Lesson learned - don't wait to book

[Joebucks]

Was eying a cruise early next year on the Horizon for about $700 pp. It is now $900 pp. It's not the end of the world, but a $400 mistake is one that is hard to swallow for me. Next time, I'll book early. Anyone else noticing prices going up?

[PhillyFan33579]

I usually book our cruises at least a year in advance under ES. I constantly check prices on Carnival’s website to see if the fare has gone down. A few times I have been lucky and ended up with additional OBC due to the price dropping. However, for the majority of cruises the price consistently increased as the cruise date got closer. 

[jdemps]

I personally have never seen a price drop an any cruise I have ever taken.  We book about 12 - 18 months in advance in a balcony or suite typically outside of FL ports and I just watch the rates rise from where they were when I locked them in.  I wonder if the only cabins that drop are oceanview or inside and from Florida only.  lol

[soonernstlouis]

12 minutes ago, jdemps said:

I personally have never seen a price drop an any cruise I have ever taken.  We book about 12 - 18 months in advance in a balcony or suite typically outside of FL ports and I just watch the rates rise from where they were when I locked them in.  I wonder if the only cabins that drop are oceanview or inside and from Florida only.  lol

Make sure you are logged in to your VIFP# when

doing the mock bookings for checking on price drops.  For my upcoming cruise the rack rate never went below my booking rate but I got $50/pp savings from a logged in price drop about 5 months out.

[Rudyard]

Last price drop I had was on Triumph a week after coming back into service following the cruise with the "problems". It was around $200 and I'm guessing they were having difficulty filling cabins at the time. Haven't had a price drop since then. Every cruise has gone up by about $150 to $200. 

Edited August 4, 2019 by Rudyard

[Sea Hag]

I book early, usually. Sometimes I see price drops before final payment, sometimes not. It's a guessing game.

[VentureMan_2000]

In March, I booked two cruises for 2020, over 15 months in advance... an Alaskan cruise and a Hawaiian cruise.  I do check the prices every once in a while and it has paid off.  I received a $400 price drop (total) and a category upgrade to center of ship on the Alaskan cruise.  And recently, the Hawaiian cruise went down $150 (total), so received that price drop too.

Both have since gone up above my original booking price, so I wouldn't expect any better pricing now, than I already have.

You just never know...

[v3cruiser]

Sales have been red hot. Book early for sure. Our cruise in Nov has been sold out and not l I step for 6 weeks now. Just amazing.

[bury me at sea]

I usually book a long time out, sometimes over a year and a half.  Several years ago I benefited from price drops a couple of times.

 

Last spring's cruise steadily increased.

 

Next year's cruise, booked over 500 days out, has increased a total of 305.00 for two people so far.

 

2021 cruise, booked as soon as it was announced, a full 2 years out, is most bizarre.  The only rate that has been offered for over a month now has been Fun Select.  Who books that?  All I can surmise is that Carnival doesn't want to sell any cabins for the time being.

 

Point is that barring unusual circumstances, booking as early as possible is good in this economy.  You win if the price increases and you have a huge choice of cabins.  You can price match if the price decreases.

 

 

[ray98]

I have won and lost.  My usual tactic is to pick a couple of weeks in the future for a vacation and start watching cruises using the sites that put everything out there in a certain time frame in list view.  Sometimes one of them will become a good deal months ahead of sailing.  When it does I will book under Early Saver and if I misjudged it and it hasn't reached bottom then nothing lost.  Sometimes everything stays stable and I wait until just a couple months out to book.  I always get a good deal and sometimes a really good deal.  You just have to be open where and have a little flexibility in the timing. 

 

When you are keyed in on one cruise like you were if the price is acceptable then go ahead and book it if you can handle the terms of ES.  If it drops you lose nothing.

[Purvis1231]

3 hours ago, Joebucks said:

Was eying a cruise early next year on the Horizon for about $700 pp. It is now $900 pp. It's not the end of the world, but a $400 mistake is one that is hard to swallow for me. Next time, I'll book early. Anyone else noticing prices going up?

 

Most cruises I have booked go up and down. I book early and usually get a few bucks in price reductions but usually about 6 months out. the price goes up. 

[Cafedumonde]

It has gone both ways for us.  I find the newer ships (vista +)  only go up as time goes by.   Our vista cruise went up $1200 😱  from the time we booked it to the time we got on the ship.  Our Panorama cruise has only gone up about $150 since we booked it right after opening day.   I guess no one wants to go to the “Mexican Riviera.”  Lol.  I watched a Horizon cruises that did also go up over a few months.  Did not end up booking.   But we have received price drops on 4 other cruises.  So, just depends.  Overall, though, I love carnival’s price drop system.  So great for the consumer.   And based on actual market forces.  More people book.. price goes up and vice versa.  Beats the hell out of the racket over at NCL where your price drops like $1000 after paid in full every time and you have no recourse.

Edited August 4, 2019 by Cafedumonde

[Shaded Lady]

So I have a question- is it safe to assume that selecting a specific cabin that has limited availability (we have an aft wrap Premium Vista Balcony on our Nov 2020 cruise) would pretty much exclude us from getting price drops?

 

We always pick our cabins, and the last few have been pretty primo locations so we didn't get any price drops, but they were also on the newer ships. This time we're on Freedom. but still, the cabin we selected is pretty selective.

 

Just wondering if I'd be wasting my time with mock bookings, looking for price drops.

[VentureMan_2000]

My understanding is prices drop for many reasons.  I heard one is to move people out of the inside category cabins as these sell easier due to the low prices -- Carnival may drop a balcony price so that they can move or entice folks from their inside cabins.  It's all about filling the ship.

That said, I think there are "preferred" cabins that folks try to snatch up before they disappear, such as your aft wraparound.  There are some balconies that are 12' instead of the standard 7' that are coveted...  I'm sure there are others.  I would think Carnival is aware of these cabins and would not discount them.

[Cafedumonde]

12 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

So I have a question- is it safe to assume that selecting a specific cabin that has limited availability (we have an aft wrap Premium Vista Balcony on our Nov 2020 cruise) would pretty much exclude us from getting price drops?

 

We always pick our cabins, and the last few have been pretty primo locations so we didn't get any price drops, but they were also on the newer ships. This time we're on Freedom. but still, the cabin we selected is pretty selective.

 

Just wondering if I'd be wasting my time with mock bookings, looking for price drops.

The Freedom was one where we did not get a price drop.  I think the Galveston port is popular.  But it was at the beginning of the summer, so that might be why.  But even if your cabin level is sold out they should let you upgrade if you want which might get you a price drop.  Of course, you would loose your original cabin.

We loved the Freedom!!

 

 

[2Shoes2Go]

We have quite a few bookings. There are price drops, usually less than $50; but they add up. Most drops, I find, are for OV and INT cabins, esp on 5 day cruises. A few, we have coming up, I went for an upgrade using the drop to offset.

There are many bookings held, not ours, with the $50 deposit sales. As the dates for final payment approach, there will be cabins come back and prices sometimes drop. Best advice, from us, is to check often for your bookings. Check using both your VIFP numbers (if applicable). It doesn’t take long, after you get the hang of it. I have seen prices change 3-4 times in the same day. I usually only check once or twice a day. 😀

[Anyislandwilldo]

I book as soon as the cruise is released in order to get the room we want.  We always stay on the lido deck.  Also booking early saver on all the cruises and get price reductions but haven't seen OBC in a longgggg time.

 

[Saint Greg]

I book early and often. I had price drops on my vista cruise earlier this year. I just had a price drop on my magic cruise this year and I’ve had price drops on my Dream Cruise next year. I had a price drop earlier this year on my Glory Cruise this month. My magic cruise next summer has only gone up.

 

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by Saint Greg

[bury me at sea]

43 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

So I have a question- is it safe to assume that selecting a specific cabin that has limited availability (we have an aft wrap Premium Vista Balcony on our Nov 2020 cruise) would pretty much exclude us from getting price drops?

 

We always pick our cabins, and the last few have been pretty primo locations so we didn't get any price drops, but they were also on the newer ships. This time we're on Freedom. but still, the cabin we selected is pretty selective.

 

Just wondering if I'd be wasting my time with mock bookings, looking for price drops.

 

I would watch prices until they are all booked.  What are there, 2 per deck on three or four decks?  And around final payment date in case people cancel.

 

I am green with envy.  I eye those every cruise but have never been able to afford one.

 

Have you sailed the Freedom?  In many respects I like her better than the Breeze.  Feels considerably less crowded.

[Cafedumonde]

1 hour ago, Saint Greg said:

I book early and often. I had price drops on my vista cruise earlier this year. I just had a price drop on my magic cruise this year and I’ve had price drops on my Dream Cruise next year. I had a price drop earlier this year on my Glory Cruise this month. My magic cruise next summer has only gone up.

 

 

Where does your magic cruise go?  Wondering if that’s why it has gone up?

[Shaded Lady]

Bury Me- we’re really excited about that cabin- we weren’t going to book a cruise again for a while, let alone in my dream cabin, but with the 50% FCC we got from the Vista cruise, it was a no brainer!

 

We’ve never been on Freedom but I convinced my hubby to give her a try, based on your recommendation! I hate that I have to wait almost 500 days!

Edited August 5, 2019 by Shaded Lady

[Saint Greg]

31 minutes ago, Cafedumonde said:

Where does your magic cruise go?  Wondering if that’s why it has gone up?

 

Yeah it’s a good one that goes to Bonaire and Aruba...think Grand Turk and HMC.

[bury me at sea]

31 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

Bury Me- we’re really excited about that cabin- we weren’t going to book a cruise again for a while, let alone in my dream cabin, but with the 50% FCC we got from the Vista cruise, it was a no brainer!

 

We’ve never been on Freedom but I convinced my hubby to give her a try, based on your recommendation! I hate that I have to wait almost 500 days!

Oh I forgot you got that FCC.  Jeez, a price drop would be cream cheese frosting on the cake.  Enjoy!

[pooksma]

15 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

So I have a question- is it safe to assume that selecting a specific cabin that has limited availability (we have an aft wrap Premium Vista Balcony on our Nov 2020 cruise) would pretty much exclude us from getting price drops?

 

We always pick our cabins, and the last few have been pretty primo locations so we didn't get any price drops, but they were also on the newer ships. This time we're on Freedom. but still, the cabin we selected is pretty selective.

 

Just wondering if I'd be wasting my time with mock bookings, looking for price drops.

We've booked aft balconies and NEVER had them drop in price. (not a wrap mind you) This is only our experience and I am sure others will be different. We are locked into cruising during very specific weeks. The only drops we have experienced are when we book a straight balcony cabin. I love the aft balcony and when we can afford it, I will book early and only occasionally check for drops due to their limited availability.

 

[Schoifmom]

I totally agree.  As soon as you make the decision to book, DO IT!.  We booked next year's TA the day it was opened.  The following day, our cabin class had DOUBLED in price.  That's an extreme example, but I really so no reason to wait.  The fares typically only go one way (up).  If you are lucky enough to see a price drop, you can get that matched.  We have about $100 pp in OBC for this year's cruise due to price drops.

Edited August 5, 2019 by Schoifmom