When do AD minisuites sell out?

[ActiveTraveler]

I am a nervous wreck right now about possibly not getting the cabin I want because my mom, who will share the cost and go with me, is getting ready to sell her house and as a result too busy to think about cruises. The cruise I want to book embarks on May 11, 2013. That may look like I have tons of time but sales started in March and there aren't many minisuites on the starboard side of Emerald deck. I do not want E731, E733, any cabin on the port side, or any cabin on Dolphin deck. For three adults, a balcony that's not a minisuite is too small. (My sister also is going with me.) So I want to know if I am still able to get the cabin I want (E711) when the cruise has been on sale 7-9 months. I would not mind sleeping in 713, 715, 717, etc. as long as there are three beds.

[NukeTim]

It's really hard to know when a certain cabin category will sell out. Why not book the cruise and the cabin you want directly with Princess. You'll have to put down a deposit, but if you change your mind or things don't work out, you can get your deposit back as long as it is before final payment. You can monitor the prices and even transfer to the booking to a travel agent or an on-line site as long as you do it before final payment.

[Whimsy]

Why not book the cabin now as a single and add your mom on later if she is not ready to book. Otherwise maybe tell mom you know she has a lot on her mind and you would be happy to make the arrangements and she can just pay you for the deposit.

[Pam in CA]

You can book the cabin now and add passengers to the reservation later at no cost. It's only after final payment that Princess charges a $50 fee for a name change so you've got plenty of time. That's what I would do.

[ActiveTraveler]

Why not book the cabin now as a single and add your mom on later if she is not ready to book. Otherwise maybe tell mom you know she has a lot on her mind and you would be happy to make the arrangements and she can just pay you for the deposit.

 

Actually my sister also is going with me, so there will be three in the cabin.

 

I will pray for one of the starboard cabins (not E731) to still be available at the time I book that cruise.

[Cruzman]

Dunno what you have against E 731, but you probably don't have to worry since that is one of the most desirable cabins on Emerald Deck and it's probably already taken. As for the rest of the covered balcony mini suites on Emerald, they are usually the first minis to sell out on any cruise. I would book the cabin I wanted for two persons and add a third or fourth person later on. My understanding is that all of the Emerald Deck minis will accommodate up to 4 persons.

[paul929207]

If you can't book now, then there is nothing you can do but keep your fingers crossed. It is impossible to predict what cabins will be available in the future.

[Coolmama_1]

Would you and your sister still go without mom? If so, go ahead and book it to hold the cabin you want. Final payment will not be due for a long time!

[Jeter02]

I would highly recommend booking the cabin with just you the one person. You can always add another passenger to the cabin. That way you won't be nervous the cabin selling out.

[paul929207]

I would highly recommend booking the cabin with just you the one person. You can always add another passenger to the cabin. That way you won't be nervous the cabin selling out.

You can add a person or two, if the ship has not reached Lifeboat Capacity.

[Rockymountainsparky]

If you are looking at the Saphire, I see that there are two starboard AD cabins left.

[geoherb]

I would book the cabin you want as a triple now. Princess ships sometimes reach capacity where they won't allow you to add a third person to a cabin even though you have a cabin that will sleep three.

[madelinerose]

Live in the moment, book your cabin today, eliminate the "what ifs" from your life. ;)

[Princess Patches]

I am a nervous wreck right now about possibly not getting the cabin I want because my mom, who will share the cost and go with me, is getting ready to sell her house and as a result too busy to think about cruises. The cruise I want to book embarks on May 11, 2013. That may look like I have tons of time but sales started in March and there aren't many minisuites on the starboard side of Emerald deck. I do not want E731, E733, any cabin on the port side, or any cabin on Dolphin deck. For three adults, a balcony that's not a minisuite is too small. (My sister also is going with me.) So I want to know if I am still able to get the cabin I want (E711) when the cruise has been on sale 7-9 months. I would not mind sleeping in 713, 715, 717, etc. as long as there are three beds.

 

AD mini suites sell out quickly, sometimes more than a year in advance. There are just a handful of these covered mini suites on each ship. All mini suites hold either three or four people. The cabins that hold three people will have a convertible sofa bed and the cabins that hold four people have a sofa bed and a drop down upper berth over the sofa bed.

 

By the way, cabin E733 is a full suite and not a mini suite.

 

Did you know that you can go onto the Princess website and find out if the cabins you want are still available? If you start to go through the steps to book a cruise a box will come up where you can insert a specific cabin number to see if that cabin is available. I did this myself and, assuming you are talking about the Sapphire Princess May 11 sailing, there are only six cabins left that you want (715, 721, 723, 725, 727, and 729). Cabins E711 and E719 are already booked.

 

I would book now. You can always cancel later. If you wait too long these cabins will be gone. You will get a full refund if you cancel before the final payment date, which is a long way off (early 2013).

 

I am booked on the Sapphire Pacific Coastal cruise this October and this cruise is very popular. All of the balconies and mini suites were gone about 5-6 months prior to sailing. I booked an Emerald deck mini suite in March (seven months before the cruise) and I am in E729, which was the only starboard side mini suite left at that time.

[Princess Patches]

I just checked the Sapphire October 6, 2012 Pacific Coast cruise and the AD mini suites are already waitlist only on that sailing. So you can see that the Emerald mini suites can sell out more than a year prior to sailing.

[ActiveTraveler]

I would book the cabin you want as a triple now. Princess ships sometimes reach capacity where they won't allow you to add a third person to a cabin even though you have a cabin that will sleep three.

 

Would you mind explaining why that happens?

 

Live in the moment, book your cabin today, eliminate the "what ifs" from your life.

 

If only it was that easy! The "what ifs" don't go away because after one problem is fixed another one crops up. Good thing all of my what ifs now are about things I want to do: I am excited about moving out of Ohio and meeting my new niece and nephew this year.

[Princess Patches]

Princess ships are capacity controlled. They have more berths than they can fill by law. Therefore, if the ship has reached its passenger capacity limit they will not fill a third or fourth berth even if you have one in your cabin.

 

So there is a small possibility if you try to add a third or fourth person shortly before the cruise, you will not be able to do so. If you plan on sailing with three people then book the cabin for three. You can always remove people later and get a full refund prior to the final payment date.

[notentirelynormal]

I would highly recommend booking the cabin with just you the one person. You can always add another passenger to the cabin. That way you won't be nervous the cabin selling out.

 

I would think it would be better to book her as the first person and TBA for the second and third person. Sure, she'll have to pay the deposit for all three BUT if she cancels she'll get all her money back. She also won't have to worry about not being able to add in a third person later on. I'm not sure because I never put just one person in a cabin, but wouldn't you have a deposit the amount of two people anyway? If she does this, then when it comes time for mom and sis to pay Andrea's portion to come up with will be a lot less since the "deposit" money will go to her fare portion.

 

It is always better to book more and cancel one then try to add one in later when capacity has been reached.

[ssbeagle]

To get a specific cabin you must book early and the earlier the better. The AD minis are the first to go as they are the only covered balconies for mini suites. We booked our 2012 November cruise back in March and the cabins and we still couldn't get the exact cabin we wanted but we did get one two down from it. If something comes up before final payment, you can always get your full refund back. Princess may seem to have certain cabins available but they keep some open just in case something happens to a cabin where they must move the passengers out of it into another one (maintenance issues)

[madelinerose]

The "what ifs" don't go away because after one problem is fixed another one crops up.

 

Life is full of "what ifs". It's how you deal with them that matters. Stressing about something that hasn't happened and may never happen is unhealthy. You can eliminate your cabin worries, right here, right now, today, by booking a cabin or stress about it for the next 2 years. Your choice. ;)

[Cruzin-K]

All I know about booking mini-suites, I learned on my upcoming cruise to the Med.

 

AD minis do not always sell out early.

 

Just two months ago there were still five available on my cruise including the "coveted" cabin with the big balcony. I think the cabins finally got filled by people who booked AE guarantees.

[RebelSoul]

Life is full of "what ifs". It's how you deal with them that matters. Stressing about something that hasn't happened and may never happen is unhealthy. You can eliminate your cabin worries, right here, right now, today, by booking a cabin or stress about it for the next 2 years. Your choice. ;)

 

I have to say I agree. It's not worth getting that stressed out about a cabin. The ship and the itinerary are more important. If a cabin is that important to you, as others have suggested, book now. I love being in E731 personally and think it's one of the best cabins. However when it's taken I just book another cabin and don't stress about it.

[caribill]

Actually my sister also is going with me, so there will be three in the cabin.

 

I will pray for one of the starboard cabins (not E731) to still be available at the time I book that cruise.

 

I do not understand your reluctance to book now with a deposit for three that is refundable before final payment date.

[ActiveTraveler]

I do not understand your reluctance to book now with a deposit for three that is refundable before final payment date.

 

I am not the reluctant one. I need my mom's approval first. She wants more information about prices and payments before giving me the OK.

[WeBeGone]

I am not the reluctant one. I need my mom's approval first. She wants more information about prices and payments before giving me the OK.

 

Pour your mom a glass of wine and set here down in front of the computer and have her read this thread. It'll take 10 min tops. Everybody's got 10 min.