trying to get a cheaper Explorer price, any advice? details below

[imfun888]

There are three or four families planning a cruise for the end of June. My friend has four kids so she needs two cabins...Therefore she wants the cheapest cruise possible. She found a Carnival leaving from NY (we live in NY area so no airfare) for 3,830 for two adults and two kids...8 days

 

I would LOVE to go on the Explorer leaving NY in third week of June

 

For the cheapest room the website says 4,396.... Any chance on getting a discount anywhere to make the price about the same as Carnivals?? If so where could I look for a discount???

 

Thanks Any advice appreciated:)

[Bound4Bermuda]

If you really want to go on Explorer for a cheaper price (although it would have to be a different date), you may want to look into the 5-day to Bermuda. That one is costing my family of five just $3,000 for two inside connecting rooms. Of course, that's 3 less days and different port, but it's a very good price if you're just looking for a cruise from the convenience of NY/NJ for the cheapest price possible. Although others might chime in with cheaper options in the NY/NJ area. You may want to post your query in the East Coast Departures board for more feedback.

[funfamilyof6]

If you really want to go on Explorer for a cheaper price (although it would have to be a different date), you may want to look into the 5-day to Bermuda. That one is costing my family of five just $3,000 for two inside connecting rooms. Of course, that's 3 less days and different port, but it's a very good price if you're just looking for a cruise from the convenience of NY/NJ for the cheapest price possible. Although others might chime in with cheaper options in the NY/NJ area. You may want to post your query in the East Coast Departures board for more feedback.

 

When are you going for this price! Is it $3000 for each room? We are a family of 6 and haven't found anything near this price in the summer leaving from NY. We have to go in the summer and can't go 2 last weeks of August because of sports starting earlier before school starts. When I price everything out it is usually between 5000 and 6000 and that is for interior. Thanks!!!

[Bound4Bermuda]

Well, maybe that's why I got that price. I'm not going in summer; I'm going in 3 weeks. We just booked it last month, so it may have been a reduced rate for a (relatively) last-minute booking. The inside rooms were "on sale," although we paid a higher rate than advertised since we needed connecting cabins, so we got a somewhat higher grade (whatever that is/means) than the cheapest cabin available. So, I'm not sure if I paid the regular rate or a reduced rate at that point! :confused: (It was still cheap enough that I didn't care. :p) You have a good point that time of year makes a difference and I'm sure it is more expensive in the height of vacation season.

 

Edited to add a comment to your edited query: ;) It's a total price for all of us, both rooms. It seemed like areally good deal, and your pricing confirms that! That's for the 5-day Bermuda that you priced at that much?!

When are you going for this price! We are a family of 6 and haven't found anything near this price in the summer leaving from NY. We have to go in the summer and can't go 2 last weeks of August because of sports starting earlier before school starts. Thanks!!!

[funfamilyof6]

Well, maybe that's why I got that price. I'm not going in summer; I'm going in 3 weeks. We just booked it last month, so it may have been a reduced rate for a (relatively) last-minute booking. The inside rooms were "on sale," although we paid a higher rate than advertised since we needed connecting cabins, so we got a somewhat higher grade (whatever that is/means) than the cheapest cabin available. So, I'm not sure if I paid the regular rate or a reduced rate at that point! :confused: (It was still cheap enough that I didn't care. :p) You have a good point that time of year makes a difference and I'm sure it is more expensive in the height of vacation season.

 

Edited to add a comment to your edited query: ;) It's a total price for all of us, both rooms. It seemed like areally good deal, and your pricing confirms that! That's for the 5-day Bermuda that you priced at that much?!

 

Thanks for clearing that up, I thought I was missing something. My brother in law wants to go to Bermuda from NY, but for the $6300 for 5 days we don't think it is worth it.

 

Glad you got a great price...I miss the days when we could take a vacation whenever we wanted. We are prisoners to our kids school schedule. :rolleyes:

[Bound4Bermuda]

Thanks for clearing that up, I thought I was missing something. My brother in law wants to go to Bermuda from NY, but for the $6300 for 5 days we don't think it is worth it.

 

Glad you got a great price...I miss the days when we could take a vacation whenever we wanted. We are prisoners to our kids school schedule. :rolleyes:

 

I'm taking my kids out of school. I started a new job in April, so I couldn't take vacation until I've been there for 6 months, which is October. So, I was planning on trying to take a vacation around Columbus Day weekend, but my husband couldn't switch his on-call for work. At that point we figured they'd only miss 3.5 days of school (Saturday to Thursday morning). You're right. $6300 for 5 days isn't worth it, but half that price is worth taking the kids out of school for! ;)

[watermusic101]

To original poster,

 

If your heart is set on the Explorer, there are definltely cheaper times of the year, for example October through December. We have even gotten a good sale in January.

 

If you have to have a set date and you can wait, I've noticed that often times about 2 months out the prices will take a dip for a short time. But then you will run the risk of not catching a price drop and having to pay top dollar closer to the sailing. Unfortunately if you can't be flexible with date, the date you are looking at tends to be the beginning of the most expensive season.

 

If you can manage to pull yourself away from Explorer, (I know that is the ship you really want to be on) NCL has some VERY reasonable Bermuda runs out of NY that time of year. We went for around 499 pp.

 

Good luck!

[booklady26]

Be careful about waiting too long thinking rates will go down as the sail date gets closer.

 

I'm sailing on the 12 day Southern Caribbean in November. We booked a JS in April. There haven't been any suites available on line for several weeks, but the last time a JS was listed it was $1,000 more for the cabin than what we had booked it for.

 

I've been sailing our of the NY area ever since homeport cruising became popular post 9/11. I have always booked several months in advance no matter what cruise line I was sailing. The only time the price dropped was last year's cruise on the Carnival Dream. We booked that about 14 months out. By the time we sailed the economy was in shambles and prices had tumbled. Thanks goodness we booked CCL's guaranteed rates and were able to get the lower rates.

 

I'm also booked on X's Silhouette for January 2012. The price has already gone up $100 pp from what I booked it for.

[imfun888]

Thanks everyone! I might price out Bermuda..We all have kids in highschool and you can not miss school in highschool:(

 

We have done three Disney cruises in May! I feel spoiled. They have all been gorgous weather and great prices (for Disney)..I just hear much better things about Royal Caribbean than I do Carnival...But since my friend needs two rooms Carnival will be the best price..

 

Thanks! The boards are great:)

[Merion_Mom]

There are three or four families planning a cruise for the end of June. My friend has four kids so she needs two cabins...Therefore she wants the cheapest cruise possible. She found a Carnival leaving from NY (we live in NY area so no airfare) for 3,830 for two adults and two kids...8 days

 

I would LOVE to go on the Explorer leaving NY in third week of June

 

For the cheapest room the website says 4,396.... Any chance on getting a discount anywhere to make the price about the same as Carnivals?? If so where could I look for a discount???

 

Thanks Any advice appreciated:)

 

Unless I am reading your post wrong, or you mistyped, you are comparing apples and oranges.

 

You said that your friend found a Carnival cruise for 8 days for $3,830 for 4..........but she has six in her family. She needs two cabins for 3, right?

 

What would THAT be on her Carnival cruise?

 

Then you can compare.

[sjcruiser]

The prices for Explorer really remains constant, unless you're planning a last minute cruise. We book a 9 night Thanksgiving cruise on her last year for less than $800pp for a balcony. We booked three or so weeks out.