Cruise booking: One at a Time or Multiple?

Out of curiosity: Do you all WAIT to book another cruise until after you are done sailing, or do you book multiple at one time?

Or do you have several cruises that you booked at once?

I am not cruising until Jan 2016 but cant help but look up my next one! Thinking ahead to booking something around the end of 2016 also. There are just so many good deals out there and so many places to see :)

I have three booked this summer and have booked two for fall of 2016.

We book when we something we like.

Sometimes we have had 4 cruises booked at one time and other times only one.

We usually have three trips, which is about 5 to 8 cruises booked at any time

I lost my DH in the last year but for the last 20+ years, we never boarded a cruise without having another (or a number more) booked. :) We sometimes had 5 or 6 cruises booked and very rarely cancelled any.

We usually have more than one booked. If it ever reaches one we are quick to make it two.:D

I just returned from a 12 day cruise on the Quantium . While we were on board we booked 2 cruises, one for August n one for February.2016. The deals on board were too good to pass up! We just book when the mood strikes us!

Gosh, I must admit to being jealous at the thought of being able to book more than one cruise/holiday at a time. I'm watching a cruise sailing at the end of the year but as we have a land-based holiday organised for June we are not in any position to book it until we see what's left in the 'holiday account' after we've settled all bills.

I'm not asking for peoples' financial position (it's between them and their bank manager!) but would love any tips on how they manage to book multiple trips.

We typically take three short (4 -5 night) cruises between December and April each year. Currently we have 10 reservations. We book them as soon as the new itineraries are released so we can hopefully get the cabin we like then we watch for price drops. Every penny saved is a penny for a future cruise. :D

What do is buy Future Cruise Deposits when on board. Usually two each per cruise. Meaning I have usually enough for 4 to 8 cruise deposits.

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What do is buy Future Cruise Deposits when on board. Usually two each per cruise. Meaning I have usually enough for 4 to 8 cruise deposits.

 

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That reduces the amount you have to pay as deposit but you still have to pay the full fare. Pay more at time of deposit or pay more at time of final payment, it is the same amount of money.

I didn't plan on booking more than one cruise when I booked my August one. Alas NCL had a stupid good deal that I couldn't pass up and my kids only missing the last 2 1/2 days of school for. I mean when am I going to get a chance to sail to Bermuda for 4 in a balcony room with unlimited drinks for cheaper than my booked Carnival cruise?!

I would love to book more, but DS graduating soon and don't know if he will want/is able to sail past 2016 with us. Also I finish my degree in Sept 2016 and don't know what any future jobs vacation time will look like for awhile. DH might just have to sit home bored for a year or two with 3 weeks paid vacation from work, the poor thing.. :rolleyes:

I agree there are just some deals that are too good to pass up out there right now. I know I wouldn't have been able to book our 2nd cruise w/o jeopardizing our first booking if it wasn't for a 50% deposit sale. Those are what really gets me!

We have 8 cruises currently booked. Trying to get to Elite status on Princess before our Australian cruise! It's always nice to have something planned! We also use Future Cruise Credits.

That reduces the amount you have to pay as deposit but you still have to pay the full fare. Pay more at time of deposit or pay more at time of final payment, it is the same amount of money.

Ive never heard of buying future deposit credits. This is done onboard only?

Ive never heard of buying future deposit credits. This is done onboard only?

Some cruise lines allow you to buy them within 90 days of cruising.

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We typically take three short (4 -5 night) cruises between December and April each year. Currently we have 10 reservations. We book them as soon as the new itineraries are released so we can hopefully get the cabin we like then we watch for price drops. Every penny saved is a penny for a future cruise. :D

Help me understand the process. When the price drops what do you do? Ask for ship credit?

Okay, so some of you have lots booked, but how many will you ACTUALLY sail on?

I think I'm right in saying that Americans can cancel without losing your deposit while here in the UK we can't do that.

Ive never heard of buying future deposit credits. This is done onboard only?

Holland America Line has Future Cruise Consultants on every cruise and you can choose to either book a future cruise with them while on the ship or purchase Future Cruise Deposits to be used at any time within four years. You can select any cruise you want and get all the same benefits as if you booked the cruise on board. I don't like to spend my vacation with appointments to give the cruise line more business and far prefer to make bookings after I'm home.... at my leisure.

Okay, so some of you have lots booked, but how many will you ACTUALLY sail on?

 

I think I'm right in saying that Americans can cancel without losing your deposit while here in the UK we can't do that.

We ACTUALLY sailed on about 96% of the cruises we booked through the years. We sailed over 90+ cruises before my late DH passed in the last year. We cancelled two because of health reasons and maybe two because work issues arose for my husband. I think a few times we changed our mind. In all cases, we made future bookings which we used. Our PCC knew when we called, we weren't calling to 'site see' and waste his time. We called because we were making bookings we intended and almost always used

We currently have 3 cruises booked through Jan 2016. We've never cancelled a cruise and have booked out as far as a Year and a half. We travel many different ways....and all travel is booked when we feel we have the best price. We do tend to book cruises earlier than other types of travel. We have also booked tours and hotels between now and Jan and are leaving some tours and hotels to be booked close to time of use.

Help me understand the process. When the price drops what do you do? Ask for ship credit?

As long as it is before the final payment date, I just call RCL and say I noticed a price drop. They check it and find it and credit my credit card and send me a new invoice.

I am a bit OCD so I check several times a week and have gotten thousands of dollars in price drops over the years. :D Two weeks ago I noticed a drop on our cruise for Dec. 24th (4 nights). I originally booked it at $1964 Cda + $200 OBC, price dropped to $1544. Cda (no OBC), today it is $2343 (no OBC).

Kathy

Okay, so some of you have lots booked, but how many will you ACTUALLY sail on?

 

I think I'm right in saying that Americans can cancel without losing your deposit while here in the UK we can't do that.

We sail on three cruises a year. In North America, we can book a cruise then change the date without a problem. If you cannot do that in UK then it is too risky. Of the 10 cruises we currently have booked, I will move 5 of them as soon as the Winter 2016/2017 Caribbean bookings open up and 2 of them will be moved again when the Fall of 2017 opens up.