Friends Laugh, but I check the price every day and it pays

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Who's laughing.....I too check at least 3 times a day!! We're the smart ones by checking. So far we have not had any kind of rate reduction, but still worth checking.......for everyone who has received lower rates....you're the one laughing all the way to the bank!!!! :D :D :D

 

***

[dagadget]

My friends laugh at me, but after booking a cruise I check the price each and everyday online. It does work, sometimes the price drops multiple times and sometimes they only leave the lower price for a few days to increase bookings.

It pays to spend the 2 minutes every day checking the price of your cruise.

Just saved another $100 on my cruise for 2008!

Happy Cruising!

 

 

Last year when I booked Mariner of the Seas for March 18th-25th 2007, The original price was $1249 PP for an E2 6326 on Mariner of the Seas. By watching the web site and Cruise Critic on a regular Basis, I ended up getting price breaks twice. From $1249 to $1199 the first time and then from $1199 to $999 the second time. Needless to say we ended up saving $500 over the price of the original booking. As a result of learning this we saved $1000 from our previous cruise in 2006 on Millennium (that was a $1510 PP CC class 9038 cabin) Needless to say watching the prices and Cruise Critic and then calling for the refunds work very well.

 

"As Becky says: whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile! Bye luv!"

[elleluv]

Well, as far as I can tell, mine hasn't changed. But they don't have a category for prom. rooms. I could always call for the rate. I would love to pay for my excursions this way!

 

 

They'll always show a category for each cabin type, either one of two things is going on...

 

If they show your cabin type as N/A, then it is sold out... even if all the other catagories all still remain at a lower price, you won't get the price drop unless your exact catagory still has cabins and it's at a lower price than you paid.

 

If your catagory is sold out, but all the remaining catagories have dropped in price; you could change cabin catagories at the current price. Say for example you paid $750 per person for your PR and balconies are now $850 per person, you could upgrade to a balcony and pay the $100 per person difference. If the price of your new catagory went down, you could change cabins and get a refund for the difference.

 

The other thing that could be happening is that you may not be going far enough into the reservation. When you initially choose your sailing date, the website shows you 4 prices... inside, oceanview, balcony, and suite. The prices shown are for the lowest price cabin in each of those catagories. There is a button to the far left of those prices that says "begin reservation". That will bring up a page that asks you a bunch of questions... you need to answer how many people are in your stateroom and also make sure to answer at the bottom of the page if you are 55+, Military and your State of residence. Then click "Save changes and continue". The next page will show you the available rates for each catagory and if there are special Residency rates for your state, those will show as well. If the rate shown there is less than the base rate you paid, then call RCCL for the refund of the price drop.

 

We saved $540 a couple of weeks ago on the reservation for our Pacific Coastal cruise because of a Military rate. :D

[beachchick]

cincicruisers: Good going! Let 'em laugh--you, as they say, "laugh all the way to the bank..."

 

This actually reminds me of some experiences when I've been shopping at the local grocery store. I'm a big coupon clipper (gotta save money for travel you know). Several times, it's been something like this:

 

The checker rings up my total of, say, $120. Ouch. Then if the store has the "club card" thing, it might go down to $85. Then I hand over the coupons (our store doubles up to $1). After that the total might be $32.

 

Several times, the person in line behind me will sigh and internally whine when I hand over the big pile of coupons--as if my coupons, all sorted and ready to go, are going to "delay" the transaction by more than a minute or two. But, when the final total comes up, the sigh often changes to "wow." (Of course, I only clip coupons for things we would normally buy or that we might want to try. And I keep them sorted. Otherwise, you end up spending money to get a "discount" on something you didn't want anyway. LOL.)

 

Keep checking those fares!

 

beachchick

[isujim]

I have known people after the fact.........once on the ship.......to cry because they didn't:)

[Clarkk W Griswald]

I check prices several times a week and recently, it paid off big time!!! When I booked AOS, for 3/9/08, a few weeks ago, the JS cabins were $3989.40 each. So I booked 2 JS cabins, 3 passengers each, confident that I got a decent price. I started check prices recently on RCI website and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the JS cabins dropped $1,125.00 each! I immediately called my TA and got the reduction. That phone call saved me $2,250.00!!!! Even she couldn't believe the price! This will be our first Jr Suite, we couldn't pass it up for the price and getting 2 credits makes it even sweeter! Just checked today, and the JS cabins are going back up by about $200.00. So, keep checking those prices!!! It saved me $2,250.00, enough to cover airfare for 6 to San Juan!!:D

[cincicruisers]

CINCICRUISERS are you going direct to RCL web site, or some where else?as i was on another web site and seen 2 upgrades if you book ,and i was already booked and have not seen this on RCL web site just same old fares thanks!!!!!

 

 

I check the RCCL web site each day. The other sites offer things for new booking sometimes.

 

I am so glad I am not alone. Congrats to all of us for being compulsive and saving money. the way I figure it I earned a massage on this trip from the money saved!

 

thanks for sharing everyone!

[gojojo]

Elleluv - thanks for the tip on drilling down to the final prices! I will check that for my promenade room.

[realtreebar]

cincicruisres i'm what most people call frugle, i just booked flight for me,dw,dd (11) for january from MSP to MCO found red hot hour sale and bought 493.00 total, now 785.00 for same 3 tickets flight, 4 day cruise, and motels for 7 nites so far for 3 is 1,583.00 not bad for twelve days! last year flight,car,motel, disney world 5 day hoppers. 44.20 pp per day 5 people 10 days 2,212.98............... so any help i can get i will take! it becomes a game for me to see how cheap i can get stuff and i still have the same fun as the full pricers, and i do not flaunt my fortunes by bragging to others how much they or i paid. don't want to ruin a good thing don't ya know!!!! and i'm not the least bit ashamed about saving a buck or two because i use that on my next excursin .

[uksimonusa]

Well, as far as I can tell, mine hasn't changed. But they don't have a category for prom. rooms. I could always call for the rate. I would love to pay for my excursions this way!

 

Emdia43 - I would love to hear back from you after Freedom cruise.

 

The Promenade cabins on Voyager and Freedom class ships are listed under interior. Just go to the RCI website and start to book a cruise for your date and ship. Select a promenade cabin, usually at the top of the interior cabin list, and then check the price, if it's less than you paid, call for a refund:D

[emdia43]

gojojo- I'll report in when I get back from Freedom.:)

[hcviana]

When have you noticed a change in price typically??? before the 60 day deadline??? right after it??? many months in advance???

[Merion_Mom]

Well, as far as I can tell, mine hasn't changed. But they don't have a category for prom. rooms. I could always call for the rate. I would love to pay for my excursions this way!

 

Emdia43 - I would love to hear back from you after Freedom cruise.

 

gojoj, here it is: I don't know what you paid, but right now, there are six cabins available & it's $1429 per passenger.

 

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/booking/getCabinList.do;jsessionid=00005mTbHkWnE5mJ4T16OKBMfKU:10ktmf1jr?cabincls=I&cabinType=TR&catCode=PR&packageCode=FR07E005&shipCode=FR&sailDate=1070715&deckCode=07&hasAir=N&guestCount=2

[emdia43]

Merion Mom- thanks for reminding me of the Promowave specials. I just checked and called for the Sr special shown on my sailing- got another $200 off. I already had a Sr discount (over 55) but to find that little gem was nice. The first person I talked to said "Oh, those are for new reservations only"- I said "tell me where it says that" - (they are not) and she put me on hold,then I was transferred and waited 8 minutes for someone else to pick up. When I told her the previous conversation she said "No,you are right" and promptly refunded me..... yeah!:)

[BethCarp]

Does it make a difference if it's before or after you've paid in full? Also, what if you book through a TA and you find a deduction on the weekend when they are not in the office?

[emdia43]

I have already paid in full.

I got one price drop before and one after.

That's why I don 't use a TA- not likely to be there when I need them. RCCL cannot discuss your cruise with you if you booked via a TA- but if you notice a price drop it most likely will still be there on Monday.

[Merion_Mom]

Merion Mom- thanks for reminding me of the Promowave specials. I just checked and called for the Sr special shown on my sailing- got another $200 off. I already had a Sr discount (over 55) but to find that little gem was nice. The first person I talked to said "Oh, those are for new reservations only"- I said "tell me where it says that" - (they are not) and she put me on hold,then I was transferred and waited 8 minutes for someone else to pick up. When I told her the previous conversation she said "No,you are right" and promptly refunded me..... yeah!:)

 

OOO, I feel warm and fuzzy all over!

 

Congratulations, emdia!

[shazzz]

I guess I am crazy too...but I ck alot of times a day !!!!! LOL I am praying for a guarantee so I can have my daughter take a friend...

[emdia43]

Shazz- not sure what you mean by praying for a guarantee so you can take a friend?

[shazzz]

Last yr they had a balcony guarantee show up 90 days before sailing....It was a really cheap price...but since I had 3 people I couldnt do it---the guarantees were for 2 people....but if it comes again, I told my daughter she can take a friend..this way I will get 2 balconys...

[Silque1964]

I've yet to see a drop. My $849 PP cabin is now at $1,089 PP. THAT makes me smile.:D

[Echo Queen]

I will continue to check, the only price change I have seen so far is a $100 increase :eek: .

[dagadget]

I've yet to see a drop. My $849 PP cabin is now at $1,089 PP. THAT makes me smile.:D

 

 

Interesting from the time we booked our cruise last year until the day we sailed our price never went up but it did go down from $1249 PP for an E2 Hump to $999 about 2 months before we sailed. So far our prices on next March 31st 2008 4 night cruise have not changed. I do not expect that they will change down on Sovereign of the Seas as there are on just so many Junior Suites on board her. Going to have to count them next time I pull up the deck plans. I am glad that you booked early enough to get the best prices, it seems booking a year ahead of time is a good thing. :D

[Laurie12820]

I also check every day as well. Many people do not know about price drops. When I tell them they seem surprised. DH asks me everyday if the price has dropped. 2 weeks ago the price of our cruise dropped 70pp but only inside and balcony cabins. I still continue to check daily!

[yogi]

Thanks for the reminder!!!! Hadn't checked in a while an just saved $400+ on our Adventure of the Seas 1/27/08!!