Anthem Pricing and purchase timing for August 3rd cruise

[WestfieldTraveler]

Although I realize pricing fluctuates widely especially when running a promotion like "kids free"/30% off as RCI is doing now, I'm sort of stumped at the pricing for an August 3rd Anthem of the Seas cruise. Checking out that and the two prior 9-day cruises in July, there appear to be plenty of rooms (close to 50) in a lot of the categories on one booking website I use, but prices don't seem to have come down much yet, or even compared to what they are charging for next year's similar cruises. Or does RCI know simply a lot of people book summer cruises at the last minute and prices accordingly

 

So, as it is within 90 days and thus no refund once I book, I'm just wondering if I should pull the trigger sooner or later on this, as I would love to save several hundred more for the balcony cabin we would like, I don't want the price to rise either. Any recommendations on when to book, or if RCI has any typical behavior on cabins as it gets closer to sailing date with a apparent good number still unsold? It is just the two of us 55+ NJ adults, so no kids to try to get for "free".

 

I've also tried to post a poll as well - so feel free just to answer that if you would rather.

 

thanks in advance!

[Clarea]

Unfortunately, pricing trends are unpredictable.

[Biker19]

Wait till about 60 days out - with that much inventory there bound to be drops.

 

 

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[Baron Barracuda]

Wow, strangely unpopular cruise for prime date. My TA's site lists 319 available balcony cabins with prices ranging from about $1450 for a gty to $1800 for most "D" categories. You should have no trouble waiting a bit.

 

Suggest you also keep an eye how prices trend on the 7/6 sailing which has identical itinerary. They have about 150 balconies still available and while gty's are $150 cheaper than yours other "D's" are still around $1800. If these drop yours might eventually as well.

 

Without a price drop you can save some money by booking a gty. It's likely you'll be given an OB (obstructed view). If it is, you are allowed to switch cabins within the same category. Ask then for one of the "porthole" OB's at the front of decks 7 and 8. Their view isn't actually obstructed (google cabin #'s for pics) and there are currently 7 available on your sailing. If prices later come down on other categories you can always trade up by paying the difference.

[marci22]

I would wait. Looks like a lot of balconies are still unsold. Keep track of the price and book when you think it's cheap enough. I would sign up on the fish site so you get notices.

[WestfieldTraveler]

Wow, strangely unpopular cruise for prime date. My TA's site lists 319 available balcony cabins with prices ranging from about $1450 for a gty to $1800 for most "D" categories. You should have no trouble waiting a bit.

 

Suggest you also keep an eye how prices trend on the 7/6 sailing which has identical itinerary. They have about 150 balconies still available and while gty's are $150 cheaper than yours other "D's" are still around $1800. If these drop yours might eventually as well.

 

Without a price drop you can save some money by booking a gty. It's likely you'll be given an OB (obstructed view). If it is, you are allowed to switch cabins within the same category. Ask then for one of the "porthole" OB's at the front of decks 7 and 8. Their view isn't actually obstructed (google cabin #'s for pics) and there are currently 7 available on your sailing. If prices later come down on other categories you can always trade up by paying the difference.

 

I would wait. Looks like a lot of balconies are still unsold. Keep track of the price and book when you think it's cheap enough. I would sign up on the fish site so you get notices.

 

Thanks folks! Found that "fish" website and already signed up for alerts, including on the cruise before mine (actually 7/20) for the same itinerary so I can get a heads up on what to expect for my cruise. I'll probably take the advice of booking the gty cabin once the price drops on that, and then trade up when price or inventory goes down if I can't switch to a better balcony within the category (thanks for that tip).

 

I thought it was strange to about all the availability - maybe they are hoping a lot of people with kids will book on the current promotion so they kept the prices up for that. Or maybe booking patterns are different for the locals like me when you don't have to deal with airfare. And there may be even more cabins open, as I have found cabins available via specifically checking at RCI in the past that did not show up on a TA website.

[WestfieldTraveler]

Wow, strangely unpopular cruise for prime date. My TA's site lists 319 available balcony cabins with prices ranging from about $1450 for a gty to $1800 for most "D" categories. You should have no trouble waiting a bit.

...

 

Hey Baron,

could you give me a hint of your TA's website - I'm hoping it is a one-click exercise to get that number of cabins, as the usual "cruise" website I use seems to limit the display to 50 (at least the last time I checked) per deck, and I do need to check each category and deck to get a number.

[WestfieldTraveler]

So, having not much else to do during lunch (ha!), I did a bit of clicking on my favorite TA website and it seems that it will limit to displaying 50 cabins per category across all decks for that category, and also checking 3 and 4 room occupancy (not many of those left - guess the kids thing is filling cabins), there are a total of 326 balcony cabins displaying. As 4 of the categories listed 50 cabins available, and two others listed 49 and 46, I can guess there are a bit more than 326 balcony cabins available. So I'm guessing that there is a general limitation of 50 cabins that are given to a TA per category at a time to list out.

 

So, if anyone knows of a site that will list out more than 50 per category, please give me a hint!

[Biker19]

So, if anyone knows of a site that will list out more than 50 per category, please give me a hint!

 

 

Have not found one yet and this is the same limitation for the RCI UK site.

 

 

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[Baron Barracuda]

Hey Baron,

could you give me a hint of your TA's website - I'm hoping it is a one-click exercise to get that number of cabins, as the usual "cruise" website I use seems to limit the display to 50 (at least the last time I checked) per deck, and I do need to check each category and deck to get a number.

 

Believe we use the same site. I added available cabin totals deck by deck within category. No category showed more than 50. If there are many more than that this close to sailing Anthem is in big trouble. Guess you could test by plugging specific "booked" cabin #'s into Royals site to see if they show as available.

[WestfieldTraveler]

So, after the price dropped to more than $500 per person below the lowest non-obstructed balcony cabin category, I decided to pull the trigger and book a guaranteed balcony, with the thought of rebooking into a better category if either I get assigned into the obstructed balcony category, or if I don't get any assignment closer to the cruise date with enough cabins left to have some choice with a good price.

 

With the number of cabins currently available on both the Aug 3rd and the two cruises around it, I think there will be plenty of cabins to choose from if I decide to "upgrade".

[Biker19]

^ the drop seems to be right around the 60 days out mark - thought still not down to the $100 pp pd mark some look for.

 

Biker, who would have booked something even cheaper, like the Y GTY, if one were to gamble on the upgrade route.

[WestfieldTraveler]

And to complete the deal, we did get assigned a D7 cabin near the bow on 10, which I ended up changing to a midships D7 cabin on 9. And as my TA was not giving out the free gratuities with the Y guarantee, it basically came to the same price once you figure those in (maybe even cheaper). I'm happy - but still checking for possible upgrades.

[Biker19]

Due to the high % of balconies on Q class, the chance of getting a balcony on a Y or even Z GTY is higher than other ships. Congrats.

[di234]

The August 3rd sailing of Anthem is now listed on the Going Going Gone sale. If that helps anyone.

[Biker19]

^ the other two 9 night sailings also have have similar GTY rates - typical sale about 30-60 days out.

[WestfieldTraveler]

Well, just to update the outcome, after using the "fish" website to monitor, and checking (mainly for any "better" cabins opening in the category we got,

- the price for a balcony guarantee never did go lower than what we got around 50 days out, although my TA seemed to change the availability of free gratuities with the same fare once or twice a day at times, and stayed in the same range when the number of cabins I counted available were at least 300 to 200 to...

- now, 30 days out, when there are about 100 cabins available, the price for the balcony guarantee and the specific balcony categories seemed to have gone up about $200/pp+ for most, where now the oceanview and interior guarantees are now near what the balcony guarantee was, except there are no cabins showing available in those categories, so maybe it functionally is a balcony guarantee anyway.

 

I think the moral of the story is just book when the prices reach your price point, and don't get greedy waiting for more unless you are flexible on the date, and always keep in mind your pricing may always vary (or the cruise may suddenly sell out!)

[Husky1987]

Well, just to update the outcome, after using the "fish" website to monitor, and checking (mainly for any "better" cabins opening in the category we got,

- the price for a balcony guarantee never did go lower than what we got around 50 days out, although my TA seemed to change the availability of free gratuities with the same fare once or twice a day at times, and stayed in the same range when the number of cabins I counted available were at least 300 to 200 to...

- now, 30 days out, when there are about 100 cabins available, the price for the balcony guarantee and the specific balcony categories seemed to have gone up about $200/pp+ for most, where now the oceanview and interior guarantees are now near what the balcony guarantee was, except there are no cabins showing available in those categories, so maybe it functionally is a balcony guarantee anyway.

 

I think the moral of the story is just book when the prices reach your price point, and don't get greedy waiting for more unless you are flexible on the date, and always keep in mind your pricing may always vary (or the cruise may suddenly sell out!)

 

I wish everyone followed your advice rather than complaining about the newest "fake sale". Said it before...whether a cruise line calls their $1000pp price

 

$2000pp at 50% off OR

$500pp with a 100% surcharge,

 

It's all the same.

 

If you're comfortable paying $1000pp and it's worth that to you, then book it. Then if the next "sale" increases the price, who cares?

[Biker19]

- the price for a balcony guarantee never did go lower than what we got around 50 days out, although my TA seemed to change the availability of free gratuities with the same fare once or twice a day at times, and stayed in the same range when the number of cabins I counted available were at least 300 to 200 to...

That seems to be the sweet spot (about 60 days out) IF there are any significant drops (rare)