2013-2014 Rates

[ttjtmomma]

This my first cruise. We are doing it on a budget. Money is a factor or we would not be waiting until June of 2013 to sail and this would not be our first. What we are planning is a Princess crusietour. Is there usually a price drop after the launch fares or is it better to book rightaway to get the best rates?

[leavingocalaagain]

Not an easy answer. Sometimes the intro prices are best,and room selection is definitely the best. However, at some point there will be sale prices that are better if bookings are slower than expected. If you book early, and later find a better price for an equivalent room, you can cancel and re-book.

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Price drops and increases will be driven by sales. If a cruise is selling well prices will likely go up. Poor sales often lead to lower prices.

[jwcsr]

If the price drops after you've booked, you don't have to rebook. Just ask for the new fare and you'll get it. We did this on a cruise we are taking later this year and saved over $300 each.

[Toddy709]

If the price drops after you've booked, you don't have to rebook. Just ask for the new fare and you'll get it. We did this on a cruise we are taking later this year and saved over $300 each.

 

As long as it is BEFORE final payment.

[coo359a2]

If you are planning this to be an Alaskan cruise tour, remember the land add on tour could sell out quicker than the actual cruise. When we went in 2010, the cruise tour sold out way before the cruise did.

[ttjtmomma]

Is there a limit on how may times you can get the rate dropped and is there a fee for this?

 

Thank you for your help.

[ttjtmomma]

We had heard this that is why we were looking to book very soon.

[coo359a2]

I booked the day the cruisetours opened as there were 6 of us and it had to be on a certain date. We also wanted specific cabin numbers. I don't believe the pricing ever went down. The only thing we changed was to have our TA cancel the Natural History Tour at Denali so that amount was deducted from our cruise tour total. We made reservations directly with the Park Service for their Wilderness Tour.

 

Princess and most TAs do not charge you for refaring your cruise. There could be some TAs that would charge so you should ask up front if they charge for any changes or cancellations to your booking.

[cherylandtk]

Since OP is booking a cruisetour, we should mention that price drops on cruisetours are much more infrequent than cruise-only price drops. And if the cruise-only price drops, that has no bearing on whether the cruisetour price will also drop. They are different types of bookings and different yield management models.

[ttjtmomma]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Price drops and increases will be driven by sales. If a cruise is selling well prices will likely go up. Poor sales often lead to lower prices.

 

 

 

Thank you everyone for all your help

[34TigerLily]

Is there a limit on how may times you can get the rate dropped and is there a fee for this?

 

Thank you for your help.

 

No limit. No fee. :):)

[paddingtonbear]

The new cabin categories post may 2013 are on the Princess website now.