NCL January Sale

[reeinaz]

While it's nice to come out ahead during a "sale", I'm fine knowing that I booked at a lower price months ago and can't find a better deal today.

[reeinaz]

18 hours ago, Mrworldwide_88 said:

Well the sale has made them cheaper than in december so I guess I'll keep looking.

 

Is there ever a sweet point to get the best price?

I think most people will say the best prices are either when the itinerary is first released or during the last minute price reductions that might occur after the final payment date. I have 4 cruises booked for 2020 and 2021 and 2 already for 2022 and check prices on all of them about once a week. I haven't seen any significantly cheaper prices when I'm comparing apples to apples (perk for perk). I might see a variance of $20. But I'm booking studio cabins or balconies. I have noticed things like a balcony being the same price as an OV or an inside being cheaper than a studio but those are random blips and nothing that can be counted on and my previous bookings are still cheaper than what I might be seeing at the moment.

[david_sobe]

I agree that the prices seem to have went up for Black Friday "sales" and only receded a bit.  The cruise I have been pricing is higher now than prior to Black Friday.

[reeinaz]

15 hours ago, blcruising said:

 

 

Anyway, we were able to grab a Breakaway cruise at a really good last minute price. We booked on New Year's Eve. The interior price dropped $300 from 12-30 to 12-31 and then increased $300 from 12-31 to 1-1. 

Is this a cruise you had been wanting to book or just happened to notice the price drop? I wasn't particularly interested in a Bermuda cruise but when I saw a studio available on the Escape for $649, I took it. I knew they generally trended higher just from perusing the website. The current price on Escape is $779 and I would have paid that. The Encore is about double that now for a studio. I would not pay $1400 for that trip.

[MoniMommy]

11 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

I agree that the prices seem to have went up for Black Friday "sales" and only receded a bit.  The cruise I have been pricing is higher now than prior to Black Friday.

Yes, you have to book when the price is good and not wait for a sale.

[luv2kroooz]

5 minutes ago, reeinaz said:

Is this a cruise you had been wanting to book or just happened to notice the price drop? I wasn't particularly interested in a Bermuda cruise but when I saw a studio available on the Escape for $649, I took it. I knew they generally trended higher just from perusing the website. The current price on Escape is $779 and I would have paid that. The Encore is about double that now for a studio. I would not pay $1400 for that trip.

Congrats on the studio booking. I like Escape.

 

We had been looking for January. No specific itinerary or cruise line. We had done the long hauls on NCL out of NYC for the past few years. We were real close to booking MSC Meraviglia or HAL Zuiderdam out of Florida but held off because of airfare. The 11 day Breakaway went to $749  interior with no single supplement and 1 perk (sailaway rate was $699) plus travel agent and shareholder OBC and 2 cruise next cert, and roundtrip airfare of $125. 

[david_sobe]

5 minutes ago, MoniMommy said:

Yes, you have to book when the price is good and not wait for a sale.

LOL You are correct.  For NCL you must NOT book during a "sale"

[sfaaa]

1 hour ago, MoniMommy said:

Yes, you have to book when the price is good and not wait for a sale.

Especially when the deposit is refundable and you can price shop or re fare after you book. Why wait?

[April42749]

5 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

Well, it turned out - the ship was sold out, pretty full - with about 400 passengers traveling with non-USA passports or travel documents, a higher number or percentage that average, it seemed.  There're multiple oversea groups onboard, with their own T/A escort/langugage guides doing quick tour on embarkation day.  We've seen groups like them before, but definitely not on the scale we saw.  It should be interesting to read/hear & learn on whether the Gem's next 2 sailings - Panama crossing, westbound and then eastbound returning to NY by early February, are going to be similar.  NCL's Joy venture to the Asia market didn't work out well, but T/A and partners - seemed - my feeling/observation- suggesting that they are flying them here instead to board the ships to cruise different itineraries.  Besides, airfares lately - with non-USA airlines are dirt cheap and very reasonable, even for E+ seating as those are grueling 13 to 16 hours non-stops into JFK - depending on their hometown airports.  

 

There isn't enough info/data to validate or confirm some of my speculations ... but I offer this as possible reasons to discuss & share ... let's see what the last minute booking - NY sailings - for March & possible early May look like in the coming week, as capacity is limited and if they can match the demand ahead, no need to take "bargain" bids and/or do fire sale ... and offer solo specials (none on the 8 nights - Dec. 13th)

 

Several years ago, and I believe it was on the BA....lots of cabins were available a couple of weeks prior to sailing.  Then, suddenly, nothing was available.

 

At the terminal it was obvious that a large foreign group was going with us (like 25% of the ship).  I'm not getting into anything else because of political correctness....but the the most part they just camped out in the buffet and atrium.  I don't see how this would bring extra revenue.

 

 

[luv2kroooz]

Who knows what the heck they are doing. Looking at Joy on January 5, you have.

 

Balcony with perks at the discount of $849

Sailaway interior at $919

Sailaway oceanview at $929

Sailaway balcony topping out at $949

 

Goofy. Someone had a bit too much champagne on New Year's Eve. Only on NCL.

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by blcruising

[mking8288]

18 minutes ago, April42749 said:

Several years ago, and I believe it was on the BA ....that a large foreign group was going with us (like 25% of the ship) ... just camped out in the buffet and atrium.  I don't see how this would bring extra revenue.

 

We had "them" on our BA, Escape & Gem sailings out of NY too; plus, some of the "Joy" traineess being mentored by crew members.  We don't have issues that they are sailing and cruising with NCL, but - NCL should and need to work/partner with their overseas T/A to provide a little bit of orientation & guidance, coaching if you would - in their native language on basic rules, expectations, do's and don'ts, i.e. like not jamming their water jugs and insulated thermos (for hot water).  Not a matter of correctness or  not.  NCL used to (still ??) do multi-lingual announcement of key languages based on the passenger manifest/profile for the sailing ... German & Japanese spoken then (but, not last month.) 

 

Last month on the Gem's buffet, F&B actually shut down the flavored water dispensers at one of the station and limited that to water & ice ... "they" were scattered in smaller groups & clusters, hanging out most of the time there.  We tried our best to avoid the buffet, head toward the back or across into La Cucina (when not in use) to stay away.  It seemed - obvious - like most of them were on on the ship's unlimited WiFi plan.  Not to be confused/mixed together with their US counterparts, hardly saw the foreign passengers eating in the MDR.  

[MoniMommy]

2 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Especially when the deposit is refundable and you can price shop or re fare after you book. Why wait?

That's the one thing that NCL has still going for it. They have the lowest deposit. Carnival has low deposits too, but they are non refundable. If you want a refundable rate with carnival you have to pay a higher deposit and fare. However they do price match after final payment up until sailing.

[luv2kroooz]

30 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

NCL should and need to work/partner with their overseas T/A to provide a little bit of orientation & guidance, coaching if you would - in their native language on basic rules, expectations, do's and don'ts, 

Yeah, like how to use an elevator, how to get food from a buffet, and how to speak at a low volume level when you are inside and within two feet of each other. Oh, and please don't load up plastic shopping bags with dozens of apples, oranges, and pears. It's a buffet not a grocery store.

[April42749]

52 minutes ago, blcruising said:

Yeah, like how to use an elevator, how to get food from a buffet, and how to speak at a low volume level when you are inside and within two feet of each other. Oh, and please don't load up plastic shopping bags with dozens of apples, oranges, and pears. It's a buffet not a grocery store.

I am in complete agreement with this and with what others have said.  But, if NCL "gives cabins away" to people who don't financially contribute how does it help the company?  If anything, it turns the rest of us off.

I'm very happy with the cabin I was assigned for the upcoming cruise....but now I'm thinking of bidding to upgrade for the spa "just in case".

 

[IRMO12HD]

I'm a newbie to cruise purchasing (our first two cruises were a partial and then a full ship charter, so don't really count), but was wondering if my NCL purchase experience was typical . . .

 

Purchased a BD cabin on NCL Bliss for the April 2020 Panama Canal sailing (21 night).  At the time, the per person rate was $2969 -- which, in comparison to a cruise we had booked on Celebrity (and later cancelled) was pretty reasonable.  I transferred the booking to a TA -- and then the fun began.  The price kept on going DOWN!  AND DOWN!  Original deposit was made in April 2019; got to select a really desirable cabin on the 'bump;' refundable with three perks.  As I checked on the price and notified the TA of price drops, the number of perks actually increased!  After giving up the 'free/reduced airfare,' our final (I think) price for the cabin is $1616 per person. Previous to this final price drop, the price had dropped to $1879.  Are all of these price drops normal, or was it just beginner's luck?

[luv2kroooz]

8 minutes ago, IRMO12HD said:

I'm a newbie to cruise purchasing (our first two cruises were a partial and then a full ship charter, so don't really count), but was wondering if my NCL purchase experience was typical . . .

 

Purchased a BD cabin on NCL Bliss for the April 2020 Panama Canal sailing (21 night).  At the time, the per person rate was $2969 -- which, in comparison to a cruise we had booked on Celebrity (and later cancelled) was pretty reasonable.  I transferred the booking to a TA -- and then the fun began.  The price kept on going DOWN!  AND DOWN!  Original deposit was made in April 2019; got to select a really desirable cabin on the 'bump;' refundable with three perks.  As I checked on the price and notified the TA of price drops, the number of perks actually increased!  After giving up the 'free/reduced airfare,' our final (I think) price for the cabin is $1616 per person. Previous to this final price drop, the price had dropped to $1879.  Are all of these price drops normal, or was it just beginner's luck?

Historically, I would say that was pretty normal for NCL. Higher prices far out with discounts as sailing approaches with unsold cabins. More recently, there seems to be less price reductions. Many times, prices have been increasing as sailing approaches or even ships completely selling out weeks in advance.

[IRMO12HD]

Thanks, @blcruising.  Good to know!

 

[fstuff1]

11 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

 

NCL seemed to be selling the remaining cabin inventory further out, not last minutes, lately - for cruises out of NYC as I only watched those closely for possible deals, suggesting that the new partner's "RateGain" pricing model or scheme might just be working

 

uggg.. i am hoping 21day Bliss panama canal in April would have last minute solo pricing.

it was down to $1200 solo for an Inside GTY at one point in Nov. then prices shot up during this long 'sale' event.

now cheapest is $2k for a studio.

[sirenitas]

On 1/1/2020 at 11:41 AM, cmarsh31 said:

Price stayed the same (POA 2022) but discount is actually lower for our cruise now than when we booked it 4 days ago (guests 3 & 4 were half off). "Saved" about $500 so far.

I have POA booked for 2021.  I booked in August with the Past Guest discount, was able to use 2 CruiseNext certificates for an inside cabin and got free 3rd.  I keep checking prices to see if there are any drops but all I have seen is increases - even with the BF/Cyber Monday/NYE discounts - on average I am paying $700 less.  I keep checking hoping for something different but it is always the same.

[luv2kroooz]

21 hours ago, mking8288 said:

NCL seemed to be selling the remaining cabin inventory further out, not last minutes, lately - for cruises out of NYC as I only watched those closely for possible deals, suggesting that the new partner's "RateGain" pricing model or scheme might just be working,

 

Mking, did you see the Jan 5 Bliss inventory has opened up overnight? That sailing was showing as sold out for weeks, but this morning, two days prior to sailing, has every category, except spa, available. Not as discounted as prior years. Very odd. I wonder what is going on? Also, if you change booking from 2 guests to 1, it shows sold out, so evidently you can't book a cabin for 1.

[EllieinNJ]

I have been looking at two NE and Canada cruises for September.  One on the Encore which is $1200 pp inside Sailaway and the other is MSC Meraviglia for $859 pp Bella balcony.  I would book the latter in a heartbeat but MSC has horrible reviews while I know how much I like NCL.  I'm afraid if I keep waiting for price drops they will both go up.

[April42749]

1 hour ago, EllieinNJ said:

I have been looking at two NE and Canada cruises for September.  One on the Encore which is $1200 pp inside Sailaway and the other is MSC Meraviglia for $859 pp Bella balcony.  I would book the latter in a heartbeat but MSC has horrible reviews while I know how much I like NCL.  I'm afraid if I keep waiting for price drops they will both go up.

We did the Meraviglia to Canada this past Oct.  We were in a Bella Balcony.  We loved it so much that I booked a Bella Balcony for next Oct as soon as I came home.  MSC will match your NCL status...so you'll get a really nice discount.  In addition...it was an international crowd.  You'll get people from all over.

Don't believe those reviews....the ship was gorgeous, the entertainment outstanding and a wonderful crew!

 

 

[April42749]

1 hour ago, blcruising said:

 

Mking, did you see the Jan 5 Bliss inventory has opened up overnight? That sailing was showing as sold out for weeks, but this morning, two days prior to sailing, has every category, except spa, available. Not as discounted as prior years. Very odd. I wonder what is going on? Also, if you change booking from 2 guests to 1, it shows sold out, so evidently you can't book a cabin for 1.

Not deep discounts....but normal prices.  Two weeks in a balcony for $1199= $600/per week.  Not bad at all.

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, blcruising said:

 

Mking ... Jan 5 Bliss inventory has opened up overnight? That sailing was showing as sold out for weeks, but this morning, two days prior to sailing, has every category, except spa, available. Not as discounted as prior years. Very odd. I wonder what is ... change booking from 2 guests to 1, it shows sold out, so evidently you can't book a cabin for 1.

 

Thnaks for the heads up with last minute availability, NOT.  I just managed to log into the NCL website, issues with their system (go figure, it's the weekend coming up ... so, again)  Pattern is very similar to our Gem's 8 night sailing last month.  Likewise, if you try to do a mock booking, it changed whatever category to being "SOLD OUT" and/or not available - right now, my guess is NCL is "processing" for possible UPGRADE BIDS submitted - almost at the 2 days / 48 hours cutoff, this afternoon.  

 

No solo deals being the other explanation - thus, cannot book it ... and typically, Studio are gone months ago.  Too bad, we loved this itinerary last January on the Escape ... sailing with Arzeena and others, loads of fun (and, "experiencing" mid-cruise the suspected noro counter-measures, etc. 

 

If there're unsold inventory, they're held by someone, not shown or perhaps a (group of ??) select # of T/A had them blocked to sell them (overseas ... if you & others are on it, be on the lookout & alert)  NY's JFK & EWR is super convenient and easy for transpac long-haul flights, ridiculously low airfares now from select airports.  Doing a mock booking last night on the Jade, even NCL "Reduced" Air is quoting just $699 p/p as add on ... not too bad - plus $125 for transfers.  

 

At this point, I am not expecting to see lower / bargain / last minute prices for cruises out of NYC in the coming weeks - as FDR predicted & their "RateGain" scheme seemed to be working to their $$$ advantage thus far.  Just my 2 cents, nothing definitive and highly speculative, inconclusive with recent trending. 

 

Happy cruising if you are on the Bliss (??  I am guessing - bon voyage ! ) 

Edited January 3, 2020 by mking8288

[MechE31]

For our May 2021 cruise, the price itself was fairly similar from BF sale to December sale to January sale, but they dropped the latitudes 20% discount on our sailing and the others we were looking at around that time frame.

Edited January 3, 2020 by MechE31