Short notice booking

[kiyasmom]

Has anyone booked 2-6 weeks prior to sailing? We are looking to cruise on the ATS in December because it is closer to us and is a beautiful looking ship (it will be many in our party's first cruise) so I'm looking to impress the naysayers and turn them into cruise-addicts! Unfortunately, I am pending approval for a surgery from Worker's Comp. When/if I get approval I won't have surgery until mid-late October which means I won't be cruise-ready until end of November/early December. I would love to book as soon as I have word on the approval and a date so I can estimate my recovery time but my attorney states I may not hear anything until end of September at the earliest. Has anyone booked very close to a sailing date? I've already postponed this trip twice now anticipating the surgery only to re-evaluate my priorities after a devastating financial blow (from being taken out of work) and then having to reschedule the surgery due to WC denial. Ideally we want to book a Royal Family Suite but know that my be impossible too close to the date.With my limitations right now cruising before the surgery wouldn't be too fun for me or my companions as I would be very restricted for excursions and I couldn't drink due to pain meds. :p We all know how important the drinking is! Plus, I can be cranky on my bad pain days and NO ONE likes a cranky shipmate! Thoughts, ideas?

[reallyitsmema]

Has anyone booked 2-6 weeks prior to sailing? We are looking to cruise on the ATS in December because it is closer to us and is a beautiful looking ship (it will be many in our party's first cruise) so I'm looking to impress the naysayers and turn them into cruise-addicts! Unfortunately, I am pending approval for a surgery from Worker's Comp. When/if I get approval I won't have surgery until mid-late October which means I won't be cruise-ready until end of November/early December. I would love to book as soon as I have word on the approval and a date so I can estimate my recovery time but my attorney states I may not hear anything until end of September at the earliest. Has anyone booked very close to a sailing date? I've already postponed this trip twice now anticipating the surgery only to re-evaluate my priorities after a devastating financial blow (from being taken out of work) and then having to reschedule the surgery due to WC denial. Ideally we want to book a Royal Family Suite but know that my be impossible too close to the date.With my limitations right now cruising before the surgery wouldn't be too fun for me or my companions as I would be very restricted for excursions and I couldn't drink due to pain meds. :p We all know how important the drinking is! Plus, I can be cranky on my bad pain days and NO ONE likes a cranky shipmate! Thoughts, ideas?

 

Not sure what ship you are talking about since there is Anthem, Allure and Adventure.:)

 

We have booked close to a cruise date and you have limited choice of cabins. Depending on when in December you are talking about, there might be some decent deals on the Going, Going, Gone sale for early December since that is a quieter time for cruising. Keep an eye out and book as soon as you can.

[cruiselvr04]

We had booked a cruise and then the doctor thought the DH had cancer just prior to final payment. We cancelled the cruise but kept our vacation plans. He had surgery 5 weeks before we had planned to go and very happy to report NO cancer despite scans that said otherwise. His surgeon cleared him on a Monday after 4 weeks (large incision) and we booked that cruise we had planned on that day and cruised on Sunday. He was off pain meds but moving slower and as his wound had not totally healed we did no pools, hot tubs or beaches. BUT we had a great time and he rested a lot. It was actually good for him as he had already been back to work out of the home office and he could slow down for the week and take naps.

 

What you need to understand is you will have limited choice of cabins or the cruise could be sold out. We still bought insurance and got one that covered pre existing conditions. We waited until the last minute, got an inside guarantee and were upgraded to an outside. it may work out but accept it might not. I would not book until you are sure you can go. Good luck with your surgery.

[kiyasmom]

Not sure what ship you are talking about since there is Anthem, Allure and Adventure.:)

 

We have booked close to a cruise date and you have limited choice of cabins. Depending on when in December you are talking about, there might be some decent deals on the Going, Going, Gone sale for early December since that is a quieter time for cruising. Keep an eye out and book as soon as you can.

 

:D Anthem of the Seas. I had a moment there!

 

Thank you so much for both of your input. Cruiselvr04, I am extremely glad to hear so husband is cancer-free! Also excited to hear you booked so close to the sail date successfully. I feel much more relieved to hear it may work. If not, another sailing on another date, I guess. Catching a sale on the cruise would be even better!

[reallyitsmema]

:D Anthem of the Seas. I had a moment there!

 

Thank you so much for both of your input. Cruiselvr04, I am extremely glad to hear so husband is cancer-free! Also excited to hear you booked so close to the sail date successfully. I feel much more relieved to hear it may work. If not, another sailing on another date, I guess. Catching a sale on the cruise would be even better!

 

I have never seen Anthem on the Going, Going, Gone sale, but I easily could have missed it. Allure and Adventure are on this week's flyer. Bookmark this link:

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

 

They update that link by end of business on Thursday's for the next week's sale. Sometimes, if there is a holiday sale, there won't be an update to that link for a week. It is worth checking though to see if Anthem is going to have any deals in the timeframe you need.

 

Best of luck, I hope all goes well and you can book that last minute cruise.:)

[kearney]

We have done several cruises with a short time frame. My husband was recovering from knee surgery and about to go into shoulder surgery, so I scheduled a cruise out of Tampa on Brilliance about two weeks before the cruise. I was not picky about location and more concerned with cost, given all the surgeries. We booked an inside cabin.... Turned out it was next to crew staircase. Not the best location given early morning traffic up and down the staircase. The other thing I did not consider was that if DH was tired of walking, there was nothing to see in the cabin. A balcony cabin would have been a better idea. That way if he did not feel like going anywhere, he could have just sat on the deck.

 

Later in the year after shoulder surgery and before his next knee surgery, I booked a cruise on Oasis on Aug 29th for Oct 31. This time I was wiser and fortunate to be able to book a cabin near the aft elevator on the same deck as the Diamond lounge... above the Schooner bar and the main dining room with easy access to both the boardwalk and central park. This time we were more prepared. He sat on the balcony when he tired of walking and the walking was not too much... I was worried about this given the large size of the ship.

 

Traveling with a large group may mean that you are spread around the ship more than you would like and cabin selection might be more limited... but with the right attitude... you should still have a good time. I am not familiar with Anthem so I am not sure where good cabins might be located.

 

We planned our next cruise 5 months in advance... which is very advance planning for me. When I want to go... I like to go now or at least as close to now as possible. Best wishes on you planned surgery. But to consider a room with a view, for those days you might feel better staying put. The nice thing about cruising with a group is that there is enough to interest different people... you don't need to all hang out together if you have different interests... just meet for dinner... or joint activity... Best wishes on your surgery

[awhfy]

FYI you won't get a C&A balcony discount booking that close - this is a new change [emoji30]

[reallyitsmema]

FYI you won't get a C&A balcony discount booking that close - this is a new change [emoji30]

 

Royal changed there mine after lots of angry crown and anchor members contacted them. No change was made.

[bethco]

Royal changed there mine after lots of angry crown and anchor members contacted them. No change was made.

 

Where did you hear/see this? This is the first mention of this that I have seen.

[Merion_Mom]

Where did you hear/see this? This is the first mention of this that I have seen.

 

The thread that PH8 started informing us about the change also has the retraction.

 

It's old news already. :D

[reallyitsmema]

Where did you hear/see this? This is the first mention of this that I have seen.

 

In this thread by PH8.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2388411&page=28

 

This link has the update.

 

http://links.royal-caribbean-cruises.mkt5894.com/servlet/MailView?ms=MTMzMDk5MDAS1&r=MTMwOTcxOTA1MjUxS0&j=ODAzNDg3NjgxS0&mt=1&rt=0

[bethco]

Thanks, I quit reading that thread after I learned about it. Didn't want to wallow in the misery. ;)

[awhfy]

The thread that PH8 started informing us about the change also has the retraction.

 

 

 

It's old news already. :D

 

 

Good to know. I hadn't seen the retraction. Thanks MerionMom

[kiyasmom]

I have never seen Anthem on the Going, Going, Gone sale, but I easily could have missed it. Allure and Adventure are on this week's flyer. Bookmark this link:

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

 

They update that link by end of business on Thursday's for the next week's sale. Sometimes, if there is a holiday sale, there won't be an update to that link for a week. It is worth checking though to see if Anthem is going to have any deals in the timeframe you need.

 

Best of luck, I hope all goes well and you can book that last minute cruise.:)

 

 

Thanks for the link! Bookmarked.

 

I appreciate all the well wishes on the surgery. It's a fusion surgery so recovery can be quick and relatively easy or drawn out and brutal. Thank you for the suggestions on booking an outside if possible (and a suite isn't available). I'll be in the middle of writing my second book with a January deadline when we embark so a peaceful place to write on deck is important; a balcony would be optimal for the days when walking far isn't an option. You have no idea how much better you made me feel. I was disheartened thinking my medical issues would be the cause of my children missing their Christmas cruise (they offered to forgo their one "big" gift each in order to go on a cruise!) My medical issues and pain have made them miss so much this summer already and I feel incredibly guilty. I don't want them to miss out on another thing. The other family members in my party are just interested in trying any ship, destination doesn't matter. They agreed if not the Anthem then any ship would do, but then we'd have to factor in additional traveling costs and I don't know if I could ride in the truck longer than the 5 hours it'll take us to get to NJ... And hubby isn't getting on a plane unless it's to go to a funeral... His own! :D In any event, it's in God's hands and I believe it will all work out. We will be onboard just in time for Christmas!

[Ocean Dancer]

Yes, we booked Anthem last minute, but we only needed 2 cabins, We got obstructed balcony's on deck 6 about 10 doors apart It was perfect!

 

We needed a break. I was my mothers's caretaker along with Hospice for her last year. We were pretty drained and stressed. I buried my mother at the end of this past January and we cruised on Anthem March 3rd. It was exactly what we needed.

 

Good luck! :)

[Royal2464]

Booking an early December cruise last minute may not be a problem because demand is soft after Thanksgiving until the second week in December. Finding something for an actual Christmas cruise will be more difficult and expensive.

 

As others have mentioned I don't recall ever seeing the Anthem on the Going, Going, Gone sale, but you never know.

 

Good luck with your surgery and enjoy your cruise whenever you get to take it.