Call Me Crazy, but $ Is Not Budging!

So, I read so much about price drops and such I am beginning to wonder what I am doing wrong.

I have been checking our cruise prices daily since booking (4 weeks ago)-sometime twice a day and they have not budged!

Okay, once, the price was $10 less per person, but when I went through the mock booking and choose the cabin etc, the end price was the same.

I mean right down the cents.

So, I am wondering did we book to close to our sail date to expect much of a change? But then I thought maybe prices would lower as the cruise draws near.

I did not book this cruise counting on the hope there would be one, I just find it pretty amazing the price has not moved when I read so many others posting about it. I suppose those people booked months or even a year or more in advance, right?

I have only received a price drop on one cruise. All others, I guess I managed to book at the lowest price possible.

So don't feel bad.

It seems like when I have booked close to 60 days out, I don't see price drops. In fact, I've even seen them go up, which I think is crazy. I tend to see them more when I have booked 5-6 months out. Cruise critic has the price drop notification. It worked to get me one on my next cruise in September. Only $20, but I'll take what I can get.

It seems like when I have booked close to 60 days out, I don't see price drops. In fact, I've even seen them go up, which I think is crazy. I tend to see them more when I have booked 5-6 months out. Cruise critic has the price drop notification. It worked to get me one on my next cruise in September. Only $20, but I'll take what I can get.

Yes, I did sign up for the price drop alert. In fact, I just found it in my inbox 10 minutes ago. There are three Carnival cruises listed on it for April, but not ours. hahaha

I should have been more clear, I have in fact seen the price go up as well, on more than one occasion. Of course, I only want them to go down so that is what I focus on.

It seems like when I have booked close to 60 days out, I don't see price drops. In fact, I've even seen them go up, which I think is crazy. I tend to see them more when I have booked 5-6 months out. Cruise critic has the price drop notification. It worked to get me one on my next cruise in September. Only $20, but I'll take what I can get.

Where is this? I'm still doing it the old fashion way.....looking on the website.

RC, sounds like you were smart and booked at a very good price. If you don't get price drops you must have had a pretty good deal at booking.

I have received almost $500 in price drops for our upcoming trip. I think it just depends on the sailing. I swear I look 3-4 times a day. I think or 1st price drop was in December, one in Feb and my last one was just yesterday. Just keep checking everyday!

RC, sounds like you were smart and booked at a very good price. If you don't get price drops you must have had a pretty good deal at booking.

^ This, I couldn't agree more.

I booked about 6-8 months in advance and have only seen about$40 in price drops. I booked during a sale, and I guess it was a good one. I check every day, but the prices right now are at least 200 more than I paid. They have been higher than that even. I will be booking my April 2016 cruise soon and for that one, I expect to see some price drops since there are no big sales right now. Maybe by the time we actually book though, who knows. But 4 weeks isn't enough time unless you happen to bookjust before a sale, imo.

I have received 2 price drops, both for October cruises in 2012. I can thank the Triumph fiasco for those. Otherwise, my prices stay the same, if not climb. I prefer that they go up, since like someone else said above, it does mean you got the best price possible. It also makes me giggle to think that people are on the ship having paid more than I did.

Where on Cruise Critic does one sign up for price drop information? I never knew there was that feature.

Thank you!

On Cruise Critic Main page, scroll down below destinations to "Useful Link" there you will see "Price Drop"

On Cruise Critic Main page, scroll down below destinations to "Useful Link" there you will see "Price Drop"

Will do.

Thanks! :)

Don't feel bad...I booked WAY in advance with Early Saver. It never went down, but it did go up by $200 per person before Early Saver became unavailable....then it went up $335 more! I sorta feel bad for someone who booked a worse room than me for $1000 more...sorta. (not really) :p

On Cruise Critic Main page, scroll down below destinations to "Useful Link" there you will see "Price Drop"

Thanks for posting!

So, I read so much about price drops and such I am beginning to wonder what I am doing wrong.

 

I have been checking our cruise prices daily since booking (4 weeks ago)-sometime twice a day and they have not budged!

 

Okay, once, the price was $10 less per person, but when I went through the mock booking and choose the cabin etc, the end price was the same.

 

I mean right down the cents.

 

So, I am wondering did we book to close to our sail date to expect much of a change? But then I thought maybe prices would lower as the cruise draws near.

 

I did not book this cruise counting on the hope there would be one, I just find it pretty amazing the price has not moved when I read so many others posting about it. I suppose those people booked months or even a year or more in advance, right?

I book more than a year in advance and most of my price drops came soon after booking. Lately however, prices just seem to go up and up and up. I've seen prices double over when I originally booked.

Where on Cruise Critic does one sign up for price drop information? I never knew there was that feature.

 

Thank you!

http://www.cruisecritic.com/price-drop/

So, I read so much about price drops and such I am beginning to wonder what I am doing wrong.

 

I have been checking our cruise prices daily since booking (4 weeks ago)-sometime twice a day and they have not budged!

 

Okay, once, the price was $10 less per person, but when I went through the mock booking and choose the cabin etc, the end price was the same.

 

I mean right down the cents.

 

So, I am wondering did we book to close to our sail date to expect much of a change? But then I thought maybe prices would lower as the cruise draws near.

 

I did not book this cruise counting on the hope there would be one, I just find it pretty amazing the price has not moved when I read so many others posting about it. I suppose those people booked months or even a year or more in advance, right?

I look at a couple of cruise prices about 6 months out, but always book after final payment is due. If the price is up I look at another cruise, but I am usually successful in getting a better deal by waiting. This works if you are flexible and not looking for a specific cruise.

I look at a couple of cruise prices about 6 months out, but always book after final payment is due. If the price is up I look at another cruise, but I am usually successful in getting a better deal by waiting. This works if you are flexible and not looking for a specific cruise.

How do you know if it wasn't even lower nine months out?

If bookings are running ahead of what is anticipated, prices go up. If booking are running behind what is anticipated, prices go down. As a result, the farther out you book, the better of a change for a price reduction. If that lower price results in more bookings, then the price can go back up to normal. By the time you get within six months the cruise line has already figured out what price to charge to maintain bookings at the anticipated level.

Some times the price just goes up and up. This has happened to me several times.

So, I read so much about price drops and such I am beginning to wonder what I am doing wrong.

 

I have been checking our cruise prices daily since booking (4 weeks ago)-sometime twice a day and they have not budged!

 

Okay, once, the price was $10 less per person, but when I went through the mock booking and choose the cabin etc, the end price was the same.

 

I mean right down the cents.

 

So, I am wondering did we book to close to our sail date to expect much of a change? But then I thought maybe prices would lower as the cruise draws near.

 

I did not book this cruise counting on the hope there would be one, I just find it pretty amazing the price has not moved when I read so many others posting about it. I suppose those people booked months or even a year or more in advance, right?

If the price has gone up you saved money. This is really what you want to have happen as you paid less then most people on your cruise. If you receive a price drop you paid to much initially for your cruise.

I booked my cruise during a price drop....a 24 hour sale about 4 months out. I got a Balcony Guarantee for 7 nights for 2 for $1313. I hadn't seen it that low before or since. It has mostly hovered between $1800-$1900. Sometimes you need to be quick to spot the drop.

I booked a cruise 2 days ago with my TA. Yesterday I checked the fare viewer and price was the same, but for ever reason, I decided to do a mock booking and it showed a casino offer that was almost $200 less than I paid. Contacted my TA and had confirmation with an hour.:D From now on I will do a mock booking. Cruise is in Sept.

OP, I am curious why you are even looking at price drops thinking you will get one when you only booked 4 weeks ago and you cruise in 43 days. :confused::confused: You are not eligible for a price drop since there is no way you booked ES.

I have booked our upcoming cruise about 6 months out, and we booked a month ago. I decided to try the Cruise Critic price drop notification. I got the first notice today that the price had dropped, and when I went through a mock booking, the price was STILL just under one hundred dollars more than when we originally booked it. Luckily, when we booked, we were very happy with our price to begin with, so no complaints. We have until June for final payment, so there are still a bunch of months for the price to drop (if it ever does).

Now, last cruise, in September '14, we booked just over three months out. I almost immediately got a price drop of about $50, but that was the only one, and I didn't use the Cruise Critic notification (I didn't know about it then)- I checked the Carnival site once a day, just on the off chance I'd see it, and we got lucky. But it only happened that one time. We had the amount taken off of our cruise, rather than an OBC. After that, in the weeks leading up to the cruise, the price DID seem to drop according to Carnival, but when I called to check they told me the rules of my booking didn't allow the price change and they were for new bookings only. So I took the $50 and considered myself coming out on top. ;)

There's still time for you! Just be patient and cross your fingers! Good luck. Maybe you booked a popular cruise time or destination! If errybody wants to get on that ship, Carnival has zero incentive to drop the prices!