Americans are some of the biggest cruise lovers in the world. They love spending their PTO on an ocean cruise, sipping margaritas and enjoying the views. In 2025, more than 22 million cruise passengers sailed from North America, this is approximately 60% of global cruise passengers that year. The average cruise lasted 6.7 days and was especially popular among Gen X and Baby Boomers. And guess where the majority of those cruises went? Correct — the Caribbean, followed by Alaska and the Pacific Coast.
Why book your cruise now?
We’ve just finished our summer vacations, and even though our memories of a great summer are still fresh and our wallets are empty, this is actually a good time to start thinking about next year’s vacation.
For many cruises, the best time to book is approximately 6–18 months before departure. This is the time when cruise lines may offer various discounts, promotions and bonuses during this period as they try to secure bookings well in advance.
If you’re thinking about a cruise to the Caribbean, the best time to go is generally from February to April. The weather is excellent, humidity is relatively low, and the hurricane risk is minimal. If you travel before the peak spring-break period, you may also avoid some of the crowds.
To plan your trip strategically, you can take advantage of the US holiday on February 15 — Presidents’ Day — and potentially save a day of PTO. March and April, unfortunately, don’t have any nationwide US federal holidays that can help you extend your vacation.
This is where LongVacation.eu can help you plan your holidays more strategically.
What if I am looking for a cheaper cruise?
If you really want to go on a cruise but your budget is a constraint, check cruises between September and November. These months can offer some of the lowest prices for Caribbean cruises.
The average price for a cruise during these months is just under 600 dollars. The trade-off is that you have a higher risk of unpredictable weather, as September and October fall within the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.
On the other hand, this period also has several US holidays that you can use to your advantage. For example, you can celebrate Labor Day on September 6 with a drink on a Caribbean beach. What a way to spend a holiday! The same goes for October 11, Columbus Day.
And for the most adventurous travelers, you could plan a vacation around Veterans Day on November 11 and Thanksgiving on November 25. By strategically combining these holidays with weekends and PTO, you could potentially save two or more days from your annual vacation allowance.
That’s exactly the kind of vacation optimization we love at LongVacation.eu. Always vacation maxxing!