If you’re looking to take a cruise on a budget, you may be surprised how easy that can be…if you’re a little flexible.

Many people assume that cruise ships sell out months in advance, and that they have to book early to get a spot on the ship. That may be true if you’re looking for a very specific room and a very specific destination, but if you’re a little more flexible about your trip, you can find some amazingly cheap deals by doing a little online research.

You see, most cruise ships don’t sell out completely. Especially not at first. As the date for the ship’s departure loops closer, cruise lines will drastically reduce the price of the tickets to try and fill each and every room with passengers.

Here’s all you need to do.

1. Set your departure window - Take a look at your traveling schedule, and figure out a range of dates you can depart on. Maybe you have a few days in December you can use, or a week in the fall. Find a time when you have a little flexibility in your schedule.

2. Select your port - Find a port that is close to you that you’d like to depart from. You’ll want to search for cruises online that depart from here to keep your costs down.

3. Search! - There are numerous sites that can offer you discounted prices for your cruise vacation in this way - so do a google search for discounted cruises in your area. You will find many websites in your results. I suggest clicking on one of the “Sponsored Links” in the results in this case.

Why? Well, the “Sponsored Links” are people that have paid to have their results show up at the top, and there is a higher likelyhood that they are sites that can offer you real results. Use your discretion.

4. Find your Cruise - Look through the search results on the site you chose, and you’ll find all kinds of discounted prices. The closer it is to the departure date, the lower the price is likely to be.

5. Book your Trip! - Book your trip, and get packing! You’re going on a cruise!