Glad I didn't wait!

[dcward89]

With all the talk of price drops/WOW sale/world's largest cruise sale/etc. I thought I would throw my hat in the ring on the side of book as early as you can. I originally booked our Jan/2011 Serenade cruise on Aug. 16, 2010. 4 days later the price went down by $52pp...called and was happy to take it as OBC, although they would have given price reduction. 3 days after that the price went up to $1 more per person than our original price. Tuesday of this week the price went up again to $31 more than our original price. I'm sitting pretty with our desired aft balcony on the itinerary of our choice and $104 OBC...I'm a happy girl!:D:D:D

[Shekim]

Fantastic! Every little OBC helps.

[lady_cruiser]

Fantastic! Every little OBC helps.

 

Hi SheKim! How is the Mardi Gras cruise coming? If anyone in your group has cabin 1394 let us know. We'll hide something in it for them to find since we will be onboard the Voyager the week before. Phooey:mad: to Emily's boss for going to school Mardi Gras week. But she has her house for sale so once she sales it we won't be tied down to her schedule. I see a Mardi Gras cruise for February 2012.

[Shooraq]

That's how I feel. For those of us who don'rt have flexible vacation time or live at a port, booking early is the better option. My Baltic cruise in May I booked back in March at $512 per person for an inside room. Since then the price doubled and is now sold out! If you plan ahead, booking can totally be the best way to go. I'm hoping I'll be proven right in my following cruises!

[WhiteSoxFan]

My Allure cruise in January has gone up $840:eek: (for three of us) since I booked during the WOW sale in May.

[Karma5]

I booked a Feb cruise a year prior and got two price drops after that. Now the price has gone up . I saved a good 400.00 for what the cost is now for 2 people.

[vistapat]

The second leg of our back to back next June has increased by $1698 PER PERSON over what we paid this past May. Now granted, this is a once-a-year itinerary, but the increases have been crazy, and the cruise is still over 8 months away. I think that booking late was the way to go until this year, and from what I can see, into the future. Now, I feel more secure with the price I can get almost as soon as a cruise is released.

 

Patricia

[Jimbo]

It's still a crap shoot guys. No one ever knows. It's just what makes you comfortable when you book. That is why it is different for everyone.

 

Jimbo:)

[Cruising89143]

If you're a person that doesn't care what cabin they recieve and are prepared to roll the dice, then booking at the last minute may work. We like to choose our cabin so that doesn't work most of the time.

[Jimbo]

If you're a person that doesn't care what cabin they recieve and are prepared to roll the dice, then booking at the last minute may work. We like to choose our cabin so that doesn't work most of the time.

 

 

I don't think the cabins you book go down in price very often anyway. That ATS cabin you had just makes me sick.;)

 

Jimbo:)

[yogimax]

It always pays to book as early as possible to lock in a price.

[Cruising89143]

I don't think the cabins you book go down in price very often anyway. That ATS cabin you had just makes me sick.;)

 

Jimbo:)

 

No, I couldn't tell you the last time that we had a price decrease. They don't come very often.:)

[InsideCruiser]

On Aug 7th there was a $60 price increase on our cruise. Just found out that it was becuase the port fees went up $60.

 

Not sure how often that happens but there's another reason to book early. Lock in the cost of the port fees.

[bajathree]

I am laughing over this thread....the OP's sailing isn't even into final and they are already celebrating that the price of their cruise went up $104 since booking:rolleyes:....come back AFTER final and let us know if you are still ahead....I can't tell you how many sailings I see that just keep going up and up and then after final start the downward spiral all the way back again. Yes, not all of them do this but I see it almost daily. I have seen some Oasis sailings after final drop by almost $2K/cabin in one day:eek:...and I am not talking suites. The military/fire/police rates and such that they have been putting on some of these sailings lately is just off the wall....drops some in half....nothing against police/fire/military...but dropping their rates in half from everyone else on a sailing is just crazy....why not be fair and just lower everyone. There is no way that revenue doesn't realize this prior to final...this is just the new games... everyone has their own booking needs....but there is little doubt as of late...most that need to book in advance, require triples or quads or want just that perfect location that you just can't live without are paying the premium.....sorry to say but true.

[Never2Late2Cruise]

I can't tell you how many sailings I see that just keep going up and up and then after final start the downward spiral all the way back again. Yes, not all of them do this but I see it almost daily.

 

Last July we booked a Thanksgiving cruise.

Had a price reduction prior to final date.

After final date "Senior Discount" got us a great deal and the OBC credit covered

all on tips and onboard expenses.

 

Nov 2009 WOW sale we booked this years Thanksgiving cruise.

Price was VERY high but we wanted to lock in room and hoped for price reductions.

Had 3 price reductions and its where I hoped it would be (NOT rock bottom but

still good) and have a WOW OBC credit

At this time the price has gone up $128 per person from what we paid and

there is just 1 cabin available in our catagory.

 

Overview

Last year financial crises effected cruise prices as many people held back doing a cruise.

Cruise line are disounting LESS this year than in the past

Our travel agent is swamped with requests for cruises. Those that survived are now booking.

 

 

My advice is to book as far in advance as possible (unless you can travel with

a VERY VERY short notice (local port and open schedule).

This is important if you want to take a cruise during holidays, school intersession or vacation time.

Choose the room catagory you want and are confortable EVEN IF THE PRICE DOES NOT CHANGE.

Take advantage of WOW sales / NextCruise / C&A Saving certificates.

Use the RCCL VISA Card and cash in points for OBC credits.

Always check RCCL web site for price drops.

 

Remember if things change you can always cancel before the FINAL PAYMENT DATE

(make sure your TA does not charge if you cancel)

 

PS we even booked 2011 Thanksgiving cruise during the May WOW sale and

the price has already gone up.

[bajathree]

Last July we booked a Thanksgiving cruise.

Had a price reduction prior to final date.

After final date "Senior Discount" got us a great deal and the OBC credit covered

all on tips and onboard expenses.

 

Nov 2009 WOW sale we booked this years Thanksgiving cruise.

Price was VERY high but we wanted to lock in room and hoped for price reductions.

Had 3 price reductions and its where I hoped it would be (NOT rock bottom but

still good) and have a WOW OBC credit

At this time the price has gone up $128 per person from what we paid and

there is just 1 cabin available in our catagory.

 

Overview

Last year financial crises effected cruise prices as many people held back doing a cruise.

Cruise line are disounting LESS this year than in the past

Our travel agent is swamped with requests for cruises. Those that survived are now booking.

 

 

My advice is to book as far in advance as possible (unless you can travel with

a VERY VERY short notice (local port and open schedule).

This is important if you want to take a cruise during holidays, school intersession or vacation time.

Choose the room catagory you want and are confortable EVEN IF THE PRICE DOES NOT CHANGE.

Take advantage of WOW sales / NextCruise / C&A Saving certificates.

Use the RCCL VISA Card and cash in points for OBC credits.

Always check RCCL web site for price drops.

 

Remember if things change you can always cancel before the FINAL PAYMENT DATE

(make sure your TA does not charge if you cancel)

 

PS we even booked 2011 Thanksgiving cruise during the May WOW sale and

the price has already gone up.

 

I can highly contest that.....just take a look at the military/fire/police rates on oasis 12/11 if you want to see steep discounting...and I can show you plenty more like that....I am seeing plenty steep late discounting...why do you think that Royal changed their price protection policy to no longer honor price drops after final.....because they thought they would be having to raise prices after final:rolleyes:that move is making them bundles right now.....last year there were plenty posts of people getting OBC into the thousands figure due to price drops after final....I am still seeing them this year on those that are still grandfathered.

 

Listen....bottom line is that booking early works for many....you need to book with how you are comfortable....but I just can't agree with your statement on discounting above :)

[pbinn]

We booked our cruise in july for may 2011 on freedom of the seas. I wanted the aft corner balcony and there was only one left so we booked.luckily there was a $100 per person decrease six weeks later and i got that adjustment. I still keep checking for drops, but none yet. I did notice that the cruise the week after up is going up in price though ! I'm just happy to be getting my aft balcony..any more drops will be icing on the cake !

[2poolesrus]

Please help. I have been reading your threads with great interest. Many of you are talking about price increases or drops after "final date'".

 

What does final date mean?

 

We are new to cruising (only once before) but recently booked another cruise in February of 2011.

 

Should we be monitoring prices? If it decreases, should we call our travel agent and ask for an onboard credit?

 

Any help is very much appreciated

[bajathree]

Please help. I have been reading your threads with great interest. Many of you are talking about price increases or drops after "final date'".

 

What does final date mean?

 

We are new to cruising (only once before) but recently booked another cruise in February of 2011.

 

Should we be monitoring prices? If it decreases, should we call our travel agent and ask for an onboard credit?

 

Any help is very much appreciated

 

"final date" means that date that final payment is due on the cruise. It used to be that Royal would honor any price drops after final by giving you the difference as an on-board credit (money that goes onto your sea-pass account) and you can use once aboard. However Royal changed their price protection policy that any reservations booked after May 17th 2010 are no longer protected....so this means that after final payment due date that is it....you will no longer get any type of refund. The only thing you can possibly due is upgrade to a higher cabin if they become available for the same price you paid or less. Any price drops you see before your final payment date is due you can still call and get your price adjusted to the lower price.

 

Hope that helps:)

[2poolesrus]

Thank you very much bajathree. We still have a month before our final payment is due so lets hope :)

 

If we do not get one thought I am still thrilled to be going. Since it was Valentine's day and we really needed a vacation from work I am surprising him with this one and booked a suite :p

 

Thanks again

[pbinn]

Thank you very much bajathree. We still have a month before our final payment is due so lets hope :)

 

If we do not get one thought I am still thrilled to be going. Since it was Valentine's day and we really needed a vacation from work I am surprising him with this one and booked a suite :p

 

Thanks again

Go on the site occasionally and start a new search for the cruise you have booked ..don't sign in first . See what the price is for the cabin you have booked. If it is lower, call and you will get the adjustment on what you owe..up until that final payment date.

[bajathree]

Go on the site occasionally and start a new search for the cruise you have booked ..don't sign in first . See what the price is for the cabin you have booked. If it is lower, call and you will get the adjustment on what you owe..up until that final payment date.

 

 

Thats the problem....any steep discounting that will occur will be after final...they aren't going to give away much before.

[pbinn]

I know they will discount more after that date, but you never know..ours did go down $100 a person and we got the adjustment. Still worth checking.

[InsideCruiser]

Thats the problem....any steep discounting that will occur will be after final...they aren't going to give away much before.

 

We've had price drops totalling $310 pp on our lowest category inside suite and we're still 3 months shy of final so you never know.

[InsideCruiser]

Please help. I have been reading your threads with great interest. Many of you are talking about price increases or drops after "final date'".

 

What does final date mean?

 

We are new to cruising (only once before) but recently booked another cruise in February of 2011.

 

Should we be monitoring prices? If it decreases, should we call our travel agent and ask for an onboard credit?

 

Any help is very much appreciated

 

I would recommend a google search for cruise price drop software. Install the program and let it do your work for you.

 

It pops up a window and sends you an email when it finds a price drop. Price drops can be time critical. It found a price drop for me on Friday, a few hours later our category had sold out and I would have never found out about the price drop.