Price drops after deposit - remind me

[Ronsangel]

It's been a while since we've cruised, and I can't remember....if I put a deposit on a 2016 cruise now and the price drops before final payment, I can call and get the price of my cruise dropped, correct? Is there anything that can be done after final payment (on board credit, etc)? Debating booking an April 2016 Anthem cruise, but hopeful there will be another sale before then. If I book an inside and the price on a balcony drops before April, I can switch to one if there's one available...right?

 

Also - is it just me, or is the deposit on Anthem huge? It's asking for $960 for two of us in an inside cabin!

[Clarea]

It's been a while since we've cruised, and I can't remember....if I put a deposit on a 2016 cruise now and the price drops before final payment, I can call and get the price of my cruise dropped, correct? Is there anything that can be done after final payment (on board credit, etc)? Debating booking an April 2016 Anthem cruise, but hopeful there will be another sale before then. If I book an inside and the price on a balcony drops before April, I can switch to one if there's one available...right?

 

Also - is it just me, or is the deposit on Anthem huge? It's asking for $960 for two of us in an inside cabin!

Royal will usually allow price drops before final payment date. After final payment date, no credit of any kind. Royal will usually allow upgrades too, unless there are conditions, such as new bookings required.

Edited October 27, 2015 by clarea

[Firefighterhoop]

After final payment you can use whatever you paid toward an upgrade and then pay the difference, however if your upgrade is still less than what you paid in the first place you will not get any refund or onboard credit.

[Biker19]

If you are on the fence you might as well wait till after final payment to book - which for an April sailing would be late Jan. Deposit should be $450 pp.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

If you are on the fence you might as well wait till after final payment to book - which for an April sailing would be late Jan. Deposit should be $450 pp.

I disagree with this. Go ahead and book. Just before final payment, look and see how many cabins are available. If it's a lot, you can gamble and cancel, then rebook after final. If only a few are left, then keep your booking.

[bravostar]

I disagree with this. Go ahead and book. Just before final payment, look and see how many cabins are available. If it's a lot, you can gamble and cancel, then rebook after final. If only a few are left, then keep your booking.

 

Where do you look to see how many cabins are available on a cruise.

[Biker19]

Where do you look to see how many cabins are available on a cruise.

 

The most comprehensive is RCI's UK web site.

[Ronsangel]

Thanks for the info everyone. Is there still benefit to booking (or cancelling and rebooking) after final payment? I thought RCI stopped doing last minute specials? Really hoping the prices on Anthem come down before May, but prepared for them not to since it's new.

[dada2199cc]

RCCL appears to have committed to not dropping prices after final payment date. I've been monitoring prices on ships this fall and haven't seen any drastic price drops on them even when it appeared they had many cabins unsold up to last payment date.

 

For me, booking way early and monitoring price drops has been better than anything else. Missed two ships this years that I was sure would drop a few hundred and then the prices went up.

[Ronsangel]

I'm worried about that (prices going up), so will likely bite the bullet and put down my $960 deposit now and commit to watching prices between now and April. Thanks!

[dada2199cc]

I'm worried about that (prices going up), so will likely bite the bullet and put down my $960 deposit now and commit to watching prices between now and April. Thanks!

 

That's your best bet for sure. Don't be surprised if you see prices going up the entire time -- that's when you smile and realize it was worth jumping as early as possible, if the price is acceptable.

 

With cruising becoming so popular, it isn't unlikely that your cruise may just continue to go up in prices. And if you do see prices fall after last payment, it might help you change to a nicer cabin for the same price!

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Where do you look to see how many cabins are available on a cruise.

You could get an idea on RCI's site, but there's also a certain fishy website that shows % of cabins available. Sorry, we're not allowed to post the link. If you get creative googling, you might find it.

[Ronsangel]

Found it easily thanks to your hint. Much appreciated! 56% of cabins available.

[Biker19]

Found it easily thanks to your hint. Much appreciated! 56% of cabins available.

 

Just realize that that % is not the real inventory % - it's the % of cabin categories available. That site does not track actual cabin inventory - for that you have to go to another site like RCI's UK site.

[Ronsangel]

Thanks for this tip. Didn't realize RCI UK showed the entire inventory... just checked it out!

[Ourusualbeach]

Thanks for this tip. Didn't realize RCI UK showed the entire inventory... just checked it out!

 

RCL UK does not show the entire inventory but it does show up to 50 available cabins unlike the US. Site that shows 15.

[Ourusualbeach]

You could get an idea on RCI's site, but there's also a certain fishy website that shows % of cabins available. Sorry, we're not allowed to post the link. If you get creative googling, you might find it.

 

That is not the % of cabins available but instead it is the % of categories that are still available.

[Stephluva2711]

RCCL appears to have committed to not dropping prices after final payment date. I've been monitoring prices on ships this fall and haven't seen any drastic price drops on them even when it appeared they had many cabins unsold up to last payment date.

 

For me, booking way early and monitoring price drops has been better than anything else. Missed two ships this years that I was sure would drop a few hundred and then the prices went up.

 

They doing really sneaky now lol. I'm on Navigator Nov 14th of this year. I paid $2700 for 3 people category D1. Nothing dropped after final payment, however about 2 wks ago, just for maybe 1 1/2 days I checked to see if the price changed, perhaps could of gotten a suite. Price for a balcony D 1 for 3 people was down to 2050. Huge drop. Cant say I wasn't a little upset, but ya know those are the gambles you take. They probably dropped the price right before they started this "30% off" crap. Now same cruise same category is much higher than when they were doing BOGO

[Biker19]

RCL UK does not show the entire inventory but it does show up to 50 available cabins unlike the US. Site that shows 15.

 

While difficult to find with the redesign, the US web site now shows up to 15 available cabins per deck per category.

[robtulipe]

I know you mentioned it was an April Anthem cruise that you were looking at but yesterday RCI started a 72 hours Anthem sale for the January to March 2016 period. You must book by tomorrow Oct.29th. There is some very low pricing and you get $100 OBC from RCI if you book a balcony or suite.

We're on Freedom right now and yesterday we booked a X balcony guaranty onboard for the Anthem Jan. 3rd 12 nights Southern Caribbean sailing for just over $1000US each with our D+ balcony discount and assigned our booking to a very large well known online New England TA who advertises on CC as they are offering free gratuities and specialty dining for two if you book a balcony or higher. ;)

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-deals/offers/72-hour-anthem-sale?icid=n_flsh_tctclp_72h_hm_cntntr_5589

Edited October 28, 2015 by robtulipe

[robtulipe]

I know you mentioned it was an April Anthem cruise that you were looking at but yesterday RCI started a 72 hours Anthem sale for the January to March 2016 period. You must book by tomorrow Oct.29th. There is some very low pricing and you get $100 OBC from RCI if you book a balcony or suite.

We're on Freedom right now and yesterday we booked a X balcony guaranty onboard for the Anthem Jan. 3rd 12 nights Southern Caribbean sailing for just over $1000US each with our D+ balcony discount and assigned our booking to a very large well known online New England TA who advertises on CC as they are offering free gratuities and specialty dining for two if you book a balcony or higher. ;)

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-deals/offers/72-hour-anthem-sale?icid=n_flsh_tctclp_72h_hm_cntntr_5589

 

 

Above cost was the cruise fare only. Taxes and port fees were $151 extra each.

Edited October 28, 2015 by robtulipe

[denatravels]

A TA has more access on how many available cabins are left, if you want to try that route.

[Biker19]

We're on Freedom right now and yesterday we booked a X balcony guaranty onboard for the Anthem Jan. 3rd 12 nights Southern Caribbean sailing for just over $1000US each with our D+ balcony discount and assigned our booking to a very large well known online New England TA who advertises on CC as they are offering free gratuities and specialty dining for two if you book a balcony or higher. ;)

That is a bit unusual in that the balcony rate is a lot less than an inside cabin.

[Krazykitty323]

You could get an idea on RCI's site, but there's also a certain fishy website that shows % of cabins available. Sorry, we're not allowed to post the link. If you get creative googling, you might find it.

 

I found the website, thank you, but I can't find the infoinfo. Where do I go to see how many rooms available

[Ronsangel]

Thanks for this....I got the promo email as well. It's our 10th anniversary trip, and we were hoping to take it in April as that's our anniversary. I was looking at the end March-early April cruise, but I'm afraid with that being Easter, there will be tons of kids on board (DH and I don't have kids).

 

Am I crazy for hoping that in another month or two, they'll run a similar promotion for April-June cruises?