Sailing around Europe need not be as expensive as you may think. Travel agents and European cruise companies can offer good discounts that mean you end up paying less.

Although not every cruise company goes into great detail about their offers, if you inquire as to how you can save money, you may be in luck. Although you’re not guaranteed to find an offer on every vacation that’s advertised, there are some tips and tricks that could result in you paying less for your cruise than your fellow passengers.

Ask travel agents what deals they have

Before you book your vacation, ask your local travel agent about the deals they have. If you’re looking for a specific deal such as a ‘Buy one get one free’ ticket, it’s worth inquiring about it. You may not be successful in your search for a free ticket, but it’s always worth a try.

Source: Azamara Club Cruises

Azamara Club Cruises offer a 31-day cruise that often comes with an interesting deal. Buy one full-priced 31-day cruise ticket, and get another ticket for just half price. Other cruise companies may try to match Azamara’s deal if you mention it. Show your travel agent evidence of the deal, and they could offer you something just as good.

Take a look online

Source: Book2Sail

There are many different sailing holiday websites that often have great deals. Search these websites for half price cruises, and see what else they can offer you. It may be that you have to book a luxury cruise in order to get a half-price ticket, but you could end up sailing through Europe on a luxury liner for less than you thought.

Make your search a little easier on yourself and visit comparison websites that show what the latest offers are, and where they’ll take you.

Book at the last minute

One of the best ways to find a cruise for half price this summer is to book at the last minute. Cruise-liners and travel agents want to take as many customers on board as possible. One method that these companies often use is to lower ticket prices a few days before the ship sets sail.

Booking at the last minute could mean you end up going on a cruise that you’ve been on before, but this time you get to do it for half price. Booking at the last minute does mean that you need to be prepared to go anywhere and on any European cruise, but it’s all part of the fun.

Search for little extras that you could get for free

Not every cruise can offer you a discounted ticket, but they could offer you free meals and drinks, which could save you a lot of money. Many cruise companies offer tickets at a reduced price, but they don’t always tell you that you have to pay for meals, shows, and other activities that take place on the board. All of these little extras soon add up, meaning if you can get them for free, or at a discount, you could be sailing through Europe for half price this summer.

Holidays can be expensive, but if you know how to hunt for a bargain, you could be sailing to some stunning European countries for a lot less than your fellow passengers.