Price creep is hitting cruise fares this year — yet value has never been better, as companies dangle perks like complimentary airfare, hefty shipboard credits and free land extensions in storybook spots like Monte Carlo, Istanbul and Barcelona.

Welcome to “wave season,” the cruise industry’s three-month version of Black Friday that starts the first of the year and runs through March.

As Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-at-large for Cruise Critic, frames it: “There’s a big difference between great value and a great deal. Wave (season) is always about value, when the cruise lines come up with special packages and promotions. Maybe you want a balcony and didn’t think you could afford one? Now perhaps you can. There are drinks packages, free air, free Wi-Fi. You’re not going to get the cheapest fare, but you’ll get good bang for your buck.”

How’s this for bang? Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours is offering free air or free four- to eight-day land extensions on many of its river itineraries. Windstar has knocked 30 to 40 percent off fares on its small ship cruises in Alaska, Canada and New England — and sweetened the deal with a $1,000 per person shipboard credit.

Some MSC ocean cruises come with unlimited drinks, free Wi-Fi and a reduced deposit. Azamara Club Cruises is offering 50 percent off a second guest’s fare in a double occupancy cabin on select itineraries.

Then there’s Viking, whose small ship cruises were lauded by Cruise Critic recently as “Best Value for Money” in the oceangoing luxury category. Viking’s current discounts include a seven-night Cultural Cuba cruise, starting at $2,999 per person on select departures with round-trip airfare as low as $199.

“This is a critical selling time for us; we will offer our best deal right now — and prices will go up,” says Ellen Bettridge, president and CEO of Uniworld, which is discounting many fares by as much as 30 percent. People who book a 2019 cruise during wave season on “The Magnificent Moselle & Rhine,” a new nine-night itinerary, will save up to $1,860 per person.

“I don’t want someone to buy now and feel they could have waited and got a better deal,” she adds. “That’s just not our philosophy.”

As new ships launch and old ones undergo multimillion-dollar refurbishments, the real estate you’re booking is also adding value to the package with enhanced entertainment, cabin and dining choices.

And as Rhonda Weaver, an independent travel agent with Expedia CruiseShipCenters near Seattle, points out: “There are more and more free things to do on the big ocean ships.” Making appearances onboard: zip lines, rock climbing walls, water parks, surf simulators, a laser tag course, a race car track, even a roller coaster.

“The things they think of, right? There are so many ships out there, and you’ve got to create something to stand out,” she says. “People want more for their money. They want to feel they’re getting something different.”

Many cruise lines are also introducing devices or smartphone apps that allow guests to track their kids, expedite check-in, book dinners or massages, or order a dirty martini for a 7 p.m. arrival in a lounge.

“It’s adding convenience and eliminating wait periods,” says Weaver. “In my mind, the biggest and best value for many people is technology. And you know it’s only going to get better.”

Another item to consider as you price cruises: the destination. The western Caribbean, a Fort Lauderdale-to-Bahamas cruise and voyages from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera are historically inexpensive. As an example, Carnival recently offered a seven-night cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico for $474 per person, or $68 a person per night.

If you’re a solo traveler, there’s good news. Some ocean ships now feature solo cabins, and many of the river cruise lines will waive the single supplement fee from time to time. (Generally, single occupancy price is twice the per-person double occupancy rate.) Notably, Riviera River Cruises pioneered two seven-night solo itineraries in Europe last year, and demand was so great that it expanded its offering to four in 2019. New this year: a Rhine River cruise starting at $3,109 per person and a Douro River cruise starting at $2,599.

And hiding in plain sight: AARP has a robust members-only cruising website with year-round deals, typically 12 to 20 on offer each day. During wave season, an AARP member can receive up to $1,000 in shipboard credits per cabin when booking through the AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia. Roughly 4.5 million AARP members cruise each year.

Also good to know: If you book early, many cruise lines, if asked, will assign a special rate code, so that if the price goes down, the cruise line will match the difference with a shipboard credit. Register online for cruise price alerts from Cruise Critic to find out when a cruise you’ve flagged bumps down in price. And if there’s a cruise line you like, sign up for email alerts about last-minute deals.

When weighing the value of one cruise package against another, figure out the per diem costs — taking into account that many of the mass market ships charge fees for things like shore excursions and drinks, while the river ships and luxury ships tend to be more all-inclusive.

And know your cruise style.

“If you like nightlife and want to go out dancing, you probably wouldn’t pick Viking or Holland America,” says Cruise Critics’ Brown, who also recommends using a travel agent when booking a cruise.

“If you want intensive enrichment, shore excursions and time in port, you might prefer Azamara over Carnival,” she adds. “I’ve read a lot of ship reviews by passengers who didn’t like anything. It’s because they were on the wrong ship.”

As for that price creep, cruise fares are rising due to a robust economy and the increasing popularity of cruising.

“As someone who looks at prices daily, year over year, I see a creep,” says Chuck Flagg, a Cruise Planners franchisee in Canton, Ga. He expects cruise prices to rise by an average of 10 percent in 2019.

The price hike isn’t confined to fares. Some lines are beginning to charge for room service, and many are pushing up their daily gratuities fee. Specialty restaurants generally have a cover charge, and it’s no longer unheard of to add a supplement for some a la carte items, like caviar, in “free” dining venues. And some ships assess a fee to use the spa facility, even if you book a treatment.

“I do think things are getting a little bit pricier, but it’s still an affordable vacation — just not as cheap as it was a few years ago,” says Tanner Callais, founder of the website Cruzely. “If you want to find a deal, it’s out there. You just have to hunt for it.”

Ellen Uzelac is a freelance writer.