If i book now do you think it will drop in a yr??

[texasnana]

If i book for next march do you think the cruise price will drop or go up??

[Cotton]

I wish I had a crystal ball and could tell you.:D

 

If you'll be booking w/Carnival, you can most likely receive either an onboard credit (OBC), or they will reduce your final payment - IF there is a reduction in the price of your cruise at that time. My Carnival PVP always finds little things like that for me.

[dforeigner]

If it goes up, then you saved money for being an early bird.

[madjohn]

I am going on my second cruise in July. Here is what I have done. I check out the prices thru an online cheap cruise page (dont know if I am allowed to give the name) I then go to my travel ageant and tell them where i want to go and the price. I get the same price. I tell my ageant that if the price goes down I want the better price. I check the price every day on the computer. (its under my favorites and takes 3 seconds) When the price goes down I go to my travel ageant and get the new price. I did this for my first cruise and the price went down $500.:) I have already done it on this summers cruise and the price already dropped $300. :) I expect it to go down some more and I will collect that saving too.:p

 

good luck and happy cruising

 

John

[melissasneu]

Don't forget March is Spring Break time of year for families. We booked the last two years a year in advance and the price has gone up for both. Especially if you are interested in balcony cabins. I don't think you have anything to lose by booking in advance. I've read that many poster book direct with the line and move there booking to an agent later if they find a better price.

 

Melissa

[JkyLovesRuss]

If i book for next march do you think the cruise price will drop or go up??

 

 

If the price goes up, you keep your current price. However, I'd check the rates daily.. if you see a decrease in price, contact your TA immediately, and they'll get you the reduced rate. You can do this until 90 days before your cruise. After you reach the 90 period, you get what you get... :D

 

I just booked a cruise and it went down 900 dollars and we upgraded to a veranda...:cool: I check the rates every day! :D

 

GOOD LUCK! HAPPY CRUISING!

[madelinerose]

I booked a December, 2007 HAL cruise in November, 2006. The rate is now approximately $400 more.

[jbuch02]

The cruise lines use sophistacted software to set cabin pricing just like hotels. The prices vary constantly. European crusies seem to have a narrower pricing variability mostly because these cruises, in general, tend to have more advanced bookings.

 

Pricing is set by the number of "hits" on a particular cruise and cabin category. The more hits, the higher the price initially. Best bargins for North America inclduing the Carribean are generally found 90 days out. For Europe, I am told, the best deals are early .... sometimes as much as a year or more out for popular itineraries during "high season" travel (this depends on where you're going).

 

There are usually cruise line/TA based incentives to book early such as cabin credits or upgrades with "guaranteed" bookings in a single category. Other posters have pointed out the fact that, if you book "early," you should "check" your cabin price frequently and press your TA or the cruise line for the lowest price or an upgrade (until 90 days out). The other advantage of booking early is that you'll get the cabin/category you want. You can go to various web sites and look at Med cruises, for example, September 2007 and then 2008. You can tell right away which are the most popular itineraries and will command higher cabin prices and vice-versa; then you can make informed decsions about when to book and where you want to go if price is a factor in that determination.

 

I've done it both ways (early and last minute) and have never felt like I got a bad deal. The days of booking at the pier at bargain basement prices, however, are gone with the "majors" although, I am told, some of the smaller players will still do this.