How far in advance should you book your vacation?

We receive a lot of calls from people asking how far in advance they should book their vacation.

The answer is, “It depends.”

It depends on such things as the type of vacation, desired location, time of year, desired accommodations, and number of people vacationing together. Listed below are descriptions and examples of each. It also depends upon your flexibility for things you are willing to accept for your vacation.

Type of Vacation

This refers to whether the vacation is going to be a cruise, all-inclusive resort, theme park, land tour, weekend get-away, honeymoon, or family reunion. Each one will require a specific amount of time to plan and book. For example, a week-end get-away can very likely be planned and booked within a few weeks of the trip while a cruise or all-inclusive resort vacation will often require booking be done months before the trip.

Desired Location

The location you choose for your vacation needs to be considered when determining how far in advance you will need to book the vacation. Popular destinations like the Caribbean, Alaska, Florida, California, and parts of Europe should be booked months in advance.

Time of Year

Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are very popular times for vacations, as is spring break each year. If you intend to take a vacation during any of these times, you should book months in advance.

Desired Accommodations

4- and 5-star resorts and popular cruise lines tend to book up quickly. If those are the type of accommodations you want when vacationing, you will need to book months in advance.

Number of People

If you are traveling as a couple, it is possible to find and book a desired vacation several weeks or months in advance. However, if your vacation involves a large group, you will need to plan and book at least a year in advance.

General Guidelines

We use the following schedules as guidelines for booking various types of vacations. It’s also important to note that in most cases airline schedules and fares only become available 330 days prior to departure.

- Ocean Cruises:
Caribbean – 6 to 9 months prior to the desired cruise date
Alaska – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired cruise date
Europe – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired cruise date
Popular Cruise Lines (e.g. Princess, Royal, Norwegian) – 6 to 9 months
Luxury Cruise Lines (Regent, Oceania, Cunard) – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired cruise date
Disney Cruise Line – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired cruise date

- River Cruises:
Europe – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired cruise date
Asia – 6 to 9 months prior to the desired cruise date
Russia – 6 to 9 months prior to the desired cruise date
Egypt – 6 to 9 months prior to the desired cruise date
Special Itineraries (e.g. Europe Christmas Markets) – 12 to 18 months prior to the desired cruise date

- Resorts:
All-Inclusive (Adults Only) – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired date
All-Inclusive (Family) – 6 to 9 months prior to the desired date
Disney – At least 12 months prior to the desired date
Universal Studios – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired date

- Time of Year:
Spring Break – 6 to 9 months prior to the desired date
Easter – 6 to 9 months prior to the desired date
Thanksgiving – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired date
Christmas – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired date

- Desired Accommodations:
4- and 5-Star Resorts – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired date
Cruises – Mid-Ship Balconies – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired date
Cruises – Suites – 9 to 12 months prior to the desired date
Luxury Cruises – 12 to 18 months prior to the desired date

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If you need help planning and booking a dream vacation of any type we would like to hear from you. Please give us a call at 847.825.7761 or contact us through our website at http://www.funfilledtravelers.com/pages/contact

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Gerry and Margaret Waller combine their years of travel experience and passion for dream vacations to help clients get the most out of theirs. They provide thoughtfulness, patience, and careful attention to details in planning and accomplishing every client’s needs and desires for new and exciting vacation opportunities. Whether it is a luxurious cruise, relaxing resort and spa, or an adventurous escape from day-to-day lives, Gerry and Margaret go above and beyond to help turn your vacation dreams into dream vacations.