Independence Aug 2, 2015 Sold Out! **Really**??

[dcgrumpy]

August 30th on IOS is also sold out. I didn't expect it to be too crowded that week since most of the country is already back in school. Our kids are missing the first 2 days of school because the district changed the calendar on us.

[mark22mac]

The only problem with Sept-Nov is that is pretty much the peak of hurricane season.

 

Ive been living in Florida a long time and We dont worry about that we cruised when Sandy came through it was a little rough 16-18 foot seas and missed a port the hardest thing was walking around the ship trying not to spill my drink.

[John&LaLa]

Ive been living in Florida a long time and We dont worry about that we cruised when Sandy came through it was a little rough 16-18 foot seas and missed a port the hardest thing was walking around the ship trying not to spill my drink.

 

Oh, the humanity! ;)

[roe2ship]

Based on what I am paying for Cruise and hotel now vs. what I am paying for similar acomidations in Decembe I think not. Paying a lot more in December which I believe is peak season.

 

Have a great day!

If you are taking a cruise during Christmas week, yes, peak time. Any other week in December, no it is not. In fact, the week after Thanksgiving up until Christmas week is a VERY inexpensive time to cruise. If you are paying "a lot more" I think you got a very bad deal.

[Priusprof]

Based on what I am paying for Cruise and hotel now vs. what I am paying for similar acomidations in Decembe I think not. Paying a lot more in December which I believe is peak season.

 

Have a great day!

 

Peak season in December is only from Christmas Eve through New Years.Tons of people take that period off every year. The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are weak travel times and have always had lower prices. The end of August is a mixed bag for travel because summer vacation for schools end in mid August in a lot of places. In all the places where school starts after Labor Day the end of August is summers last hurrah.

[Russ Lomas]

August 30th on IOS is also sold out. I didn't expect it to be too crowded that week since most of the country is already back in school. Our kids are missing the first 2 days of school because the district changed the calendar on us.

Half of the US and all of Canada do not go back to school this year until September 8th. The week of August 30th would be a wonderful time for all those families to have one relaxing week on a ship before heading back to school for a long 10 months.

[Starry Eyes]

Half of the US and all of Canada do not go back to school this year until September 8th. The week of August 30th would be a wonderful time for all those families to have one relaxing week on a ship before heading back to school for a long 10 months.

 

I'm curious about the source of the "half of US" not going back until Sept 8...and just want the source means by half. Half the children? Half the schools? Half the states? Does it include private schools and post secondary? Public schools here are mandated to delay starting until September (Sept 2 for my district this year) but private schools and colleges may start earlier. Of course, the teachers generally are back sooner than kids to prep for the year. And plenty of families want to be home to get kids into a routine and ready for first day, although the ones happy to travel that week may catch lower prices if they buck the local trend. I suspect there will be substantially fewer youngsters on the Aug 30 sailing than the Aug 2 sailing. Most years prices are lower for the late August sailings be early August.

[John&LaLa]

I'm curious about the source of the "half of US" not going back until Sept 8...and just want the source means by half. Half the children? Half the schools? Half the states? Does it include private schools and post secondary? Public schools here are mandated to delay starting until September (Sept 2 for my district this year) but private schools and colleges may start earlier. Of course, the teachers generally are back sooner than kids to prep for the year. And plenty of families want to be home to get kids into a routine and ready for first day, although the ones happy to travel that week may catch lower prices if they buck the local trend. I suspect there will be substantially fewer youngsters on the Aug 30 sailing than the Aug 2 sailing. Most years prices are lower for the late August sailings be early August.

 

That did seem like a pretty broad statement. Atlanta schools go back 2nd week of August

[mark22mac]

I'm curious about the source of the "half of US" not going back until Sept 8...and just want the source means by half. Half the children? Half the schools? Half the states? Does it include private schools and post secondary? Public schools here are mandated to delay starting until September (Sept 2 for my district this year) but private schools and colleges may start earlier. Of course, the teachers generally are back sooner than kids to prep for the year. And plenty of families want to be home to get kids into a routine and ready for first day, although the ones happy to travel that week may catch lower prices if they buck the local trend. I suspect there will be substantially fewer youngsters on the Aug 30 sailing than the Aug 2 sailing. Most years prices are lower for the late August sailings be early August.

 

 

August 24 for my daughter guess we're in the other half.

[John&LaLa]

August 24 for my daughter guess we're in the other half.

 

Maybe it's a southern thing

[llist]

Maybe it's a southern thing

 

Mine starts back August 14th here in Central Ohio lol

[John&LaLa]

Mine starts back August 14th here in Central Ohio lol

 

Well that's 3 out of 25, if I really cared, I guess I could Google it. ;)

[TheInnocentAge]

They're two different industries, and having worked in both, you're talking about apples and oranges. Winter is peak season for hotels in Florida, so the room prices are usually higher. Summer is peak season for cruising, so the cruise prices are usually higher. There are certain periods during the year where the prices can spike for both industries (for example holiday weeks, three-day weekends, sometimes spring break), but they definitely have two distinct "seasons".

 

You mentioned you're paying a lot for your hotel in December, and that's to be expected. If you're paying a lot for a December cruise, you're probably either travelling during or near Christmas week, or maybe you just booked too late and missed a better deal.

 

Yep, we priced Christmas and New Year's week cruises and there was a huge difference in price between that time frame versus waiting a few weeks. The cabin for the holiday week cruises we looked at cost more than twice as much as the same cabin, same ship and same itinerary in February.

 

Agree as well about the seasons. Two different animals.

[pamrose228]

School starts in NYC September 9. Late Labor Day late start.

 

I'm booked on the Indy for 9/27 sailing. A few weeks ago some categories appeared to be sold out or close to. I always take my cruise in the fall and very few children onboard.

 

As far as hurricanes when I was traveling closer to labor day we were in the path of storms twice and missed several ports. Traveling in October I have yet to find this an issue.

[dcgrumpy]

Half of the US and all of Canada do not go back to school this year until September 8th. The week of August 30th would be a wonderful time for all those families to have one relaxing week on a ship before heading back to school for a long 10 months.

 

Half of the US?

 

We go on vacation that week every single year because most of the country is back in school. It's cheaper and less crowded. I live on LI and we have never started before Labor Day before. But even we're starting the week before this year. Between the late Labor Day and the fact that Passover and Easter are a month apart. My kids are missing the first 2 days of school. They changed the schedule after the trip was booked.

Edited July 28, 2015 by dcgrumpy

[robin13]

Well just looked and all of the balconies are sold out for my 9/13/15 cruise. I wonder what is going on as there were no price drops for the balconies after final payment.

[COMBOY]

A summer sailing sold out? Really????..... Do you think RCL just is no longer wanting to deal with last minute deal requestors or upgrades?

 

Just did an inquiry today and found and few open balcony cabins. Inventory can open and close day by day; hour by hour based upon last minute cancellations. You just have to keep checking back. If the sailing is sold out you might also see if you can be on put on a wait list. If you clear the wait list RCI reservations will contact you and confirm your reservation. However, RCI is no longer offering last minute deep discounts anymore so if you want to go you have to pay whatever the going tariff for that cabin grade.

[John&LaLa]

Well just looked and all of the balconies are sold out for my 9/13/15 cruise. I wonder what is going on as there were no price drops for the balconies after final payment.

 

They may have offered them to the existing OV passengers ad a paid upgrade

[Sam.Seattle]

I knew it was peak something.... Let the snide remarks continue. I still contend that if 4 to 6 are loading up in Fort Lauderdale vs one... It must be some sort of peak season.

[John&LaLa]

I knew it was peak something.... Let the snide remarks continue. I still contend that if 4 to 6 are loading up in Fort Lauderdale vs one... It must be some sort of peak season.

 

Maybe prime season. Summer rates are high