when is the best time to book?

[kcteach12]

My husband and I would like to take a cruise to Alaska in July. If we wait to book will the prices go down? We would like a cabin with a balcony, but they are a little high for our budget.

[Cinder Again]

Balconies sell out first, so if you really want one, book soon, and be flexible about your dates. The beginning and end of the summer have cheaper rates as well, as July is high season. Hal has LOTS of ships in Alaska each summer. A good travel agent can check everything for you, and try to get you a balcony at a fair price. That said, you could opt for a window cabin, and spend the extra money on excursions, which are pretty expensive in Alaska. Good luck!

[schwabby]

Right now HAL is having a View & Veranda sale -- buy at an oceanview rate and get a balcony. Also, check the Zuiderdam and Oosterdam itineraries and see if you like either of those. They are Vista class ships, have more balconies, and therefore the balconies are generally less expensive than on the S&R class ships.

Schwabby

[garydm]

We have been very successful on getting great prices on verandah cabins after the final payment due dates. I think that is when HAL releases cabins they may have held back for cruise/tour bookings.

Gary

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

If there is a particular cabin you want, then you should book as early as you can. We have found in the past two years because of the economic situation that good cabins even deluxe suites are available 6 to 8 weeks ahead of sailing. Thus, we have tended to book later. However, this all could change when/if economy gets better. As others have noted, there are a lot of cruises to Alaska both with HAL and others. The other factor is leaving from Vancouver or Seattle. These days I prefer Seattle since it is easier to get to by air from most cities.

Barbara

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

HAL Alaskan cruises -- especially the balconies sell out fast and very rarely with diso****s.

If there is a specific cabin and location you want -- book now so as not to be disappointed.

[Alliea]

Does anyone think I booked too soon for Berumda in Oct. ? It is a smaller ship.. and I didn't want to miss out on a balcony. I hope it doesn't go down too much!

[Randyk47]

Does anyone think I booked too soon for Berumda in Oct. ? It is a smaller ship.. and I didn't want to miss out on a balcony. I hope it doesn't go down too much!

Not really. One, you wanted a specific cabin category. Two, if the cruise fare drops you can usually get the reduced fare, especially if it's before the final payment date. Three, truth is that few cruises go down in price and most go up. There are exceptions of course so just watch the fares over the next few months.

[CruiserBruce]

And, an additional truth- the sale prices are usually for the inside cabins and the less popular outside cabins. They sell the heck out of those, and may upgrade people who paid more earlier.

You don't see many suite discounts, and we are only seeing some balcony discounts because the ships HAL uses now have more balconies. The old category S, A and B (the only cabins with balconies on the S and R class ships) cabins sold out very quickly on almost all cruises.

So, as many have stated, if you have a particular cabin or level of cabin, book now, for those may not be discounted further, or may not even be available if you wait.

[fisheswithbears]

One idea about waiting to book. Sometimes the most desirable excursions can become full quickly. We just changed a booking on Zaandam for the Sea of Cortez because the Copper Canyon excursion was full. Unfortunately I don't know how to tell if desirable excursions are still available before booking.

[Host Walt]

Reminder: Referrals to specific travel agents are not permitted on Cruise Critic.

[Typhoon1]

The sooner, the better. Ever heard of the saying "you snooze, you lose"?

[jcrandle]

I'm reminded of one of my favorite comic strips, Crankshaft, when he is asked by his yuppie neighbor, "When is the best time to plant a tree?" His reply is, "The best time is 30 years ago, the second best time is today."

You could also rephrase your question to "What is the best time to buy stocks?", or "When should I sell or buy a house?", or other questions. I don't believe there is an answer, though there are factors that can be considered.

Do you have strong preferences for a cruise line, a ship, a cabin category, or a cabin or side of the ship? Would you be crushed if you couldn't revel in the luxury of a PS, or enjoy the Neptune Lounge? Would you be just delirious to have an inside cabin on the Dolphin Deck?

If you have strong feelings about a particular cruise/ship/cabin/category, you are likely better to book early, when there are lots of choices available. On the other hand, if you are flexible, you may snag some bargains by waiting and taking advantage of TA or Cruise line specials. You can register at many on-line TAs for special deals, plus HAL has a Special Offers page on their website, as well as a signup for special deals email.

[baggal]

My husband and I would like to take a cruise to Alaska in July. If we wait to book will the prices go down? We would like a cabin with a balcony, but they are a little high for our budget.

I see you live in Texas. You should probably start to work with a TA who can help you with airfare as well. Those fares can - and do - change daily.