Price drop closer to embarkation?

[Elsammo46]

Hi all -- I'm relatively new to Norwegian, I'm looking at a cruise for January 2023. The current price for a balcony stateroom is $1,658. Many other lines I've cruised on will lower their prices closer to embarkation as a way to "fill the ship." As a result, I usually book my cruises within 30 days of sailing to get better prices. Does Norwegian operate by this principle and should I expect that price to go down over the next couple of months? Or would I be best booking sooner?

[cruiseny4life]

11 minutes ago, Elsammo46 said:

Hi all -- I'm relatively new to Norwegian, I'm looking at a cruise for January 2023. The current price for a balcony stateroom is $1,658. Many other lines I've cruised on will lower their prices closer to embarkation as a way to "fill the ship." As a result, I usually book my cruises within 30 days of sailing to get better prices. Does Norwegian operate by this principle and should I expect that price to go down over the next couple of months? Or would I be best booking sooner?

Frankie boy Del Rio (NCLH's CEO) claims they are "market to fill." This means NCL uses the Free at Sea to fill their boats, not price discounts. This is a blatant lie. I love Norwegian, btw; I strongly dislike corporations, but that's another topic. Once the final payment date has passed, you will see discounts, unless the ship is close to capacity. 

 

It is a relative crap shoot as to whether or not your specific sailing will be discounted, but NCL does discount, regardless of Frankie boy's constant snarky attitude that NCL doesn't discount their rooms. If you're looking at a one week cruise with a balcony at $1,658 per person, then I'd suggest booking now as that's an expensive balcony. If that is for the balcony (two people) for a week, then it's slightly on the lower average'ish side. 

 

You would probably be fine waiting until after final payment date, but you may not get to choose your room, or you may not get to choose a room on a deck you want. 

Good luck trying to give NCL less of your money than you'd like. 🙂

[casofilia]

@Elsammo46

 

We always book as soon as we find a cruise we want to do so long as the price is acceptable.   We then watch the price and if it goes down we ask for a re-fare, the perks might change of course.   You will almost certainly find that in the present circumstances that the price will RISE not fall.

[Sailing12Away]

Prices will keep dropping typically if there's lots of rooms left. After final payment date it gets tricky to get price adjustments. Before then, you just call and you can get a reprice without issue. But after... the rules seem to change for what they can/will do.

 

Our next trip is in February and the price has dropped over 4K from when we first booked. So I just call and get it adjusted. But I only have 1 more week that I can do that, then it will be past final payment.

 

If you don't book anything at all and want to wait until <30 days, you get what's left over in terms of cabin choice. If you don't care about specific rooms and just want a last minute deal, then wait it out I suppose.

[ryarger]

There are websites that will show you the price history of a sailing. If you're looking at Jan 2023, you're past the final payment date so you should already see whether the price has dropped since final payment or not. If the price has dropped, it will likely keep dropping until it flattens at some point.

 

If the price hasn't dropped since final payment, it probably won't. There are full, prime cruises that go up after final payment so there is no guarantee that you'll get a better deal. Looking at the history will give you a very good idea.

[dolfan1980]

The answer is sometimes the price drops and maybe you'll get a better price.  It's also possible the sailing sells out.  It's such a weird time right now that nobody seems to know where/where things will be busy.  

[uneamie]

I've never tried to get a price drop. If the price drops do they cancel your currant booking and rebook you? Do you lose your perks that you had to begin with and just take what is currant? I have good perks at the moment so I' wouldn't want to jeopardize them unless the price drop was really significan. 

[sanger727]

9 hours ago, uneamie said:

I've never tried to get a price drop. If the price drops do they cancel your currant booking and rebook you? Do you lose your perks that you had to begin with and just take what is currant? I have good perks at the moment so I' wouldn't want to jeopardize them unless the price drop was really significan. 

You can request a price drop before final payment. But yes, it’s essentially a cancel and rebook. So to get the current price you will also get the current perks. After final payment, you can’t get price drops.

[Sailing12Away]

Even though the perks may change, depending on the drop it may still be worth it. One of the first big drops we had for our next trip we saved $900. The only change to the booking was we went from 5 specialty dining credits to 3. I can buy 2 more for way less than $900 so for me it was still 'worth it'. 

 

If you see a drop, just call and ask them what will change to determine if it's 'worth it' to you.

[MsTabbyKats]

 

Where are you sailing from?

I'm planning a Jan 2023 cruise from NYC.  I'm planning for a huge price drop within 2 weeks of sailing....so I'm holding off booking.

It's all based on supply and demand.  "Demand" from NYC in Jan isn't that great.

Just keep your eye on the cruise you want....and if "less than 15 cabins" show up in your selected category, that may indicate that supply is limited.

 

[spanishguy1970]

17 hours ago, Elsammo46 said:

Hi all -- I'm relatively new to Norwegian, I'm looking at a cruise for January 2023. The current price for a balcony stateroom is $1,658. Many other lines I've cruised on will lower their prices closer to embarkation as a way to "fill the ship." As a result, I usually book my cruises within 30 days of sailing to get better prices. Does Norwegian operate by this principle and should I expect that price to go down over the next couple of months? Or would I be best booking sooner?

9 times out of 10 they do drop. We are 11 days away from our cruise and when we first booked it the price for a Balcony guarentee was 2100 dollars per person. Now, the price for a balcony guarantee is 1059 hundred per person, that goes with other categories they all went down in price. 

[mscdivina2016]

13 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 After final payment, you can’t get price drops.

I've gotten two adjustments 1 month before sailing on two cruises. Got off Spirit 2 days ago and FCC for drop is there. 

Board encore in two days and already have letter starting upon completion the next drop will be applied as FCC.

[JamieLogical]

5 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

I've gotten two adjustments 1 month before sailing on two cruises. Got off Spirit 2 days ago and FCC for drop is there. 

Board encore in two days and already have letter starting upon completion the next drop will be applied as FCC.

 

The best I have seen out of NCL is 50% FCC or 25% OBC for a price drop after final payment.

[mscdivina2016]

Just now, JamieLogical said:

 

The best I have seen out of NCL is 50% FCC or 25% OBC for a price drop after final payment.

I got 65% on one and 30% on the 2nd.

[julig22]

3 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

The best I have seen out of NCL is 50% FCC or 25% OBC for a price drop after final payment.

Summer 2021 they more or less standardized their process, have a special department that handles all requests - it's not up to front-line staff anymore.  They will give you 100% fcc of the difference for a price drop if you meet the criteria.  It was originally 50% but they upped it to 100% at the beginning of the summer.

Criteria for a price drop consideration is that the promos on your original booking must match - so if you took the airfare you are disqualified unless it is still in effect.  Same for the 35% discount - once they bumped it to 40%, no dice. and so on.

They are more flexible on upgrades but no freebies - only paid upgrades.

[Elsammo46]

On 10/20/2022 at 9:18 PM, ryarger said:

There are websites that will show you the price history of a sailing. If you're looking at Jan 2023, you're past the final payment date so you should already see whether the price has dropped since final payment or not. If the price has dropped, it will likely keep dropping until it flattens at some point.

 

If the price hasn't dropped since final payment, it probably won't. There are full, prime cruises that go up after final payment so there is no guarantee that you'll get a better deal. Looking at the history will give you a very good idea.

Thank you! I love using Cruiseplum for price tracking and I saw that the price dropped by $100 this past Friday, so I'm hoping that trend continues

[Elsammo46]

Hi all, just to give an update, after researching trends on Cruiseplum, I'm happy to report that I've noticed that the price drops by about $100 every week and since it's after final payment day, I assume that trend will continue at least for a little while. So, I'm gona hold off and wait to book and see how low I can get the price to go.  

[Sailing12Away]

It all depends on the cruise and the type of cabin you're interested in. My upcoming Panama canal trip is in a Haven room, and the days before final payment prices were dropping by $500 - 1000/day for my room. I saved another $1900 in the final days before payment. 
 

Now that we're past that time I'm afraid to go look again, but I'm happy with the rate I'm locked into.

[davencl]

On 10/23/2022 at 11:39 AM, Elsammo46 said:

Thank you! I love using Cruiseplum for price tracking and I saw that the price dropped by $100 this past Friday, so I'm hoping that trend continues

I happen to be in a suite on Jan. 2023, already booked.  Those are sold out, but I have noticed the price dropping about $100 per week(or two) for a balcony cabin

[Momto3girlsintheCarolinas]

We took a cruise on the Gem last summer.  NCL dropped the price by $2K ant some point and we got the "new" price.  It's just a matter of running your reservation frequently.

[vince_g]

Booked a category IF stateroom which I upgraded to a BF, using points from the NCL master card. When I booked this IF it cost 1712 per person. The price went down 4 times, and each time I had the fare adjusted, but the latest adjustment was so unexpected. The day before final payment (10/28/22) I wanted to move to a category BB with the angled balcony. I called world points to ask about moving and they said I would need to upgrade my category IF to an IB in order to do it. When they check the rate for the category IB, it is $231 less than what I paid for my category IF. That was the 4th and final time I had the fare adjusted. 

 

World points said my timing was perfect because the upgrade would not have been possible after final payment. I fully expected to pay a little for the IF to IB upgrade, not to save another chunk of change at the last minute. At the end of the day, the fare for that IF stateroom ended up going from 1712 per person to 909 per person. It is for the Feb. 26, 2023 Getaway sailing.

 

I am still smiling two days later!!

[CanadaGuyEh]

On 10/23/2022 at 11:39 AM, Elsammo46 said:

Thank you! I love using Cruiseplum for price tracking and I saw that the price dropped by $100 this past Friday, so I'm hoping that trend continues

What are the rules with NCL - I have made final payment  - I think its a 4 month window - once final payment is made I can't get the new good price right?     So I need to track future  cruises I book and if price goes down before final payment I contact them to get it?  Do you sometimes even cancel before final payment - lose deposit - then rebook at lower price once its getting ready to embark?

[Sailing12Away]

No need to cancel if you're before final payment. Call NCL or your PCC and tell them you noticed the price on your upcoming cruise has significantly dropped in price. They'll check on their end, confirm it has, and give you options to either get the difference or see if you want to move into a higher category. Takes all of 5 mins once you get them on the phone. If you haven't paid off the cruise yet, your remaining balance will decrease. If you have, you'll get a refund to your original form of payment.

 

Sometimes they'll rebook you, and if the perks have changed from when you originally booked to now - you'll get the new perks. Make sure to ask if anything on your reservation will change before you agree to it. Our Panama canal trip originally came with 5 specialty dining credits. On the first reprice, it dropped to the current promo of only 3. But since we were saving $900 it was worth it to us, we can buy back 2 dinners for $100. The 2 price adjustments after that point didn't change anything on our reservation.

 

Once you're past final payment date, I would just be guessing as I haven't done it yet. My current price drop is only $400, so not worth it to call them yet for a February cruise that may drop even further.