When to book a cruise to get the best price, that is a
question I hear often. The generally
most accurate answer when looking across the board for all cruises is that
booking them when the cruise is first released for sale generally gets the best
fare. There are some exceptions I will explore here as well.
Generally most cruise lines come out with early booking
fares that are as low as you will see for most cabins on most sailings. They do
this to encourage folks to put down some money to secure their cabins. This is also when you have the best shot at
securing some of the best cabins on the ship. Both agencies setting up groups and folks who
know they want select cabins book in the first couple days a particular sailing
is listed. If you want one of the prime
suites on the ship, such as the Presidential Suite, or Royal Suite on the
Freedom of the Seas, typically they need to be booked in the first couple of
days they are open for sale. That is not
to say these cabins can’t ever be secured closer to sailing, but it is a rare
find.
Some cruise lines regularly sell a lot of their cabins when
the sailing is first announced. Disney
is one where when they announce new sailings cabins become short in supply very
quickly. Many of the sailings operate on a fully refundable deposit basis, so
other than tying up some money in a deposit, it’s in most folks minds not a big
deal to grab and later release a cabin.
If you think you want to sail a route and can swing the deposit money
being tied up for a while, securing you cabin early is worth locking up some
money. If you consider the increase in
cost for the cabin, it often represents a great return on your money having the
cabin booked.
A number of luxury cruise lines have pricing programs where
as a select number of cabins sell all of the prices for the ship go up at a
predetermined percentage level. The number of cabins for the first rate
increase is often reached fairly quickly after release of the sailings. There are some lines that offer a single price
from start to finish, but these are rare sailings and typically start out quite
expensive anyhow. The reason they don’t change prices is the minimal number of
guests makes it nearly impossible to offer different prices among the few
cruisers on their small ships.
If you plan to sail a group, it is usually a very good idea
to work well in advance so you can secure a block of cabins at the very best
prices as the cruises are first put on sale. Over time as the supply of cabins
dwindles, the prices for new bookings climb. For those who secured their cabins
ahead and the groups they keep their lower prices.
Some folks say, at least on certain lines, it’s best to wait
for last minute deals. Although on select sailings it is possible to snag a
great deal at the last minute, that is the exception, not the rule. Some cruise lines will put on sale those
cabins they want to move to fill up a ship. Most often when those cabins go on
sale they are not the best cabins you may want as your cabin on a given
sailing. Often the cabins on sale are in only specific cabin categories, so if
you have your heart set on a specific category, you may be disappointed by
waiting.
Recently, I booked myself in a junior suite on the Mariner
of the Seas and then the next day looked for a client what was available. The same cabin had gone up $100 per person
after I booked my cabin. I see all the time where cabin prices increase and seldom
see where cabin prices drop. Most folks I know are in the same boat, usually
seeing cabin pricing increase instead of decrease.
The key, if you know you want to sail book early and lock in
the best price. Just check the terms of the deposit if you may need to change
sailings to ensure you can get the full deposit back if needed.
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