You know that saying about “the early bird gets the worm”?
While most people think that waiting for a *last minute deal* is the best way to save money on their vacation, the fact is that most of the time, the opposite is true. Especially now as the demand for travel continues to grow – if you wait until a few weeks or a month before you want to go, you’ll likely find few (if any) available options, and correspondingly higher prices for what is available.
Because supply and demand. More demand + less supply equals higher prices.
On the other hand, in most cases, the earlier you can book, the better your price will be. Why? Well again, supply and demand, but in this case, it is supply of the best-priced rooms. If you’re thinking about a Caribbean resort like Sandals or Beaches, while each resort has dozens of room categories, generally the least expensive rooms will be the first to go (for obvious reasons). The same principle applies to cruises, and even theme park destinations like Walt Disney World. The earlier you book, the more options (ie: best prices) you will have. Want to be able to book the least expensive room category? Book early. Want to have the most room options? Book early.
Now, that’s not to say that booking last minute means you won’t find *any* available rooms, because you certainly may – but in today’s travel climate, chances are pretty good that the room category you’re finding will be one of the more expensive options.
I hear what you are thinking: “But Nancy, my friend got a great last-minute deal at XYZ!” Well, nothing in travel is 100%, so sure, you may get lucky and get a great deal for a room category that’s still available. But these days, that’s more of an exception than not, and for the most part, the *best* way right now to get the best price, is to book when you have the most options – and that’s as far in advance as you can.
So how far in advance can you book? Depending on where you want to go, many destinations and cruise bookings are available into 2023. While you may be nervous about booking something for several years down the road, the great thing is that in most cases your deposit is fully refundable until much closer to your travel dates. That gives you the freedom and flexibility to cancel – or change dates – (without penalty) if necessary. And, in many cases, if the price does actually go down later, we can often apply the lower pricing.
Best of all, you’ll have lots of time to pay off your vacation!
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