Booking early, price reductions and upgrades

[AidenL]

Hi all,

 

Looking for some advice:

 

Is it wiser to book early to secure a good cabin and then hope for price reductions down the line?

 

If you book on Celebritys website and the price falls, can you avail of the reductions - and does it have to be requested or is it automatic?

 

Also, has the price for Aqua risen drastically this year? I booked a cruise at Christmas last year and was able to get Aqua for less than an Oceanview cabin for 2017.

[morechances]

Hi all,

 

Looking for some advice:

 

Is it wiser to book early to secure a good cabin and then hope for price reductions down the line?

 

If you book on Celebritys website and the price falls, can you avail of the reductions - and does it have to be requested or is it automatic?

 

Also, has the price for Aqua risen drastically this year? I booked a cruise at Christmas last year and was able to get Aqua for less than an Oceanview cabin for 2017.

 

I book directly from the Celebrity website and only had to call to get the price reduction.

The only thing to consider is that this is only possible prior to the cut off date of the cruise.

[AidenL]

I book directly from the Celebrity website and only had to call to get the price reduction.

The only thing to consider is that this is only possible prior to the cut off date of the cruise.

 

Id be happy with that :)

[ChucktownSteve]

Celebrity is now starting higher this year and even higher next year. It's supply and demand. If people are willing to pay the high prices, Celebrity will continue to raise the cabin rates as the ship fills.

 

If on the other hand people balk at the higher prices, they'll come down as you near sail date to fill the ship. You'll be able to get the reduction as long as you're not within final payment. If within final payment, you can upgrade to a higher cabin cat as long as you pay at least $1 more.

 

Popular and limited itineraries only increase such as the NE/CA cruises. Caribbean cruises with lots of competition can come down more frequently but you do have to ask for it. It's not automatic.

 

One thing I've noticed about Xciting deals is there are much fewer offerings and the deals aren't as good as they used to be. Queen Lisa is making sure the discounts of yesteryear are no longer. However even when they throw you a perk, they build the cost of the perk into the new rate.

 

Happy cruising. :D

Edited July 17, 2016 by ChucktownSteve

[villauk]

As you are based in Ireland, and if you intend to book there, check before you book on your terms and conditions - they may be entirely different from the responses you are receiving from US cruisers ;). For instance, booking in the UK is entirely different from the US - no refundable deposits, price drops, penalties for changing etc. So PRIOR to reserving, confirm what you are entitled to as it differs from different countries ;).

Edited July 17, 2016 by villauk

[ChucktownSteve]

True, disregard my post. I didn't notice you were across the pond.

[Arzeena]

Hi all,

 

Looking for some advice:

 

Is it wiser to book early to secure a good cabin and then hope for price reductions down the line?

 

If you book on Celebritys website and the price falls, can you avail of the reductions - and does it have to be requested or is it automatic?

 

Also, has the price for Aqua risen drastically this year? I booked a cruise at Christmas last year and was able to get Aqua for less than an Oceanview cabin for 2017.

 

We have had it both ways. Booked twice at the last minute and got an excellent deal (on no perks from Celebrity price) from a TA and we have booked and upgraded with price drops directly with Celebrity and also with TA. So you have to see what works for you. We really do not care about the perks from Celebrity, the TA throws in their perks and that's good enough.

[AidenL]

Might be worthwhile for me to check out US based Travel agents then perhaps.

 

Hard to know who are the good ones, seems that can be discussed on this forum?

[Arzeena]

Might be worthwhile for me to check out US based Travel agents then perhaps.

 

Hard to know who are the good ones, seems that can be discussed on this forum?

 

Sorry, I did not read (till now) that you were from Ireland.

No, we are not supposed to name the TA's. But you can do a search online and come up with some good ones with good ratings.