In short
For most cruises, the sensible window is 9–12 months before departure; for holidays, school breaks and family cabins, 12–18. The industry's booking peak is January to March. Last-minute deals sometimes work, but choice is smaller and flights cost more. In the club, booking early also opens paying entirely with points — if you have enough points.
Wave season: January to March
In the cruise industry, the first three months of the year are known as "wave season". It is the busiest booking period of the year: after the holidays people sit down to plan their time off, and many cruise lines launch promotions for the following season at exactly this moment.
What that means in practice:
- Promotions happen, but nothing is guaranteed. Nobody knows in advance what a cruise line will offer, or when. Waiting for wave season just for a promotion is not a plan.
- Choice shrinks faster. The most-wanted dates — summer holidays, festive sailings, family cabins — thin out noticeably by the end of March.
- A handy deadline. If your trip is tied to the summer or to school holidays, aim to have decided by the end of wave season.
Booking windows
Holidays, school breaks, larger cabins
Cruise lines have published their schedules and the choice of dates and cabins is at its widest. This is the window for Christmas and New Year, summer holidays, family and connecting cabins, suites and milestone trips.
The sweet spot
For most cruises this is a sensible lead time: route and dates are still open, and you know when you can take time off. It also meets the club's 270-day condition — more on that below.
Off-season and flexible dates
Fine for trips outside school holidays: the Mediterranean in spring or autumn, the Canary Islands in winter outside the festive weeks. With flexible dates and a standard cabin, there is usually enough choice.
Last minute
Cabins do sometimes become available close to departure. But the choice is smaller, and last-minute flights are usually more expensive. If you have to fly to the port, it is a risky plan; from a port close to home, it is easier.
Planning for July or August, especially with children? We have a separate, detailed guide: when to book a summer cruise →
How the club fits in
In the club there are three ways to pay for a cruise, and you choose one per booking — they do not add up:
- Member price (INsider Pricing) — roughly 17% below the listed price, paid in cash.
- Points plus payment — accumulated points cover up to 50% of the cruise price; you can book this way when departure is 30 days or more away.
- Entirely in points — possible when you have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure (roughly nine months).
So booking early and the club's rules point the same way. Plan your cruise 9 months or more before departure and you get the widest choice of cabins and dates — with all three ways of paying open, if you have enough points by then. Points build up gradually, with every paid month of membership, so you can see ahead of time which option you will reach.
About the price guarantee
The price guarantee applies only to points plus payment, not when you pay entirely with points. And it works before you book: you need to find and report a lower price for exactly the same cruise before you complete your booking. How the price guarantee works →
How booking with points and the 270-day rule work →
Where you want to go — when to book
| You want | When to sail | Book roughly |
|---|---|---|
| Norwegian fjords or the Baltic in summer | June to August | In the autumn and winter before, by the end of wave season (January–March) at the latest. Details in our summer cruise guide |
| The Mediterranean in spring or autumn | April–May, September–October | 6–9 months ahead; earlier if you want a balcony or dates in the school holidays |
| The Canary Islands or the Caribbean in winter | November to March | 9–12 months ahead, so in the spring or summer before; outside the festive weeks, 3–9 months also works |
| Christmas and New Year | Late December | Almost a year ahead, ideally early in the year before: the last two weeks of December are the most wanted |
| Easter and the May holiday (meivakantie) | March to early May | 9–12 months ahead, in the spring or summer before. In 2027, Easter Sunday falls on 28 March |
| Autumn half-term (herfstvakantie) | Mid to late October | 9–12 months ahead, by late winter before. The week depends on your region in the Netherlands — check yours |
Timings are indicative. Season months follow our cruise calendar; to match a port and a month, try the cruise finder.
Before you book: a checklist
- Documents. Your passport must be valid for the whole route, and for some countries for a while after you return. If your passport is not from the EU, check visas for every country on the route in good time. Documents and visas →
- Flights. If the cruise starts far from home, first make sure there are convenient flights, and arrive the day before rather than on embarkation day. Prefer not to fly? Cruises without flying →
- Insurance. Cancellation cover is best bought soon after booking. This matters even more when paying entirely with points, because Trip Protection is not available with that option. Cruise travel insurance →
- Cabin. Decide early what matters most: a balcony, a midship location or two connecting cabins for the family. How to choose a cabin →
- With children. Check school holiday dates and the cruise line's rules for babies. Cruising with family →
Common questions
How far ahead should I book a cruise?
For most trips, about 9 to 12 months ahead. For holidays, school breaks and larger cabins, 12 to 18 months. Outside the busy season, 3 to 9 months is usually enough.
What is wave season?
It is what the cruise industry calls January, February and March — the busiest booking period of the year. Many cruise lines launch promotions for the following season at this time.
Should I wait for a last-minute cruise?
It does happen, but by then there are fewer cabins and dates to choose from, and flights close to departure are usually more expensive. If you have to fly to the port, it is a risky plan.
Can I pay for a cruise entirely with points if I book early?
Only if you have accumulated enough points and book 270 days or more before departure. Otherwise, the member price or points plus payment are the options.
And if I book late — can I still use points?
Yes. With points plus payment, your points cover up to 50% of the cruise price, as long as departure is 30 days or more away.
Booking periods, promotions and cabin availability differ per cruise line and per year. The timings in the table are indicative. Club rules as per Membership 3.X (March 2026); always confirm current terms in your account before booking. Percentages describe the club's rules and are indicative. Reislite is an independent information site run by partners, not a website of inCruises.