Frequent cruisers are well versed in cruise lingo, but a few words and phrases, like “Wave Season”, still spark confusion and uncertainty. When we asked our members what they thought it meant, some people thought that it had something to do with the time of the year when you're most likely to encounter rough seas, while others thought it referred to waving goodbye to the port as your ship sails away. Let's set the record straight:

What is Wave Season?

Wave season is a three-month period from (approximately) January 1 to March 31, when cruise lines and travel agents book a very large number of cruise cabins. Think of it as a “wave” of bookings; it’s kind of like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but it lasts for three whole months.

Why January to March?

This is the most popular time for cruise bookings. The stress of the holidays is over and winter is in full swing, meaning more people than ever are looking for a getaway. Plus, this is the time that tax refunds start rolling in and people tend to have a little extra cash to spend on vacations.

What can Wave Season do for me?

Wave Season is a great time to book a cruise! Now, this isn’t because the fares themselves are cheaper than usual Instead, beginning in late December or early January, the cruise lines tend to roll out their biggest and best promotions of the year and only offer them for bookings made in the next 60 to 90 days.

When you book during wave season, you can get free drink and dining packages, free internet, free onboard credit, and more when you book your cruise. Similar offers may be available at other times of the year, but they’re rarely as rich as what you’ll find in January.

The cruise lines want to fill as many cabins as possible early in the year so they don’t have to drop prices 30 or 60 days before sailing, so they make compelling, amenity-rich offers to get you to book

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