Can I book my own flights to the start of a cruise rather than paying cruise line prices?

Certainly, there’s nothing stopping you from booking your own flight to your country of embarkation, providing the cruise you are looking at is not a package-only deal. However it’s worth noting that, though you may find what you think is a cheaper deal by booking a separate flight, many cruise lines offer deals where all transfers from and to airports are included in the price and they will make it their business to ensure that you get to the ship on time, so it’s worth weighing up the options.