Wait to book until after PIF date passes??

[mgcharleston]

My husband and I are planning on a cruise on the Escape for March 11, 2023. It is a spring break week so naturally prices are higher to begin with. My question is should we book now or should we wait until after the PIF date passes and try to catch a price drop? 

[SimplyAlbert]

For years we were tied into school breaks for vacations.  Many times prices continued to rise and never dropped, both for cruise and airfare.  If you're not tied into that week and could go at another time, I'd wait.  If you need that week, I'd book it as soon as possible.

[cruiseny4life]

You might get lucky. You might not. If you're looking at booking a Haven room, the same applies, however inventory is less. 

 

We booked a Haven Penthouse Suite on the Getaway in early February for an April cruise (within final payment date range). About two weeks later, all Haven rooms were gone. This was spring break for the tri-state (NY/CT/NJ) area so we were on a 100% occupancy boat. 

 

In September we cruised on Getaway in a Haven Aft-Facing with Master Bedroom room. We booked this about four weeks prior to cruising. About a week after we booked, all Haven rooms were gone. 

 

On both cruises, regular rooms were available up until sailing. In September, you could have gotten a regular balcony room for about $1,200 - $1,500. In April, it was a bit higher. 

 

We currently have a March cruise in the Haven booked on the Joy and are contemplating canceling it to see what's available 4 - 6 weeks prior to sailing. 

 

I would say my experience is not the normal (for Haven). On other cruises I've done mock bookings on, the rooms seem to disappear right around that final payment date. 

 

Good luck getting the best value your money! 

[mgcharleston]

Great to know. I appreciate the input! It's always a gamble made more interesting because it's a spring break week, thus more popular. I'm thinking sooner than later to be safe  🙂

[hallux]

@mgcharleston I'm looking at the sailing the week after that one!  I actually have a Studio cabin booked (I sail solo), but I'm seriously considering cancelling that and waiting longer to book.  I booked it as I had a 10% gift from NCL expiring and I wanted to get it on a cruise but I feel like I can save more than that and maybe get a balcony if I wait.

 

Why do I think that?  I booked the Joy this year, similar week, 2-3 weeks before the cruise and sailed in a balcony (again, solo) for what I have the Studio booked for for next year.  It's a gamble for sure.  finding a hotel room for the night before isn't easy when you're that close to when you want to travel.

 

I have a month to make my decision, final payment is around Nov. 16.

[vacation44]

Our Haven cabin for our March 18, 2023 Epic sailing has had five price drops since we booked this past April totalling $2,496.60.  For this sailing, my gut is telling me the price will drop even further.

 

If your sailing has a lot of cabins left in the category you want, I would wait.   When the cabins available become sparse, I would book.  

[mscloyd]

Things are signifantly different this year than last as far as how much more comfortable everyone is in traveling and the fact that vaccines and testing is no longer required. I'm no expert but I expect cruises to be full during spring breaks this year so I would book as soon as you can.

[dolfan1980]

I'm sailing Epic Jan 22nd and it has dropped $250 Canadian since the payment date two weeks ago if that gives you any useful data point (anecdotal at best!).  We are booked in a balcony.  My 10% off code also would have expired at the end of Sept., so technically it was cheaper for me prior to the final payment date.

[Lemony32]

I booked an interior cabin guarantee for my New Year’s Eve cruise with hopes of getting the invite to bid on an upgrade. I didn’t want to chance a price increase on the cruise, flights and hotel or getting awful connecting flights if I waited too long.

 

I got an email invite to bid on a cabin upgrade a couple of days after I paid. This week (around 75 days out) balcony cabins have dropped. It’s very tempting to upgrade right now but we decided to keep waiting. We got a good interior cabin location.