Find the Best Price on a River Cruise
First, there is usually a travel agent booking cruises for a winery if you are interested in taking a hosted river wine cruise. We were “threatened” by the agent that if we bought elsewhere, we would not be invited to “special events” for those people who booked directly through her. This turned out to be a lie, so don’t be duped. Some travel agents for wineries are still using that tactic. I used Affordable Tours for booking our Bordeaux river cruise, but you do have to get specific non-binding quotes from them because their web site primarily lists rack rates. You should probably decide when and where you prefer to travel, because I found their web site was not conducive to browsing for best prices. But they do send you a rebate check immediately after your return for most, if not all, cruises they sell.
For several years, I have been watching sale strategies and I have found there are 2 basic ways to get cheaper fares; book a year in advance, or wait until a couple of months before the cruise and be willing to take what is left (some wine cruises do sell out early). I’d rather pay in advance and get travel insurance for protection in case something keeps me from traveling the following year. Just make sure you read and understand the insurance policy, because they can be very different in provided coverage. Booking a cruise early also means you can work on the other parts of your trip like cheaper airfare and additional lodging before/after the cruise unless you book the land/cruise combo through the cruise line. River cruise combos are easier, but not cheaper, than doing the itinerary juggling on your own. Being your own travel agent will definitely save you money.
However, one advantage of waiting and booking a cruise during the current year may be that you can get free roundtrip economy air fare (not premium economy) from many large cities or 2-for-1 business class air fare from companies like AmaWaterways. But these specials are usually available only when booking directly with the cruise line and for travel during the slower shoulder season months. And if you wait too long for a large cruise ship, you might get an incredible deal, but only inside cabins may remain. For example, Princess Cruises was recently offering a $399pp fare on a 7-day Alaska Inside Passage cruise, but everything was sold out except for the inside cabins. Oh, and you had to leave in about 1 week. It really depends on what kind of traveller you are.
Wine cruises in March and April are usually cheaper as are the cruises on the other end (Fall) of the growing season. Personally, I don’t care about vines being dormant. But if you need to see green vines you will pay more for your cruise. Most of the Bordeaux vines are only the height of your knees anyway. Don’t expect rows of grapes like you would usually find in a typical California AVA. And the growing/harvest period is typically much shorter in France. Do your research for the specific region you prefer if specific things matter to you.
Be careful if you are booking a Bordeaux wine cruise in April because there is an event called Primeur Tasting which is a full week of wine futures buying by large companies. As a result, most chateaux are closed to the public during this period. It probably changes dates in other parts of France, depending on the appellation. I just know a way to get around it now. See my post on hiring a private tour guide for more info on how to travel as a VIP.
There is lots of information available for research so you can decide where you want to visit. Some destinations sell more slowly than others, but there are only about 60-70 cabins on most European river cruises. A few higher priced cabin suites may have a full balcony, but nearly all have a French Balcony which extends about 8” from the sliding lanai door. Definitely not enough room to relax and stretch out after a long day of wine tasting or riding a bike (unless you’re a gecko), but at least there is a large sliding glass door. And with a French Balcony you can always rearrange your cabin furniture to look towards the water. If you decide to wait until the last minute, the available cabins may only have a fixed window placed just above water level. If you look closely at some river boat photos, you will see what I mean.
And finally, not all cruises in wine regions are hosted by winery owners or winemakers. You need to search for “wine cruises” if this interests you. AmaWaterways has a wine cruise category for those people seeking something different. Our cruise was hosted by Judd and Holly Finklestein of Judd’s Hill Winery in Napa. You should make sure you like the wine style because the winery’s wine is what is served during some dinners. We were familiar with their wine and Judd’s sense of humor. And he even plays an ukulele which he brought to France. We, in fact, booked this cruise specifically because of them. You may decide the same after seeing the choice of cruise hosts. If so, book early and save.
I hope this helps you save money and make your planning easier. It has taken a couple of years to identify consistent pricing strategies and special offers of the various river cruise operators. Please feel free to leave any comments about your experiences and strategies for saving money on a river cruise.
