Pros/cons to buying in advance or last minute

I'm a newbie to cruising, leaving on my first one to Alaska next week. I booked our cruise (7 of us) back a few months ago RT Seattle w/Glacier Bay on Princess. It was $1059 pp inside w/$150 OBC. Now I see other offers for as low as $400 pp:mad:. Did I do the right thing by locking it in so far in advance? With 7 of us I was nervous about getting enough rooms for all of us and flights together. I did save a little on airfare to Seattle from NY but not much. Our cruise is now all sold out. I'm already thinking of a cruise to Europe for next year but thinking maybe I'm better off waiting to the last minute? I have some flexibility to when I leave, pretty much all of July and August. Next time I travel it probably won't be with so many of us either.

Commonly discussed here on Cruise Critic. Yes, you can get some good deals on last minute deals, if you are not picky about cabin location, level or type. Trying to get several cabins (for 7 people) is going to be harder. If you insist on waiting until the last minute on a particularly sailing, to meet vacation schedules, you might find yourself with NO availability, and therefore, no vacation.

Last minute airfares can take big bites out of savings on the cruise fare.

Trying to get enough cabins for 7 people, along with airfare, and perhaps hotels (if needed) can be tricky.

Are we comparing apples and oranges with your $1059 vs $400 info? Same cabin type and location? Of course, with a $150 OBC, if that is per person as well, you only really paid $900.

Wise advice given here frequently: comparing fares on board is in poor form.

You may save money on the cruise, but I haven't found cheap last minute airfare.

When I travel again next summer, it will be just myself and my husband so I won't need to get as many tickets/rooms. The OBC was $150 per room so $75 pp. I wasn't meaning to bad talk the price but more of trying to get a feel for if more people plan ahead in advance or do many just go last minute.

I always plan ahead, this way I can get what I want and am able plan around it. I made amazing savings on a B2B2B Transatlantic followed by two Caribbean cruises which I booked 12 months prior and watched the price go up and up and up. On the contrary 2 years ago I booked B2B on RCI circumnavigating Australia and NZ within a couple of month the price dropped considerably. I asked for a price drop, which doesn't normally happen in when booking in Europe they said a very big no. So I said " cancel it and I'll book it again" and they dropped the price. Finaly 6 weeks ago I booked NCL from Barcelona for Christmas and New Year 2017 and since booking the price has rocketed nearly 50% I can only assume that NCL forgot to factor in that it was Christmas when they first priced it, who knows but I'm a happy man .

For me it is simple. Of course price is important but so is location for me. Often I travel with a group of family and friends so it is a high priority to get cabins next to each other. I like a good price as well of course. If I book early I get the cabin I want in the location I want. Sometimes we need a handicap room and often a cabin for four. Unlike so many, I love the covered balconies on Emerald Deck (Princess) all the way in the back and I go for those first.

For me it is peace of mind having the cabin and cruise booked. Once I book a cruise I then start the rest of the planning. That includes airfare, hotels and shore excursions. I'm usually paying for a few people so having the time to figure out what we want to do and the money to do it with is very important. If the price of the cruise goes down then all the more fantastic. Long before I step on that ship we have figured out what excursions we are doing. If I am with a group, all those people have agreed and have paid me for those excursions.

I booked an Alaska cruise for August 2017. I booked it back in February of 2016. That's almost 1-1/2 years in advance. It is the only time I could pick for when all of my grandchildren would be available. I needed that date. I needed two mini suites side by side that slept four each. I picked a port that worked for us coming from LA and being able to drive and the two little ones are coming from Seattle. Once we get to the year cutoff time I will book my hotel and parking which are already ready to go.

Bottom line for me, if I wait until the last minute (or even 4 months out) then I might not get my two cabins together, I might be paying more, that hotel might be more, airfare might be more and parking spaces could be gone. Since final payment is due two months out I really don't consider four months out as a huge lead.

There are a lot of variables. I'm not picky about cabin type and location, so if I'm booking a cruise from Copenhagen, which I can get to by train in a few hours, I book very late to get the best deal. I just booked a cruise this past weekend that sails on August 9.

If I'm booking a Mediterranean cruise, I book earlier and generally on a special offer like free drinks or gratuities with less concern for price, knowing that airfare will go up closer to the date.

I wouldn't book last minute if I needed 7 cabins.

I do most of my cruises solo, and many cruises that offer single fares at less than 200% are capacity controlled in that they only allow a certain number of solo cruisers. I book early if I see a fare that works with my vacation savings acct. balance. There's also the issue of airfare, as has already been pointed out. Since I live inland, I have to fly to the embarkation port.

If you can take advantage of low last minute cruise fares, go for it.

Roz

I have always booked a year in advance for a February cruise and have never seen a price go lower. If you sail during hurricane season, you will see lower fares. I say set a price you are comfortable with and when you see it, grab it.

I book way in advance. I try to get in early so i can pick the exact cabin i want.

Last minute deals never. I just cannot schedule it due to work.

Once I retire I think I will be cruing more!