Booking a Year in Advance

[kimberlys]

I was wondering if anyone knew the trend's to Carnival's pricing. I have never booked a year in advance, but I'm looking at my favorite ship for next spring. Do prices tend to go up the next year, or do you find they get lower closer to the cruise??? If my cabin is available, of course I'll book right away. But if it's not, then would it be better for me to wait for prices to go down? I have booked 3 months in advance, and prices did go down and we got shipboard credit, but I sure don't want to see them go up!
Thanks for your help!
-kim

[PINEVIEW01]

If you book a year in advance you are likly to get what you want. Than for the next year you watch prices, if they go down you try to get the price matched. If the go up you sit back and grin. The best time to watch prices is just before full payment is required. If a lot of people cancel you may see a nice price drop or it could cause you to get a nice upgrade.

Melody

Paradise, 9-5-04
Holiday, 4-10-04
Inspiration, 11-30-03
Inspiration, 1-26-03
Victory,3-31-02
Sensation, 11-28-98
Holiday, 3-19-94

[ken_nyc]

I have booked a year to 15 months in advance and got good pricing, as Melody said you have to keep an eye on it after. Usually it goes down like right after I book, then I get an adjustment. Rarely, depending on the ship and time of year it may not go down later on, except a couple of months before your cruise, by then you paid for the whole crise and you can ask for on-board ship credit. Good luck!!

Carnival Pride 8/17/02 (Western Caribbean)
Carnival Glory 8/21/2004 (Eastern Caribbean) 30th Anniversary Cruise
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[cruisinonmymind]

We booked our cruise for the Sensation on Xmas eve, and we are sailing in July. At the time, we booked OV guaranty for $659pp. After taxes and port fees, we pd $1386.66 per couple. Now, the going price for an OV guaranty is $779 according to Carnival. I think we done ok. I hope that prices on suites go down, because I am considering upgrading.But, for me, prices have only gone up, so my prices look good for now.

Married on Fantasy 9/95
Ecstasy 3/2001
Fantasy 9/2002
Sensational Cruise 7/24/04

[chipperberg]

I just booked an inside guarentee for the Valor for April 17th. I paid 609, including port and taxes. I am sure the inside prices will not drop, but I have learned as balcony prices drop, I am more likely to get upgraded to a balcony cabin, even if I have to pay maybe $50 extra like I did on my cruise just a couple of weeks ago. The great thing is, if the price drops, and you get nothing, you can cancel and rebook where you saw the price drop. When I see a good price, I jump on it. Inside, balcony, I don't care. Being on a cruise beats anyday I have at work or at home. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

The mighty Valor awaits, let the PARTY begin.
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[hstrybuf]

We booked our upcoming cruise a year in advance to be sure we got the cabin we wanted. I have a great TA who keeps an eye on things and while we were sailing on the Legend she e-mailed me that she had applied a coupon which lowered the cost for our next cruise! Also, when our Legend cruise dropped in price after final payment, she called Carnival and requested either an upgrade from an 8A guarantee or shipboard credit. We got upgraded to an 8I extended balcony!

If you have a specific cabin in mind, then go for it! Just keep an eye on those prices!

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Navigator OTS 10/04
Legend 04/04
Grand Princess 09/03
Dawn Princess 01/03
Enchantment OTS 10/02
Destiny 01/02
Sensation 08/99

[weswas]

WE also always book at least a year in advance. WE have a great TA and she watches the prices and lets us know what is going on and we also call and stop in to check on things. Last year we went to an online TA and she was great and things went well but no matter when I called her about prices she always said it was the same or went up. We don't really worry about it since we save for the year and never have a bill to pay when we sail or get home. I think it will work out well for you to book in advance if you have a good TA

UNTIL WE SAIL AGAIN.......
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[natters]

We booked a year in advance, last May and we are leaving tomorrow, we did a guarantee and also my TA suggested a specific cabin so we did that, it was a category 11 and my TA called me today and said that Carnavil just called him and we have been upgraded to the "Owners Suite", can you believe that? I asked him why and he said that he thinks it was becasue all the suites were sold out and noone had bought the owners suite and since we were the first ones to guarantee a suite on this ship, they picked us.....I am sooo excited, I will write a review when we get back.

[SheilaInAL]

Ummm Kim? Would that happen to be "our" ship you're talking about? http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif I think we are both planning on booking way ahead of time! Let me know when you book ok? Hope you get "your" cabin!!!!

Sailing on the brand new Carnival Miracle!
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