switching from NCL, need help booking

[zazou]

Hello,

 

After over 8 cruises on NCL we want to try Carnival. I'm looking at the 8 days exotics eastern carribean on July 8th. I need two rooms as we will go with our 2 college students daughters.

 

Final payment is in 3 weeks and usually on NCL this will mean important price drop. But on Carnival with the early price protection is it the case? I'm I better to book now or wait? it seem to still have a lot of rooms available.

I would prefer to choose our cabin to be sure we are near. Is usually price drop are only for guaranteed?

Thanks a lot!

[bury me at sea]

My own experience during the past four years has been that significant price drops past final payment date have nearly always been for a guaranteed rate wherein Carnival assigns your cabin.

 

I have tracked only balconies and cannot speak to interiors or suites.

[pcvtmom]

It's fairly rare to get a price drop this late on a mid-summer cruise, in my experience. I've scored great price drops when booking almost a year in advance, though.

[sanger727]

Hello,

 

After over 8 cruises on NCL we want to try Carnival. I'm looking at the 8 days exotics eastern carribean on July 8th. I need two rooms as we will go with our 2 college students daughters.

 

Final payment is in 3 weeks and usually on NCL this will mean important price drop. But on Carnival with the early price protection is it the case? I'm I better to book now or wait? it seem to still have a lot of rooms available.

I would prefer to choose our cabin to be sure we are near. Is usually price drop are only for guaranteed?

Thanks a lot!

 

I haven't ever booked early saver but there's two things I've picked up on from reading threads about it.

 

1. is that early saver isn't available forever, so, if you wait past final payment early saver may no longer be an option (hence the name, early saver)

 

2. you can only price match category to category. So if you book a 2c balcony (made the code up but you know what I mean), and then a guarantee balcony price drops, it's not eligible for price matching.

 

Plus, keep in mind all the restrictions that go along with early saver - it's non-refundable, can't downgrade your cabin, and there are change fees for everything.

[coloradocruiselover88]

Have you chose your two rooms nearby or together? If you wait and try and change it might not be able to be together. But with college kids that may not mean anything anyway. If it's the vacation you want I would truly just go ahead and book it. If there is a pretty drastic price reduction and less you're on the early saver you can get an onboard credit.

 

 

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[aztekpm]

This close to sailing, I'd book. I've been watching multiple cruises for May for last minute sales with no luck. All that's happening is the rooms inventory is decreasing, while prices are going up. I'd book now if the price is acceptable, otherwise, the rooms you want will be gone and the price will have only gone up. Honestly, I'm not finding too many last minute deals on Carnival at all. Funnily enough, it seems NCL is the one with last minute sales and as well solo rates, at least the cruises I've been watching!

 

I had a cruise booked in April, but had to cancel it prior to final payment, so now I can get off in May and looking without too much luck, at least on Carnival. It would need to be a solo cruise, so looking for the lowest price deal I can find.

Edited April 2, 2017 by aztekpm

[cruisinqt]

I have 2 kids in college too. So we also book in summer or whenever schools out. We always book early saver because it's significantly cheaper. I don't see too many price drops for a summer cruise unless it's late in the season like the last week in August before school starts. Or in late May when a lot of kids are still in school. June and July are pretty pricey during the summer and rarely have price drops due to it being the the busy season. I haven't really noticed price drops at 3 weeks prior to final payment with Carnival but it's likely because we have to cruise during the busy summer months. Since your cruise lands on the week of July 4th (independence day) when a lot of people are off I would go ahead and book now while early saver is still available.

[zazou]

thank everyone! I will book tonight.