Out of My Comfort Zone! BPG

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Once upon a time when we had decided on a specific cruise we wanted to take, I would book it and choose the best cabin available for us! It didn’t matter if it was over a year in advance or 1 month in advance I knew I would get a price drop if it should happen. Part of my excitement was checking multiple times a day to see if it did indeed drop. RCCL certainly has the right to change their rules and of course as you all know, they did.

Now my dilemma,,,,, I want to book another cruise for December. Right now the price seems high. There are a lot of cabins available (I count them daily) and they don’t seem to be selling. With the December Diamond event, who knows, the price could start to increase and not come down at all or not until after final payment. There are too many different scenarios to try and second guess. Now I feel like am gambling on when I’ll hit the best price! I also watch the cruise before and after this one to see if I can see a pattern!

My fun has turned into anxiety. Me, like most people want to get the best deal possible and it will tug at me a bit when I see the price drop and I can do nadda. It has already happened to us on Celebrity. I am still thrilled to be going on the cruise, but I would have loved the 300.00 bucks.

Is anyone else having a wee bit of anxiety with the new BPG and strategizing? :eek::eek: I know, ,,”book at the price you feel comfortable paying” is the bottom line but that’s no fun!

[thelion]

If the price is too high for you, don't book it. It was always a gamble as to whether or not the price would go down.

 

If you are comfortable with the price and it goes down before final, great! If it goes down after final, look for an upgrade. If it doesn't go down, well you still got a cruise for a price you were comfortable with.

[marci22]

If you had said 'the price seems reasonable' I would say book it but as you said 'the price seems high', I would wait. Looks like you don't need airfare.

 

I don't worry about getting 'the best deal possible' but it would worry me that I might be paying hundreds pp too much.

[phoenix1181]

Book it when the price is right for you & then STOP checking prices after final payment. There's no sense making yourself sick over something you can't control.

 

I have one booked under the old rules & two with the news ones. I'll stop checking prices after final payment on those two because there are times when ignorance is bliss!

[setsail]

Not at all. We pick a few cruises we think we might like and then watch the prices (10 to 14 months out) and then book when its right. I have never had a lower advertised price at sailing than when booked.

 

We did get an upgrade once because the price dropped on a higher class.

[CruisesOnMyMind]

If the price is too high for you, don't book it. It was always a gamble as to whether or not the price would go down.

 

If you are comfortable with the price and it goes down before final, great! If it goes down after final, look for an upgrade. If it doesn't go down, well you still got a cruise for a price you were comfortable with.

 

The price I feel is high. Were not talking affordability here in this case!

No it was never a gamble if the price would go down, because you always got the price reduction. Except for NBO.

Yes the upgrade is an option for sure. But I'm talking price.

 

If you had said 'the price seems reasonable' I would say book it but as you said 'the price seems high', I would wait. Looks like you don't need airfare.

 

I don't worry about getting 'the best deal possible' but it would worry me that I might be paying hundreds pp too much.

 

Yepper, no one wants to pay hundreds too much. But it is already happening for some people.

 

Book it when the price is right for you & then STOP checking prices after final payment. There's no sense making yourself sick over something you can't control.

 

I have one booked under the old rules & two with the news ones. I'll stop checking prices after final payment on those two because there are times when ignorance is bliss!

 

I won't stop checking prices on those that I have booked under the new system unless I am totally happy with my cabin selection. You never know, they might offer a suite at the price I paid for my balcony!

 

I know I am a sick puppy:D:cool::eek: It's part of the fun! This is what I fill my time up with before my cruise!

[texancruzer]

No it was never a gamble if the price would go down, because you always got the price reduction.

 

I don't think the poster meant that it was a gamble if you got the price drop but rather that the price could go UP if you wait to book.

 

I have booked cruises where the price went up, some went down and some stayed the same !!! The gamble comes in IF you wait and the price goes up...... or stays the same and you can't get a choice cabin.

[pcur]

My DH and I joke about how when I book a cruise, the price almost ALWAYS goes up after that! However, then they usually drop in the 4 - 6 month window. I have booked very few cruises in the last several years that I don't get a price drop. I agree: book at the price you like to begin with, and then watch. Booking very early almost always gets you a lower price.