Shoulder-season cruises may offer lower fares across major regions
Examples from Alaska and the Mediterranean show potential savings, while less favorable weather can affect sailings.
Cruises during the shoulder season often carry lower fares than peak-season departures in Alaska, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, according to the report. In the Caribbean, fall sailings scheduled between the summer family-travel period and the winter escape season can also have below-average prices.
Cruise Critic executive Chris Gray Faust cited a seven-night Royal Caribbean itinerary aboard Quantum of the Seas as an example. The sailing starts at $785 per person in May 2027, compared with $1,530 for a July departure. Royal Ahmadi, senior vice president of The Vacation Group, estimated that a seven-night Mediterranean cruise costing $1,200 to $1,800 per person during peak summer could be priced at about $800 to $1,300 in the shoulder season.
Lower prices can come with trade-offs. The report says shoulder-season conditions may be cooler, grayer or wetter, reducing the likelihood of clear skies. In the Caribbean, storms and other bad weather can increase the possibility of missed port calls or itinerary changes.