WOW not so WOW!

[Room Service!]

I've booked our last three cruises on the day they became available and in every case the lowest price was the initial one. I've not only gotten the best price but my choice of cabin too (center hump). I would have paid significantly more by waiting for a WOW sale ... even when factoring in the OBC. Example ... paid $1199pp (before Plat discount) for a JS on AdOS last year (cabin 9318). The price today is $1649pp. Do the math.

 

I feel fortunate to be able to book and plan so far in advance and by doing so have saved myself a tremendous amount of money. I do the same for airfare. For the cruise mentioned above, I paid $515pp RT to SJU. Todays price is now $953pp (Delta).

 

My advice is to book as early as possible for the dates you anticipate being able to travel. Ignore the WOW sales. They are just not worth it IMHO.

 

You can always cancel if things don't work out.

 

Oh ... IMO the reduced deposit is a joke and nothing more than an ploy ... you will end up paying it all in the end anyway. No savings there either.

 

I agree that booking as early as possible is the best way to go, but I've been watching the price of the cruise I'm interested in since it became available. It has gone up since then ... by $50.00 pp. So I'm still ahead of the game by $300.00.

Don't really care about the half (delayed) deposit. Pay it now. Pay it later. Whatever. I'm sure it matters to some though.

[Room Service!]

I agree that booking as early as possible is the best way to go, but I've been watching the price of the cruise I'm interested in since it became available. It has gone up since then ... by $50.00 pp. So I'm still ahead of the game by $300.00.

Don't really care about the half (delayed) deposit. Pay it now. Pay it later. Whatever. I'm sure it matters to some though.

 

Should read "ahead of the game by $100.00". I really shouldn't post so early.

Still happy. ;)

[bones774]

You'd lose that bet in my case. Fare has not gone up. :)

 

I was watching an aug 23 sailing out of Bmo and it went up 100 pp just a few days ago prior to announcement of WOW sale.

[copi2boys]

I have not been impressed with WOW sales. The cruise we have booked is priced $50 pp higher. I agree, booking early gets the better price, and you get a broader cabin choice. We can hope for price drops. Last year we got the senior discount, hoping that happens again!

[silentbob007]

Yes we will have a blast - even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming into that disco:p

 

For others - I am a first time cruiser so this is all new to me. The clause in the wow sale that dis-allows you to cancel to take advantage of the sale is less than impressive to a new customer - thats all I can say.

 

 

I can understand it is disappointing, but the point of these sales is to attract new customers ... not give out money to those already booked. This is something you always have to balance ... the pros and cons of booking early. There will always be someone who gets more OBC or a lower price than you. You might be able to save money, but the price might also go up. You might be able to get a better price, but then you might not like the cabin choices. It's a roll of the dice and this time you feel it hasn't come out in your favor. It stinks, but instead of waiting for a sale, at least you could make a reservation, get your planning started, etc. Keep looking for price drops up to final payment and maybe you'll catch one and feel better. :)

[printingchick]

A few years ago, I had the exact opposite reaction.

 

I'd purchased a NextCruise certificate on my 2010 cruise, knowing I'd be taking another cruise the following year. A NextCruise certificate pretty much gets you exactly the same deal as a Wow Sale. I ended up using the WOW sale to book my next cruise, because it happened to be going on when I was ready to book. I just HELD the NextCruise certificate, because they never expire. That's fine...I still got the OBC. I still got the reduced deposit.

 

However, the bad economy forced me to curtail my yearly cruise schedule for a few years, so I just used my NextCruise to book a 2014 cruise...FOUR YEARS after purchasing it. That $100 OBC doesn't seem like such a great return on my $200 investment at this point. In the future, I'll probably just wait for the WOW sales!! Or look for a TA-offered OBC incentive.

[Cigar King]

However, the bad economy forced me to curtail my yearly cruise schedule for a few years, so I just used my NextCruise to book a 2014 cruise...FOUR YEARS after purchasing it. That $100 OBC doesn't seem like such a great return on my $200 investment at this point. In the future, I'll probably just wait for the WOW sales!! Or look for a TA-offered OBC incentive.

 

It seems like an excellent return to me. You invested 200 dollars, which gets applied to your cruise balance. During the four years you had that money tied up, you had a return of 100 dollars. Pretty tough to do in today's economy. Plus, you get to use the C&A discount, no need to wait for WOW, and might be able to combine it with a TA perk. Where's the downside?

[needabreakcanada]

Our cruise has not gone up a single penny. Therefore everyone booking the WOW sale is now $100 ahead of me and with possible future price drops they will continue to be ahead.

 

In this case booking early did not give us the best price.

 

But you are right we did get our choice of room - centre hump.:)

[jennmaybe]

I'm hoping some of you RC suite experts out there can answer this for me......

 

I am looking at booking a JS on Allure for next April. Price shows as $4229 for for 2 of us. We've only been on one other RC cruise and we just had a balcony for that one. Is this a reasonable price or did they jack this up too??:confused:

 

Thank you in advance!!:)

[reallyitsmema]

Our cruise has not gone up a single penny. Therefore everyone booking the WOW sale is now $100 ahead of me and with possible future price drops they will continue to be ahead.

 

In this case booking early did not give us the best price.

 

But you are right we did get our choice of room - centre hump.:)

You obviously have some relationship with juniorsmom who appears to be at least platinum, did you at least book so that you got their balcony discount too?

[printingchick]

It seems like an excellent return to me. You invested 200 dollars, which gets applied to your cruise balance. During the four years you had that money tied up, you had a return of 100 dollars. Pretty tough to do in today's economy. Plus, you get to use the C&A discount, no need to wait for WOW, and might be able to combine it with a TA perk. Where's the downside?

 

You're right - although I don't have a C&A discount yet. (NEXT booked cruise...;) ) I just didn't intend to tie up that money for such a LONG period of time. And, as it turned out, the economy and the sale of the company I worked for--and the resulting LAY-OFF--meant that every penny counted!! In the end, it's all worked out for the best.

[pam_1024]

I booked our cruise today. Used a TA. The price was the same as it has been since the schedule was released. Got $100 obc from RC and $100 obc from ta. also, the half price deposit. I'm not too knowledgeable on cabin selection. We got an oceanview. I just asked that it not be below a nightclub :p I am happy with what i got. But i think if your priority is cabin selection, you def need to book early and not wait for wow sale.

[kc320]

You're right - although I don't have a C&A discount yet. (NEXT booked cruise...;) ) I just didn't intend to tie up that money for such a LONG period of time. And, as it turned out, the economy and the sale of the company I worked for--and the resulting LAY-OFF--meant that every penny counted!! In the end, it's all worked out for the best.

 

 

In the future if you buy a nextcruise certificate only put 1 name on it...then it's only $100 and you can add more names when you convert it into a cruise...and still only have to pay $100 deposit for them...

[MissCynic]

I knew that the WOW sale started today, but went ahead and booked yesterday. The price went up $200 today.

[Cigar King]

You're right - although I don't have a C&A discount yet. (NEXT booked cruise...;) ) I just didn't intend to tie up that money for such a LONG period of time. And, as it turned out, the economy and the sale of the company I worked for--and the resulting LAY-OFF--meant that every penny counted!! In the end, it's all worked out for the best.

 

Sorry about the lay off, but, I am glad things worked out for you. Have a great cruise.

[paul1268]

Friends were going to join us on a cruise in January and the price went up $100.00 pp overnight. Yes, that happens but seems a bit coincidental :mad:.