Wait for best price or book ahead?

[MelbourneCruiser]

Im looking to do another RT Mel/NZ cruise for Dec of 2012 or Jan 2013 but was wandering when is the best time to book when its a few months out or way ahead like now :rolleyes: this is for an inside if that matters just looking to see when i should book to get the best price.

 

Anyway thanks for any answers you can give me.

[rugbypopsie]

That is the $64,000 question .....we all ponder. Basically if you want an inside check how many there are on the ship. Booking early gives you a choice of cabin location but if that is not an issue for you book a "guarantee" you just might get an upgrade.

 

If you had sailed Princess before always get a FCC letter which gives you favourable booking conditions, little or no deposit and on board credit.

 

If the cruise celebrates Christmas or New Year onboard it will be popular in which case I would book early. Otherwise you may get a bargain by booking later but its always a gamble. The cruises that disembark close Christmas Eve etc. are the ones that usually have bargains later.

 

Hope this helps. I have done this cruise on the Diamond Princess and it is lovely.

 

 

[kuldalai]

It real is like a lottery when to book . But with Peak holiday time you are best to book early at the best price you can get and deposit . If a better price comes along you do a "dummy spit" and a good TA will get you re-booked at the new lower price without forfeiture of deposit . This is where being a frequent cruiser with the same line is a decided advantage .

 

Smaller vessels also book out well in advance . e:g: Our Ocean Princess (800 pax) cruise in the Mediteranean was fully booked over 15 months prior to departure . Also if you want a good suite or mini-suite they tend to sell out well in advance. Insides well they are usually the last to sell and the Cruise Lines use their yield management systems with guaranteed cabins, and upgrades to shunt pax around at the last minute to free up Insides as they can sell them better at the last minute as the lowest price point . Often these last minute Insides are the worst of the Insides (viz: DD ) low down and in the bilges virtually . However book an Inside early on , on an Upper Deck and you can avoid the last minute cabin allocated next to a noisy shaft .