Busiest cruise times

[kapoof]

When busiest time of the year to cruise and the least crowded? i have never cruised so I have no idea about the cruising season

 

[EPCOTatNight]

When busiest time of the year to cruise and the least crowded? i have never cruised so I have no idea about the cruising season

Just like anything else, cruise when most people don't vacation. During the school year, hurricane season, and the Winter. Not holidays! But, because a ship can hold only so many people, I wouldn't sweat the crowds.

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[cruisecrasher]

When busiest time of the year to cruise and the least crowded? i have never cruised so I have no idea about the cruising season

Busiest are holidays and summer. Least busy? October? February?
Basically the price follows demand.

 

[NickyKnack]

What about early May? How busy is that?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What about early May? How busy is that?

Maybe one of the less busy times, BUT.... DCL (as all other cruiselines) pretty much tries to sell all their space, with special fares, if necessary. Basically most ships go out pretty close to full.

 

[NickyKnack]

Yes, but it does mean there might be a chance that Dreams can get me a better deal if one of those special deals comes out later - and that I can probably get away with the fare not going up while I pull together the 800 deposit by August.

Maybe one of the less busy times, BUT.... DCL (as all other cruiselines) pretty much tries to sell all their space, with special fares, if necessary. Basically most ships go out pretty close to full.

 

[tvguy]

Busiest are holidays and summer. Least busy? October? February?
Basically the price follows demand.

Depends on which week in February. Some schools take the entire President's Day week off now.

Mid January, late February, early May, late October, Early November and Early December tend to be lower seasons because kids are in school. But with Disney, kids being in school may not be a reliable indication since Disney cruisers are more inclined to take kids out of school for a vacation than other parents.

 

[erocrobro]

Just like anything else, cruise when most people don't vacation. During the school year, hurricane season, and the Winter. Not holidays! But, because a ship can hold only so many people, I wouldn't sweat the crowds.

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Agree. We were on the Fantasy the first week of June and it was a full sailing, but I never felt crowded at all. I used to wonder how people got pictures of the ship with nearly empty backgrounds like in the atrium and other public places, but that's really how it was.

 

[MikeAndNick]

If kids are out of school it is busy and the rates are high.

 

[neg58]

Maybe one of the less busy times, BUT.... DCL (as all other cruiselines) pretty much tries to sell all their space, with special fares, if necessary. Basically most ships go out pretty close to full.

Every cabin may have people in it on most sailing, but there is a big difference if there are 2 adults in every cabin or a family of 4. I was on the Wonder at Christmas and there were over 2500 passengers, while on the Panama Canal cruise in May there were fewer than 1800. Some things seemed more crowded in May because there were so many adults at the Cove pool and on Deck 4, but it was much less crowded on CC in May, much easier to meet a Princess, much easier to book an excursion.

Nancy