When is the Cheapest Time to go on a Disney Cruise?

When is the Cheapest Time to go on a Disney Cruise?

When is the Cheapest Time to go on a Disney Cruise?

We are proud to announce The Park Prodigy is officially booking Disney Cruises and we have the best time to book a Disney Cruise in our first every Disney Cruise Line (DCL) guide! While we are new to cruise line bookings, we are not new to the DCL game. I am a happy member of the Castaway Club and cruising with Disney is the only way you’ll catch me on a boat in the middle of the ocean. It’s true when they say there’s no cruise like a Disney cruise! But it’s also true that Disney Cruises are more expensive than other cruise lines. So I’m here to tell you when is the cheapest time to go on a Disney cruise. 

We hope you find this post helpful! And if you are planning a trip to Disney World be sure to check out our other FREE vacation planning tools. Our goal at The Park Prodigy has always been to help you save time on your next vacation and find the cheapest Walt Disney World vacation packages!

SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re looking for the best time to visit Disney World  check out our Disney Crowd calendar!

 Disney World Crowd Calendar

What is the Cheapest Month for Disney Cruise?

If there is one thing to know about taking a Disney Cruise it is that it’s going to be expensive no matter how you try and spin it. But don’t worry! There are still plenty of ways to save money and enjoy a Disney Cruise Line vacation. We are going to walk you through the money saving process step by step  The first step is to find the cheapest month for Disney cruise. While cheap is the relative term, there are some months that are less expensive than others. I have been on two Disney cruises so far and in both instances, I have found the cheapest time to go on Disney Cruise is in September.

The main reason September is the cheapest time to do a Disney Cruise is because of the weather. September is historically the start of hurricane season in the Atlantic and this means more delays and potential cancellations. So if a cruise does need to be canceled and is unable to be rebooked, it’s less money lost from the company. While this is the cheapest time of year for Disney Cruises with a Caribbean or Bahama sailing we do find March, April & May are the most affordable months for Mediterranean sailing. The Northern Europe Disney Cruise cheapest time to go is typically May and October. 

Other Months When Disney Cruises are Cheaper

• January & early February: If you can avoid major holidays, this is a great option to trade bitter winters for sunny island shores while taking advantage of lower than normal prices.
• May: While May isn’t the cheapest time to take a Disney Cruise, you can take advantage of off-peak travel and secure lower than average flights.
• Early November & early December: Similar to January, if you’re flexible with your travel dates and can avoid any major holidays, there are more affordable options to sail with Disney these months.

Related Post: How Much Does a Disney Crusie Cost Per Person?

What Months are Expensive for Disney Cruises?

The most expensive months to book a Disney Cruise will be April, June – August, and the Holiday Season between November and December. Similar to Walt Disney World or Disneyland park tickets, Disney Cruises typically follow the travel pricing model. This is when dates fluctuate between more or less expensive based on how busy they think the cruise will be. They typically estimate capacity on the American school and holiday schedule! If you want to find the cheapest time to book Disney Cruise, you can check out our free Disney World Crowd Calendar. The lower the park tickets, the lower the cruise line prices will be!

Are Christmas Cruises More Expensive?

• Yes! DCL is known for their specialty themed cruise. The Very Merrytime Cruises are some of the most expensive cruise options Disney offers. Followed only by the Halloween on the High Seas cruises during the months of September and October.

Something to keep in mind when planning your Disney Cruise is what’s happening in the parks. Our ideal vacation would be to book your cruise in early September for the lower rates while also saving money on park events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Or you can book your sailing in early November and plan to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Related Post: Halloween Disney Cruise 

When is the Best Time to Book a Disney Cruise?

To put it simply, the best time to buy Disney Cruise is as soon as the cruise is able to be booked. The thing about most cruise lines is that the closer to the cruise date, the more expensive the rooms become. Sometimes you can find a cheap room last minute. But this is Disney Cruise Line we are talking about, it’s one of the most sought after cruises in the business. This means that the likelihood of finding a room last minute is not as easy as some other cruise lines. So if you’re looking to book the cheapest Disney Cruise dates, book as soon as you can! Like most Disney vacations, you don’t have to pay your cruise in full. You’ll only need to deposit 20% of your cruise fare upon booking. This is a great options to pay your cruise over time when booking early. 

How far in Advance can I Book a Disney Cruise?

• New sail dates are available to book 18 months in advance. You can book a cruise anywhere from that 18 month mark all the way until 3 days before your cruise. We recommend booking as soon as possible but no later than 75 days before the cruise. This is because the 75 day mark is when all cruisers will be able to book reservation dining, experiences, and port excursions. If you book after that threshold, you may not be able to fully experience everything you want to do on the ship or at port!

When looking for the best time to buy Disney Cruise, try to know what dates you’re looking for. Like we mentioned earlier, the cheapest time to go on a Disney Cruise will be in the month of September. So if you know you want to book a cruise for September of 2025, be ready to book March 2024! If you don’t plan that far ahead you can still find some of the least expensive Disney Cruises. Disney bases stateroom rates off of availability. This means that if your ship still has plenty of rooms available, you can still grab a good rate. 

Related Post: Disney’s Newest to Oldest Cruise Ship

Tips & Tricks for Finding the Cheapest Time to go on a Disney Cruise

Now that you know the cheapest time to Disney Cruise, let me give you some of my best tips and tricks that will help you save the most money on your cruise. Some of these tips are just summaries of the information above. But I’ve also included some tips based off of my own cruising experience and from speaking with a current Castaway club member that I think have made my dollars stretch a little farther.

Special Note: The Park Prodigy is providing a $100 Disney Gift Card to any family who books their Disney cruise through our small business!

• Choose an Off-Peak Time to go on a Disney Cruise
• Prices are Different for Weekday vs. Weekend Sailings
• Book Early!
• Book with a Travel Agent like The Park Prodigy
• Choose the Later Dining Time
• Take a Shorter Cruise
• Choose to stay in an Inside Cabin
• Check for Special Offers, Deals, and Promotions

Choose an Off-Peak Time to go on a Disney Cruise

• In the Disney world, off-peak means non popular travel times. A great way to travel during off-peak travel times is to travel in between major holidays or school breaks. Since Disney knows that there will be less guests willing to take time off work or school in between holidays and breaks, prices will be lower to entice you into booking those time frames. So if you have a flexible work/school schedule, off-peak travel times will be the best time to find the cheapest time to cruise Disney.

Prices are Different for Weekday vs. Weekend Sailings

• Similar to off-peak travel but on a smaller scale! If you are departing or embarking on a cruise scheduled on a Saturday or Sunday, you will typically be spending more than a cruise scheduled on a Monday – Friday. Both cruises I have been on have been a 4 night Monday-Friday sailing and have been the cheapest Disney Cruises in the month of September. This is typically the first full week following Labor Day.

Book Early!

• Like I stated above, Disney Cruise Line bases their stateroom price off of two major factors. Stateroom availability and estimated demand for rooms. The best time to book a Disney Cruise is the moment it goes on sale. This is typically about 18 months in advance. If you are able to book this early, you will pay the least amount of money for your room no matter when your sail date is! Simply because of the percentage of available staterooms on the ship. The higher the capacity, the higher the price.

Book with a Travel Agent like The Park Prodigy

• Booking with a travel agent will be the closest way you can get any type of “sale” on a Disney Cruise. Travel agents can have access to discounts, on board credit deals with the cruise line, or promotional offers that can save you money on your cruise! If you’re interested in getting a free quote from The Park Prodigy on your next Disney Cruise, simply fill out our free quote form and we would love to help you start planning your magical getaway!

Choose the Later Dining Time

• Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line that offers rotational dining. Many people dislike this type of dining but I love it for many reasons, but mostly because I think it saves you more money! With rotational dining you are assigned one of two dining times, either 5:45pm or 8:00PM. The later dining time is where the savings come. Having a late dinner offers you two money saving advantages, more time to take advantage of other restaurants, room service, or snacking stations between lunch and dinner. And the second advantage is being able to eat more for dinner. Both of these allows you to eat more for the price you paid for the inclusive dining!

Take a Shorter Cruise

• This goes without saying, but the least expensive Disney Cruise will be the shortest one. Since you’re paying a “per day” price for you cruise, the least amount of days spent onboard your ship means the least amount of money you’re spending on the vacation. I will say this regarding short cruises, while they may be attractive because of the lower price tag, I feel they are in the end a waste of money. The price per day is still the same, you’re just paying for less days onboard the ship. There are 2 night cruises available with DCL. But 2 days is not enough time to even eat at all 3 restaurants, see all 3 broadway style shows, or actually enjoy a vacation. So if you’re looking to save money, go for longer and eat more!

Choose to stay in an Inside Cabin

• All Disney ships have 4 stateroom categories. From least to most expensive there is the Inside, Oceanview, Verandah, and Concierge. Both cruises I’ve taken have been on the verandah level and I think it’s the most bang for your buck. This is completely options and up to you! The cheapest cabin on any Disney Cruise will be the inside cabin. I personally think it’s money well spent to have your own private balcony and enjoy your vacation as much as you can. Inside cabins are extremely small and can be claustrophobic.

Check for Special Offers, Deals, and Promotions

• From time to time Disney Cruise Line will run limited-time promotions for specific sailing dates, departure ports, cabin types, or even residents of particular states or countries. But these promotions are rare and don’t last long! Of the Disney cruise deals to choose from, you may be able to find one that meets your needs and budget. Disney Cruise Line frequently offers special discounts on cruises for Florida residents, US military members, Castaway Club members, and Disney Vacation Club members.

Related Post: Disney Cruise for Adults

Cheapest Time to go on a Disney Cruise FAQ

Q: Does Disney cruise ever go on sale?

A: Yes, Disney Cruises do go on sale! It is rare and hard to come by, but when there is a sale it’s best to book as soon as you can! Sales with Disney Cruise Line are extremely limited to who, when, and what sailings the sale will apply to so make sure to read the fine print!

Q: Is it cheaper to book a Disney cruise last minute?

A: No, the best way to get a cheap price for a stateroom on a Disney Cruise is to book as early as you can. DCL bases their stateroom price off of two major factors. Stateroom availability and estimated demand for rooms. The best time to book a Disney Cruise is the moment it goes on sale.

Q: Do Disney cruises get cheaper closer to the date?

A: No, in fact it’s quite the opposite! Disney Cruise Line prices will be the cheapest as soon as a room is available to book. The longer you wait, the more rooms get booked on the cruise. This means that the remaining available rooms will be more expensive since the remainder of the rooms will be a commodity rather than trying to get the rooms booked.

Q: Do Disney Cruises sell out?

A: Yes! Most Disney Cruises will sell out very quickly. Especially if you’re looking to travel during a high travel season or on a specific themed holiday or event cruise. If you are looking to book Star Wars, Pixar, or Holiday cruises, you have to know exactly when your travel date will go on sale.

When is The Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Our Disney  World Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices, and average temperature. We also break down the best time to visit Disney World based on specific times of the year and special events.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Disney World Trip?

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Be sure to speak with a Disney World Travel Agent for the most recent deals and promotions. The Park Prodigy will provide a Free Quote for all Disney World Vacation Packages. The Park Prodigy can also help you save up to $20 per ticket when purchasing your Walt Disney World Tickets, and we offer promotional discounts for special events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets.

Don’t forget to check out our wonderful friends over at Theme Park Today, as well!