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Best strategy for a good price


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Aloha. I'm a newbie here so forgive me if this question has been asked & answered a million times.

 

I'll be retiring soon & hoping to join the ranks of occasional cruisers. My wife & I and our young daughter have extensive travel plans in the coming years. We've lived around the world, mostly in Asia, but that was either job-related, or working around jobs. As a retiree, we will be more unfettered.

 

With that intro, here is my question. We're looking at a very specific cruise. I don't want to post a link but you can find it online... Cunard line, Sydney to Tokyo, April 2019. We would shoot for a mid-range balcony stateroom. Our daughter will be only 3 years old by then. Since this is so far in advance, everything advertised is full price (roughly $4500 pp for the 18 days). We're hoping the child is free or cheap but I'm not familiar with pricing policies yet.

 

Given that I don't want to pay full price, what are the prospects & strategies for getting a steep discount on a cruise like this? Is it likely to sell out, and sell out early? If I wait, will the price come down? Are there aggregators or resellers who can help? Any good discounts for retirees, first-timers, or military vets? Any & all advice is welcome.

 

Please don't dwell on the fact of "This is not a good choice for a newbie" or "Not a good cruise for a child." Our family is infinitely adaptable and we have been in the most off-beat situations around the world. We are not afraid of a challenge or any new situation, and are instilling these qualities in our daughter. There are specific logistical reasons why I chose this cruise (i.e., relocating our family) which this cruise will fit nicely.

 

TYIA for any replies!

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The early booking at full price guarantees your cabin selection. Any discounts that are offered later can be requested by you by cancel and rebook. The reservation folks can look for additional discounts for military etc. Travel agents can help get added perks. You should have a window after booking with the cruise line where you can shop online for a travel agent who can offer the perks you are interested in. I personally play the perks game. I also constantly check for price reductions right up to final payment. You can pay a minimal amount to have an online service do the price checks for you. If you are willing to take a chance you can wait until others get their final payments in and look to get an unsold cabin for a steep discount. Terry

 

 

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Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Is the itinerary only offered once a year? If so, itineraries like that tend to sell out and the cruise line can command a premium price. You also need to take into account airfare. Last minute cheap cruises can turn out to be expensive if the airfare eats up any cruise savings.

 

We're not allowed to name travel agents or agencies.

 

Roz

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Thank you for the feedback. This was very helpful. I'll start searching around for a good travel agent, and I invite PM's if you have one that has treated you good over the years. I actually have air travel all worked out, so it won't be much of an issue. Mahalo from Hawaii!

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Children of any age are usually full fare, meaning the same price for 3rd person (which is less than you and your wife). Sometimes there are sales for third or fourth passengers or specifically children. I've never sailed Cunard though, so not sure about the sales they offer.

 

 

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Thank you for the feedback. This was very helpful. I'll start searching around for a good travel agent, and I invite PM's if you have one that has treated you good over the years. I actually have air travel all worked out, so it won't be much of an issue. Mahalo from Hawaii!

PMs are disabled on Cruise Critic and recommending TAs is forbidden.

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My personal strategy:

 

- Book the day the dates come open so I can get the room I want

- Watch the computer to see if a price drop comes along

 

Once we retire -- not soon now -- I'll also look for last minute bargains.

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