Cruise: Tips : Top Ten : WAYS TO LAND THE BEST DEAL:

1. Do your homework. Since most cruise lines refuse direct bookings, you’ll be working through a travel agent. But no matter how savvy the agent, it pays to research options ahead of time--from itineraries to style and size of ship.

2. Use a cruise expert. A knowledgeable travel agent can match you with the ship that meets your interests, and top-selling agents are often rewarded with big discounts to pass along to customers. You can use a travel agency that handles only cruises, or a full-service travel agency with expertise in cruises. Get references from frequent cruisers.

3. Comparison shop. Get price quotes from several travel agencies, at least until you find one you trust who will get you the kind of deal you want. Check newspaper and magazine travel ads for the latest cruise sales.

4. Don’t equate cheapest with best. Book a cruise based solely on the fact that the fare is low, and you’ll gain nothing if the trip disappoints you. A cheap fare may buy a small, windowless cabin deep in the ship’s bowels. If tight spaces bother you, the cruise could prove very uncomfortable.

5. Book early. In the past two years, many major cruise lines have tried to reduce pricing confusion by structuring their rates so some of the deepest discounts go to passengers booking earliest. Early birds also get first choice of cabins and sailing dates.

6. Book late. On the other hand, the push for early bookings hasn’t eliminated last-minute discounts, which are typically offered 60 days before sailing (up to 120 days out for exotic trips). You’ll need to be flexible about dates, ships and itineraries.

7. Sail when others don’t. Want to cruise at Christmas or other holiday periods? Expect to pay a premium. The same ship, leaving a week or two before or after Christmas, may be priced much lower. In the Caribbean, fall tends to be the off season. Early spring is the off season for cruises in Alaska and Europe.

8. Look for last-minute itinerary changes. When the Persian Gulf War forced cruise lines to redeploy ships from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and Alaska, discounts of up to 50% were legion. And when Windstar Cruises pulled its 148-passenger Wind Spirit from Singapore to Barbados; the line offered “two for one” specials.

9. Read the fine print. Many of the best discounts, including “two for one” deals, don’t include air fare and/or are limited to certain cabin categories. Check whether a low-cost air fare is included in the package price, unless you have frequent-flier miles to cash in or live close to the port of departure.

10. Consider cancellation insurance. If you cancel your trip at the last minute, penalty fees range from 10% to 100% of the fare, depending on the length of the trip and the ship involved. Typical insurance cost is $69 per person for a seven-day cruise, but be sure to ask what’s covered and what isn’t. Some plans allow you to cancel for any reason; others require a medical excuse.