Boxing Day cruise deals for Australians in 2021

• Be flexible. Booking dates far in advance can help you save heaps. If you're quite flexible with travel dates, book to travel outside of school holidays and long weekends which are generally priced higher.
• Don't cruise solo. While travelling solo and meeting new people on a cruise can add an exciting element to your trip, the cheapest cruises are twin or quadruple share.
• Consider the deal. Cruise lines can offer deals that can be as trivial as free ice cream. Instead, look out for offers with more value such as discounts on the cruise itself, free flights and onboard credit.
• Stay inside. Interior cabins are much cheaper than exterior ones as they don't have the luxury of windows in the room. Remember, it's not too far to go up to a deck for those panoramic ocean views.
• Travel last minute. Cruise lines want to fill empty rooms. Those that are still unsold close to departure date often become heavily discounted, and Boxing Day is the perfect time to take advantage of the remaining summer sailings.
• Book with a cruise line that suits your needs and travel style. Some cruises have water slides and kids' clubs for young families. Others feature nightly cabaret shows and themed dinners for a more mature audience. Consult our best cruises for your needs page to ensure you're booking a cruise that's right for you.
• Don't be loyal to a line. Not every cruise line offers the same deal on Boxing Day. Shopping around means you could score a cheaper sailing with a similar itinerary.
• Look at the deposit and cancellation policy before you book. It's easy to get excited about an epic deal and book on the fly without considering future committments. But before you book, see how flexible the cancellation policy is on the off chance that your plans change.

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Carnival Cruises have all stepped up to the mark in the past.

In previous years, Celebrity has offered up to $800 in savings, up to US$400 in OBC and up to 50% off fares for additional guests while Carnival Cruises has dropped twin share domestic cruises to $399pp.

Although many tourism operators are up and running again, with COVID-19 still a worldwide pandemic, large-ship cruises aren't sailing like they used to. But that doesn't mean that you can't score a discount and travel when you're ready to do so.

• Look for flexible booking options: Check out the terms and conditions for the cruise line before you book. Lines like P&O are offering credit if you change your ming about your sailing, as long as it's scheduled to depart before 30 November 2021. If you're booking a small ship sailing with tour companies like Contiki or G Adventures, you can usually use the deposit you paid toward a future trip - even if it's not another cruise.
• Stay local: While there's no clear answer as to when borders will actually open or when cruises will be operating again, choosing a domestic cruise in Australia may reward you with a holiday sooner than a cruise to an international destination. As of time of publish, Australia's cruise ship ban is set to lift in March 2021.
• Choose a small-ship sailing: Although it's not the traditional cruise ship experience, if you're itching to get out onto the water as soon as possible, there are some small sailing trips that are operating. Murray River sailings, which run up to a week long, are still operating along with diving and sailing trips in north Queensland, including Cairns and the Whitsundays.