When is the best time to book a cruise?

[Sparkygirl]

I've been playing around on the NCL website for months looking at the various options for our next cruise. I've finally decided that the most economical for us to use my daughter's credit before it expires is to cruise during the older kids spring break.

 

I'm wanting to book NCL Breakaway Florida and Bahamas April 5-12 in an Oceanview that sleeps 5. Currently it is $1,119 per person. There are currently 15 cabins available for this sailing. I'm not going to be able to book until October are there certain patterns to the pricing structure on NCL that others have noticed? Is there a better time to make a booking? Does NCL credit if there is a price drop after booking? There are no extra benefits with this booking at all (i.e. no UDP, UBP, all inclusive option, or onboard credit)

[Aussie Jeep]

is there a time that is not good to book a cruise!!!

[culinarc]

Posted by the OP: I'm wanting to book NCL Breakaway Florida and Bahamas April 5-12 in an Oceanview that sleeps 5.

 

I'll throw my opinion out there. I think because the Breakaway only has a certain number of cabins that sleep 5 you are playing a little more tricky game than some of are used to. Those rooms on a spring break cruise will be sold out due to the amount of families that will be there during that time. I understand your problem but in this case if you wait too long to decide someone will buy the room out from under you. In which case you need two cabins losing your savings or even your vacation. I wouldn't wait very much longer on this particular booking because the kids are back in school and people are doing their planning for spring break already. Good Luck. Some may disagree though.

[mjkacmom]

Posted by the OP: I'm wanting to book NCL Breakaway Florida and Bahamas April 5-12 in an Oceanview that sleeps 5.

 

I'll throw my opinion out there. I think because the Breakaway only has a certain number of cabins that sleep 5 you are playing a little more tricky game than some of are used to. Those rooms on a spring break cruise will be sold out due to the amount of families that will be there during that time. I understand your problem but in this case if you wait too long to decide someone will buy the room out from under you. In which case you need two cabins losing your savings or even your vacation. I wouldn't wait very much longer on this particular booking because the kids are back in school and people are doing their planning for spring break already. Good Luck. Some may disagree though.

 

I agree. We cruise over a time when the kids are on vacation, and book connecting mid-ship balconies. I always book way in advance, knowing I can get a lower price if it goes down before final payment. BTW it has never gone down, even after final payment.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

I've been playing around on the NCL website for months looking at the various options for our next cruise. I've finally decided that the most economical for us to use my daughter's credit before it expires is to cruise during the older kids spring break.

 

I'm wanting to book NCL Breakaway Florida and Bahamas April 5-12 in an Oceanview that sleeps 5. Currently it is $1,119 per person. There are currently 15 cabins available for this sailing. I'm not going to be able to book until October are there certain patterns to the pricing structure on NCL that others have noticed? Is there a better time to make a booking? Does NCL credit if there is a price drop after booking? There are no extra benefits with this booking at all (i.e. no UDP, UBP, all inclusive option, or onboard credit)

Yes; you can get price drops until final payment is made!;):) BTW, if you cruise a week earlier you'll be cruising with us!:eek:;)

[Sparkygirl]

Yes; you can get price drops until final payment is made!;):) BTW, if you cruise a week earlier you'll be cruising with us!:eek:;)

 

I wish we could the pricing is vastly different the week before and the week after!!! The older two are already missing 3 days of school due to a vacation with Mom, we don't want to add to more days of missing school.

[Sparkygirl]

I agree. We cruise over a time when the kids are on vacation, and book connecting mid-ship balconies. I always book way in advance, knowing I can get a lower price if it goes down before final payment. BTW it has never gone down, even after final payment.

 

I usually also book a year or more in advance, looking at April of next year to me is beyond strange. We missed out on a Future Cruise Certificate since we had to depart the ship before I had a chance to fill out the form so that is the big hold up that I can't just say apply my future cruise certificate to this booking.

 

My husband's ex-wife also just approached me about doing a second joint family cruise vacation in 2016 so we in the preliminary planning mode for that cruise as well.

[Winchester Ranger]

I tend to book at 2am in the morning so I don't get yelled at for a few hours for booking "yet another cruise".

 

:D