In the past, it was easy enough to book a low cost Alaska cruise. Now, these types of bargains are getting increasingly difficult to find, with demand for Alaska cruises growing every year.

Just how can one save a bunch of cash on an Alaska cruise? Is it still remotely possible to vacation in Alaska while adhering to a reasonable budget? The answer is YES! You really can still find great Alaska cruise deals — if you know how to look.

Many folks believe that the very best strategy to get cheap cruise fares to Alaska is to book at the very last minute. But while this method used to work reasonably well (and still works very well for Caribbean cruises, due to the larger number of ships in that region), it is no longer a very effective strategy for Alaskan cruises.

Alaskan ships often sell out far in advance for the months of July and August. Despite their higher cost, balcony rooms tend to be the first to sell out, especially on Holland America cruises. If you really must take your cruise in August or July, then you’ll be wise to book far in advance of your sale date to make sure you get the best fares. (Alaska cruises can be booked up to 18 months ahead of their sale date.)

Of course, if you are more flexible about your sail date and/or your cabin category, you dramatically increase your likelihood of locating some great Alaska cruise deals.

The best months for bargains on cruises are May and September, the beginning and end of the Alaska cruise season. The very cheapest week of all tends to be the first week in May, when prices can be less than half those of the peak season in early to mid August.

Now you can also save money by instead reserving a cheaper cabin category. Inside rooms can be half to a third the price of some of the higher priced cabins on an Alaskan cruise. Inside rooms have no windows and can be a little smaller than ocean view rooms, but they can be a wonderful bargain, especially since many people spend so little times in their rooms anyway.

However, if you are at all claustrophobic, an inside room might not be for you. Nonetheless, you can still find a great Alaskan cruise deal on an outside room. On many cruise ships, you will find some rooms have views that are obstructed by poles or lifeboats or the like.

Obstructed view cabins are often much cheaper than standard outside or ocean view cabins. In fact, obstructed view cabins can be almost as cheap as inside cabins, yet they have windows that admit sunlight and can help ease claustrophobia.

So there are still a number of ways to find discount Alaska cruises. Remember, even with rising prices, cruises still represent an incredible bargain. For less than the price of a nice hotel, they include food, entertainment, transportation, and, in Alaska, glacier viewing too.