A cruise is a vacation you can take any time of year anywhere and there are always things to do on board and shore excursions. From live entertainment to restaurants galore, pools and water slides, and a fitness center make a cruise an all in one vacation. The problem with cruises is their expense. Not just tickets either, but everything you end up buying on board, the off-board excursions, and souvenirs can really add up. So how do you get a cheap cruise to begin with so you can afford to spend a little more on board? There are ways to save money up front so you can afford to have fun. Here are six money saving tips for when you are booking your cruise.

Tip #1: Timing is Everything, Booking Early or Booking Last Minute

When booking your cruise, timing is everything. The best deals are available by booking really early, or at the last minute. The deals go on when the cruise lines are first selling the tickets and when they need to fill the left over cabins just before the cruise raises anchor and sets sail.

If you want to get a good deal on a cheap cruise and you are the type to plan in advance or you are traveling with children, remember that to get a good deal on a cruise you have to plan about a year in advance. If you are traveling with children, you have to book early as most cruises limit the number of children that can come. Early booking deals are usually available directly through the cruise line or through travel agents depending on the cruise you choose, but you'll still end up paying less than if you were to book it directly with the cruise line six months ahead of time. Look for early bird deals online through cruise brokers and your cheap cruise deal may be even sweeter. As an added bonus, you get to a wider choice as to where you want to sleep and the suites, though more expensive, are still available. The cabins that can sleep three or more people go fast, so when traveling with your family, to get a cheap cruise that you can all go on, book early or not at all.

If you don't mind planning a vacation at the last minute, you can get the hottest deals on cruises, because the cruise line is simply trying to fill their cabins. Late bookings happen within two to three months of the cruise departure. That's enough time to plan a vacation, and you can get steep discounts by waiting until then to book your cruise. The problem with late bookings is that you have very little choice for your cabin while on board, but if you are spending most of your time above deck, then where you sleep shouldn't be a problem.

Timing is crucial when planning a cruise, so book early, at least a year in advance, or wait to book last minute. You'll save money either way, so choose what fits your vacation planning style and your group's needs.

Tip #2: Group Discounts, Senior Discounts, Military Discounts

Most cruise lines offer discounts if you meet certain qualifications. If you are traveling in a group, you can get a good discount depending on the number of cabins you will be sleeping in. The bigger your group is the better the discount. Most cruise lines offer free cabins if you can sell a certain number of cabins to your group. The more cabins you sell, the more free cabins your group gets. This is a great way to book a cheap cruise if you know you'll be traveling in a large group or in any group at all that requires more than one cabin.

If you are a senior of age 55+, you can get a senior discount on top of any other discounts the cruise line offers. Senior discounts are great in other ways too. If you have one senior in your party, most cruise lines will offer the senior discount to the entire group, not just the senior. This can get you a great discount, especially as some cruise lines will give the senior discount on top of a group discount.

Military personnel can also get a great discount on cruises. Whether you are considered a veteran or not will determine what type of discount you get. Some cruise lines only offer veterans discounts while others offer veteran discounts and active military discounts. Be sure to ask if this discount is available and if it can be extended to the whole party if it is.

Tip #3: Go with the least expensive room on board

When you are cruising and money is tight, one way to spend less is to choose the least expensive room available on board. The suites with the balconies and verandas are nice, but when you are spending most of your time top side, on deck, in the cruise's public rooms, or at entertainment or restaurants, you don't need an expensive room with a view. The suites cost thousands of dollars more than a regular cabin. A cabin on the interior of the ship, below decks will cost you less than a cabin with a window or balcony, and much less than a suite. You'll be surprised at how roomy the interior cabins are anyway on a modern cruise ship. If you are only sleeping in your room, what is the point of spending a lot of money on it? Give yourself more money to spend elsewhere and you'll thank yourself later. You can get a cheap cruise by purchasing a room that doesn't come with all the bells and whistles.

Tip #4: Frequent Sailor Discounts

Some cruise lines offer a frequent sailor or loyalty program. The loyalty programs are a lot like a frequent flier program with an airline only you are earning nautical miles or free perks on board rather than sky miles. Other cruise lines offer a discount off your next cruise when you sail with them the first time or on board perks like coupons for the "exclusive" restaurants or discounts on live entertainment. Signing up for a loyalty program or looking to see what discounts you can get off your next cruise with that line can save you a bundle the next time you are looking for a cheap cruise. Not all cruise lines offer a loyalty program, so when you are shopping for a cheap cruise, be sure to find out if the line you are purchasing from has a program or loyalty discounts that could give you a good deal on your next purchase.

Tip #5: Take an Off-Season or Repositioning Cruise

If you aren't sailing with children and want a more adult oriented atmosphere, cruising anytime other than summer will be cheaper and more to your taste. As more and more families take cruises, summer cruising when school is out are in high demand, so if you are looking for a cheap cruise, look for something in the off-season or shoulder-season. The problem with trying to find an off-season cruise is the location. Some cruises, because of where they are located, are always "in-season" whereas others like Alaska or Europe cruises only have a five or six month sailing season and the off-season is the first few weeks and the last few weeks.

Another problem you may run into with off-season sailing is that some shore excursions may be cancelled and you can run into inclement weather, like hurricanes around Bermuda. For those who like to spend all their time on the ship, this isn't a bad trade-off for thinner crowds and cheaper cruises, but it's all about your preferences.

Taking a repositioning cruise can save you a bundle. A repositioning cruise is one that is offered when the cruise ship is being moved from one cruising location to another like Alaska to Hawaii or Panama area to the Mediterranean. These cruises don't have a lot of shore excursions, but they can be much cheaper than a normal cruise and they're a lot less crowded. The cruise lines don't want to sail their ships empty, so they give heavy discounts for people to take this one-way type of cruise. Many times the cruise lines will offer themes or enhanced options like guest lecturers to gain interest, so this type of cruising is a unique experience as well as being cheap.

Tip #6: Bid your way to a cheap cruise

Some cruise brokers offer you the opportunity to bid on your cruise purchase. This allows you to travel to the location of your choice during the season of your choice at a big discount. Bidding on cruises can be an excellent option if you are willing to wait to schedule your vacation. Cruises that you can bid on are often the last minute type, so you aren't getting much choice of a cabin. The other problem with bidding on a cruise is that more often than not the cruise you want isn't available to bid on. If all you want to do is cruise, there are lots of brokers offering you the chance to bid on cheap cruises all over the world at different times of the year and you may end up with the best vacation you've ever been on.