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Cruise Booking Windows

Understand and optimise booking timing for cruise passengers

Hayden Zammit Meaney avatar
Written by Hayden Zammit Meaney
Updated today

Cruise Booking Windows

Cruise passengers book shore experiences at different times throughout their journey. Understanding these booking windows helps you capture more business and plan your operations effectively.

The cruise booking timeline

Pre-cruise planning (3-12 months before)

This is when many passengers research their ports of call:

  • Browsing behaviour — searching online for destination information

  • Shore excursion selection — booking through cruise line portals

  • Independent research — finding highly-rated local operators

Your opportunity:

  • Ensure your business appears in destination searches

  • Have clear, compelling information available online

  • Offer advance booking options with confirmation

Pre-departure window (1-4 weeks before)

Passengers finalise their plans:

  • Cruise line portal — reviewing and booking shore excursions

  • Final decisions — locking in activities

  • Group coordination — families and friends aligning plans

Your opportunity:

  • Promote last-chance booking incentives

  • Reach passengers through travel forums and social media

  • Partner with cruise-focused travel agents

Onboard booking (during the cruise)

Once sailing, passengers continue planning:

  • Shore excursion desk — staff sell experiences for upcoming ports

  • Digital screens — ships display port information

  • Daily newsletters — printed materials highlight options

Your opportunity:

  • If partnered with cruise lines, ensure your excursions are well-represented

  • Provide materials that ship staff can share

Dockside decisions (arrival day)

Many passengers decide on the day:

  • Spontaneous choices — walking off the ship with no fixed plans

  • Weather-dependent — adjusting based on conditions

  • Word of mouth — recommendations from fellow passengers

Your opportunity:

  • Be visible at or near the cruise terminal

  • Offer easy booking for walk-in customers

  • Have capacity for last-minute guests

Optimising for each window

For advance bookings

Set up systems to capture early planners:

  • Online booking — make it easy to book and pay in advance

  • Clear policies — publish cancellation and refund terms

  • Confirmation process — send booking confirmations immediately

  • Reminders — contact guests before their visit

For onboard bookings

If working with cruise lines:

  • Product listings — ensure your excursions are accurately described

  • Competitive positioning — price appropriately for the market

  • Reliability record — consistent delivery builds cruise line trust

For dockside bookings

Capture spontaneous visitors:

  • Quick service — efficient booking and check-in processes

  • Flexible capacity — ability to accommodate walk-ins

  • Clear signage — help passengers find you easily

  • Mobile-friendly — let guests book on their phones

Setting booking cut-off times

Decide when you stop accepting bookings:

For tours and activities

  • Advance bookings — accept until 24-48 hours before

  • Same-day bookings — accept until departure time (with limits)

  • Walk-ins — accept based on available capacity

For group bookings

  • Large groups — require 1-2 weeks notice

  • Medium groups — require 48-72 hours notice

  • Small groups — accept with shorter notice

Managing booking capacity

Balance advance bookings with walk-in availability:

Capacity allocation strategy

  • Reserve 70% for advance bookings

  • Hold 30% for walk-ins and last-minute guests

  • Release unsold capacity — open reserved spots 24 hours before

Overbooking considerations

Unlike airlines, tourism experiences shouldn't overbook:

  • Only accept bookings you can fulfil

  • Have a waitlist for fully booked dates

  • Communicate clearly about availability

Communicating with booked guests

Before arrival

  • Confirmation email — booking details and what to expect

  • Pre-visit information — what to bring, where to meet

  • Contact details — how to reach you if plans change

On the day

  • Meeting point — clear instructions on where to gather

  • Timing reminders — when to arrive, how long the experience takes

  • Return time — ensure guests know when they need to be back at the ship

Handling cancellations

Cruise schedules can change. Be prepared for:

  • Weather delays — ships may arrive late or not at all

  • Itinerary changes — cruise lines sometimes swap ports

  • Guest cancellations — passengers change their minds

Cancellation policy tips

  • Be fair — passengers often can't control schedule changes

  • Be clear — publish your policy prominently

  • Be flexible — good service creates goodwill and referrals

Using arrival data for bookings

Your Cruise Arrivals page helps you manage bookings:

  • See upcoming ships — know when to expect guests

  • Check passenger numbers — estimate potential demand

  • Plan staffing — roster based on expected bookings

What's next?

Continue developing your cruise booking strategy:

Meeting passengers where they are — whether planning months ahead or deciding at the dock — means more bookings for your business.

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