Last minute Baltic cruise.

[yorky]

Hi guys

We have not had a holiday for the last couple of years and are determined we will cruise again next year despite money still been tight. We haver never cruised with Celebrity before but would like to take the Eclipse out of Southampton next June for a baltic cruise and wonder if anyone would know if there tends to be last minute deals. I'm afraid every penny counts at the moment.

Cheers

Mark

[Jenna109]

There are lots of excellent deals from Southampton in June. Start looking about March. However, it may not be exactly where you want to go, you may not have choice of cabin, etc In other words you may have to compromise.

In the meantime look at which cruises you would like to go on and dates. Then look at all the sites on the internet and join their mailing lists. You may even get a good deal now depending on how the cruises are selling.

July last year I booked a cruise for this September. The late deal for this cruise is £900 MORE than we paid.

Our June Med, cruise was booked this March on a late deal and we saved £800 each. This was out of Southampton and emailed via a mailing list.

 

So choose the cruise you would like and track it. Look at cruise line site then compare with several travel agents.

 

Hope this helps. It is what I do but others will also give advice to help

[Gonzo70]

Based on my observations these cruises tend to sell well and steadily go up in price. However for the 2013 Baltic itineraries they did start the pricing quite a bit higher than normal, so perhaps they will not sell well and see price drops as the cruise approaches.

[yorky]

Thanks for both replies. We have targeted the June 8th sailing but are wondering if we should just book three weeks off which would give us more flexibility. In all honestly next year will all be about the price, we are happy to take any cabin as we tend to spend very little time in them anyway.

[Jenna109]

It is difficult trying to decide to wait until a few weeks before. We have actually done this and not managed to get a cruise. The offer we booked this June two days later went up again by£200. It was still a good deal but it never came down as low as we paid. Our friends booked it and they were happy

Good luck and enjoy your cruise. There is a lot of information on the site regarding private tours which will help cut down costs.

[eetonaee]

Living in the UK you have the benefit of land travel to Southampton or low price air fares to other ports such as Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

 

I would not restrict your cruise line choice to Celebrity for the same reason you said you would take any cabin.

 

Princess, Royal Caribbean and Holland America also have Baltic cruises and while the ships they have in the Baltic may not be as new as the Eclipse you will be so busy with tours that you won't be able to take advantage of all of the ship's amenities. If the weather for your Baltic cruise is anything like ours 2 years ago you won't be sitting by the pool on sea days.

 

If you have flexibility with vacation time I would hold out as long as possible and look for the best itinerary with the best price. (2 days in St. Petersburg for sure)

 

This June we were able to upgrade the inside room we booked on our Med cruise to an obstructed balcony for $150 per person less.

[kitty9]

You could book early and that way you can get the cabin you prefer. If you wait until only three weeks out, you usually are stuck with the least desirable cabins that are left over. Cruising in June is very popular and cruises can sell out quite early.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[tally10]

Hi guys

We have not had a holiday for the last couple of years and are determined we will cruise again next year despite money still been tight. We haver never cruised with Celebrity before but would like to take the Eclipse out of Southampton next June for a baltic cruise and wonder if anyone would know if there tends to be last minute deals. I'm afraid every penny counts at the moment.

Cheers

Mark

 

We did the Eclipse Baltic in May of 2010 and it is a fabulous cruise! My adult daughter said it was the best thing she ever did and you will love the ship and itinerary. That said, the Baltic is probably one of the most expensive itineraries out there so you might get a good deal after final payment on some of the dates you may be interested in. We always have done the Baltic in May, because it is a little less expensive. We have done the Baltic three times (the first two before it became very expensive) and have had a heat wave one time, rain on another, and the first time, it was cold with snow on the ground, so you never can tell what you will get in May. I do hope you do this itinerary on the Eclipse but budget as much money as you can for all the shore excursions because you need to see everything you can, preferably on private tours (at least in Russia). Good luck to you!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We did the Eclipse Baltic in May of 2010 and it is a fabulous cruise! My adult daughter said it was the best thing she ever did and you will love the ship and itinerary. That said, the Baltic is probably one of the most expensive itineraries out there so you might get a good deal after final payment on some of the dates you may be interested in. We always have done the Baltic in May, because it is a little less expensive. We have done the Baltic three times (the first two before it became very expensive) and have had a heat wave one time, rain on another, and the first time, it was cold with snow on the ground, so you never can tell what you will get in May. I do hope you do this itinerary on the Eclipse but budget as much money as you can for all the shore excursions because you need to see everything you can, preferably on private tours (at least in Russia). Good luck to you!

 

Baltic cruises tend to be expensive. The season is very short and there aren't very many of them. We sailed on the Eclipse out of Southampton last May and the price of our cruise increased $1000 per person from the time we booked it until the time we sailed.

 

Do you just want a cruise vacation or are you set on a Baltic cruise? The reason I ask is that the Med cruises are the ones where you will find the bargains at the moment. So if you just want a cruise vacation, maybe broaden your search to other destinations and lines. There's bound to be a bargain somewhere! Good luck!

[TLCOhio]

Baltic cruises tend to be expensive. The season is very short and there aren't very many of them. We sailed on the Eclipse out of Southampton last May and the price of our cruise increased $1000 per person from the time we booked it until the time we sailed. Do you just want a cruise vacation or are you set on a Baltic cruise? The reason I ask is that the Med cruises are the ones where you will find the bargains at the moment. So if you just want a cruise vacation, maybe broaden your search to other destinations and lines. There's bound to be a bargain somewhere! Good luck!

 

Agree with the excellent details/wisdom outlined above by Linda. Things are really more costly in the Baltics due to their shorter season driving up the market-based costs. This also the impacts from their many ports having such higher labor costs and their tax impacts. In general, the Med will be much cheaper. Great history, sights, coast lines, scenery, etc., in the Med. BUT, the Baltics are so special and unique, especially the great treasures to be seen and experienced in St. Petersburg.

 

What's your main reason for focusing on the more-costly Baltics? Tell us, Mark, a little more on your preferences for the Baltics versus the Med. I loved the Baltics and Russia so much. Below are a few of my "piece of evidence" for its glory, beauty, architecture, culture and value.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 95,361 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 77,690 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

As we entered Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg, here was the welcoming band. This Rococo summer residence of the Russian Czars is located in the town of Pushkin, 15 miles SE of St. Petersburg. The residence originated in 1717, when Catherine I engaged a German architect to construct a summer palace for her pleasure. In 1752, Empress Anna found her mother's residence outdated and had her court architect demolish the old structure and replace it with a much grander edifice in a flamboyant Rococo style. Construction lasted for four years and in 1756 the new 325-meter-long palace amazed courtiers, foreign ambassadors and other visitors. During Elizabeth's lifetime, the palace was famed for its lavish exterior, including more than 100 kilograms of gold used to gild the sophisticated stucco façade and numerous statues erected on the roof.:

 

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, here is just one of the many, many great galleries with so many different and great architecture details, soaring ceilings, dramatic floors, etc., in areas where the Czars entertained and impressed other Royals and nobility. Even without the art items, these five palaces are so spectacular! This room is adorned with 19th-century Russian lapidary works and feature Italian and Spanish canvases of the 16th-18th centuries, including Veronese, Tintoretto, Velázquez and Murillo.:

 

 

 

Copenhagen’s famed Tivoli has a wide variety of entertainment happening each day and evening. Here, we enjoyed this super energized “BIG BAND” performance, including the Duke’s famed “Night Train” sounds. This park inspired Walt Disney for his great 20th Century creations! Tivoli’s history goes back to 1844. Very unique and special place that is so handy. If possible, visit there in the evening when the lighting makes things so much more magical!!:

 

 

 

Copenhagen’s Nyhavn or “new” Harbor is actually old and charming. This waterfront entertainment district is lined by brightly colored 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. Serving as a "heritage harbor", the canal also has many historical wooden ships. Lots of people and fun activity!!:

 

 

 

Here are more of the fountains and water at the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.:

 

 

At the Vasa Museum with this large salvaged ship from the 1600’s. This is their website: http://vasamuseet.se/en/ Taking almost two years (1626-1627) to build Vasa, carpenters, sawyers, smiths, ropelayers, sailmakers, painters, carvers, gun carriage makers and other specialists struggled to complete the navy’s great, new ship. The king, Gustav II Adolf, visited the shipyard to inspect the work. With a hull built of more than a thousand oak trees with 64 cannon, masts over 50 meters high and hundreds of painted and gilded sculptures, this was a spectacular ship. BUT, it was too heavy and sunk sailing out from the harbor.:

 

[yorky]

Agree with the excellent details/wisdom outlined above by Linda. Things are really more costly in the Baltics due to their shorter season driving up the market-based costs. This also the impacts from their many ports having such higher labor costs and their tax impacts. In general, the Med will be much cheaper. Great history, sights, coast lines, scenery, etc., in the Med. BUT, the Baltics are so special and unique, especially the great treasures to be seen and experienced in St. Petersburg.

 

What's your main reason for focusing on the more-costly Baltics? Tell us, Mark, a little more on your preferences for the Baltics versus the Med. I loved the Baltics and Russia so much. Below are a few of my "piece of evidence" for its glory, beauty, architecture, culture and value.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 95,361 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 77,690 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

As we entered Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg, here was the welcoming band. This Rococo summer residence of the Russian Czars is located in the town of Pushkin, 15 miles SE of St. Petersburg. The residence originated in 1717, when Catherine I engaged a German architect to construct a summer palace for her pleasure. In 1752, Empress Anna found her mother's residence outdated and had her court architect demolish the old structure and replace it with a much grander edifice in a flamboyant Rococo style. Construction lasted for four years and in 1756 the new 325-meter-long palace amazed courtiers, foreign ambassadors and other visitors. During Elizabeth's lifetime, the palace was famed for its lavish exterior, including more than 100 kilograms of gold used to gild the sophisticated stucco façade and numerous statues erected on the roof.:

 

 

 

At St. Petersburg’s Hermitage, here is just one of the many, many great galleries with so many different and great architecture details, soaring ceilings, dramatic floors, etc., in areas where the Czars entertained and impressed other Royals and nobility. Even without the art items, these five palaces are so spectacular! This room is adorned with 19th-century Russian lapidary works and feature Italian and Spanish canvases of the 16th-18th centuries, including Veronese, Tintoretto, Velázquez and Murillo.:

 

 

 

Copenhagen’s famed Tivoli has a wide variety of entertainment happening each day and evening. Here, we enjoyed this super energized “BIG BAND” performance, including the Duke’s famed “Night Train” sounds. This park inspired Walt Disney for his great 20th Century creations! Tivoli’s history goes back to 1844. Very unique and special place that is so handy. If possible, visit there in the evening when the lighting makes things so much more magical!!:

 

 

 

Copenhagen’s Nyhavn or “new” Harbor is actually old and charming. This waterfront entertainment district is lined by brightly colored 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. Serving as a "heritage harbor", the canal also has many historical wooden ships. Lots of people and fun activity!!:

 

 

 

Here are more of the fountains and water at the spectacular Peterhof outside of St. Petersburg. The greatest technological achievement of Peterhof is that all of the fountains operate without the use of pumps. Water is supplied from natural springs and collects in reservoirs in the Upper Gardens. This elevation difference creates the pressure driving most of the fountains for the Lower Gardens, including the Grand Cascade.:

 

 

At the Vasa Museum with this large salvaged ship from the 1600’s. This is their website: http://vasamuseet.se/en/ Taking almost two years (1626-1627) to build Vasa, carpenters, sawyers, smiths, ropelayers, sailmakers, painters, carvers, gun carriage makers and other specialists struggled to complete the navy’s great, new ship. The king, Gustav II Adolf, visited the shipyard to inspect the work. With a hull built of more than a thousand oak trees with 64 cannon, masts over 50 meters high and hundreds of painted and gilded sculptures, this was a spectacular ship. BUT, it was too heavy and sunk sailing out from the harbor.:

 

 

Hi Terry thanks for the reply and pictures. We thought the Baltic cruise because it's do different to what we have done before. We usually cruise the Carribbean but were looking for something different and thought rather than the long haul flights we would go out from the UK this time. We also though with no flight we could pick up a last minute bargain without having to worry about the flight side of things. However I'm beginning to wonder if we indeed should maybe do a med cruise given money is tight.

[joandian]

Hi guys

We have not had a holiday for the last couple of years and are determined we will cruise again next year despite money still been tight. We haver never cruised with Celebrity before but would like to take the Eclipse out of Southampton next June for a baltic cruise and wonder if anyone would know if there tends to be last minute deals. I'm afraid every penny counts at the moment.

Cheers

Mark

 

We booked on the Eclipse for the same Baltic cruise 2 weeks before sailing back in 2010. There were only 2 cabins left and I don't think the price had dropped. I know it wasnt cheap. My husband had been sent to work in the UK for a few weeks so we took the opportunity to join that cruise.

[TSC]

Agree that you get the best deals the more flexible you are.

In May 2009 we found a fantastic last minute deal on the Connie in the Baltic. Paid about $70 per day per person, about 4-6 weeks out from sailing. But, we are now scheduled for a Med on the Silhouette in October and the cheapest rates (so far) were about 6 months out - that sale sold well and the prices haven't gone done again (yet). But, I noticed that there are some better deals on other ships.

[boblin]

I booked next June 8 on Eclipse a wk ago. Found it overall very expensive, but had open booking from previous cruise this spring which saved us on deposit, plus gave us $300 OBC from Celebrity, plus booked thru major online agency who gave us free grat's plus $100 more OBC. Pretty good deal.

[boblin]

Just booked June 8 Eclipse a wk ago. Found it overall expensive, but had open booking from previous cruise which saved on deposit, plus gave us $300 OBC from Celeb., and booked thru major online agency who gave us free grat's & another $100 OBC. Pretty good!