Harder to find cruise this summer?

[birdie16]

Has anyone else noticed it is more diffecult finding a cruise this summer, unless you want to go to Alaska? I am running into more sold out sailings this summer...and I like to plan last minute cruises, looks like we might have to take a land vacation this summer instead. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]

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<img src=http://animatedgif.net/animals/birds/green_bird_e0.gif>
Voyager of the Seas 2/1/04
Glory 9/20/03
Monarch of the Seas 7/21/03
Splendour of the Seas 2/3/03
Rhapsody of the Seas 9/22/02
Elation 2/3/02

[Folgy]

I have been booking a year in advance for that very reason.

Alaska (my BIG 50)Serenade of the Seas
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=dc143c&cdt=2004;8;8;12;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

[travellady]

We found the Voyager to the Seas 8/8 sailing had plenty of room. It's to Canada, weather may not be fantastic, but it is the Voyager and I'm excited about that. Still plenty of cabins left...

[Folgy]

travellady(question)
I don't quite understand weather might not be fantastic?
I have cruised all over .It is pretty hard to beat Canadian weather in the summer

...however : We live in the West

Alaska (my BIG 50)Serenade of the Seas
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=dc143c&cdt=2004;8;8;12;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

[travellady]

I'm sure hoping it's fantastic but based on what other's have posted, it could be foggy and cool. Then again, I live in the Seattle area so could be like our summers, some are great (warm/hot and sunny) and some are not so great - cool and foggy. If the weather turns out to be great, all the better.

[Folgy]

travellady
I have been rained on every time I have been in Seattle

Alaska (my BIG 50)Serenade of the Seas
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=dc143c&cdt=2004;8;8;12;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

[Folgy]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Alaska (my BIG 50)Serenade of the Seas
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=dc143c&cdt=2004;8;8;12;0;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

[travellady]

Folgy - we try to rain on tourists and keep the nice sunny weather for ourselves :-)

Actually, I found the only way to live here is to schedule warm tropical vacations throughout the winter months.

Next tropical vacation - DCL Wonder to Bahamas in December and then off to Walt Disney World for a few days.

That's why I'll do the Northeast/Canada cruise this summer and have booked Vision of the Seas for June 2005. I'm sure they are both beautiful in any weather.

[njreindeer]

Hello birdie16 -- If this isn't too late in the summer, DH and I are booked on Mariner 8/29 and I think that there are still deals to be had on her, especially for guaranteed cabins. A few weeks ago it looked like everything but the suites were booked up, but some things opened up on this cruise since.

And travellady, FYI, DH and I were in Seattle September 2001, and the weather was fantastic -sunny, warm. We had a great trip! Love your part of the world and the people, we'll definitely be back someday. Some of our favorite times there: seeing DH's name on Safeco Field's big scoreboard for his birthday, dinner at Palisade, watching the Philadelphia Eagles game at Pike's Pub or is it Pike's Place Brewery? And the strangest thing -- stopping at an Arby's in Bellingham and having the world's-best Arby's roast beef sandwiches there. There was just something different about them... [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Happy cruising all!

Time 'til Mariner on 8/29/04 -- our first cruise!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2004;8;29;16;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

[laurashelby]

Ours still has availability....Mariner 7/11/04..not sure about bargains though!!

Laura [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?q=Y&a=tpc&s=927093444&f=1683059817&m=9883072337&p=1"]Roll Call: Mariner 7/11/04...Please Join Us![/url]

[img]http://pages.ivillage.com/laurashelby/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/palmhula.gif[/img]

Enchanted Seas 9/93
Atlantic 12/94
Majestic 4/95
Grandeur of the Seas 8/97
Paradise 8/99
Ocean Princess 8/00
Navigator of the Seas 10/03

[img]http://pages.ivillage.com/laurashelby/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/ola.gif[/img]


Countdown 'till the Mariner 7/11/04!!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=228b22&cdt=2004;7;11;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]

[jezzdogg]

With so many ships going to Europe, Alaska, and some sailing out of new ports (i.e. Voyager) there seems to be less ships in the Caribbean, maybe that is the reason for ships selling out and less bargains.
We tried to book Northern Europe on Jewel or Connstellation this past Feb and they were sold out or price thousands of dollars higher than orginally. When schedules came out for 2005, we left deposit for this itnerary, so another reason maybe people like us are booking early, you can always cancel with no penalities before final payment is due.

norm

[DEL67]

Did you try vacationstogo.com? if not, take a look at their 90 day ticker. It will give you an idea of what is still available.

Dale

[birdie16]

I guess we are just too cheap...we like to get bargains so we can cruise more often. We usually use interline companies (airline employee discounts) and the deals are just not there this summer.

Norm, I think you are right about the ships in Europe, Alaska and new ports. Last summer they moved the ships that sail normally in Europe to the Caribbean because of all the problems with our war in Iraq.

We just decided on a cruise on the Radiance in July...I guess I will have to get a new cruise wardrobe for the different climate! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

<center>
<img src=http://animatedgif.net/animals/birds/green_bird_e0.gif>
Voyager of the Seas 2/1/04
Glory 9/20/03
Monarch of the Seas 7/21/03
Splendour of the Seas 2/3/03
Rhapsody of the Seas 9/22/02
Elation 2/3/02

[birdie16]

Dale, yes I did try Vacations2go...and sometimes they are as good as our "Interline" deals, just not this summer.

<center>
<img src=http://animatedgif.net/animals/birds/green_bird_e0.gif>
Voyager of the Seas 2/1/04
Glory 9/20/03
Monarch of the Seas 7/21/03
Splendour of the Seas 2/3/03
Rhapsody of the Seas 9/22/02
Elation 2/3/02