Sapphire AE mini listed as N/A???

[devinc]

Why are the only two listed AE minis (E728 & E731) in the Sapphire brochure as N/A in the price area??? Anyone know anythig about these two cabins?

[JTcruiser]

They are listed as such because there is not an "early booking discount" for them. There are many threads that state these are the best minis to have. We are booked for E731 Sapphire Princess next summer to Alaska! They are a bit more expensive than the other minis but the balcony is supposed to be quite spacious!

[devinc]

It was the least expensive of the minis when I booked online. As I price out now I have found that it is the most expensive of the minis. Maybe they are reading the boards...

[ECCruise]

It was the least expensive of the minis when I booked online. As I price out now I have found that it is the most expensive of the minis. Maybe they are reading the boards...

 

The difference is the early booking discount. The Rack Rate of the AEs is the lowest of the mini-suites, but since an early booking discount is not offered, they end up being substanially more than any other mini.

[cherylandtk]

Online agencies and discounters will initially offer a lower price on these cabins, as when Devinc booked. As the ship starts to fill, they will revert to the rack rate on the lower category cabins within each type, precisely because they WERE the lowest price and everyone wanted that price for the type, but they are running out of cabins they can offer. That is when you start to see only GTY bookings left. Since the AE's are great cabins, and are snapped up quickly, they are usually some of the first to revert to the higher pricing. Same thing happens in the M/N, BE/BF, and I/II categories.

[devinc]

Great information. Thanks for your reponses. I guess I just got lucky on this one...

[skarletohara]

I just booked an AE on the Sapphire for March '06 and got it for

$1,152 per person including all taxes and port charges. I did notice

where it was also selling for $1,600 to $1,700 per person.

[devinc]

skatletohara,

 

Did you get a AE guarantee or a specific cabin assignment? That is a great price for March if you got a specific cabin assignment.

[coiran]

I got an AE specific on the Star Western 7 day in October for less than $1000 - there are only two on the ship?

 

Ron

[skarletohara]

Devinc,

 

That is a specific cabin, E-731. I know better than to do a guarantee

with AE category. Yes, we got that price a couple weeks ago. I was surprised that I was able to get that cabin as well.

 

I always do a "guarantee" because I really don't care where I end up location wise. However, because we were booking a mini-suite, and because we

like the back of the ship, this suits us just fine.

[Quacker]

We booked AE guarantee on the Sapphire for less than $1,000pp and were give a AA in just a few weeks. Don

[devinc]

coiran,

 

What about the AE is special about the AE on the Star?

 

I got a AE specific Jan 7 night for $1075 pp ttl.