When is the cheapest time to do a Med cruise with RCCL?

[Memsy87]

Looking to book something for next year and wondering if anyone can give tips as to when the best time to go is, without breaking the bank but still getting good weather.

 

Thanks

[Life is Good Cruising]

You'll find cruising in the summer months will be more $ than other months, plus the weather in the summer is hot. We've done one is Sept. and one in Oct. and had beautiful weather each time.

[Memsy87]

Thanks for the info!

[lucysmommy1]

we are off the 31st of may this year for 14 nights from southampton and it cost us £1100 each - thought this was a bargain

[Langley Cruisers]

Did you do a little price checking on the website? Plug in May and plug in August, see the comparisons... plug in June and then October... you'll soon figure it out. :)

 

Additional advice is to go for as long a cruise as you can afford, and also tack on a few days pre and post cruise. It is wonderful, like 3 vacations in one!

.

[Life is Good Cruising]

Thanks for the info!

 

Your welcome.

 

Once you will find a cruise, airfare may be less $ when flying into one port versus another port, so keep that in mind.

[xxHadleyxx]

You really cannot ever guarantee good weather (or bad). My in laws took a river cruise from Vienna to Amsterdam this spring--the first week of March. They got a great deal, partly because the weather "should" have been cold and rainy. It was sunny and in the 70s the whole time (and the nicest week we have had all year thus far!).

 

For good prices, we have found the best deals in May, or in late September through October.

[Memsy87]

Did you do a little price checking on the website? Plug in May and plug in August, see the comparisons... plug in June and then October... you'll soon figure it out. :)

 

 

 

Additional advice is to go for as long a cruise as you can afford, and also tack on a few days pre and post cruise. It is wonderful, like 3 vacations in one!

 

.

 

 

Yeah, I did try the website but I wanted to get some opinions of those who are more used to booking with Royal Caribbean.

As much as I loved our honeymoon on Allure a couple of weeks ago, I think our travel agent shafted us a little so that's why I was coming here for a little more advice :-)

[Irish Cath]

Looking to book something for next year and wondering if anyone can give tips as to when the best time to go is, without breaking the bank but still getting good weather.

 

Thanks

 

Hello fellow Irish cruiser !

 

We are heading off on our 4th Med / European cruise in just a few weeks. The first two we booked months ahead of time and paid big. But this year and last we waited til about 6 weeks before we wanted to go before we committed. Yes its a bit of a gamble and you need to check the site at least once everyday and have your cash ready to book. This year we were looking at this 12 nighter on the Serenade and it was around €1200 each for weeks and weeks only increasing in price when RCI were offering some on board credit. Then it took a huge price dive and including gratuities we are paying around €800 each which we feel is a bit of a bargain for early June. The price did go back up 2 days after we booked and is hanging around the €1100 each still.

 

So my advise is hold tight and leave it as late as possible especially if a room location isn't hugely important and you have a small amount of flexibility.

 

All the best,

Catherine

[xxHadleyxx]

Oh good catch PP--I did not notice the OP#s location!

YES--if transatlantic airfare is not an issue, the best deals are booking in the last 3 to 8 weeks before the sail dates, in shoulder season. We have gotten some fabulous bargains that way :)

[Memsy87]

Hello fellow Irish cruiser !

 

 

 

We are heading off on our 4th Med / European cruise in just a few weeks. The first two we booked months ahead of time and paid big. But this year and last we waited til about 6 weeks before we wanted to go before we committed. Yes its a bit of a gamble and you need to check the site at least once everyday and have your cash ready to book. This year we were looking at this 12 nighter on the Serenade and it was around €1200 each for weeks and weeks only increasing in price when RCI were offering some on board credit. Then it took a huge price dive and including gratuities we are paying around €800 each which we feel is a bit of a bargain for early June. The price did go back up 2 days after we booked and is hanging around the €1100 each still.

 

 

 

So my advise is hold tight and leave it as late as possible especially if a room location isn't hugely important and you have a small amount of flexibility.

 

 

 

All the best,

 

Catherine

 

 

Hey Catherine!

Thanks a mill for the advice. Flight fares aren't so expensive if we head to the Med so that's what's drawing me towards it. Preferably the Greek Isles.

I'll keep and eye out! Thanks everyone :-)

[xxHadleyxx]

Hey Catherine!

Thanks a mill for the advice. Flight fares aren't so expensive if we head to the Med so that's what's drawing me towards it. Preferably the Greek Isles.

I'll keep and eye out! Thanks everyone :-)

 

Watch Splendour sailings in the fall--we have paid as little as 349 Euro PP for 7 nights in a balcony, shopping fairly last minute--and had excellent weather in Greece. Not quite warm enough to swim in the sea, but very pleasant for touring and not too hot.

[OCruisers]

Just wondering if the least expensive times to go are actually the best times to go? :confused:

LuLu

[Trekker954]

We did the Med last mid October and are choosing it again this year. Price was excellent, especially if you could wait close to sailing. We did this, yet had booked our air and hotels way in advance. Weather could not have been better. We didn't want to waste sea days sailing out of the U.k. so if you feel the same, look at sailing out of Barcelona, which is close to the port. UK ports and Rome ports can add alot of extra cost just getting to/from the port.

[tan2199]

Hey Catherine!

Thanks a mill for the advice. Flight fares aren't so expensive if we head to the Med so that's what's drawing me towards it. Preferably the Greek Isles.

I'll keep and eye out! Thanks everyone :-)

 

We did the Greek Isles last year the beginning of October and it cost us € 459 for an inside on the Splendor from Venice. The weather was great. The only problem is Ryan air and Aerlingus dont do flights to Venice after the 1st week in October so we ended up booking flights with BA and flying to Gatwick but it was ok. we flew in the day before the cruise and spend a few days in Venice afterwards.

Edited May 12, 2014 by tan2199

[xxHadleyxx]

Just wondering if the least expensive times to go are actually the best times to go? :confused:

LuLu

 

I guess it depends on what it is you want. For our family, YES; those less costly times are also MUCH nicer for touring.

 

The Med can be very hot in July and August--we do not enjoy the heat at all, and are not looking for a beach vacation, we want temperatures that are comfortable for walking in, and May, late September, and October fit the bill very nicely.

 

We also abhor crowds and pretty much everywhere in the Med is jam packed in July and August. Should season is significantly less crowded, both with land tourists, and other ships in port (we are the only one more often than not in early May and in October).

[remharri]

Looking to book something for next year and wondering if anyone can give tips as to when the best time to go is, without breaking the bank but still getting good weather.

 

Thanks

 

We are doing an 11 day Greek Isles/Med in November, and it's dirt cheap!