Last Minute Booking

Please can anyone recommend how late it is possible to leave it in the hope of getting a last minute bargain. We usually book up well in advance but as we go on our second cruise this year in September so cannot afford the going price at the moment, we would like to try the ship P&O Arcadia we are not too fussed about the destination to Canaries etc on 21st November.

How long is a piece of string? Prices often change after the final payment is made, so 3 months before travel. Other people book 2 days before the cruise.

Please can anyone recommend how late it is possible to leave it in the hope of getting a last minute bargain. We usually book up well in advance but as we go on our second cruise this year in September so cannot afford the going price at the moment, we would like to try the ship P&O Arcadia we are not too fussed about the destination to Canaries etc on 21st November.

Prices go up and down very regularly - sometimes daily or several times in a day. You might get a better bargain by waiting, but not necessarily - it all depends what sales are like for any particular cruise.

Are you saying you're interested in the cruise you mention? Insides, outsides and balconies are currently available at prices not that much above their lowest point.

Prices go up and down very regularly - sometimes daily or several times in a day. You might get a better bargain by waiting, but not necessarily - it all depends what sales are like for any particular cruise.

 

 

 

Are you saying you're interested in the cruise you mention? Insides, outsides and balconies are currently available at prices not that much above their lowest point.

Our Britannia T/Atl last October was booked at the end of August so seven to eight weeks before sailing. In my opinion there was more than sufficient choice of cabins and we got a good port side cabin at a price I was happy with ...... and the OBC was high as they were anxious to sell the cabins. However, for some cruises, the sort of cabins I would be interested in are sold out nine months ahead.

It might be worth looking at some of the “price drop alert” websites to keep a close eye on price fluctuations.

Personally, I think the prices on the smaller ships tend to be higher accross the board and any “bargains” tend to be found on the bigger ships

Please can anyone recommend how late it is possible to leave it in the hope of getting a last minute bargain. We usually book up well in advance but as we go on our second cruise this year in September so cannot afford the going price at the moment, we would like to try the ship P&O Arcadia we are not too fussed about the destination to Canaries etc on 21st November.

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In years gone by I've found between 12 and 10 weeks before is the cheapest time to book, when the outstanding balance is due. However this year our £4k July cruise has been over £8k for the last four months. It's pretty much dealers choice at present.

If you're particularly interested in the cruise you mentioned, take a look at the attached price history for balconies.

They (and the insides/outsides) look pretty well priced at the moment, but the suites less so. That's not to say that they won't drop in price further, but the later you leave it the poorer the choice.

Please can anyone recommend how late it is possible to leave it in the hope of getting a last minute bargain. We usually book up well in advance but as we go on our second cruise this year in September so cannot afford the going price at the moment, we would like to try the ship P&O Arcadia we are not too fussed about the destination to Canaries etc on 21st November.

If you are seeking a cheap price on a cruise you need to be a bit flexible. If you need to book time off at work try to aim for dates that include more than one cruise and more than one line. 60/90 days out are a traditional point at which cruise lines need to make a commercial decision of price reductions or increases. Cruiseville track price trends on different lines and can show if anything is trending down significantly.

Next year I am looking at P&O and Princess and have booked time off work on the basis of four cruises dropping in price on the same dates. If flying short haul airfare increases near sail date but if you are thinking of long haul, you need to book refundable air a year in advance. Arcadia is a bit specialist but I am looking at approximately £64 a night per person on the website. I think the demand elasticity of Arcadia cruises will not give a good itinerary at a bargain price.

Regards John

If you are seeking a cheap price on a cruise you need to be a bit flexible. If you need to book time off at work try to aim for dates that include more than one cruise and more than one line. 60/90 days out are a traditional point at which cruise lines need to make a commercial decision of price reductions or increases. Cruiseville track price trends on different lines and can show if anything is trending down significantly.

 

Next year I am looking at P&O and Princess and have booked time off work on the basis of four cruises dropping in price on the same dates. If flying short haul airfare increases near sail date but if you are thinking of long haul, you need to book refundable air a year in advance. Arcadia is a bit specialist but I am looking at approximately £64 a night per person on the website. I think the demand elasticity of Arcadia cruises will not give a good itinerary at a bargain price.

 

Regards John

Do not always take the prices on this website as accurate. We have a cruise booked on QM2 and it says best price for this cruise was £1489 and is currently £1542 for an inside cabin. Just checked our booking statement and we paid £1160 for an IC grade inside cabin which wasnt the cheapest/lowest grade when we booked.

My last cruise was booked 16 hours before boarding. That was Azura to the Caribbean. We didn't get a great saving to be honest. The late booking was due to my wife returning on a flight arriving at 8pm the night before the cruise. I needed to be sure she wasn't delayed, before I booked. It was 'fun' getting everything out of her case, washed dried and ironed, then ready to be repacked before going to bed. It was an interesting evening.