Interior cabins RCI - will more be released

[life is to be happy]

this may be daft question however I am going to ask it anyway

I have been looking on RCI and other sites to book cruise for summer however all dates are not showing any interior cabins available and showing SOLD OUT

Now I have booked holidays in February and always managed to get interior 

however it goes to balcony in them all (as I am looking for cabin for 3 my husband me and my teen daughter)

the cruises are expensive enough without paying for more expensive cabin which I won't do

my question is do cruise lines try to fill their more expensive cabins first and then release more interior ?

Imo cruising is costing a lot more than recent years and found it strange that we couldn't book

im probably clutching at straws and dreaming but wanted to check to see what other peoples experiences have been or those in the know think

thanks

[shof515]

when are you sailing?

 

near final payment due date is when some cabins gets released due to people cancelling 

[life is to be happy]

we havent booked yet but it will be in July August 2023

 

[moposh]

That's crazy.  I want to book an August cruise and want an interior room.  I hope they won't be sold out.  I was going to wait until my April cruise in case I can get a better deal by doing the next cruise thing.

[Starry Eyes]

I am aware that prices are up and cruises seem to be selling well, though I have not seen the pattern sold out interior cabins you describe.  It may be down to details.  What embarkation port(s)? Cruise length?  Are you looking at specific ship(s) or class(es) of ships?  Will you be flexible on these points or are they vital to your vacation?

 

 

[ARandomTraveler]

I think it depends on the particular sailing. If it's a popular one, they do sell out, but as people cancel, rooms will periodically pop up.

 

I booked my next cruise 10 months in advance, and when I booked it, interior rooms and ocean view rooms were all sold out. I saw ocean view rooms pop up for about 3 days once, and then disappeared again.
 

We're now 6 months out and interiors, ocean views and balconies are all sold out. No interior rooms have ever become available, and the ocean view only became available that one time.

 

I check every day because I'm looking for price drops, even though it appears that won't happen. Cabins have remained sold out, and the price has increased by $2500 in the last 3 months. The sailing I'm going on isn't offered very many times and it's one of the only times they do it during the summer months so for my sailing it makes sense. But I'm sure it happens for others as well.
 

I don't think it would make financial sense for them to withhold cabins and lose sales just because they think it might entice people to book a more expensive cabin. I think it's just that more people are traveling. You've got people who are still trying to use up credits from the shut-down when their original vacations were canceled, and I think people were stuck at home for a long time and they want to get out and travel. 
 

Prices are going up because demand is going up. And people are willing and able to pay the higher prices. 

Edited January 30, 2023 by ARandomTraveler

[life is to be happy]

7 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

I am aware that prices are up and cruises seem to be selling well, though I have not seen the pattern sold out interior cabins you describe.  It may be down to details.  What embarkation port(s)? Cruise length?  Are you looking at specific ship(s) or class(es) of ships?  Will you be flexible on these points or are they vital to your vacation?

 

 

there are interior room available for 2 people but we need one that accommodates 3 people  we tried to price 2 staterooms and that was available but it wasnt cheaper as supplement for 1 Person

[Starry Eyes]

27 minutes ago, shof515 said:

when are you sailing?

 

near final payment due date is when some cabins gets released due to people cancelling 

Years ago when all deposits were refundable I remember a fair number of cancellations close to final payment date.  As non-refundable deposits have become the less expensive and popular option, I perceive fewer cancellations close to final payment date.

 

I believe sometimes Travel Agencies may hold blocks of cabins for group reservations.  If I recall correctly, if not booked those are typically recalled by 120 days out.  If it is TA holding blocks, the OP might be able to find that agency and might decide to book as part of that group rate.

[ARandomTraveler]

19 minutes ago, moposh said:

That's crazy.  I want to book an August cruise and want an interior room.  I hope they won't be sold out.  I was going to wait until my April cruise in case I can get a better deal by doing the next cruise thing.

I'm sailing in July and interior rooms have been sold out since at least October (10 months prior to the cruise). Price has also gone up, not down.
 

I would book your cruise now, book refundable, and that way if there's a better deal in April then you can cancel and rebook, and if there's not a better deal, then you'll be glad you already put your deposit down. 

[Ourusualbeach]

46 minutes ago, life is to be happy said:

this may be daft question however I am going to ask it anyway

I have been looking on RCI and other sites to book cruise for summer however all dates are not showing any interior cabins available and showing SOLD OUT

Now I have booked holidays in February and always managed to get interior 

however it goes to balcony in them all (as I am looking for cabin for 3 my husband me and my teen daughter)

the cruises are expensive enough without paying for more expensive cabin which I won't do

my question is do cruise lines try to fill their more expensive cabins first and then release more interior ?

Imo cruising is costing a lot more than recent years and found it strange that we couldn't book

im probably clutching at straws and dreaming but wanted to check to see what other peoples experiences have been or those in the know think

thanks

Royal does not purposely hold them back.  If you are not seeing them then they are sold out.

[Ourusualbeach]

12 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Years ago when all deposits were refundable I remember a fair number of cancellations close to final payment date.  As non-refundable deposits have become the less expensive and popular option, I perceive fewer cancellations close to final payment date.

 

I believe sometimes Travel Agencies may hold blocks of cabins for group reservations.  If I recall correctly, if not booked those are typically recalled by 120 days out.  If it is TA holding blocks, the OP might be able to find that agency and might decide to book as part of that group rate.

That will not prevent Royal from selling guarantees in that category.  TA's only block rates not actual cabins.  OP is also looking for a triple...those cannot be held by groups

Edited January 30, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[Ourusualbeach]

12 minutes ago, life is to be happy said:

there are interior room available for 2 people but we need one that accommodates 3 people  we tried to price 2 staterooms and that was available but it wasnt cheaper as supplement for 1 Person

There are very few staterooms that hold 3 which is why they are most likely are sold out

[life is to be happy]

14 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

There are very few staterooms that hold 3 which is why they are most likely are sold out

Wasnt sure how many hold 3  absol gutted if that’s the case but hey ho we move on 

[moposh]

1 hour ago, ARandomTraveler said:

I'm sailing in July and interior rooms have been sold out since at least October (10 months prior to the cruise). Price has also gone up, not down.
 

I would book your cruise now, book refundable, and that way if there's a better deal in April then you can cancel and rebook, and if there's not a better deal, then you'll be glad you already put your deposit down. 

I just looked.  Prices are going up.  I was hoping to get more info on summer school plans.  How do you book refundable?

[bajathree]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

That will not prevent Royal from selling guarantees in that category.  TA's only block rates not actual cabins.  OP is also looking for a triple...those cannot be held by groups

I don't know about that....even though they say they don't.....don't kid yourself...the cruise lines work with certain large market TA's more than others. My best guess on seeing no availability this far out is that it's being held up in block space by TA's.

Edited January 30, 2023 by bajathree

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, bajathree said:

I don't know about that....even though they say they don't.....don't kid yourself...the cruise lines work with certain large market TA's more than others. My best guess on seeing no availability this far out is that it's being held up in block space by TA's.

I've now worked for 2 of the largest out there and am quite familiar with how groups operate.  Rooms can be held for 30 days without a name at which point a name and a full deposit is due or the room is released back into general inventory.

Edited January 30, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[bajathree]

12 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I've now worked for 2 of the largest out there and am quite familiar with how groups operate.  Rooms can be held for 30 days without a name at which point a name and a full deposit is due or the room is released back into general inventory.

And there you go 😉

[ARandomTraveler]

3 hours ago, moposh said:

I just looked.  Prices are going up.  I was hoping to get more info on summer school plans.  How do you book refundable?

You have to go through the whole booking process, putting everyone's names in and everything, and then once you do that, and get to the page where you can select options like adding pre-paid gratuities, adding insurance etc, there will also be an option to make your booking refundable. 
 

It's really annoying to have to input all that info just to see what the real price is, but they want people to get attached to the listed price, which is actually the non-refundable price. The added cost to make it refundable can be anywhere from around $100, to $1500 (or so I've read, I've never had any of my bookings charge this much extra). The most I've ever been charged to make my booking refundable is around $300.