Black Friday or Best Promotional Offers??

[singinglizzie]

Anyone had any experience with NCL offering a really great promotional booking offer on Black Friday? We want to book, but I want to wait to see if NCL offers anything exciting on Black Friday. Come to think of it, what is the best promotional booking offer you have ever received and when?? Thanks!

[robandlil]

Book as soon as you see a cruise you want. Get exactly the cabin you want, but only pay a deposit. Do not pay in full until you must. Then every time there is a promotion or sale you call and they lower your price or add the promotion. You can do this repeatedly. If you wait for a sale you might miss the cabin you want.

 

Some people upgrade cabins, but since I like aft cabins, I don't take that chance.

 

This has always worked for me. Good luck. Life is short, you deserve a cruise.

[opalinem]

I would advise people to book last minute to get the best possible price. I booked 2 months and a half ahead of time with the idea that the ship might get sold out if I waited longer since I'm cruising during the holidays. I regret it bitterly now. About a week or so after I booked, the prices started dropping vertiginously. The balcony cabin I booked went for $1000 less than what I paid and it keeps going down to the point I dare not check it anymore because it makes me sick to see all the money I could have saved. I called and I got upgraded to a mini-suite but even the mini-suite I got upgraded to is now $700+ cheaper than what I paid. Now I'm 4 weeks before sailing and there are tons of cabins left and the prices continue dropping!!! OK, well I guess it will be nice to enjoy a mini-suite (my first time) but cruising for less would have been my preference by far (I would have been perfectly content with just balcony). Morality: live and learn. This is the last time I book a cruise so early. In the future, I will always wait for the last minute deals, they're really worth it.

Edited November 21, 2013 by opalinem

[kylenyc]

Had I followed your advice, I would be paying more for my cabin, not getting the cabin I want, or not going on vacation! I suggest folks book as early as possible, checking prices regularly, and take advantage of price drops. Be happy with your original booking price... treat any price drops you're able to take advantage of are icing on the cake.

 

I've booked my upcoming cruise back in February and the price has not come close to my original booking price and now Inside cabin are sold out, Oceanviews will soon follow, and prices are in fact rising again. There must be so many factors that affect the price of a cruise. Cruise lines must sail at full capacity and they may aggressively drop prices to fill cabins as it gets closer to sail date. Booking early gets you the cabin you want at the price you want.

Edited November 21, 2013 by kylenyc

[opalinem]

Well, all I know is that if I had booked right now, I would have paid MUCH less. But studio cabins seem to sell out early for instance, so sure, you can't wait for those. (or if you have 1 very specific cabin in mind of course but that's not my case)

Edited November 21, 2013 by opalinem

[kylenyc]

Yeah... I can understand it not a good feeling but it similar to airlines prices. You may be sitting next to someone who paid much less for their ticket or vice versa. It's all based on supply and demand and their sophisticated booking systems that automagically adjust prices to get the best possible price ... for them (airline/cruiseline)... not us. ;)

Edited November 21, 2013 by kylenyc

[opalinem]

He he c'est la vie :) (It could have been worse, at least I got the free upgrade! BTW, the difference of price I mentioned was not "per person" but for the 3 of us, so we're talking only a few hundred per person, it's just that it adds up in the end :o )

Edited November 21, 2013 by opalinem

[dispachcops]

I got mine on black friday sale at cruises. It still has not dropped below what I paid. Getting close though.. black friday sales you can usually get it for the lowest price that they drop it to close to sailing. Good Luck!!!

[singinglizzie]

Thank you for the replies, had I booked yesterday, I would have received an extra $100 OBC in addition to the latitudes points and OBC. However, last month the promo was $150 extra OBC and 2 weeks ago with the "cruise event" I would have gotten some free dinners+ $125 combined Spa/OBC. I thought that the promotions are for new bookings only, so if price drops we would get price adjustment but NOT the OBC offers??? Since we are booking more than 9 months ahead, there are plenty of cabins on our sailing. Are you saying that if I book now and a better promotional offer comes along, they will give it to us??? If yes, that is great news.

[kimkencruzers]

I think

Thank you for the replies, had I booked yesterday, I would have received an extra $100 OBC in addition to the latitudes points and OBC. However, last month the promo was $150 extra OBC and 2 weeks ago with the "cruise event" I would have gotten some free dinners+ $125 combined Spa/OBC. I thought that the promotions are for new bookings only, so if price drops we would get price adjustment but NOT the OBC offers??? Since we are booking more than 9 months ahead, there are plenty of cabins on our sailing. Are you saying that if I book now and a better promotional offer comes along, they will give it to us??? If yes, that is great news.

 

I think some sales are for "new bookings only", and others, they can basically cancel your booking and re-book at the new promotion. I don't think you get to keep collecting and stacking perks, like have the $100 obc and then when they add free dining, add that. I think you can get just the current offerings and prices.

 

I booked my Europe sailing 10 months out. I needed two connecting cabins and they go fast. I got $100 OBC and the extra latitude points. With still 5 months to go, all the balcony's are now sold out and they prices have gotten steadily higher and no OBC have gotten close to $100. Like the other poster said, supply and demand.

 

I live near Ft. Lauderdale, and can risk a last minute fare being available from here because its 30 minutes away. But, flying to Europe is another story and I am not taking the risk of not only a sell-out of the cabin I want, but airfare becoming ridiculous as well.

[SueBabe]

I booked with a $70 OBC for a mini-suite on the Star. Recently, they had another promo that included 2 dinners for two, wine, etc. I called them to get the promo added but found out that if I chose to take the promo, I would lose the $70 OBC. In other words, you have a choice but I felt the $70 OBC was worth more to us so I kept that. If there is a price drop later more than the OBC, I would definitely go for that :) Hope that made sense. Sue

[NLBarry]

Thank you for the replies, had I booked yesterday, I would have received an extra $100 OBC in addition to the latitudes points and OBC. However, last month the promo was $150 extra OBC and 2 weeks ago with the "cruise event" I would have gotten some free dinners+ $125 combined Spa/OBC. I thought that the promotions are for new bookings only, so if price drops we would get price adjustment but NOT the OBC offers??? Since we are booking more than 9 months ahead, there are plenty of cabins on our sailing. Are you saying that if I book now and a better promotional offer comes along, they will give it to us??? If yes, that is great news.

If you care about the extra latitude points be sure to ask if you would lose your double points when rebooking. If they do not cancel your original booking you will not, but if they have to cancel and rebook you will unless it is still over 9 months out.

Overall I have found the best deals with early bookings but lately out of NY they have been unable to fill the ships and prices have dropped like crazy closer to sailing.

 

Dave