when to book

[bart781]

we want to go on a carribean cruise with p&o on the 3rd of jan 2011 and have shopped around and got a two week cruise for £1750 do you think we should book or wait ???? do you think this price will come down (this is for a window cabin)

[Marmaduke]

A difficult question to answer. If this is they only cruise you want to go on, or the only one you can because of timing then book it to make sure you get a place. If you can be more flexible then wait, especially if the ship is Ventura or Azura as these ships have a lot of cabins to be filled. Check prices approximately 12 weeks before sailing when the final balances are due because that is when many people cancel. I booked in September last year and I managed to get a balcony on Ventura in December for £1500 pp and there were many more people on board that paid less than that for a balcony. If you are looking at a Panama Canal cruise on Oceana then it is probably better to book early as these cruises seem to be very popular and rarely get heavily discounted.

[sammydo]

personally, if you have shopped around, and this is the best price you have found, then i would book it, as the prices do seem to go up, before they actually come down again, much nearer to the time.

if you are prepared to wait until last minute, and basically take what they have to offer, on whatever deck, then maybe you may get a cheaper deal, but i would rather book ahead, knowing i can choose my cabin, and

what deck it is on.

see what others think, but this is in my experience, after 6 cruises.

[cruisebore]

I would be expecting a balcony at that price.In my opinion P&O seem to have hiked up early fares for those who do not wish to wait, in anticipation of covering the big discounts they will need to give later on to fill the ships. We booked last August for a balcony cabin on Ventura in November. It cost less than £1700, but we got a cabin on C deck and were able to book late dining.

 

Cb

[silver service]

is it really important to you to get a particular cabin? this is another standpoint. we require a disabled cat cabin. so to make sure of securing what we need, our booking is made as soon as they are released by pando. we can not wait to make the booking. regards, mike:)

[spud]

we want to go on a carribean cruise with p&o on the 3rd of jan 2011 and have shopped around and got a two week cruise for £1750 do you think we should book or wait ???? do you think this price will come down (this is for a window cabin)

 

We are booked on Azura for 21st jan, with premium seats at our choice of airport. I do think we might have got a better price for the actual cabin if we had waited a bit, but the airport and premium seats are not always available if you leave it later.

[Johnthed0g]

Way I see it is if you don't mind what you get, leave it for the best price. The more requirements you have all the more reason to book early...but despite what P&O says it not always the cheapest.

[kersh]

It also depends on which airport you want to fly from. Manchester always appears to sell out very quickly even thhough there are usually 3 flights from there. Sue

[C at Sea]

If its the cruise you want and the cabin you need to book it really. We fancied the cruise at end of Dec on Ventura to USA and Caribbean, all sold out, every cabin!

Booked a balcony on Oceana JB grade for Cruise to Caribbean at end of Feb 2011 flying from Manchester, cost £4024 for the two of us with £200 on board spend.

[daiB]

we want to go on a carribean cruise with p&o on the 3rd of jan 2011 and have shopped around and got a two week cruise for £1750 do you think we should book or wait ???? do you think this price will come down (this is for a window cabin)

 

There are two times to book a cruise and now is not one of them.

 

This cruise and all cruises up to April 2011 first went on sail April/May last year. This is the safest way to get the best deal as that is when the prices are at there lowest and there are extras to be had, eg OBC or free parking for Southampton cruises.

 

The second possible time to book a cruise is within 6 to 10 weeks of departure. This is when people drop out having paid their deposit and for whatever reason cannot go on the cruise.

 

You can get a good deal at this time but you have to take what is left.

 

So even though you are a year away from the possible cruise you would not be making an early booking, that was done 8 months ago.

 

But worry not most people end up doing this with their first cruise.

 

Some carry on doing it.:eek:

 

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

:cool:

 

 

 

Dai