in a cabin you didn’t want.

That happened to us. And I have vowed, never again. Even though, sometimes too many choices aren’t a good thing either. I reserved the Infinite Balcony Suite on our upcoming Legend of the Seas voyage. There were so many choices at the time that it was overwhelming. Now as we near our sail date, I am wondering if I should have chosen a traditional balcony suite.

The reviews are mixed on the whether the “infinite balcony” is really all that infinite. If I had waited, maybe the choices would have been fewer and I wouldn’t be able to regret my decision. Now, I have to live with it.

That’s OK. Once I hit “reserve” I don’t allow myself to make a change. The change fees add up, and I figure, can you really go wrong with any cabin on the ship? It’s an adventure after all. And then you learn for the next time which cabins or decks you prefer.

Does too much planning take away spontaneity?

Yes and no.  For me, part of the fun of a cruise is the planning. Something to look forward to while I am cleaning the house. Or if I am facing another hot humid Southwest Florida day, I can dream about the cool ocean breeze aboard the Norwegian Aura (which hasn’t even been built yet, but we are boarding it in 2028.)

And basically, I am one of those people who thrives on structure. I can not simply drop everything and take a trip. Even though I am working on it. Maybe my methods are too rigid. Possibly a last minute spontaneous getaway would do us good. 

My husband says, once we have been to every island on our bucket list, it might be time start cruising standby. We live less than two hours from the Fort Lauderdale cruise port. So, if we see a really good deal say in January of 2029, maybe we will simply go at a moment’s notice.

I’m not sure about that…Baby steps.