The Waiting Game

[Enigami]

Hi everyone!!

 

Sorry, I tend to be a bit long-winded so I'll start with my question:

 

Who has ever played the last-minute price drop waiting game and how did it work it for you?

 

One of my hip, young colleagues recently returned from a cruise and quickly dispelled all of my preconceived notions about cruises resembling floating nursing homes at sea. My apologies to all you hip cruisers out there! :o

 

It's been on my mind ever since and the more I think about it, the more I want to go. So, I've spent the last few days doing my homework and reading up on cruises; from comparing itineraries, to browsing the forums, to Tips from the Cruise Addicts Wife ... I've read it all. Fodor's Carribbean Cruises arrived in the mail and I CANNOT wait to get started on that one. Yep, I'm breaking it out as soon as I'm done with this topic!

 

We're looking for a cruise date late January/early February out of San Juan (Valor v. Jewel ... so 77-78 days, but that's a whole other kind of waiting game.) :p

 

So, I figured why not just get plane tickets now and wait to see what will happen. If I look at cruises departing over the next couple of weeks they are considerably cheaper, but maybe that is the time of year? Worst case scenario we'll just have an amazing trip to Puerto Rico. :cool:

 

Thanks for any knowledge you'd like to share ... clearly, I need all the help I can get!

[Keith1010]

I would book the cruise now and not wait.

 

The lowest price rooms go first as do the highest ones as do the more attractive locations in each category and while sometimes prices can go down the reverse is true too.

 

Just book it.

 

Keith

[Sauer-kraut]

Since you live near a port, why not check out what offered from Baltimore.

 

Check prices at about a 3 week window and see if you can snag a great deal, or keep your eyes open for the week prior to sailing. My friend and I booked a 6 night for $199 each inside we could have gotten a 7 nighter for the same price but the dates didn't quite fit.

[cruisead]

Cruising is incredibly popular, with most ships sailing full. The weird phenomenon that has happened in the past few years, unlike cruising a number of years ago, is that prices are rising the closer you get to the sailing date. We booked a Caribbean cruise for Feb 2015 while we were on a cruise this past April, and I've looked at the prices weekly, and our cabin went up $900 a person last week---our final payment date is coming up quickly. So, it's a supply and demand thing, and if a cruise is close to being fully booked, like most are, the prices go up.

 

Book now. If you wait not only could you be shut out, or find you're stuck with a less desirable cabin at a higher price if you had booked earlier.

[Enigami]

Thanks, I appreciate the input and hope others are willing to weigh in also, especially if you were able to save money by booking last minute.

 

We're fortunate to be able to travel quite often, but can only afford to do so by being very budget conscious. Waiting is a gamble, but if prices do go up significantly we'll just consider it a lesson learned and save cruising for later in the year.

 

Sauer-kraut, we'll definitely consider Baltimore for future trips, but since we're both prone to seasickness and not sure how we'll do being on a cruise ship, we decided to try a port-heavy itinerary in calmer waters for our first cruise. ;)

[BlueRiband]

The waiting game can be like a roulette play. You can win, you can lose.

The best prices tend to come out just inside 90 days when final payment is typically due.

 

Some things to consider: the later you wait for a good cruise price the higher your airfare (if you need to fly), you will be left with the undesirable cabin locations (if location is a factor for you), or you can hold out so long that the ship sells out before you make up your mind (you seem to be prepared for this). Also, the later you wait the more money the cruise line will want up front and very late bookings will require immediate full payment.

 

If you see an agreeable price, book it then never look at the prices again. The only people who really lose the waiting game are those who believe they must get the lowest price over anyone else on board and feel screwed and miserable if they don't.

Edited November 16, 2014 by BlueRiband

[trish1c]

I played the waiting / price drop game & it didn't work out well. The cruise I wanted practically tripled in price. I got an amazing deal on the cruise we took . . .it was about $300 pp for an OV cabin on a 7 day cruise. Problem was I waited so long to book, airfare cost over $600 pp. Another time, I could not book a direct flight & I had a layover the day of the sailing. :eek: We did manage to fly standby on an earlier direct flight but that was a huge risk.

 

There is more to this than just the price of the cabin.

[terik]

We typically book our cruises well in advance, giving me time to plan shore excursions, airfare, hotel and any other costs that factor into any trip. We have seen prices go up and come down. If they go down we have always contacted our booking rep and requested the lower price. When we did Alaska a few years back the prices kept going down and we would call get the lower price and then contact the two other couples that were going with us so they could request the lower price as well.

 

It is a gamble you take one way or another. I know several friends that have taken last minute deals for them it is easier as they live in Florida and can usually drive to a port. For us in Dallas that is really not always possible. Airfare plays a big part in getting us to an from our port departures or returns and if we are going to Europe or elsewhere we watch for good pricing or the ability to you mileage points.

 

I love to cruise and usually am looking a year out in planning.

[Miss Vickie]

We're booked on Jewel for the 1/24 and 1/31/15 cruises, booked the day bookings opened (about 18 months ago), and got our desired (and highly in-demand) cabins and the best prices we've seen on those cabins. That being said, RCI started a new promotion today, buy one get one half of a second person, which should give you a really good price. Don't delay, do it today.

 

We've done Radiance class ships, and the southern Caribbean itinerary annually for many years - you won't be disappointed.

[Enigami]

Boy, a whole topic about waiting until the very end only to find I could not resist Carnival's 35 hour sale. :rolleyes:

 

Ended up paying $410 each (incl. tax & gratuities) for an IS GTY. Perhaps not the best deal, but i think it's a good deal.

 

Thanks again for all the advice.

[Athankfulheart]

Boy, a whole topic about waiting until the very end only to find I could not resist Carnival's 35 hour sale. :rolleyes:

 

Ended up paying $410 each (incl. tax & gratuities) for an IS GTY. Perhaps not the best deal, but i think it's a good deal.

 

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

I think that you got a great deal for San Juan. Hopefully you can get a good airfare as well. We are sailing on Valor in January.

[Enigami]

Yep, thanks to Coke Rewards and a sale from Southwest we were able to get direct flights for less than $260 RT. :D

 

Have fun in January!

[kelkel2]

Cruising is incredibly popular, with most ships sailing full. The weird phenomenon that has happened in the past few years, unlike cruising a number of years ago, is that prices are rising the closer you get to the sailing date. We booked a Caribbean cruise for Feb 2015 while we were on a cruise this past April, and I've looked at the prices weekly, and our cabin went up $900 a person last week---our final payment date is coming up quickly. So, it's a supply and demand thing, and if a cruise is close to being fully booked, like most are, the prices go up.

 

Book now. If you wait not only could you be shut out, or find you're stuck with a less desirable cabin at a higher price if you had booked earlier.

 

I agree with this 100%. We have our 4th cruise booked and I have not seen prices go down. I know there are those people who talk about getting great deals, but on average it really does seem that the majority of sailings the prices are on the rise. I have never seen my price go down. Just up and up. Making me think the earlier you book the better off you are. Plus, the earlier you book you have a better selection of cabins rather than the left overs.

[Sailing4Sun]

I don't have tons of experience but the cruise I'm booked on next month (12/13/14 X Summit from San Juan) has gone in price a couple hundred bucks/pp but they don't offer the same promotions that I got when we booked almost 12 months ago. We got free beverage packages and an onboard credit which we will use and is worth about $800 so it wasn't worth trying to rebook for the lower price. If you don't care about cabin location or extras, then I think yes, you can get a cheaper price by waiting. Also, flights to SJU usually go up the closer you get.

[Sailing4Sun]

That is supposed to say "gone down in price..."