Cruise pricing and changes

[heathermiller86nj]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm currently looking at several holiday cruises. In the past, we have booked in the spring and are considering cruising again this year during the holidays.

 

Currently, 2 rooms of 2 for a 7 night holiday cruise are around $4,500 and an 8 night is around $5,300.

 

I've never booked a a cruise after final payment is due, therefore having to make a payment in full. The ships I've been looking at still have a bunch of availability.

 

Since it's past final payment and no one can cancel and rebook at a lower rate and given substantial availability for sailings less than three months away, how likely is it that prices will drop? Do the above prices for a 7 or 8 night cruise sounds like a lot? Based on anyone's experience in the past, both based on prices that I'm currently seeing and availability close to sailing following final payment dates with less than 90 days out, how likely is it that prices may either increase or decrease.

 

Thank you very much.

[LarryHD2]

what cabin category are you referring to?... and I'm assuming you mean a Christmas sailing and not Thanksgiving.

 

we're on a Thanksgiving cruise on the Anthem..... 2 balcony room for 2 each = $4,000 (including tax and fees)

[heathermiller86nj]

Sorry, referring to Christmas sailing.

 

Anthem 8 night - 1 inside and 1 oceanview or $4,950.

Grandeur 12 night - $6,200

Allure 7 night - $4,600

NCL Breakway 7 night - $4,200

 

Since there's substantial availability on the above ships and less than 90 days out I am wondering if there's a chance it may decrease over the next few weeks rather than increase had they been more full.

[LarryHD2]

I can say that I've seen a decrease in pricing on our Thanksgiving cruise in the last couple weeks, since final payment

[LarryHD2]

IDK if the $4950 on the Anthem includes fees, but I see it at $5,300 through my TA all in (with $300 cash card back)

 

I wouldn't think fares would ever go up after final payment since they're looking to fill up the ship, but maybe Christmas cruises are different

[lazydayz]

With that many options, I would continue to watch pricing.

[heathermiller86nj]

Was deducting out the $300 in credit to get to the $4,950 lol. Definitely above our budget and leaning towards one of the 7 nighters. Hoping Anthem goes down.

[MikeBTN]

If it is after final payment you are generally price protected for 48 hours. After that, if the price drops, no dice.

 

Holiday sailings rarely get cheaper. What are you considering "substantial availability"?

[heathermiller86nj]

Fewer than 8 categories of all cabin types are sold out. So wondering if they may try to fill the trip since no one who has booked and no one once they book going forward can have a lower price honored.

[Clarea]

Pricing trends are unpredictable, but Christmas cruises are probably the least likely to drop in price.

[heerrera]

I booked back in July the Harmony for Dec 23rd, 2 cabins, 2 passenger each Central Park View fir $2,200 each cabin. Plus $100 obc for each cabin.

 

 

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[njmomof2]

I'm actually booked on the Anthem 8 night. 2 balcony cabins (D7). Booked on board Allure in April. We did this same exact sailing in 2015 (D6) and my pricing was under $1100/pp before taxes. All in, with gratuities, each cabin was about $2660. Now my mom is D+ so we had a bit of a discount on that cabin; my boys, who are D, were about $25 more.

 

So, compare that to my current booking. On board booking, the cruise fare alone $1491. We got $150 OBC for each cabin. Just before final, they dropped the non-refundable cost to $1330/pp. We were going to make final anyway, so the non-refundable issue was moot. Given that I had not sailed in 2 years, after deducting the $75/pp OBC, the net increase in cruise fare was about $168/pp (so $86 per year).

 

I decided that this was an acceptable increase for a 2 year gap. But this gives you some sort of benchmark for pricing. It's interesting to note that for our 2015 cruise, I booked it in July and might have had an adjustment but it was definitely before final payment.

 

I hope this helps you in deciding if Anthem is priced appropriately for you.

[Biker19]

If there will be price drops, it will likely be around to the 60 days out mark.

 

Biker, who would wait some more before booking a holiday sailing and watch the cabin inventory.