Price Increases

[Mr_Rusted]

My wife and I cruise on average 3 times a year, mostly on NCL.

 

Prices go up and down all the time. We will NEVER book more then 8-12 weeks in advance. We find the prices bottom out at about that time. We have been monitoring for several years now. We did the 8 day Spirit on 9/30 for $499 each, it did bottom out a little less for two days one week after we booked before it shot back up as the ship finally filled up. We then did the Dawn over Halloween for $399. We missed the bottom by only $20 as $379 was the floor a week after week booked. Two weeks later the price had tripled for the remaining inventory.

 

We use a couple of sites to monitor certain trips we are interested in. We have some flexibility so we can watch a few different ships and times.

 

Our last booking is for the Dawn Christmas cruise, 12/17 to 28. We originally booked for my wife and I then we added two of our adult children. To our great surprise, NCL beat the best prices from any of the web sites. We booked through NCL casino's directly. The 11 day cruise cost us between 450 and 600 each (not sure exactly) between the original and additional bookings.

 

As much as possible, we would much rather spend our money while on the ship, not to get on the ship!

 

My wife has a lot of fun tracking the possible cruises for weeks. She can usually predict within a few days when the best price will be found. She does the same with some of the airlines to get really cheap flights all over the place. She seems to have figured out exactly when they will put cities on sale.......

 

If any of you will be on the Dawn for the Christmas cruise, you can find me at the poker table most nights!

 

Good luck to all !

[denims]

 

 

 

My wife has a lot of fun tracking the possible cruises for weeks. She can usually predict within a few days when the best price will be found. She does the same with some of the airlines to get really cheap flights all over the place. She seems to have figured out exactly when they will put cities on sale.......

 

!

 

What is the best way to monitor prices on a cruise? I checked NCL's new Web site and I can't get prices.

[Budget Queen]

As mentioned above. NCL has some pretty good inventory for late booking. I went 3 times this year snagging specials about a month out. Significantly cheaper than the year out bookings. :) So yes the price is reasonable with your deposit money tied up for a year and the rates will rise. BUT most often, they drop like a rock for those who wait. :)

[sneakerstud]

LOL...don't belive anything denim says...I have met him on the Jewel Transatlantic cruise he was running around naked at the pool deck and got chased by security...LOL:D !!! Hey Larry how ya doing???

 

Yes...I'm actually from Germany, but more or less live here and my best friend works at NCL Europe (I have as well a agent No. there)...so that is why I get the good deals!!! I just wished I would get good deals for the Suites I stay in...basically just my friends profit from it. I do 2 times a year a Group...where all my friends (The Common People) are more then welcome to joyn!

 

King Marcus

[denims]

LOL...don't belive anything denim says...I have met him on the Jewel Transatlantic cruise he was running around naked at the pool deck and got chased by security...LOL:D !!! Hey Larry how ya doing???

 

Yes...I'm actually from Germany, but more or less live here and my best friend works at NCL Europe (I have as well a agent No. there)...so that is why I get the good deals!!! I just wished I would get good deals for the Suites I stay in...basically just my friends profit from it. I do 2 times a year a Group...where all my friends (The Common People) are more then welcome to joyn!

 

King Marcus

I'm fine King! I didn't know that you hung around "common" people!:D

As you can see from my signature, we are crusing NCL on another 14 dayer!

Take care!

 

Larry

[ljrfrm]

We're planning on booking the Jewel med. cruise 7/15. We are there....and this is the only date we can go. Last year I almost booked the same cruise - it went down to $599 for the lowest category around 6 weeks out from sailing. I didn't and regret it - so this year I want to go for sure. The price now is $1,049 - I planned on waiting until it went down more like last year...but now I'm nervous to do that seeing all your prices that spiked up. Is it worth the gamble to wait? Again, I can't do any other date so if it spikes up - I'm out of luck - no cruise. If I book now, will NCL give me the price drop? I last cruised with Carnival and they were very good at giving me the new price...even after final payment - I was able to get onboard credit. By the way, when is final payment due on NCL????

 

Thanks all.....

[immargaret]

We're planning on booking the Jewel med. cruise 7/15. We are there....and this is the only date we can go. Last year I almost booked the same cruise - it went down to $599 for the lowest category around 6 weeks out from sailing. I didn't and regret it - so this year I want to go for sure. The price now is $1,049 - I planned on waiting until it went down more like last year...but now I'm nervous to do that seeing all your prices that spiked up. Is it worth the gamble to wait? Again, I can't do any other date so if it spikes up - I'm out of luck - no cruise. If I book now, will NCL give me the price drop? I last cruised with Carnival and they were very good at giving me the new price...even after final payment - I was able to get onboard credit. By the way, when is final payment due on NCL????

 

Thanks all.....

 

NCL will give you the price drop (as long as it isn't a promotional price for new bookings) right up until final payment date. After the final payment date the odds are not in your favor for getting a price reduction, they might offer onboard credit but they aren't required to honor any price reductions after final payment has been made. Lower prices are usually offered to fill the ship, not to compensate those who booked early and got the cabin they wanted already.

 

Final payments are normally due 60 days out. It does depend upon the cruise date, there are different final payment deadline for holiday cruises.

[mikeythemars]

Final payments are normally due 60 days out. It does depend upon the cruise date, there are different final payment deadline for holiday cruises.

 

It may also have to do with how far in advance you book. I reserved our 2007 President's Day week cruise in late December of 2005, and our final payment date was 120 days in advance of the sailing.

[whatawonderfulworld]

I've booked 5 cruises in the past 2 years on NCL. High end suites.

 

Check the prices EVERY day.

 

I'm currently watching the Dawn and Gem.

Prices have gone up and down.

 

And, when you check your prices for the cabin you are interested in...check the prices on the cabin categories ABOVE your cabin interest.

Some of them go down lower than the cabin category you are checking.

 

There is no rhyme or reason....until the end.

You just have to be diligent in checking.

 

Good luck:)

 

I know this sounds strange...but where are you checking the prices? The new NCL site won't give me the pricing...I have a link to the old website. Is that the one I should use to check pricing? Or do you recommend one of the internet agencies like Travelocity or Expedia?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Ciao,

 

W A W W

[ljrfrm]

I can get the prices on the NCL site no problem.

 

Thanks for the info. above. I called NCL tonight - thinking about going ahead and booking my med. cruise. I unfortunately got someone that didn't seem to know what they were doing....plus, I wasn't happy with the prices. So, I didn't book. But, he told me that final payment was due 75 days before my cruise.

[sneakerstud]

I'm fine King! I didn't know that you hung around "common" people!:D

As you can see from my signature, we are crusing NCL on another 14 dayer!

Take care!

 

Larry

 

Hey Larry,

 

I was close to book that one, since it was soooo cheap! We go instead on a 10 night cruise on the NCL SUN (she will be fresh out of dry dock, with a whole new interior and exterior) through Hawaii and the South Pacific.

 

We wanted something different then Caribbean over and over again! LOL....the itinerary is very lousy on the Dawn cruise...I only like 1-2 stops they do!

 

We are also booked on the March 9th cruise of the Pearl and now in December on the Pearl...same room as on the Jewel...he he he!!!

 

Have a great holiday season,

 

King Marcus

 

Have a great one...

 

King Marcus

[family cruisers]

I am presently finding the opposite experience. Booking our 10/07 cruise on the crown to bermuda (just got off 10/06 and LOVED it )

We're actually paying a little bit less booking 11 mths in advance VS. a few months prior as we did last time.

What dropped for us was the govt. fee slightly and the base cruise fare.

[family cruisers]

forgot to say that this time around we used NCL directly instead of an online t/a the last time. We booked the cheapest inside cabin Cat K and they moved us up to a JJ (up one floor). For us we only sleep/shower and spend all our time in Bermuda or by the pool so we don't need fancy. NCL gave us a better deal and we paid less...

[steveaaaa]

I think it is great that the prices are going up...cruising became too cheap, that was the reason, quality went down!

 

.!

Do you actually believe that?

 

The cruise lines created this monster.They have so many berths available that they screw the loyal passengers.I remember when you were guaranteed the lowest price for booking early.Now its book early,they drop prices at 90 days or the first day of penalty phase and they keep dropping until the ship is filled.The standard reply is,you got first pick or your choice of room so be happy.I book a guarantee so that does not hold water with me.

If there were not so many berths,prices would be up.They all play the stupid game with tips or in NCLs case..service charge.This is so prices look attractive compared to other vacations and you end up paying more in reality in the end.

Lets add skyauction and ebay into the price scheme and we have another issue.

I am canceling my upcoming cruises and I am going to go last minute as I only care about price now.Surprise me.I will go on any 7 night cruise over a months period on any port out of FL.A TA I use every now and then told me that she can get me something up to 48 hours prior to sailing so I will try it for great savings.

Steve

PS. I do remember paying over $1000 per person for a bunk bed room in the early 80's.

[electricron]

$979 for an Oceanview on the Dream? Was that a CC, or a lower classification?

The Dream and Wind CC Oceanviews are always significantly higher than their other Oceanviews. Think near Mini-Suite space without a balcony. Their CC Oceanviews are usually priced slightly lower than their BA Balconies. The CC Oceanviews have ceiling to floor glass windows. So cabin classification makes a difference on these ships.

[SHINEMAN]

I wonder if the drop in the value of the dollar has anything to do with it?

The tourists are arriving here with empty suitcases and just the clothes on their backs, everything is so relatively cheap.

Brits and Europeans are probably snatching up cruises as well.