Get ready for Launch.

The next month or so is going to be really busy in the Cruise market as all the cruiselines release their new programmes for 2019 and 2020. The last 2 years has seen P&O launching its Summer and Winter cruises at different times whereas historically they were launched in March/April for the following years cruises for the whole season. Their  Spring and Summer cruises for 2019 have been on sale since September 2017 and they will launch their October 2019 to March 2020 sailings on 19th March. These will only be open for the people in the top 3 tiers of the Penninsular Club and then will be staggered over 2 days for General Sale. The October to December 2019 sailings will be on sale from 21st March and 22nd March the January 2020 to March 2020 will be on sale. Cunard will go on sale for past passengers on 19th March also and then the full programme will be on general sale from 20th March.

Some may say this is a little early and people may not have even booked a cruise for this year yet but there are a lot of benefits to booking ahead. If you are a family travelling with Children it does pay to book early so you can secure a cabin that will sleep everyone and is a cost effective way to travel with reductions for 3rd and 4th passengers sharing. Some cruiselines will also limit the amount of children they have onboard and will only allow a certain amount of children in each age group.On many occasion I can recall checking avalability for someone and finding that the child age group was closed for 1 of the children but available for the other.

Other benefits to booking early is also getting your first cabin choice and being able to select from different benefits like onboard spend, parking or Coach Transfers. If you require an adapted cabin or a single cabin then it also pays to book early.

Royal Caribbean have just put their Southampton 2019 cruises on sale and the revitalised Independance of the Seas will be sailing again along with Explorer of the Seas which will replace Navigator of the Seas.

MSC Cruises  are sailing from Southampton this year for the first time with Magnifica and 2019 will see  MSC Preziosa  sailing from Southampton . These are great value cruises with really low childrens prices and with the added benefit of their Status Match Programme. If you have Loyalty Membership with any other Cruise Line MSC will match it to their equivalent. This also entiles you to 5% discount.

I cant wait to see the New P&O Itineraries and get my New Year 2019 Cruise booked. This is something I have done for the last few years and it has certainly paid to book early. Having booked my 2018 New Year Cruise in March 2017 I have checked prices again for customers and the cost has increased significantly.

Watch this space!