How often do ships sell out COMPLETELY?

[ejeffo]

My upcoming cruise on the Radiance out of San Diego is sold out completely... Wow! How often does this happen? Will it be a madhouse on board, or not too much different from any other cruise? :confused:

[cruisingram1]

We just came back from an Infinity cruise to Alaska. The ship was sold out. I suspect it's about the same size as the Radiance. You would never know there was not a bed to be had. Plenty of room. We had to search a bit for a table in the buffet (we were a group of 6 and needed a larger table) during prime breakfast and lunch time, but that was the only time it felt remotely crowded.

[Host Kewlguy]

My upcoming cruise on the Radiance out of San Diego is sold out completely... Wow! How often does this happen? Will it be a madhouse on board, or not too much different from any other cruise? :confused:

 

It use to happen all the time before the economy tanked. The cruise lines will lower the prices to ridiculously cheap levels with the ultimate goal of selling out the ship. Empty staterooms bring in 0 revenue. Some of the last minute (less than 30 days) pricing for Mexican Riviera cruises is incredible.

[PrincesScuba]

The ships are MEANT to sail full.

 

You should not experience any crowding or difficulty. The Radiance is a beautiful ship.

[cb at sea]

Almost every cruise we've been on has been full---or close enough! The only "problem" (and this will depend on the mix of passengers) is around the pool on sea days...it can get crowded. But, if you can, go to an upper deck to sun...there's more room up there and you won't be packed in like sardines!

So, go! Enjoy!

[JanineM]

We've been on several sailings where the ship was completely full ... not a cabin to be had! In fact, our sailing on Freedom next weekend is almost full now with only a handful of oceanview cabins available.

 

The ship won't seem any more crowded. Yes, there are times when you will definitely know that there are a lot of people around you - like in the buffet on embarkation afternoon, and sometimes when waiting to get on a tender - but it's almost impossible to tell the difference between 70% sold and 100% sold. The ships we've been on are well enough designed that you don't ever really feel crowded. :)

[djneph]

Ships pretty much always sail full, especially in the summer months (lots of folks wanting to vacation). During the months from Sept to Dec you may find some ships that are not comepletely sold out. Even then, especially out of S. Florida the remaining staterooms are given to employees who want to vacation. I remember many sailing where I did not get notice that I was approved for sailing until Friday afternoon (meaning the ship was pretty much full). Some sailing I would get a weeks notice (rarely though).

[TuxedoMan]

Almost every cruise we've been on has been full---or close enough! The only "problem" (and this will depend on the mix of passengers) is around the pool on sea days...it can get crowded. But, if you can, go to an upper deck to sun...there's more room up there and you won't be packed in like sardines!

So, go! Enjoy!

So true...also maybe you will have to sit with a stranger in the buffet. Can lead to a lifetime friendship:D, or maybe not.:eek:

[xeonpro]

So true...also maybe you will have to sit with a stranger in the buffet. Can lead to a lifetime friendship:D, or maybe not.:eek:

 

...So true, always a fun time though! :cool:

[silentbob007]

Shouldn't really notice much of a difference to be honest ....

[bronco77]

My upcoming cruise on the Radiance out of San Diego is sold out completely... Wow! How often does this happen? Will it be a madhouse on board, or not too much different from any other cruise? :confused:

What time do you plan on arriving at the port?

[robtulipe]

My upcoming cruise on the Radiance out of San Diego is sold out completely... Wow! How often does this happen? Will it be a madhouse on board, or not too much different from any other cruise? :confused:

Not very often these days will Mexican Riviera cruise. It may be that it's the first RC cruise which also is a short one (5 night) that leaves from San Diego this Fall. It embarks on a Friday so that would make it popular with folks who don't want to take or use up vacation days or to take their kids out of school for a long time. Cruises following that one shows plenty of availability and the prices seem to reflect that. Ships are designed to sail full so it won't be a madhouse but as others have said it may be more crowded in Windjammer at popular times for breakfast and lunch.

[DEL67]

If a ship is not sold out, they will find a way to do so. Our recent Eastern Mediterranean cruise which had at least 40 available balconies/mini suites the Tuesday before sailing was sold out by the time we reached the pier. Since they did not reduce the price, I assume they offered cabins locally (Rome) at a large price reduction as they sometimes do in Puerto Rico.

[flagger]

Oceania raised cruise prices 40% on September 1st and will raise them again on January 1st. 32 of is 2010 cruises are sold out. It happens far more often than people realize.

[robtulipe]

If a ship is not sold out, they will find a way to do so. Our recent Eastern Mediterranean cruise which had at least 40 available balconies/mini suites the Tuesday before sailing was sold out by the time we reached the pier. Since they did not reduce the price, I assume they offered cabins locally (Rome) at a large price reduction as they sometimes do in Puerto Rico.

We found this to be true with our X Century TA cruise last December which we booked very close to the sailing date and paid for in euros through a German TA and saved about 50% compared to NA prices. Over in Europe RCCI doesn't offer residency prices so they simply reduce the price in certain countries over there. You can check prices pretty well anywhere in the world simply by changing the country using the Change Country option on RC's or X's home page or checking with an online TA from that country. If you don't see this option it's most likely that your computer has cookies from RCCI website on it that recognizes you from a previous My Cruises or My Celebrity log on that hides this option on RC or X website. Just clear or remove these cookies.

[waterbugohio]

How do you find out how full a cruise is?? We have friends going in November and would still love to convince DH to go

[PSCruiser]

How do you find out how full a cruise is?? We have friends going in November and would still love to convince DH to go

 

Well there are certain online TAs that show more cabins than RC, but they cn't be mentioned here.

However, if you look at the RC website, they only list a certain number (7, I think) for each catagory. If you look at the different CATs, and most of them have 7 cabins available, especially if they are all near each other, then there are tons of cabins available.

However, don't go looking for cruises with the idea that a certain one will be uncrowded - as others have said, the cruise lines do what they need to do for high occupancy - its what their business model is based on. Remember, unlike a land resort, they can't tell half the staff "don't come in next week". The best reason to look for cruises with lots of cabins is the expectation for price drops.

[mjldvlks]

There are sell outs and there are sell outs. If you define a sell out as every cabin being occupied, my guess is it happens fairly frequently. Our dining room staff [head waiter I think] on the Independence TA in April told us that RCCL was going to home port Independence in England year-round after 2010because the entire European season was sold out. And we all know what reliable sources of information head waiters are.

 

On the hand, if you define a sell out as every berth being filled, [that is, every sofa bed, Pullman bed and so forth occupied] I suspect that is extremely rare if not non-exisitent since there will invariably be some traveling alone and others booking cabins that have extra berths for only two travelers. I would strongly suspect that, as others have said, you won't notice much of a difference when every cabin is filled than when they are not [but close to it] since every unfilled cabin only represents [on average] two extra people to contend with.

[podemos]

Cruise ships try to fully sell out as much as possible, I think...

 

I just returned from the Freedom, and it was completely sold out (they had a sign saying no upgrades due to every single cabin being occupied). The crowding was most noticeable at embarkation (I had to wait more than 45 minutes in line!) and in the Windjammer breakfast on port days. I didn't find the pool deck outrageously packed during my stay.

 

Sometimes, the more the merrier...haha, enjoy your cruise.

[amybeth4]

In eight Caribbean cruises, I've NEVER been on a cruise that wasn't completely sold out...you'd be amazed at how often you'll walk into a lounge at night and it's completely empty. The only time it's bad, as people have said, is by the pool on a sunny day, in the WJ during main eating times and lining up to tender. And the last day is pretty crowded.

 

I've never ever experienced crowds at embarkation because I'm usually one of the first to arrive.

 

Other than that, you're probably not gonna notice if there are 2,500 people aboard or 2,100. :)

[leoandhugh]

Because the Radiance cruise in question follows the ship's final Alaska cruise then down the Pacific coast overnighting in SFO before terminating in SanDiego on 09/25, there may be several who add the 5day as a back2back since it returns to SanDiego:)

[Larj87]

I agree that it shouldn't really make a difference...I was just wondering how you would be able to find out if your cruise is full..I am sailing on the Monarch this coming Monday and was just curious...can you find out on the RCCI website?