This has been the most frequently asked question from my clients and readers of this website - When Is The Best Time To Go On A Cruise?

My response would be - have you decided on an itinerary yet?

Itinerary is big deciding factor as to what months of the year you will eventually book your cruise for. Remember, not all cruise itineraries are available year round. Take Alaska for example - sailing this itinerary is only limited to the months in between April and September. Or how about Northern Europe? Again, another spring to fall itinerary mostly. Can you just imagine going to St. Petersburg in the dead of winter?

After you have decided on your itinerary, there are other questions that you should be asking yourself such as:

PRICE
Have a ballpark figure on how much money you would like to spend on a cruise. The first and last few sailings are usually the cheapest and will yield the best discounts for seasonal sailings.

ADULT GETAWAY OR A FAMILY TRIP
If it is a family trip, of course, you are limited mostly to summer and christmas sailings, which usually is peak season for cruise travel. If it is just the two of you and want to get a little bit of adult time together away from the kids, going to the Caribbean in the middle of summer vacation might not be the best time.

WEATHER
Sure, the price might be great, but don't expect to have the best weather on your cruise. Here's a great resource to get the weather record and averages of each port city. Though it has been awhile since a cruise ship has been caught in the middle of hurricane's path, you wouldn't want to be in the next one that does.