Discounts For Labor Day

[RoeC]

I am looking to book a trip for next year, and I am wondering if I should hold off for a better discount in a few weeks. Is Labor Day a holiday that gets a discount? If I book now and the price goes down, would I be able to get the lower rate. At this point every penny counts. I am trying to be smart about booking.

[mets123]

Book of you are comfortable with the price. You can always reprice if the price goes down prior to final payment being made. Royal has sales every day of the year

 

[firefly333]

I booked a cruise for mid sept lately, after final payment. I've been surprised just how hard they are trying to sell it and not a thing I can do. Inside prices were down at least $200, I'd have to look to see how much now but tons. OVs also dropped a lot. Balconys and suites been sold out, though one balcony shows up now and again at a super high price. I've seen at least 3 times $100 obc also been offered. 

 

I booked a OV so theres really no place to upgrade to, except that one spacious balcony that comes and goes. I'm frankly surprised how deeply discounted the insides and OVs are. I didnt book at a bad price but it went much lower after I booked at 43 days out.

 

Several hotel stocks, travel sites and disney had earnings lately and every single one says bookings slowed in July. Book early to get the cabin you want but waiting there are certainly deals right now. 

[firefly333]

Maybe we need to post a thread again for deal alerts like olden days.

 

Just looked and 8 days on adventure, last one to Bermuda from florida, overnight in Bermuda now with DP340 code, inside dropped to $840. Total. Sept 13. 

[ARandomTraveler]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

Maybe we need to post a thread again for deal alerts like olden days.

 

Just looked and 8 days on adventure, last one to Bermuda from florida, overnight in Bermuda now with DP340 code, inside dropped to $840. Total. Sept 13. 

I got a great deal this week on a 4-night cruise on Allure for September (booked after final payment date). Not as good as the one on Adventure you're talking about, but I got a solo price on an oceanview balcony for $516.53. I took the same cruise over summer for more than 3x that price (also booked last minute, a week before the cruise).

 

That $517 price lasted a couple days, but is now back to being almost $800. I think I caught it at its lowest price and even if it goes lower, I feel good about the price I got and am ok with not being able to get any price drops at this point. 
 

OP - like others have said, as long as you book your cruise more than 90 days before the cruise (or whenever the final payment date is for your particular sailing), then you can call customer service (or your travel agent) and have them re-price it if the cost goes down.

Once the final payment date comes, your price is locked in, and you can't ask for price adjustments anymore. You'll sometimes find that the price goes way down after that final payment date, and it's always disappointing to realize you could have gotten a cheaper price if you'd waited until the last minute to book, but more often than not, popular ships and popular sailing dates are selling out and the prices are just going up and up and up, so waiting til the last minute (after final payment date) to book, is risky.

 

If you have the flexibility to travel last minute, it's always fun to check prices on last minute cruises and hop on them, but for any trip you need to lock in ahead of time, you're better off booking as soon as possible, otherwise you risk the price going up or the cruise selling out (or at least selling out of the room category you want). 

[ARandomTraveler]

Oh also, OP, Labor Day sale is likely to cost more than whatever price you're seeing today. What they tend to do is raise the base rate, and then have a "bigger" sale, which results in a price that is (if you're lucky) equal to what it is today. Even more likely is the price will be higher than it is today. 
 

The best sales are during Black Friday week, but the sales won't be on cruise fares, they'll be on cruise-planner purchases (drink packages, dining packages, internet, excursions). So your best bet is to have your cruises booked before Black Friday so you can be sure to get the best prices of the year on all the add-ons. 

[firefly333]

3 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

I got a great deal this week on a 4-night cruise on Allure for September (booked after final payment date). Not as good as the one on Adventure you're talking about, but I got a solo price on an oceanview balcony for $516.53. I took the same cruise over summer for more than 3x that price (also booked last minute, a week before the cruise).

 

That $517 price lasted a couple days, but is now back to being almost $800. I think I caught it at its lowest price and even if it goes lower, I feel good about the price I got and am ok with not being able to get any price drops at this point. 
 

OP - like others have said, as long as you book your cruise more than 90 days before the cruise (or whenever the final payment date is for your particular sailing), then you can call customer service (or your travel agent) and have them re-price it if the cost goes down.

Once the final payment date comes, your price is locked in, and you can't ask for price adjustments anymore. You'll sometimes find that the price goes way down after that final payment date, and it's always disappointing to realize you could have gotten a cheaper price if you'd waited until the last minute to book, but more often than not, popular ships and popular sailing dates are selling out and the prices are just going up and up and up, so waiting til the last minute (after final payment date) to book, is risky.

 

If you have the flexibility to travel last minute, it's always fun to check prices on last minute cruises and hop on them, but for any trip you need to lock in ahead of time, you're better off booking as soon as possible, otherwise you risk the price going up or the cruise selling out (or at least selling out of the room category you want). 

I didnt get this price. I paid $1257 maybe 2 weeks ago, just because I wanted to see Bermuda. And right after I booked price been dropping like a rock. Insides were $1177 then about $75 less than a ov, so I booked the ov. I cant believe they are having trouble filling the ship enough to reduce the price so much. 

 

Darn if only id have waited. I'm not that picky about location. Though once you put in DP340 the $100 obc goes to $75, still nice. Watching and like I said not a thing I can do as price drops like a rock. Today they just reduced insides further. Cheapest I've seen but who knew. I wanted to see Bermuda. Royal stops going there after this sailing from florida.

 

Only 1 connecting ov left. I got a non connecting so I'm ok but missed the obc sales that have been off and on.

 

[leaveitallbehind]

"Sales" run throughout the year, typically one after the other, with different wording and approaches to fares which almost always net about the same as the previous one.

 

There are occasionally fare offerings that net out to be more attractive than another, which supports the suggestion of if you see a fare that is attractive and within your budget, book it. If lower fares are offered later, and prior to final pricing, you can contact whomever you book through and ask to have it repriced.  But you are also protected from fare increases.

Edited August 14 by leaveitallbehind

[Hoopster95]

14 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 after final payment.

 

You have now described and actually witnessed (because you've actually tried it) what I have been saying on this forum for several years.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

I haven't noticed much movement from the price I originally paid, but I always thought that after final payment you could still call for a better price but they would only give you OBC for the difference.  But, again, it was well before covid when I did this.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, The Scurvy Pirate said:

..but I always thought that after final payment you could still call for a better price but they would only give you OBC for the difference. 

Not always.  Typically after final payment fare decreases carry the caveat that it is for new bookings only.

[firefly333]

39 minutes ago, The Scurvy Pirate said:

I haven't noticed much movement from the price I originally paid, but I always thought that after final payment you could still call for a better price but they would only give you OBC for the difference.  But, again, it was well before covid when I did this.

After final if the price drops you get nothing. Not even obc. If there is a category above yours that now matches you can upgrade, or pay the difference. For me there is a sometimes disappearing spacious ov for 1k more. For a little more I might be interested but not for 1k, as a solo. I'm out of luck.

 

6 travel companies had earnings and each said July bookings slowed down. If travel bookings are slowing there will be more last minute deals imo. 

[Arzeena]

On 8/13/2024 at 11:00 PM, firefly333 said:

Maybe we need to post a thread again for deal alerts like olden days.

 

Just looked and 8 days on adventure, last one to Bermuda from florida, overnight in Bermuda now with DP340 code, inside dropped to $840. Total. Sept 13. 

That is because it is prime hurricane season price. If you wait till a week before  it may drop down even more.

When we lived in NJ, we have sailed to Bermuda every year in hurricane season because the last few days price was rock bottom. In the $400 ish range, balcony GTY always, once in ocean view. Mostly Celebrity. The TA we used then had these last minute deals. At times they would throw in the parking at port, which is great  if you cruise out of NYC @$40 per day or Bayonne ( don't remember $$) and at rare times a spa certificate or most times a dinner for two and OBC. Those days are gone!

[ARandomTraveler]

On 8/14/2024 at 11:14 AM, firefly333 said:

If travel bookings are slowing there will be more last minute deals imo. 

That's what I'm hoping for. Just recently (this summer) it does seem like there have been some prices dropping after final payment dates, which I feel like we haven't seen in a few years now. But it's not as good as it used to be. 
 

[firefly333]

5 hours ago, Arzeena said:

That is because it is prime hurricane season price. If you wait till a week before  it may drop down even more.

When we lived in NJ, we have sailed to Bermuda every year in hurricane season because the last few days price was rock bottom. In the $400 ish range, balcony GTY always, once in ocean view. Mostly Celebrity. The TA we used then had these last minute deals. At times they would throw in the parking at port, which is great  if you cruise out of NYC @$40 per day or Bayonne ( don't remember $$) and at rare times a spa certificate or most times a dinner for two and OBC. Those days are gone!

Not on this one. Last call for Bermuda. Now prices reversed and 1 single OV left 2 doors from studio B, deck 3. Quad and connecting. $10 more now than 1 paid. Those low prices gone. They did their job and getting us filled to the brim. I didnt look at insides but those low peices also gone.

 

Gotta time it perfect to book and I missed the lows but wanted Bermuda. 

[RoeC]

Thank you all. I took the plunge and booked it. I will keep an eye out for lower pricing and call if need be. I appreciate all your feedback. Looking forward to cruising again. It's been way too long.