Past Guest or Early Saver for cruise 10 months out?

[Galleon1234]

In your experience... is it better to book Early Saver which has a $50 change fee or Past Guest with no change fee?
Pros and cons?
Thanks

[Schoifmom]

[quote name='shadow1234']In your experience... is it better to book Early Saver which has a $50 change fee or Past Guest with no change fee?
Pros and cons?
Thanks[/QUOTE]

It depends on your plans. If there is any chance that you would need to change the cruise, then I would go with the past guest rate.

[Galleon1234]

I guess you can switch from Past Guest to Early Saver later with no penalty? if you have a cabin reserved then will it remain yours if you later switch from Past Guest to Early saver?

[Schoifmom]

[quote name='shadow1234']I guess you can switch from Past Guest to Early Saver later with no penalty? if you have a cabin reserved then will it remain yours if you later switch from Past Guest to Early saver?[/QUOTE]

True.

[RuthlessBoss]

[quote name='Schoifmom']It depends on your plans. If there is any chance that you would need to change the cruise, then I would go with the past guest rate.[/QUOTE]

Never did early saver, but doesn't the remainder of the deposit kind of go into limbo, but a past guest deposit is returned?

[Schoifmom]

[quote name='RuthlessBoss']Never did early saver, but doesn't the remainder of the deposit kind of go into limbo, but a past guest deposit is returned?[/QUOTE]

Past guest ... normally higher fare, price drops until final payment date, deposit refundable with no penalty until final payment date

Early saver ... normally lower fare, price drops until 2 days before sailing, $50 penalty for canceling prior to final payment date (the rest remains as a future cruise credit)

[It's a Ship!!!]

[quote name='Schoifmom']Past guest ... normally higher fare, price drops until final payment date, deposit refundable with no penalty until final payment date

Early saver ... normally lower fare, price drops until 2 days before sailing, $50 penalty for canceling prior to final payment date (the rest remains as a future cruise credit)[/quote]
Another thing to add is that Early Saver doesn't allow for name changes. You have to actually cancel the one person and then add the new person with Early Saver. With past guest rate it is free to do a name change before final payment, and $50 to do it after final payment.

[gtalum]

If you're certain you're going, my experience is that Early Saver will win out most of the time.

[k2excursion]

I have booked Past Guest, then later changed it over to Early Saver. No fees or penalties for doing that. My parents are booked PG right now for a cruise next year. But if rates don't drop after final payment, which they haven't been doing as much lately, then that advantage to Early Saver is a moot point. PG still gets price drops up to the final payment date. However, ES is typically cheaper than PG, but not always. Sometimes, they are equal.

If you know for sure that you are going, you might as well book ES. But if you have some doubt & there's very little difference in price, then it's probably better to book PG. Edited May 6, 2016 by k2excursion