When are fares normally the lowest?

[bluedevil72]

I have seen this general question asked before, but I wanted to ask about a specific situation. My wife and I are both teachers and we normally get breaks at the peak times. This year however our four-day winter break is the week before President's Day, so the fares are already low. We live in NE Texas so are looking to cruise out of Galveston on a four-day on RCI. (We will also have to take an extra day off.) The price everywhere I look is $279 for an inside. That is already the cheapest fare for that itinerary during the first part of the year. When will fares normally be the lowest? (That date is about 125 days out right now.) I know that sometimes prices can go very low at the last minute; if they haven't sold out. We have always booked months in advance, so we haven't tried it this way before. Can someone give me some of their experiences in this situation?

[kitty9]

Unfortunately, there's no definitive answer to your question. Every cruise line seems to differ on this, plus there are different situations that come up that can cause a line to lower or raise their prices on any particular cruise. I think you've found a great price on that cruise already, and I wouldn't expect it to go much lower. Book now, because you get the best choice of cabins, plus, if the price goes down, you can always get the lower price by just calling the cruise line and getting the better fare. There's no downside to booking early, in my opinion.

[NAS-KARR]

All the food you can eat plus a room for 4 nites at a PRIME location(at sea) for 279pp ? Man, how much less do u think u can get it for ??

 

 

CIAO,

[Jim Gallup]

The prices are lowest when demand is lowest. It's a free market economy that ultimately controls prices.

When teachers go on vacation, so do students and their families. This results in very high demand and accompanying high prices.

You need to take a vacation when the ankle-biters are still in class.

 

Booking last minute often results in lower fares, but also often results in your getting cabins that nobody else wanted to buy.

So you need to ask yourself why nobody wanted them.

Too small?

Too noisy?

Too dark?

 

It all depends on how much inconvenience you are willing to put up with in order to get a lower price.

[wrp96]

Since you need a specific ship during a specific week, you really would be risking it if you wait. Generally the lowest fares appear when bookings first open and, if the ship doesn't sell out, just after final payment is due. If you are flexible, then you can frequently get good deals after final payment is due. The problem for you is that you need a specific ship on a specific date so you can't be flexible. And remember the week you are looking at is Valentine's Day week - so it could be popular as a romantic getaway.

 

The best advice is to go ahead and book. One good thing about RCCL is that if the price drops after you book you can usually call and get the lower rate even after final payment - unless the lower rate is specifically for new bookings only.

[bluedevil72]

Thanks wrp96 for your suggestions. Most of what you suggested is exactly the type of information I wasn't sure of and needed to know.

[newmexicoNita]

I have seen this general question asked before, but I wanted to ask about a specific situation. My wife and I are both teachers and we normally get breaks at the peak times. This year however our four-day winter break is the week before President's Day, so the fares are already low. We live in NE Texas so are looking to cruise out of Galveston on a four-day on RCI. (We will also have to take an extra day off.) The price everywhere I look is $279 for an inside. That is already the cheapest fare for that itinerary during the first part of the year. When will fares normally be the lowest? (That date is about 125 days out right now.) I know that sometimes prices can go very low at the last minute; if they haven't sold out. We have always booked months in advance, so we haven't tried it this way before. Can someone give me some of their experiences in this situation?

you are living in Texas, as you know many of the school districts get the same break you do: I would grab the inside now. of course there is the possibility it will go even lower; that is always the case, but $279 is still a good price. NMnita

[clackey]

Being the cheapskate that I am, I have spent many hours researching the price of cruises. From past experience I have to say that the week before X-mas is usually one of the cheapest of the year, with aweek in mid Nov and maybe a week or two in Jan. coming close. We have had a 5 night on Carnival for $249 @ and a 7 night for $369@. I can eat $300 worth of food in 7 nights.;) If you watch the online web sites you can find real bargains on last-minute deals. I saw a 5 nighter out of Mobile for $199 just last week. If Miss Ginger didn't have to work, we would be gone.

[98Charlie]

I have to agree with most others. When you find a good price for a cruise that you have open time for, book...period..

 

As stated, if the price goes down before final payment, you should be able to get a reduction. Sometimes, if the price goes down after final payment you can get an OBC or upgrade.

 

But, your talking about $69.75 per person per day. For us, anything under $100 is good and under $80 is dirt cheap.

 

Charlie

 

Are you still reading this? You mean your not on the phone to your travel agent? Get moving:D

[newmexicoNita]

Being the cheapskate that I am, I have spent many hours researching the price of cruises. From past experience I have to say that the week before X-mas is usually one of the cheapest of the year, with aweek in mid Nov and maybe a week or two in Jan. coming close. We have had a 5 night on Carnival for $249 @ and a 7 night for $369@. I can eat $300 worth of food in 7 nights.;) If you watch the online web sites you can find real bargains on last-minute deals. I saw a 5 nighter out of Mobile for $199 just last week. If Miss Ginger didn't have to work, we would be gone.

of course you can get great deals at the last minute but the OP is very limited and looking at a time period where there are kids out of school. I think the price is worth booking now. They can't wait to see if rates go to the bottom. NMnita

 

Ps, btw the time period between Easter and mid May is also low season.

[steve20832]

Usually August is one of the cheapeast times to go since it is hurricane season then.

[bluedevil72]

Our winter break is a full week before President's Day, so very few other schools will be out. So actually we are getting to cruise at a non-peak time. That is why the published fare is $279 right now, which is cheaper than the weeks before it or after it. I have read other places that 60-90 days out is a good time to get a lower price. I realize $279 is a good price with good cabins still available, but was just wondering if it might be a little cheaper in the next few weeks. Those of you who have advised that I might go ahead and book and then get a lower price if the prices go down, I appreciate that advice.

[momofmeg]

Fares can go down if a cruise a certain week has not sold well. The best voerall rates are-fall until a little before Christmas, except for Thanksgiving week prices are low. so we normally cruise every fall.

 

They can go lower. Our cruise on Caribbean Princess we originally booked the week of Sept 23 and the rates were super because that week was not selling well-then we had to change weeks because of friends needing to visit that same week-so back in June we switched to the Oct. 21 cruise-we paid about $150 a person more (both of these cruises are 7 day cruises) and I understand that cruise is sold out and has been sold out now for a couple of months. We still got a good price but if we had cruised the Sept 23 cruise we would have had a better price.

[mickym]

Being the cheapskate that I am, I have spent many hours researching the price of cruises. From past experience I have to say that the week before X-mas is usually one of the cheapest of the year, with aweek in mid Nov and maybe a week or two in Jan. coming close. We have had a 5 night on Carnival for $249 @ and a 7 night for $369@. I can eat $300 worth of food in 7 nights.;) If you watch the online web sites you can find real bargains on last-minute deals. I saw a 5 nighter out of Mobile for $199 just last week. If Miss Ginger didn't have to work, we would be gone.

 

Clackey,

Just wondering, which web sites do you use? There are soooo many and so little time!!

Thanks

[cruisinbuddy]

When I booked my cruise, a year in advance of the sail date, we got the lowest price. I've been watching the price and it kept going up til it was sold out.

[AWED23]

Either the day before or the day after I have booked!

[clackey]

Clackey,

Just wondering, which web sites do you use? There are soooo many and so little time!!

Thanks

I don't know if I can tell on the boards, but I have used several. The easiest to navigate, though, ends in ocity.;)

 

And thanks, NMNita, I'll have to watch the Easter thru May period. Miss Ginger might be able to sneak away then.:rolleyes:

[bluedevil72]

Clackey--I'll agree with you. I had never looked at the website you mentioned and it is great. I really liked the page where they had the little arrows pointing at the available cabins. That is pretty helpful.

[clackey]

Clackey--I'll agree with you. I had never looked at the website you mentioned and it is great. I really liked the page where they had the little arrows pointing at the available cabins. That is pretty helpful.

It is really handy when picking a cabin. I normally go with the cheap seats, but when we were ready to book our next cruise, I didn't like the cabin because they were to close to noisey areas so I checked serveral decks and upgraded to an area that should be quiter. Only time will tell.

 

There are a couple of other sites that have this feature also, but this one is the easiest to nav that I have seen so far.