Strange observation about the Joy 9 day Bermuda in August

[Drumstix40]

We were looking to book the Joy the last week in Aug this summer.  However it has a series of 7 day followed by a string of 9 day in last Aug-Sep. 

Right now the Aug 14 sailing is wide open almost every category open to book. However, the Aug 23 sailing is booking up.  Since they both begin and end mid week and prices are close, that should not be a factor.  I thought that the earlier sailing would be the bigger seller because people are still summer break while the following week many more schools, colleges ect. will be starting up.  Anyone have any deeper insight to this. Im very curious.

[jimsig]

6 minutes ago, Drumstix40 said:

We were looking to book the Joy the last week in Aug this summer.  However it has a series of 7 day followed by a string of 9 day in last Aug-Sep. 

Right now the Aug 14 sailing is wide open almost every category open to book. However, the Aug 23 sailing is booking up.  Since they both begin and end mid week and prices are close, that should not be a factor.  I thought that the earlier sailing would be the bigger seller because people are still summer break while the following week many more schools, colleges ect. will be starting up.  Anyone have any deeper insight to this. Im very curious.

In the Northeast most schools (not colleges) this year won't go back until the 29th at the very earliest and being that the first Wed in Sept is after Labor Day this year a lot won't go back until then.  

[Farmer387]

Don't know why the two sailings are not selling equally, but Aug 14 is a Sunday so does not begin midweek (that's burned into my memory because that's the one I'm booked on).  Fine with me if bookings are light; just not so good for the cruise line.

[Mitchel310]

In NY schools don’t go back until Sept 7th or so, so both are on summer break for a lot of people who choose to sail out of NY. Prices on the 8/23 sailing have been pretty

consistently lower so I’m surprised it’s more full (it’s the sailing we have booked). Not sure why that one would be more full but I’m not surprised it’s not less full. 

[molsiesmom]

I would have also expected them to be equal or that the earlier sailing would book faster. 

 

[kylenyc]

A quick search ... CUNY, SUNY, Columbia, NYU fall semester starts August 25. So the August 23 cruise cheaper marking the end of summer? Then parents celebrate on the cheaper cruise happy not to pay for their college bound kids to tag along?