flossU2 Posted November 19, 2009 #1 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Any suggestions for websites to get the best deal for cruises?:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambs2 Posted November 19, 2009 #2 Share Posted November 19, 2009 We are not allowed to advertise specific Travel agency web sites on Cruise Critic. There are many. Google "last minute cruises" and you will get a good selection of cruise sites, then you can compare and contrast the deals you find. Looking for last minute deals(a couple months or less before sailing) you will find some of the very best prices, but cabin selection may be limited (or possibly sold out) in certain categories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinchem Posted November 19, 2009 #3 Share Posted November 19, 2009 And check often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossU2 Posted November 19, 2009 Author #4 Share Posted November 19, 2009 And check often. I'm on here everyday, but have not seen any changes in prices. How do you find out what cabins are already filled and what are available? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambs2 Posted November 19, 2009 #5 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I do not know of any web site where you can go and check to see ALL the cabins that are left for a particular cruise. A method I use is to do "pretend" bookings on NCL.com. When you pick a cabin category, like balcony, and then you will get a choice of several cabins. I do the same on a couple other online travel agency sites, and that way can get a good idea what is available in a certain category. I usually keep a list if I am interested in a particular cabin category and check methodically each day. There may be an easier way, but since any posts on here giving specific TA web sites will be deleted I have never found any better method yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrLee Posted November 19, 2009 #6 Share Posted November 19, 2009 I do not know of any web site where you can go and check to see ALL the cabins that are left for a particular cruise. A method I use is to do "pretend" bookings on NCL.com. When you pick a cabin category, like balcony, and then you will get a choice of several cabins. I do the same on a couple other online travel agency sites, and that way can get a good idea what is available in a certain category. I usually keep a list if I am interested in a particular cabin category and check methodically each day. There may be an easier way, but since any posts on here giving specific TA web sites will be deleted I have never found any better method yet. I do the same. If it's a particular cabin that you're interested in you can plug in the cabin number and see whether it's booked or just wasn't on the list they give you. It would be nice if there were a spot on they're site and it would check the cabins for all categories at once but it would probably be a nightmare to program Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashdog_1 Posted November 20, 2009 #7 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Shirley, Some would prefer a lower price or lower price on a higher priced cabin, at least. Others would prefer an on board credit or other amenity. Different deals occur throughout the year, but nothing consistent. As others have said, you keep your eye on it. I like to put myself on the email notification from all the companies who advertise here on C.C.. Just above the orange words "Norwegian Cruise Line" on this very page, you'll see a blue "Cruise Agencies." Click that to see what agencies are out there and ask for email. Email me and we can talk about it: p gauker at bellsouth dot net. Put Cruise Critic & flossU2 in the subject line so I don't delete it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pex Posted November 20, 2009 #8 Share Posted November 20, 2009 If it's a particular cabin that you're interested in you can plug in the cabin number and see whether it's booked or just wasn't on the list they give you. It would be nice if there were a spot on they're site and it would check the cabins for all categories at once but it would probably be a nightmare to program If I am understanding you correctly, it would probably be pretty easy to program. None of the programs are ever going to show you (or even a TA) the entire available inventory. That's proprietary, and it's pretty easy to figure out why they wouldn't want that information easily available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollie Posted November 20, 2009 #9 Share Posted November 20, 2009 There is a web site that show's all available cabins for other cruise lines, but not NCL. I'm not sure why that is. We always use this site when looking at a cruise on one of these lines. Rollie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zazou Posted November 20, 2009 #10 Share Posted November 20, 2009 There is a web site that show's all available cabins for other cruise lines, but not NCL. I'm not sure why that is. We always use this site when looking at a cruise on one of these lines. Rollie I'm interrested in knowing what agency this is. Can you give us a hint of what to search? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkbloomfield Posted November 20, 2009 #11 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I found our great deal on the site that "cruises compete" for the best price. I learned about it on here. You put in what ship/line you are interested in and what type of cabin....Hit the button and wait for TA's to respond. You will usually get about 4-5 TA's to respond and then you can go from there. Not sure if this will get deleted but good luck! We saved about 200 overall booking this way vs going thru NCL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollie Posted November 20, 2009 #12 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Isabelle, it has scanners in the name. That's about as far as I can go. Rollie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psbtrvlr Posted November 20, 2009 #13 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Isabelle, it has scanners in the name. That's about as far as I can go. Rollie I came up with a big nothing on searching for that one! :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollie Posted November 20, 2009 #14 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Try adding sea in front of it. Rollie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pex Posted November 20, 2009 #15 Share Posted November 20, 2009 There is a web site that show's all available cabins for other cruise lines, but not NCL. I'm not sure why that is. We always use this site when looking at a cruise on one of these lines. I guess I will take your word for it, though I can't see why any cruise line would want to tip off the competition regarding their sales, much less customers who would just look for an empty ship and hold off until prices drop. A TA once told me that they don't even have (direct) access to that information. I guess I'm going to have to scan around the internets for that site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psbtrvlr Posted November 20, 2009 #16 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Try adding sea in front of it. Rollie Got it, thanks. However, it's showing me the same 10 cabins that all the other sites are showing me. There are more than that available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted November 20, 2009 #17 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I guess I will take your word for it, though I can't see why any cruise line would want to tip off the competition regarding their sales, much less customers who would just look for an empty ship and hold off until prices drop. A TA once told me that they don't even have (direct) access to that information. I guess I'm going to have to scan around the internets for that site! OH, but they do. :) I am a late booking cheap cruiser. I've been cruising this way for over 25 years. I used to use 800 number booking agents, long before the internet. Inventory is pretty easy to determine, if you plug in a date and find "7" cabin choices in most of the catagories, then you can pretty well figure out that it's going to price dump at some point. Currently, I'm waiting out a mid January cruise, that dropped $200 last week. I'm not talking about on a high priced cabin, but the cheapest inside. So the rate is now $499, still showing, those "7" open cabins in each catagory, I'm waiting for the next rate drop. :) BUT, I also am fully prepared NOT to go, if I miss out. Many people are not that flexable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pex Posted November 20, 2009 #18 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Inventory is pretty easy to determine, if you plug in a date and find "7" cabin choices in most of the catagories, then you can pretty well figure out that it's going to price dump at some point. That's how I book, too, BQ. I guess my point is that you can't differentiate between a 500 room category being 10% full or (493/500) 98.6% full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7leagueboots Posted November 20, 2009 #19 Share Posted November 20, 2009 If you don't mind getting weekly e-mails, sign up for a couple of the online TAs mailing lists - you will get weekly updates on "bargains", sales and last minute deals. Almost all the online TAs have some sort of weekly notification notices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packercruising Posted November 20, 2009 #20 Share Posted November 20, 2009 If you sign up for Cru Con, the CC newsletter they have some awesome deals. Also go to the websites of the lines you want to consider and sign up for their newsletters. We had never sailed Princess but go a 2 for one cruise tour of Alaska that was too good to pass up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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