jbethel11

It actually has, so I recommend you check the price. How many people are in your cabin? What VIFP Status are you? What category are you?

It all depends on if you want:

Mardi Gras:

-Brand New Ship

-Newer Perks

-More “Funship” 2.0

-To Spend More Money

-Less Romantic

Legend:

-Older Ship

-Lesser Perks

-Less “Funship” 2.0

-More Romantic

-Dining Options May be Limited for Actual        Anniversary Dinner

-Aft Balcony is Romantic, especially at Sunset

I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to offer a lot of help, though this could be a basis.

2 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

Was your upgrade free or did you pay for it?

It was $300 for a Balcony for 4 people in July. It was worth it.

10 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

How expensive can a four day on the old Sunrise be? Being gold doesn't mean anything. You're not platinum or diamond. If you can book and sail last minute, go for it. There are no guarantees there will be any balconies left and you may have missed out over waiting over a couple hundred bucks. 

Go check the prices for yourself. My budget is not your budget.  Also, if you think that being a Gold VIFP member doesn’t get you anything, you must be mistaken. When I sailed on the Sunshine two years back, I received an upgrade from an interior to a balcony cabin. So instead of making these claims, just please double check to make sure they are a correct. But, you are right with no garuantees, as my PVP said the same thing. 

7 minutes ago, shof515 said:

it impossible to get a price drop as the cruise gets closer. you cruise is in about 4 months.

most price drops occurs when you are like 6 months or more away from sail day

Unless, of course, the sailing is not selling well. I might wait for the last minute deal, which usually transpires around final payment date. Additionally, the price just went down, so ...

Carnival Sunrise Cruise June 20-24, 2019's Prices Going Down? I am looking to book for 4 passengers in a balcony, and I know, I will be lashed out at since I am "dreaming" if the prices could decrease further! People will be upset when I tell them how much the price is, but it is quite expensive for 4 days to Bermuda! I did this same sailing on the Horizon, and it was sold out, so I am debating if, because I am VIFP Gold, I should book an interior and hope for an upgrade? Thanks for the help!

On 2/5/2019 at 11:39 AM, ariesknowbest said:

Hi All......My hubby and I will be taking our 13 year old on a cruise in October.  We are looking to sail on Mariner of the Seas.  What suggestions do you have to make sure he has the most awesome time ever????  He is going through some things and I want to make sure he enjoys himself.  THANK YOU in advance for your suggestions/comments. 

When I was 13, not too long ago, I wanted to be the furthest away from my parents and siblings as possible! I liked having fun with just my new friends and myself, as my family would simply be a nuisance. I also LOVED being out with them past "bedtime" like 2 AM, but remember you are the ones in charge of his safety. I have come across a drunk person, who wanted pictures with us at this time, but I was with a group, so we had safety in numbers. Also, security does a good job keeping kids safe, just don't get on their nerves!

9 hours ago, GalwayGirl03 said:

So we just booked the 9 Navigator on Royal over Easter this year..this will be the kid's 4th Royal cruise and they are addicted as much as we are.  They have seen the videos of the new refurbishment and are dying to go on it.  We want to wait until the day we are leaving but want to come up with a great way to tell them/surprise them.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!! thanks:)

 

I recommend watching videos like this: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=suprising+kids+with+cruise

11 hours ago, TinkBellaMom said:

At the risk of sounding snobbish, we have never booked an inside cabin.  It is mostly because we have only cruised once every couple years and I love the sound of the sea from a balcony, so it is affordable when you have a couple years to save for the trip.

Now we are retired and live close to the piers.  My husband is always looking for our next trip.  He found a 5 day on the Indy at a very good price, but only if we take a inside on deck 10.  He says if we take these we can cruise more often, which makes sense.

My main concern is that I will feel a bit closed in with no view of the outside.  My friends who love them tell me they are cosy.

Some opinions from both sides would be appreciated.

Deb

I will give you a perspective from a younger cruiser. I hate inside cabins on cruises for more than 4 days. You feel cramped, especially when you have many people sharing your cabin. (You do not have that problem, I presume). But when I went with my grandmother on the Carnival Horizon (I know a different cruise line) I did not mind the 4 days in the cabin, as I was mostly outside of the stateroom, having fun. To make a long story short, if you spend most of your time outside of your cabin, and feel as if your cabin is simply for sleeping and bathing, then you will love it. But if you spend the majority of the time, in your cabin, then you will not like it. 

2 hours ago, nvance724 said:

Re NCL prices. I cruised a lot on NCL until last year. Jumped to RCCL and was immediately added to their casino program and get comped cruises all the time. I had 3 cruises on NCL last year and had to reach out to them to finally get a comped offer. Prior to that I have booked inside rooms and upgraded using NCL credit card rewards points. 60,000 pts can jump two levels to balcony. It becomes 600 dollars but per their pricing tiers much less for the balcony (7 day gem last Nov).  I bid 100 for mini suite upgrade  and ended up in a 2 bedroom suite. 1100 each for 2. would have been twice that and more if we booked suite initially. You are right some cruise lines are outrageously priced. 

I am not too familiar with credit cards. So if I spend $600 on a purchase using an NCL MasterCard I receive an upgrade with those points? If so does Carnival or RCCL do this?

25 minutes ago, Lionkingrichard said:

 

Honestly, I feel like the “Take All 6” offers is NCL’s way of making money. I’m waiting for the regular take 2-3 offers and that’s when I hope to find a better rate! How ironic!

2 hours ago, Bootman4U said:

Have you looked at any discounters fares   NCL cruises are routinely discounted on those sites and I would never pay the brochure price unless I were absolutely forced to do so but to each their own.

What is a discounter fare? Please tell me!

Well, according to this poll, the general consensus is to book ahead. I might do that with a 2021 sailing, but probably not with this 2020 sailing. 

16 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

You're asking a lot to get a balcony for four in March of any year going forward for $2600 for a week on anything in my opinion. Between port charges, taxes, gratuites, and service charges for any NCL promos you may want like a drink package just isn't going to happen in 2020 or 2021 for your price I'm sorry to say. Does your party of four have kids or all adults? 

I am just saying this since the price for an interior is currently less than $2600. Far less, actually. That's why I feel like the price for a balcony would perhaps go down later too? There will be 2 adults and 2 teenagers in the cabin, so MSC Seaside is out of the question. 

3 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

I think you can get on the Getaway for 2021 in mid March for that price which is probably a grand cheaper than 2020. Simple low category basic inside for four. That would be under the friends and family sale free promo for guests 3 and 4 as well. That price wouldn't include gratuities or a drink package though. You could get close for the price you want. Are you hell bent on NCL only? 

Honestly, I was hoping for a balcony at that rate of 2600. I am only bent on NCL because of their year-round NYC service. Royal Caribbean has that too, but they don't change the ships that come around. Don't get me wrong I would love to sale on the Anthem of the Seas, however, I have a bad taste in my mouth with Harmony of the Seas, especially the cabin. The sofa pulled out into a trundle which in my opinion is HORRIBLE. There is no space to maneuver around the trundle to get anywhere! To make matters worse I have a grump tween brother who threw a fit whenever someone stepped on his bed. 

20 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

Im aware how it works. Sailed Escape, sailing Bliss next month and and Encore is booked for 2021. The Bliss is still too new for a price like that. You're looking at it like prices will remain the same. They will not, I assure you. It's not just the newness of the ship that is the cost of high prices, it is cruising in general. The Escape came out in November of 2015 and you're looking at it for 2019. The Bliss will only be a bit over one and a half years old in even in 2020. Like I said, I booked all of the three ships almost two years in advance and prices went up, not down. I paid the price you looked at for the Escape back in 2016 for four people, in a family balcony, and with a drink package for DW and I when it was truly free, no service charge. Do as you wish and I wish our well but I stand by my statement that the Bliss will not drop to $2600 for four in 2020 unless you book off peak and really really late. Good luck though! 

Would I have better luck with the NCL Getaway going down to $2600 for the same applications sailing March 2021? Since that ship will be 7 1/2 years old? If so, should I book now or later?

5 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

With deposits so low why would you bother to wait? Just pick the cabin you want and book it. I find that prices only go up for the most part. Comparing different ships (Bliss newer),  different years, and different weeks will not help you as that is irrelevant. You're going to have a real hard time getting four people on the Bliss around spring break of 2020 for $2600. In fact, I will tell you that you're dreaming unless you book really late and by then spring break cruises sail out before that. Book now and watch ..... I booked the Bliss back in 2017 for our 15 day cruise next month and the inside cabin we are in (family of four) went up $2500 over time and never came down  ....... If you have young kids like I do I suggest the new MSC Seaside as kids sail free. That one we did last year and it was more in the price range you are seeking. It was a fantastic cruise. Prices in general for cruising are rising across the board ....... 

2

I understand the deposits are low. That is what is enticing me to book now. The prices good up until a couple months before the cruise, and then start to go back down. The reason I am saying this is the NCL Escape's price was at 2600 with All Free Offers, and such. For 4 people! Then it went up, to 2800! I understand the Bliss is newer, however, they are in the same class of ships (Breakaway Plus). Remember, the brand new Encore will come out in late 2019, and I guarantee you NCL will switch all of their advertising to that ship, persuading people to come to Miami, and possibly lowering the price for the Bliss. They did the EXACT SAME THING with the Escape. Remember, in 2017, the Bliss was the newest ship, making it so expensive! I do appreciate, and respect your opinion and will make my decision shortly. 

2 minutes ago, Bootman4U said:

exploring the prices that you might get by using a discounter

What is a discounter? A travel agent? Some sort of exclusive rates? I have been monitoring the prices for about a week, and am also using price drop monitors from cruisecritic and from the Shipmate App.

I am planning to book a cruise on the NCL Bliss, in March of 2020. The price for 4 with the offers is $3200, though that is not in my budget. I have been reading that after Final Payment Date, the cruise prices drop significantly, but NCL would not honor the full refund of the difference, just 25% OBC, which in my opinion is not enticing me. I am well aware of the risks of doing this, including not being able to have a wide choice of cabin. One thing that is persuading me towards booking only is the refundable $100 deposit up until 120 days before the cruise. However, there is a chance of the cruise prices increased and not decreasing. However, if I hold off, I have a greater chance of paying for an (approximate) rate I like, and if not, I will not book it. For example, with the NCL Escape in March 2019, sailing to same places, though two weeks prior (respectively), the lowest price I saw was 2600, which is pretty good for a spring break cruise. The next day, however, the price went up to 2800, which was out of my budget. So, I will set up a price alert, and see if the price fluctuates. What do you think of this rationale? Am I making the right decision? 

1 hour ago, PixieMinnie said:

I have a question about NCL’s upgrade program. This is our first time sailing on NCL. There are 5 of us booked in a family ocean view stateroom. Would we be able to bid on a Haven suite? That would be the only other category that would accommodate all of us in one room. What would the lowest acceptable bid be?

To my knowledge no, since on NCL, you can only bid for 2 categories of staterooms succeding your category. So at most, you might be able to bid for the Mini-Suite, or Spa Balcony, but not a Haven. You would have a greater chance at getting a Haven if you booked a balcony, and obviously getting a bid.

On 10/11/2017 at 3:19 PM, Budget Queen said:

 

I never book these NY December- Feb cruises ahead. For the last several years, it is darn easy to pick them up on the dump rack. If there is any way, in the future, you can just block and rescind time off from work, it is a given of picking up some great deals. Jackpot last year, the Dec sailing was $399 and your week, $599, consistent for at least the last several years. This year, my family is keeping an eye on the 4 long cruises in this time frame. No doubt they will be on the ship. 🙂

Wow, you are absolutely right! A cruise in March 2019 was 2600 for 4 people in a balcony! Unfortunately, we were not quick enough to book and the price went up to 2800, but now since I have more agency in regards to that, I will hold of on booking a March 2020 cruise on Bliss, since they will probably go down. 

On 1/22/2019 at 3:46 PM, Alegeeter said:

I think most of what you find important is pretty standard across lines. Sure, other lines have formal nights but you certainly don't need to participates. If modern ships out of NYC is important then Royal Caribbean might be your best choice for an alternative. 

I agree with that, only Royal Carribean and Norwegian currently have YEAR ROUND modern ship sailing from NYC. Carnival brings renovated/new ships only in the late spring-early fall months. 

I read from the NCL Epic board that if the bed is by the balcony, then the mini-suite has a tub. However, since the Epic is in its own class, I am assuming they are different.

Hello everyone, I'm Jaden. I am new to the forum and have always wondered why I feel bad for crew members working aboard ships. Some of them look sad and tired, while others look extremely happy and exuberant! What are you're thoughts on this, and what should I do to combat this feeling?