Balcony Prices

[Jenjer]

Okay first off please excuse me if I am not allowed to ask.

 

We want to do a 7 day eastern cruise in March and love both the Freedom and the Oasis. Also flying into Orland is easy and cheap from here. We really need/want a balcony room. Since we are a family of 4 the best price I have found on FOS is like 4,400. Thats higher than I expected it to be. Since before we are done with tips and excursions we would be at 6,000 or more for a 7 day cruise.

 

Do we just need to book farther out to get a better price? Or do I need to except if we want a balcony its going to be that much.

 

Whats a normal or good price for a balcony cabin?

 

We did Disney for less than that but it was booked like 18 moths out.

 

Thanks for any advice.

[PattyG12]

Look farther out ... also look at times when people aren't cruising. I've seen some really good prices for the FOS. Haven't looked at Oasis ... just not quite ready to try her yet.

[Caliterp07]

March is prime spring break time--prices are generally going to always be higher.

[BlueSkySailing]

The little I know and been watch price is that the prices are going up. My GUESS is that the economy is getting better and the prices are not. But I'm watching so really good last min. cruises but that doesn't help anyone who has to fly in to the port. Just my thoughs on it! Happy Cruising!!!

[39august]

Depends on when you plan to go. Summer, spring break and holidays are the highest prices. If you can go at other times, you should easily be able to get a balcony for around $1000 pp for first 2 in the cabin. I have no idea what 3rd and 4th rates are. Freedom should cost less than Oasis.

[lovcruzing]

I was able to snag a Jr Suite prime mid-ship location over the hump for around $999 on a Tuedsay sale 2 months prior to the cruise.

[LBumb]

you can find way better deals as soon as you get out of spring break time. look at late april or early may.

[Maybaybie10]

We are sailing on FOS next May and my parents have a balcony for $1049pp. It's only gone up about $30pp since we booked back in March as I keep checking for price drops. I would assume since you are a family of 4 that it is 2 parents and 2 children? If so, you might want to consider getting a balcony for the 2 adults and a connecting inside cabin for the 2 kids (if they are too young, you can always sleep one adult and one child per room). The inside cabins are about $699pp for May (not sure about March). It's a thought to save you a few hundred dollars. Good Luck.

[Jenjer]

Thanks it is high I'm right.

 

I will watch and see if they do a deal closer. Or maybe we will book something farther out. Traveling in off times is hard with the kids and school. I am more then willing to pull them out but DS has health issues so he misses a ton of school already and thats unavoidable a vacation is.

 

See I was thinking around 3,500 for all 4 of us sounded about closer to what it should be. I know carnival comes in less but I want Royal

[cruie4ever]

Thanks it is high I'm right.

 

I will watch and see if they do a deal closer. Or maybe we will book something farther out. Traveling in off times is hard with the kids and school. I am more then willing to pull them out but DS has health issues so he misses a ton of school already and thats unavoidable a vacation is.

 

See I was thinking around 3,500 for all 4 of us sounded about closer to what it should be. I know carnival comes in less but I want Royal

 

We have found that prices tend to drop closer to the cruise date . With a family of 4 doing a 7 day cruise you should be able to get much lower prices . The 3rd & 4th in a cabin should be much lower .Try Holland America for 3rd & 4th cruise prices .They often have great prices .

[johneeo]

The little I know and been watch price is that the prices are going up. My GUESS is that the economy is getting better

 

It is reported that unemployment is at 9.6%. In actuality it is over 10%.

 

In January taxes are going up.

 

In the last 18 months the U.S. has racked record debt so large it is incomprehensible.

 

With Oasis and Allure adding another 10,000 passenger capacity to the industry, cruise lines will be hard pressed to fill up the available cabins.

 

My guess is cruise lines will be lowering prices, cutting back on services, and tightening belts as never before seen.

[boo317]

We are on FOS 10/24/10. We added a third person (adult) in our balcony room for $647. That includes all fees, taxes and prepaid gratuities.

[boo317]

Johnee,

 

In January taxes breaks may be repealed for the wealthiest Americans, those bringing in $260K a year. I doubt if the folks on FOS fall in to that category.

[Kim4]

Johnee,

 

In January taxes breaks may be repealed for the wealthiest Americans, those bringing in $260K a year. I doubt if the folks on FOS fall in to that category.

 

yeah, but those people are our bosses, which means that they're not going to give raises or create new jobs.

[windjamming]

Thanks it is high I'm right.

 

I will watch and see if they do a deal closer. Or maybe we will book something farther out. Traveling in off times is hard with the kids and school. I am more then willing to pull them out but DS has health issues so he misses a ton of school already and thats unavoidable a vacation is.

 

See I was thinking around 3,500 for all 4 of us sounded about closer to what it should be. I know carnival comes in less but I want Royal

 

March or anytime during spring break season is generally high, though you can probably cut that $4400 by a few hundred dollars by watching vigilantly for sales and residency discounts. You may also want to consider late summer, before the kids are back in school and after hurricane season starts. Prices do tend to be lower but there is the risk of the weather.

 

Another option is Thanksgiving week. It's generally priced very well (technically during hurricane season still) and the kids would only have to miss 3 days of school.

[johneeo]

Johnee,

 

In January taxes breaks may be repealed for the wealthiest Americans, those bringing in $260K a year. I doubt if the folks on FOS fall in to that category.

 

Those are both "people" and businesses.

 

Put more burden on the people and business owners, and they cut jobs, stop spending, and possibly raise their product costs to make up for it.

 

So the person making $5 an hour might see the price of his auto mechanic go up, the price of his rent go up, the price of everthing he uses go up.

 

So, let's stick it to those rich people making $260,000 or more a year. Just what we want to do, get rid of successful rich people and increase entitlements for the less successful non producing element of society.

 

Great business plan we have in operation here. It worked well in Detroit.

[ksacer]

I too have noticed that prices are high right now. My family of three sailed FOS in 08/2010 and paid $749 for passengers 1 & 2, $499 for passenger 3 for an E1 balcony (We booked during wave season). I'm currently looking to book FOS for the same week in 2011 and that same E1 is now $1069 for 1st & 2nd, $699 for 3rd. I Think they are keeping the price of FOS cruises high to encourage bookings on Oasis & Allure.

[whitshel]

Have you thought about connecting promenade rooms? We have done that on our last two Voyager class cruises and loved them. You dont have the balcony but you get great views of the promenade and two of everything, tv's, windows, storage, and best of all bathrooms.:D I looked at March 27th which I assume you are looking at because it looks like March 13th is sold out of balconies, is $1871 per room, so you are looking at $3700.:o

[MCC retired]

RCI Early Booking rates are generally horrible (my opionion as a ex: TA).

Don't be discouraged , keep checking , there will be better rates, this recession is far from over:( .

If you didn't require a balcony that accomodates 4 guests I'd say wait until 2 months out to book.

 

If $$$ is important, don't fall in love with just one ship or even just one cruise line. Sooooooo many choices for the Caribbean in March.;)

[Jenjer]

RCI Early Booking rates are generally horrible (my opionion as a ex: TA).

Don't be discouraged , keep checking , there will be better rates, this recession is far from over:( .

If you didn't require a balcony that accomodates 4 guests I'd say wait until 2 months out to book.

 

If $$$ is important, don't fall in love with just one ship or even just one cruise line. Sooooooo many choices for the Caribbean in March.;)

 

 

We need a great kids program and pool options. Carnival is so much cheaper but its pools look like postage stamps. DH and I loved being able to check the kids in for a couple of hours and enjoy ourselves alone, a book, a drink and a pool.

 

Hollands prices look great but I am very unsure about how kid friendly they are the munchkins are 6 and 8

[truffles2]

I beg to differ with ex TA as we have found the earlier we book, the better the price. The prices have done nothing but go up. If you wait until almost cruise time and have to fly to the port, you will also then dearly for airfare (if you can get it) as it is also better when booked early.

[SoCalCruzzing]

strange thing in just the last week the fees for my booking went up by $10 :( per person from when i did a dummy booking last Friday to actual booking this friday. No big deal only $30 more total for 3 of us :o , just curious why the taxes and fees increased within one week. This is for Oasis booking next April

[marci22]

I beg to differ with ex TA as we have found the earlier we book, the better the price. The prices have done nothing but go up. If you wait until almost cruise time and have to fly to the port, you will also then dearly for airfare (if you can get it) as it is also better when booked early.

 

I see from your cruises that you tend to book at off-peak times. In that case, booking early might be your best bet. As a mother with 3 teens I can guarantee you that the prices start out extremely high for the times we can travel: mainly summer and holidays.

 

For these itineraries, they tend to start out with ridiculous prices and then drop them severely after final. On two of our recent cruises (FOS and IOS) taken in the summer and during Easter break, we got incredible discounts after final.

[arc918]

one important comment,

 

having recently cruised on the FOS with a family of 4

 

I was shocked to discover that getting 2 connecting balcony rooms cost almost the same squeezing all four of us into a single room

 

we got twice the space and bathrooms, etc. for ~ $200 total for the week (so perhaps $30 per day for twice the space)

[Wilda]

In my opinion the last thing you want to do is spend vacation time and dollars on 'second best'. If you have your heart set on a ship/cabin, then stick to your guns. I agree with pp about keeping an eye out for rate drops...although that makes the airfare kind of challenging.