How long in advance do you book?

[tishie58]

Wondering how far in advance does most people book a cruise. We are taking our first cruise this summer and assuming we love it...i would like to book another six months later. How do most of you suggest you do that...wait until it is closer ?? Also do you get a different price or upgrade for having cruised with Carnival before?

[direfun2000]

I usually book 6-8 months out whether its cruise or land based.

[da_cruisin_bears]

We have booked as close to one week before sailing and as far as 18 months away from sailing.

 

When we have booked in advance, if the price drops for our particular cabin category, we have contacted our PVP and gotten a refund or an onboard credit.

 

There are past guest discounts or advantages that are sometimes available. Our PVP always checks if there are other discounts available and which benefits us most - past guest sale or another discount. For example, currently there is a "sale" or discount available for Ohio residents. For a cruise in July 2007, the Ohio resident discount was better than the past guest discount.

 

Hope this helps.

[Peery5]

:cool:

Wondering how far in advance does most people book a cruise. We are taking our first cruise this summer and assuming we love it...i would like to book another six months later. How do most of you suggest you do that...wait until it is closer ?? Also do you get a different price or upgrade for having cruised with Carnival before?

We usually book 9 months to a year ahead. The way we both work, we have to. Also, our teenager's schedules [high-school and college] play a major role in the decision making. While the times passes slowly, it allows time to lose weight, shop and make arrangements prior to traveling. Once our youngest daughter graduates from high-school [next year], we probably will be more flexible. The best reason to book early, though, is the fact that you can choose your stateroom.

 

RCCL x 2

Carnival x 2

[serene56]

my pass few cruises have been booked 14-18 months in advance-

By looking at my prices below-- 388 for an inside cabin compared to if I booked today for the same cat cabin is now over 650.. Thats the reason I book early.

[carnivalkim]

We book about 12-18 months out...That way we can get an extended balcony...When we booked the Glory it was over 19 months..:eek: ...But our roll call group has 15 cabins in a row...Including both wrap around aft cabins...:) ..

[Imani68]

About a year or so out. I wish I could be in a position to just drop everything and hope on a cruise but with work and children....

[marty30907]

We normally book 18 months out. Gives more time to pay it off.

[hstrybuf]

Wondering how far in advance does most people book a cruise. We are taking our first cruise this summer and assuming we love it...i would like to book another six months later. How do most of you suggest you do that...wait until it is closer ?? Also do you get a different price or upgrade for having cruised with Carnival before?

 

Usually six to twelve months out, but it can vary. Booking farther out gives you a better choice of cabins and locations and usually better prices.

 

Once you cruise with Carnival, you should get a 2-year free subscription to their magazine, Carnival Currents. They regularly list better prices for past guests on specific sailings. I also get news of special sales and deals in my e-mail almost weekly.

[DGP1111]

Really varies. Shortest amount of time booking was 2 months prior to sailing, and the most distant was 25 months in advance. Both were due to a "great price" situation that I felt couldn't be passed up.

[DGP1111]

Booking farther out gives you a better choice of cabins and locations.

 

Oh, most definitely a very true statement!! I'm not a 'gambler' when it comes to cabin selection and wouldn't do the 'hope for an upgrade' arrangement (though I know it does work for some). I book as far in advance as possible to secure the exact cabin I know I'll be happy with.

[popsec]

Sometimes we book as close as 3 weeks out (last Oct got a last minute deal with military discount for $55 per person a day, 11 days, balcony cabin so we couldn't pass that up), sometimes we book a couple months out and sometimes it's up to 6 months out (like our upcoming Sept cruise, which we're going on with friends). I'm an instant gratification type personality and could never stand to wait a whole year for a cruise :eek:

[POOHISME2]

We have booked as close to one week before sailing and as far as 18 months away from sailing..

me too:D

[DqALEX]

I book over a year for Christmas/ New Years, and as close as 29 days for a quick fix summer cruise.

[MikeM]

We book a year in advance to control the cabin we like and to monitor the air.

We are located in the center of the country and have a good handle on what is good-great air prices. The air comes available around 330 days in advance.

We can always cancel or rebook the cruise at no cost if we are far enough out. We have a great TA. The air can be changed at $100 pp +-.

MikeM

[mek]

We have booked a couple of times a year out - they were European cruises - the Baltic and the Med, but I ususally like to book cruises no more than 3 months out. We like to cruise frequently and I'm always looking for bargins, which usually don't come up until the last month or so prior to sailing. Generally, I'm not too picky about where I go, which ship I go on, or which cabin I have on the ship.

[vjmatty]

I booked out first cruise only a month in advance because it was our first and I was happy enough with an ocean view. My next one I booked almost 6 months in advance and got a decent room, so knowing me and my impatience I don't know if I could book much farther away than that... unless I had sooner ones coming up ;)

[Maxax]

We typically book around 6 months in advance. Life is to unpredictable for us...to book anything much further out than that.

[Brklynguy]

We are new to cuising (going on our third). We like to book 6 months out as we are fussy about out cabins, but have traveled to popular places where there are good alternatives in carriers. We have done well on pricing as well - the last of our current room class (11) went for $300 more per person after 4 months, and our wrap around went a week after we snatched two. Our more traveled (2-3 per year) friends book 6-9 months out.

[jrmende63]

Wondering how far in advance does most people book a cruise. We are taking our first cruise this summer and assuming we love it...i would like to book another six months later. How do most of you suggest you do that...wait until it is closer ?? Also do you get a different price or upgrade for having cruised with Carnival before?

We had our first cruise on May, 17, 2006. We came back from Alaska and 2 weeks later booked our Sept 15,2007 cruise. After that one was booked I booked another for Dec 6, 2006. Now I have one booked for Nov 30, 2008. Prices were too good to pass them up! I watch the prices after I book to make sure they don't come down. If they do, I tell my PVP and she gets me a On board credit (OBC) or refunds my Credit card.

You don't get an upgrade for being a past guest. (No one really knows why you get an upgrade...just happens sometimes!) Usually there is a past guest discount, but not always. As far as being a past guest you get a gold sign and sail card for cruises 2-9, then platinum for 10+. There is also a past guest party and a pin with your ship on it.

[DanniC]

We book all our vacations between Jan and March. Thats when my husband gets his classes assigned for the next semester. We have had to vaction in August the last two years. This year he is not going to school this summer so we get to go in July. :)

[WCAB]

I see some great group cruises posted on this board but I was wondering, how anyone could book that far into the future. I too get to excited and cannot

imagine that level of anticipation for months on end. I might do it but I would have to book a mini to carry me over for the longer cruise. About 6 months of anticipation, is about all I can stand.

 

Carol

[PACURN]

I book way in advance, many times as soon as the sailing date is available. I like to pick my cabin. I love the planning. I guess a downfall of this would be an Itinerary change, but no big deal. I'm still on vacation.

[LegalCat]

I guess it depends on your situation. Both of our jobs are flexible and our kids are grown, so we have booked anywhere from a week or two in advance to a year in advance... we live next to the port of miami so we dont have to worry about flying (we usually sail from Miami)... I tend to book when I can get the best prices... one year during a cold spell in February we were able to book the Fascination a week in advance for like $100 a person (including all fees) for an outside cabin... it was pretty darn cold and you had to wear a sweater to go out on the lido deck, but we had a great time!! (I'm not a big pool person anyway!!)... then in November i was browsing for a good deal for this year and found the Victory on May 6 was one of the lowest prices for that ship for the whole year almost... and it was the itin we hadnt been on (we have been on the victory before but the other side)... so I booked it... since we can be pretty flexible, I'm always looking for a really good deal... alo as several other people said, if the price goes down you can get a refund or credit and some times there are sales for past guests or residents of certain states etc... If you dont need a specific date for a reason (family coming fro out of town or kids school schedule etc) you can really shop around...

[cls624]

We book 1 yr. in advance. We always know when we're going to go.

We can take our time paying it off, and watch the rates go down.:)

Then we have time to save our spending money.:p