Epicureangirl

This incident should not be covered up and forgotten.

Well, it won't be now that you've posted this. I will definitely not forget this now that I have seen it. :')

Great review, thank you! Makes me even more excited about my upcoming cruise. I get CRAZY amounts of paid-leave too -- and wouldn't trade it for anything! Sounds like you really know what to do with it! :champagne-toast:

So for this particular cruise, we truly lucked out. But that hasn’t always been the case. Sometimes prices go up, sometimes they go down. Sometimes you’re a winner and sometimes you’re not.

Well said. Great story, and so glad it worked out for you -- your travel agent really sounds great (as well as HAL for the further reductions and perks)! (y) The cruise I do next month was booked pretty much on a whim (felt like it was time for another :ship: and saw a deal too good to pass up). If I bought the same itinerary but for 2019, it would be another 3k. I am great with those savings, but you certainly can't count on dates, itineraries and discounts aligning at the same time.

If you're looking for non-US, non-Caribbean cruises close to sailing, you are also looking at the cost & availability of flights. Any decrease in the cost of the cruise will at least be offset somewhat by flight price increases.

I am getting de-sensitized to the high flight prices in Canada, but I do have to be very careful about the timing of my trips. The prices really sky-rocket here for spring-break, summer and Christmas and the connections can be terrible (it's probably like that in the US too). It seems wrong that I can choose to fly to the East-coast of Canada or Europe for the same price. When I fly somewhere in the US, I usually just drive to Seattle or another WA airport, and can often get flights to Florida for less than $300! I <3 Alaska Airlines.

:)Booking as soon as Hal lists a date and agenda insures you will receive your preferences in regards to room, dining,etc and will be the best price you will get on that cruise. If you require airfare, this then allows you plenty of time to procure the best price on same. Discounts shown closer to the cruise date will not offset increases that have taken place .I personally always book through my PCC who keeps me in the loop on deals as once in ten times a deal could benefit your booking.Happy sailing.

I think I have been very fortunate for finding suitable airfare within 60 days of my cruises. Air is generally expensive from Canada to pretty much anywhere, so maybe the savings aren't potentially as great as when getting air-deals from the US? :confused: It had not really occurred to me that someone could get me a better deal than I could (researching on the web and getting on some great mailing lists). Looks like I need my own PCC...

As for dining, I am going to try open-dining on my cruise next month and see how it goes. I try to book 1/2 my meals at the Pinnacle, which is really where any of my cruise-savings will end up going. :wine-glass: Thanks for your reply.

So I think booking close to sailing can have opportunities but if there's a trip you want to take it's better to book early and get the cabin grade and location you prefer.

There was one itinerary that passed me by that included a stop in Japan and in China I wanted -- it sold out before I could make up my mind. Once again, a victim of analysis-paralysis. ;p

I usually have a specific itinerary in mind so I book early with a TA. I always get some kind of a perk by using them.

 

I have been on two cruises (with different cruise lines - one being HAL) where the price actually increased before sail date because the cruise was selling so well.

 

If you don't have a specific date or itinerary (and are not real fussy about location of cabins) waiting might get you a deal. However, because there are a fairly small number of cabins that hold three or four (and that is what you want), waiting might not be beneficial.

Wow, a price increase AFTER buying would be a nice change! I agree, the three and four person staterooms are few and far between, but as my kids get older it is less likely that they will be coming with us. I will have to really pay attention to the upcoming itineraries to see how many I'd be interested in or if there is something special I should jump on. Thanks for your reply!

If you are looking for the best deal, is it going to be 30-60-90 days from sailing? Or am I missing out on some even better deals available on board? I am looking for non-US, non-Caribbean itineraries but am fairly flexible with my dates and don’t care about my cabin assignment unless it is an amazing deal to upgrade.

FYI: For HAL, I have never booked onboard, or with a TA — only directly through the HAL website. I have never had a deal that includes OBC, but have taken advantage of discounted 3rd and 4th passengers or veranda upgrades.

Love to hear from you seasoned HAL cruisers.

Cheers.

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Hi Jacqui,

Thanks for adding me!

January 13th, 2018

Volendam

Far East Discovery

15 days

I am not a Neptuner, if I was traveling with others and wanted space to enjoy with them, maybe. I am a ‘shower person’ and it looks like your vista suite might have a better sized one. Will going from a Queen to King bed make a difference for you? There is so much I could spoil myself with that 3k, and I’m not sure the upgrade would feel worth it unless I had many sea days. Cheers. Both suites look amazing.

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