Keep checking those prices, people!!

[pcur]

To be redundant with myself: check your prices daily, and ESPECIALLY IN THE TWO WEEKS BEFORE FINAL PAYMENT.

 

I have final payment due next week on 2/8, and in the last week I have changed two of our family cruise cabins to inside guarantees (from inside cabins anyway) for a $100 per person price drop/extra obc.

 

Today I got hubby and I a designated balcony cabin for $40 per person LESS than the balcony guarantee I got last week.

 

Each of my sons' now have $400 obc, and hubby and I have $180. Sons and DIL wanted obc rather than a better cabin.

 

This whole booking is a testimonial to RCCL's flexibility in booking options:

 

booking on board originally for the reduced deposit and $100 obc per cabin

price drops for guarantees for extra obc

MORE price drops for MORE obc

 

My TA is wonderful about making these changes asap, too. You have to jump on them the day you see them. The price drops from last week are gone now.

 

I've posted before that I see movement in the few weeks before final payment, and it's been true for me more than once. So, check your prices, but really keep an eye on them just before final payment. I think that's when more cabins come into inventory and RCCL's computer starts playing with the prices to get the bookings up.

 

Of course, a lot of people say the prices REALLY change after final payment, but I can't take advantage of that, so I'm happy to get what I can while I can.

 

Happy sailing!! :D

[lmswanson]

Thanks for the tip! My husband and I will be on our first cruise in September and I've been reading on these boards like crazy to get info and tips and I have not run across this one yet. I will definitely be checking the prices more and more as we get closer - so far they've only gone up since we booked.

[PCWalton1]

To be redundant with myself: check your prices daily, and ESPECIALLY IN THE TWO WEEKS BEFORE FINAL PAYMENT.

 

I have final payment due next week on 2/8, and in the last week I have changed two of our family cruise cabins to inside guarantees (from inside cabins anyway) for a $100 per person price drop/extra obc.

 

Today I got hubby and I a designated balcony cabin for $40 per person LESS than the balcony guarantee I got last week.

 

Each of my sons' now have $400 obc, and hubby and I have $180. Sons and DIL wanted obc rather than a better cabin.

 

This whole booking is a testimonial to RCCL's flexibility in booking options:

 

booking on board originally for the reduced deposit and $100 obc per cabin

price drops for guarantees for extra obc

MORE price drops for MORE obc

 

My TA is wonderful about making these changes asap, too. You have to jump on them the day you see them. The price drops from last week are gone now.

 

I've posted before that I see movement in the few weeks before final payment, and it's been true for me more than once. So, check your prices, but really keep an eye on them just before final payment. I think that's when more cabins come into inventory and RCCL's computer starts playing with the prices to get the bookings up.

 

Of course, a lot of people say the prices REALLY change after final payment, but I can't take advantage of that, so I'm happy to get what I can while I can.

 

Happy sailing!! :D

 

We are 9 months out but I still check each day, it really doesn't take much time. We have only been on two cruises with RCCL but we have had a price drop on both of them. The last one was $100 for retired military but the first cruise we managed to go from a D1 to a JS and got $850 OBC. The diligence can be worth the effort. :)

Bill

[wwcruisers]

Pcur -- Thanks for the reminder. Price drops definitely fall into the "you snooze, you lose" category! Fortunately, we snagged an early price drop on our upcoming LOS cruise. The last few weeks, however, the prices have been steadily rising. Last I checked, an outside cabin is going for more than our E-1 aft cost. :p

[seaofwonder]

I check daily as well.

 

It doesn't hurt to check after final payment, BUT only look at the cabin category ABOVE yours. Every cruise I have booked balconies and got last minute upgrades to junior suites for free or a very minimal price.

[traveling1969]

Just a tip to go along with this. After you have booked, write down the prices from the web site. Basic price and price after taxes etc. Then when you surf later you'll know if it is indeed a special price. And as mentioned, check daily. Lower prices can vanish in no time. Bon Voyage!

[cruisercrazy69]

I doubt im going to get a price im paying less than 100 a day for a single inside cat q on the EncOTS in feb 2012

[C & L]

How are you managing an increase in OBC? Is that thru a TA? I booked thru RCI...so that leaves me out, I guess, for OBC.

[wanderingjew]

I doubt im going to get a price im paying less than 100 a day for a single inside cat q on the EncOTS in feb 2012

Wow at that price i'll suffer on RCCL:)

[G&TQ]

I check daily also, and the prices keep going up. Now there are no ocean view cabins availible for 3 passengers and the inside cabins are more then what we spent. Final pay is in a couple of days so maybe the prices will drop afterwards. But with it being springbreak I kinda doubt it.

[traveling1969]

I check daily also, and the prices keep going up. Now there are no ocean view cabins availible for 3 passengers and the inside cabins are more then what we spent. Final pay is in a couple of days so maybe the prices will drop afterwards. But with it being springbreak I kinda doubt it.

Prices don't often go down. It's more likely that they will go up. That said, we have found better prices at least 4 or 5 times. Once we booked a Grand Suite for $5100 and after THREE price drops we ended up paying $3100. It can and does happen. Good luck and Bon Voyage!

[pcur]

How are you managing an increase in OBC? Is that thru a TA? I booked thru RCI...so that leaves me out, I guess, for OBC.

 

You are also entitled to the difference in price as an obc if you book directly with RCCL. If you booked on a cruise for another one, you get up to $200 obc depending on the length of the cruise. Then, if the price for your cabin goes down you get the difference in price credited as additional obc.

 

You have to keep an eye on your prices and call when you see your cabin category cheaper than what you paid on that cruise.

[pcur]

I doubt im going to get a price im paying less than 100 a day for a single inside cat q on the EncOTS in feb 2012

 

Keep checking; you never know. The price drop I got last week for my son as a single was a $298 difference in price.

 

Our average price per day on our currently booked cruises is $84 a day.

 

It doesn't cost anything to check except a little time.

[pcur]

I check daily also, and the prices keep going up. Now there are no ocean view cabins availible for 3 passengers and the inside cabins are more then what we spent. Final pay is in a couple of days so maybe the prices will drop afterwards. But with it being springbreak I kinda doubt it.

 

So, after final keep checking. You can still get upgraded to a better cabin if there is one available for less than what you paid. Spring Break prices get really weird just before the cruise: they can go either direction.

[ryano]

So, after final keep checking. You can still get upgraded to a better cabin if there is one available for less than what you paid. .

 

I agree! I booked an inside cabin on my upcoming Radiance cruise and shortly after final payment date I seen the prices dropped and an oceanview cabin was the same price I paid for the inside.

 

I called up Royal Caribbean and much to my surprise they even had some handicap accessible oceanviews still available.

 

I upgraded for no charge! I could have even got a balcony for 20.00 pp more but they didnt have any HA balconies left.

[pcur]

I agree! I booked an inside cabin on my upcoming Radiance cruise and shortly after final payment date I seen the prices dropped and an oceanview cabin was the same price I paid for the inside.

 

I called up Royal Caribbean and much to my surprise they even had some handicap accessible oceanviews still available.

 

I upgraded for no charge! I could have even got a balcony for 20.00 pp more but they didnt have any HA balconies left.

 

That's great! Good for you, and it just shows that even after final payment there are "deals" to be had!

[Mousy]

We are departing in March 2012. When do suggest I start checking more often?

 

Thanks so much

Mousy

[blueblock]

I switched to a guarantee this week and got a $150 per person price drop. My guarantee cabin has already been assigned, and it's exactly the same cabin I had before making the switch!

[pcur]

We are departing in March 2012. When do suggest I start checking more often?

 

Thanks so much

Mousy

 

I start checking as soon as I book, and I track daily. I have tracked prices for as long as 18 months.

 

You never know what will happen to the prices, and I've seen them go waaaaay up after I book. But, every so often they have a dip for a few days. See, it also depends on availability. Someone will cancel or a TA will turn cabin(s) back into inventory that they didn't sell, and you will see a price drop.

 

It's tedious over a long period of time, but worth it sometimes. I check twice daily the two weeks before final payment date, and then go back to once a day after that.

[wantocruisemore]

I totally agree to check daily. I normally check twice, once in the morning and then again in the afternoon.

 

A couple of weeks ago I found a price drop, called RCCL and ended up getting the 4 cabins we had reserved for a total of $1,430.00 cheaper. They went back up within 24 hours. The person I talked to said to check often, there may be another sudden big drop in the spring just prior to final payment.

 

I am confused about checking after final payment though. I didn't think you could get OBC anymore. Since we have 4 rooms very close to one another it would be difficult to upgrade to a different room. Plus, we love the 2 aft balconies we have. About the only thing I would trade for is 1 of the balcony rooms and 1 of the insides for a royal family suite. But that's not likely to happen.

[grassman]

Maybe a dumb ?, but how does one go about checking prices? I logged on to RC website and went through the tabs, but did not find anything about pricing.

 

Need some help

 

Thanks

[iamsunnysarah]

Go in as if you are starting from square one in booking the cruise you have already booked- this is how I check, at least :)

 

This is motivating me to check daily, thank you to all! I am sailing Serenade May 22, and so far, price has gone up $100 for Oceanview Cabin- hoping for a price drop to mean a balcony upgrade though, as it is our honeymoon!

[Mrs Miggins]

Does anybody know if this also applies to bookings made in the Uk - We booked with a travel agent because the price was much better than booking with Royal Caribbean direct - I phoned and looked on line comparing prices with five different companies and went for the best one - Not travelling until Oct.

[C & L]

Thanks Peggy, you've been most helpful.

[pcur]

I am confused about checking after final payment though. I didn't think you could get OBC anymore. Since we have 4 rooms very close to one another it would be difficult to upgrade to a different room. Plus, we love the 2 aft balconies we have. About the only thing I would trade for is 1 of the balcony rooms and 1 of the insides for a royal family suite. But that's not likely to happen.

 

Only cabin upgrades after final payment date, and I agree you probably won't find anything better than what you have. You never know. I keep checking until they don't show the cruise anymore on their web site a few days before the cruise!!