The pain of waiting for a price drop that never happens

[perditax]

IIRC, the price drops on Escape for the end of June/beginning of July maxed out about one week before sailing. Past that you began to risk huge chunks of rooms becoming unavailable as GTY and bids were assigned, or rooms were filled other ways. 

[NYcruzzer]

12 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

Dawn out of NYC this Saturday seemed undersold as recently as Monday. Most other Dawn Bahamas sailings sold out entirely a week or two before sailing. This one still had a bunch of rooms in nearly all categories, including a ton of suites that would likely get filled with upgrades (I don't think too many people book suites last minute). 

 

I go into manic website refresh mode hoping to catch a drop the week before sailing...and in the blink of an eye the damn cruise sells out. 

 

[PortFees45]

AND I just found out I got assigned a B6 Large Balcony!

 

I've gotten screwed with some pretty terrible rooms with Sailaway bookings (the worst are those deck 8 balconies on the Away and Away+ class ships that are literally directly over the shuffleboard court), but I'm pretty happy right now. 

[graphicguy]

OP....just saw this and immediately thought of you.  I even think this is owned by Kevin Sheehan.

 

https://nyti.ms/2K0AiIA

[PortFees45]

9 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

OP....just saw this and immediately thought of you.  I even think this is owned by Kevin Sheehan.

 

https://nyti.ms/2K0AiIA

Doesn't NCL do cruises that short?

 

I usually do 7 days. I did a 12 day once and it honestly was a bit much. 

[All-ready2cruise]

Ncl does 3-4 day cruises but looking at these prices........shoot... 3 B2Bs... I'm in for that price. 😁

 

 

Sheehan, whose family acquired a majority stake in the company in December for an undisclosed sum, is the son of Kevin Sheehan Sr., the former president and CEO of Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line. Minority owner Khosa's resume includes stints as CEO of an Indian cruise line and as a first officer for Royal Caribbean.

Edited July 27, 2019 by All-ready2cruise

[AdGuyMG]

On 7/25/2019 at 9:58 AM, GA Dave said:

 I wonder if NCL may have sold them to partner personnel for a huge discount (i.e., airline employees) when they saw that the cruise was not selling out.

Are you saying that airline employees like ticket agents, pilots, ramp agents, flight attendants, baggage handlers, mechanics etc.. can just abandon their schedules at will and go away for a week when a short notice cruise deal comes along?

[OceanBlueWaters]

I've tried to catch last minute deals on NCL for a Solo, but they always seem quite high (I want Beverage Package and factor in gratuities). There only a few ships with Studio cabins (at alleged reduced rate) with NCL.  I plan my vacation on Itinerary/budget and not the ship since I will be happy anywhere away from work!    🙂

 

I snagged a deal on MSC  with an itinerary I adore (7 nights).  It is an inside cabin (much bigger than Studio on NCL).  Adult Beverage package included (no gratuities added on),  water, specialty coffee, etc. was also included.  It was about $700 less for any cruise I priced on NCL for Solo.  NCL Sky wanted $500 more for a 3 day cruise to GSC and Nassau for a solo in the time frame I wanted.  Huh?!  I sailed on Sky and loved the ship, but it does not warrant the HUGE price for lame itinerary.  JMO.

 

Anyway, the point is, there is a market out there that will fit you and your itinerary/needs.

 

JMO 🙂

[GA Dave]

1 hour ago, AdGuyMG said:

Are you saying that airline employees like ticket agents, pilots, ramp agents, flight attendants, baggage handlers, mechanics etc.. can just abandon their schedules at will and go away for a week when a short notice cruise deal comes along?

No, but I do personally know two flight attendants, a senior mechanic, and a left-seat pilot that wait until the last minute and book cruises for a very nice discount through the employers.  Smart move, if you ask me.

[hallux]

I'm waiting on a price drop on a Mexican Riviera cruise but it's been solid for 2 months now.  The sailing 2 weeks after I was considering it is $100 cheaper.  It's coming up on 2 months out, but I also have an opportunity to find a sailing out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale in March instead, with lodging already offered for one side or the other of the cruise.  I'm not SUPER thrilled with the March itineraries for the price so I may just do October but trying to find the balance of increased flight cost (I'd need to fly cross-country) vs. any price drop I might experience is starting to come into play.

[graphicguy]

16 hours ago, GA Dave said:

No, but I do personally know two flight attendants, a senior mechanic, and a left-seat pilot that wait until the last minute and book cruises for a very nice discount through the employers.  Smart move, if you ask me.

I do last minute cruises all the time.  My last cruise 3 weeks ago was booked less than a week before sailing.

 

Last couple of years I’ve been sailing solo.  I’ve done the solo cabins.  But, I value a balcony too much to do that again.  Nothing wrong with a solo cabin if you’re OK without a balcony, though.

 

If you want to be a budget cruiser, SAILAWAY rates work well.  Recently, I like GTY rates as they have included the perks.  I am usually in that $1,300-$1,400 range for a GTY balcony cabin with the perks as a solo.  I’m good with that.

 

That said, I’ve also cruised as a solo in the HAVEN on the AWAY ships, too ($4,400 give or take with all the perks).

 

I thought I saw a longer cruise available through Panama on the Bahamas Paradise Cruise ships.