Best time to buy and how to get best deals.

[Andie 49]

Hello all. We were on our first cruise ever.Princess cruise from LA  to VAncouver BC. Did not realize we would love it so much. We want to go on another maybe next year from Vancouver to Alaska round trip probablly. I know the best prices are from July to September but want to know how to get the best cruise..when to book etc etc etc. We are seniors on very limited funds but I heard on here of people getting some really good rates offered to them after we paid for our own cruise. Any tips that could be shared?

[AdGuyMG]

25 minutes ago, Andy49 said:

 I heard on here of people getting some really good rates offered to them after we paid for our own cruise. Any tips that could be shared?

Do you have specific examples of the price you paid versus the "good rates" others paid?

 

Was the pricing you saw on here for the exact same category of cabin on the exact same deck with the exact same perks on the exact same dates on the exact same itinerary?

 

 

[Hlitner]

There are a few ways to find good deals.  Just keep in mind that the key is to be flexible when it comes to cruise lines, ships and even itineraries.  Many of the best deals will be found 3-5 weeks prior to a cruise which is well inside of the final payment period.  But some of the amazing bargains are never advertised nor will you find them on the Internet.  They come from some very reputable high volume cruise agencies that have great relations with certain cruise lines.  They will get notified of so-called last minute (inside the final payment period) deals and this information is then spread to those on their private e-mail lists.  This means getting your e-mail address registered (this is free) with multiple decent cruise agencies.  The result can be too many e-mails but if that is a problem you can simply set up a new e-mail just for this kind of thing.  

 

Another key is that if you do spot a great deal, book it!  Not later...but now!  Some of our best deals have been gone within a few hours.  You also need to be cognizant of air fares.  We have actually booked some last minute cruises where I had one computer on a cruise agency site (looking at the actual deal) and another computer checking for air options.   We do a lot of cruising but the last minute bargain hunting is only a small part of our travel.  For many other cruises the best deals will come with relatively early bookings..often as part of a promotion.   

 

By the way, when you do book a cruise you should keep watching the pricing on that particular cruise.  If the price drops or there is some kind of terrific promotion you many be able to get your booking "repriced" or perhaps negotiate some additional accommodation.  We are talking a short 10 day Celebrity cruise next week that we stumbled on 3 weeks ago.  It was a decent last minute booking opportunity (not a steal...but very good) and we quickly booked a cabin.  Apparently quite a few others also jumped on this deal.   We now know that some who had booked that same cruise more then a year ago are not real happy about the last minute price drop but such is life.

 

Hank

[Andie 49]

28 minutes ago, AdGuyMG said:

Do you have specific examples of the price you paid versus the "good rates" others paid?

 

Was the pricing you saw on here for the exact same category of cabin on the exact same deck with the exact same perks on the exact same dates on the exact same itinerary?

 

 

yes it was very similar and it was on the same cruise. We paid about 450 a person and the other people paid around 300. I am not sure of more of the details right now but I do remember that it was substantially less.Sorry I cannot give you more details. I think they were offered casino rates but they did not even gamble they said.

[Andie 49]

45 minutes ago, AdGuyMG said:

Do you have specific examples of the price you paid versus the "good rates" others paid?

 

Was the pricing you saw on here for the exact same category of cabin on the exact same deck with the exact same perks on the exact same dates on the exact same itinerary?

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by Andy49
delete

[Andie 49]

45 minutes ago, AdGuyMG said:

Do you have specific examples of the price you paid versus the "good rates" others paid?

 

Was the pricing you saw on here for the exact same category of cabin on the exact same deck with the exact same perks on the exact same dates on the exact same itinerary?

 

 

yes it was very similar and it was on the same cruise. We paid about 450 a person and the other people paid around 300. I am not sure of more of the details right now but I do remember that it was substantially less.Sorry I cannot give you more details. I think they were offered casino rates but they did not even gamble they said.

[Andie 49]

I have had a hard time replying but I would just like to reply to Hank and say Thank you for all your great feedback and could  you tell me how to get my email on these lists you mentioned? I like to do research so I have time to look up cruises etc. Right now we are hoping to go on the Alaska cruise from Vancouver and ending in Vancouver. Anytime next year to celebrate a 70th birthday for of my boyfriend.

[AdGuyMG]

23 minutes ago, Andy49 said:

 I think they were offered casino rates ..... but they did not even gamble they said.

 

That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

Good luck!

 

[Andie 49]

i agree

 

[navybankerteacher]

If there were reallly reliable, sure-fire ways of getting the best rates, those who knew them would be unlikely to share.   That said, some cruises tend to sell early, leading to rising prices as sailing date nears; others sell slowly, with resulting last minute bargains.

 

There are, of course, higher priced itineraries, ships and seasons — as well as lower priced ones. If cost is a significant factor, focus on the lower priced side - and be happy with what is available.

 

If you are flexible, you can wait to see if there are last minute bargains - bearing in mind that the cost of getting to the port might increase: meaning you should monitor all variables — and be happy to stay home if a bargain does not appear.

 

Finally, human nature being what it is, you do not want to believe all the stories about great bargains.  While there are some people who always seem to win in the casino, there are also those who always seem to get great bargains.  A touch of informed scepticism is always helpful in reading posts on sites like this.

[Joebucks]

The most surefire way to get best rates is to book in the off season. Usually anything other than peak weeks, spring break, holidays, and summer, deals can be had. Booking in July is probably one of the more expensive months, so I would stay away from that.

 

Other than that, flexibility is your friend. Instead of wanting a specific cruise and hoping it gets cheaper for you, you want to find a cheap price and work more around that. Sometimes, you can find last-minute deals. Being in the right place at the right time can pay off

 

[Hlitner]

5 hours ago, Andy49 said:

I have had a hard time replying but I would just like to reply to Hank and say Thank you for all your great feedback and could  you tell me how to get my email on these lists you mentioned? I like to do research so I have time to look up cruises etc. Right now we are hoping to go on the Alaska cruise from Vancouver and ending in Vancouver. Anytime next year to celebrate a 70th birthday for of my boyfriend.

The CC rules make it impossible for me to get too specific regarding agencies.  Just using some Search Engines like Google you can find many cruise agencies.  But you do need to conduct your own due diligence on agencies.  Some you might know by word of mouth (talking with others who cruise is often very helpful) and others you can find by doing some online research.  When you look at many agency web sites they will have information about how to sign-up for special deals.  You can even call agencies and ask if they maintain a private e-mail list for special deals (which are mostly last minute).  Get yourself on the mailing lists of several agencies and also spend a little time every day browsing the web, looking at pricing, etc.  As you explore the web sites of some reputable agencies (and perhaps talk to one of their agents) you will eventually develop your own feel for who has the best prices and service.  

 

There are plenty of round trip cruises to Alaska from Vancouver so you will have multiple cruise lines that you can watch.  Holland America does Alaska cruises...but often from Seattle.  I noticed that there are some terrific deals in the next two months (this is last minute stuff)...especially for those willing to book an inside cabin.  If budget is a major issue inside cabins are often a steal and you might be able to get some kind of upgrade or upsell to a better cabin as you near the embarkation date.  Just beware that you can spend a lot of money in Alaska...especially if you book some of the better excursions.

 

Hank

[TxMark]

Example  of a good deal , Vancouver to Anchorage 7 nights   S 228.00 Norwegian  Jewel  May 27 . They also had the return back to Vancouver for the same price. 14 nights at $32.00  a night = $456.00  Book very early or after final payment is due.

[Andie 49]

Thank you Hank and Txmar. Some great information.i will start my research right now.

 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

Book as soon as the date comes up. Also book while on a cruise. 

[iancal]

Since retiring we only buy inside the final payment window. Anywhere for a few days to six weeks or so prior to blast off.

 

We monitor the pricing of various competing ships on the itinerary.  We get an understanding of what a normal 'sale price' is and determine what a good buy price for us is.  When our price hits we buy.   Clearly we are not loyal to any one cruise line.  Cannot imagine that given the changes in the industry.

 

We are quite cavalier about it. IF we snag the cruise, great. If not, it is not the end of the world for us.  Our view is these deals are like buses.  If we miss one, there will be another come along at some point.  So, no emotional attachment to a specific sailing or ship.  IF we require air, we also monitor those prices, along with alternate air gateways, at the same time.   IF we need air our TA will usually be able to hold a deal for a few hours to ensure that can finalize air at our target price-either from the market or from the cruise line air program.   To date, this approach has worked well for us.  It does take some work, some diligence, and some patience.  

Edited May 28, 2019 by iancal