Best time to buy your cruise?

[terrabull]

We are planning to cruise November 28th 2008. When is the best time to buy for the best deals?

[starfamily]

If you want to avoid the fuel surcharge do it before December first, if you want to pay only a 100.00 pp deposit do it in the next four days.

 

We always book as far out as possible (if you notice I have Feb. 2009 booked, did that last month) we have found that gets us the best price and selection, however we book suites which tend to sell out fast. The price of our Christmas cruise went up several thousand dollars since we booked it 16 months ago.

 

If you are happy with an inside you may be well served to book at the last minute. Most good travel agencies will honor price drops but NCL often has "for new bookings only" sales.

[Don Haynes]

Many will tell you to book as early as possible as the price of the cruise will rise until final payment when it will most likely drop significantly. Unfortunately, many of those who book early are complaining about not getting lower prices because the lower sale prices are now for new bookings only.

 

I suggest you don't book a cruise before a sale. Book during a sale either before or after final payment. It will be difficult to get a lower price than a sale.

[cliffd64]

The general rule of thumb I use is:

 

Book when the price becomes what you consider to be a good deal for the category/cabin you are interested in.

[Toyz711]

i agree, we have no control of the cruise prices or the airlines. last year we booked the flights, the price was great...waited for the cruise, but after a couple of weeks of prices going up, we booked. booked in april for a alaska cruise in sept. if we had waited the prices of the cruise would have doubled, the flights would have tripled. (plus the cruise was sold out 2 months before sailing)

the time we booked sept 30th for the cruise this sunday, prices were lower on monday then they were on saturday, but have gone up (not much) since. we aren't flying, so we could do this. for the last 2 weeks all suites and balconies are sold out.

we book when the price is what we can live with. no matter when we book, somebody has a lower price and somebody has a higher price.

just know that if the prices do drop, you may or may not be able to get an adjustment...make sure you are ok with that.