Price Drops - Why not for me?

So I have been cruising for many, many years. Mostly with Carnival. I have been on the forum for many years too. I am constantly seeing threads and post about price drops and cruisers getting OBC. I am a platinum member and I have never been able to find a fare reduction after I booked my cruise. NEVER! Am I doing something wrong? What am I missing here? Could it be that most cruisers that get reduced fares have booked their cruises a year in advance? We are more of last minute cruisers. Usually 3 months maybe 4 months booked in advance. Maybe that is why..... Sometimes as little as 30 days. We just booked a 7 day cruise on the Sunshine departing on 12/29/13. 4 months from departure. That is good for us... LOL. Maybe from this point prices only go up......

So I have been cruising for many, many years. Mostly with Carnival. I have been on the forum for many years too. I am constantly seeing threads and post about price drops and cruisers getting OBC. I am a platinum member and I have never been able to find a fare reduction after I booked my cruise. NEVER! Am I doing something wrong? What am I missing here? Could it be that most cruisers that get reduced fares have booked their cruises a year in advance? We are more of last minute cruisers. Usually 3 months maybe 4 months booked in advance. Maybe that is why..... Sometimes as little as 30 days. We just booked a 7 day cruise on the Sunshine departing on 12/29/13. 4 months from departure. That is good for us... LOL. Maybe from this point prices only go up......

This is because you booked at good rates on popular cruises that sell well. This is not a bad thing for goodness sake.

We get them often possibly due to the time of year we cruise.

I've had my fair share of price reductions but some itineraries never seem to have drops. I watched EVERY day when I did catch them. Some of the time I knew I was paying too much and sure enough down they went. The further out you book the better chance you seem to have a price drop, but your current booking is more than 90 days, so maybe you'll get lucky.;)

You have to check the prices several times a day in order to find the price drops. I've seen 4 different price changes for the exact same room within 12 hours. But it pays off to be persistant. I found my sister and I over $1200 in price drops for our Alaska cruise this past June. I always find the drops by doing a fake booking, acting like I'm booking another room on the same cruise.

This is because you booked at good rates on popular cruises that sell well. This is not a bad thing for goodness sake.

Good point

If you book last minute, then you are already getting reduced fares in all probablity. So you are already benefitting from great deals!

I book months ahead, before there is yet pressure to get the ship filled. Then as sail date approaches, they start to ratchet down the fares to get things filled up. Many of the people who talk about their price drops booked months to a year in advance.

I don't worry one way or another -- I don't book until I think it is a good price for me, and then it is pure serendipity if the price falls further!

I booked in May. I got 1 price drop in early July and a 2nd one in early August just before final payment date. I have not seen anything further. I sail at the end of October.

So I think it does have to do with how early you book. I have seen prices below my original booking price, but not lower than my current price. It would not suprise me to find out that they have a formula for sale prices - I mean you don't want to end up having to give the entire ship a partial refund/OBC/Price Drop just to sell those last few cabins.

Also you do have to keep an eye out. I don't check every day for sure, but defnitly from time to time and certainly anytime I catch wind of a sale going on.

I book early saver, which you have to book at least 5 months before your cruise to be eligible. That way I can get any price drops up until two days before sailing:) I booked this for my daughter for cruise in July and from the time I booked until she cruised I saved $600 on the cabin.

This will be our 6th or 7th cruise and the first we have had any sort of price drop on...I take it as a compliment. I research like crazy, watch the prices for a few weeks, and book when it seems like an awesome deal. Apparantely I'm pretty good at it, because it only goes up from there. :) Maybe you are the same!

I feel like a stalker I check for drops so often!

Received a few before final payment not one since....fingers crossed I get something. :rolleyes:

Price drops as others have mentioned depends on the season and how well a cruise is selling at a given time. Holidays rarely if ever see price drops. I am sailing this weekend and I barely saw any price drops and the one I received was a good 2-3 months prior to final payment. There have been no drops since then and even now two days before sailing the rate is still higher than what I payed. It doesnt bother me though because I felt good about the price I payed :)

There are also price tracking services that will email you when the price drops. I have been using one and it has gotten me way more OBC than usual.

I'm not sure if it is against the rules to post the site, as I never see it around the boards, but if you were you search google for "Cruise price tracker", it may or may not be the first link returned. Its a bit "fish"y.

I look at price drops as I do paying taxes. Breaking even on your taxes is a good thing. That means you had your money the entire time. A $1000 refund means the government was earning interest on your money.

People with $800 of OBC spent the same thing on their cruise as you did. They just have to spend $800 of their own money on the cruise because the price went down to what you paid. It's not like Carnival is giving them money in OBC. OBC is YOUR money that you paid them.

So don't worry about it. No OBC just means you got a great deal on your cruise. :)

I look at price drops as I do paying taxes. Breaking even on your taxes is a good thing. That means you had your money the entire time. A $1000 refund means the government was earning interest on your money.

 

People with $800 of OBC spent the same thing on their cruise as you did. They just have to spend $800 of their own money on the cruise because the price went down to what you paid. It's not like Carnival is giving them money in OBC. OBC is YOUR money that you paid them.

 

So don't worry about it. No OBC just means you got a great deal on your cruise. :)

Precisely. If you get obc it just means you overpaid at the front end.

I've had 6 Carnival cruises and only got OBC from reduced fares on 1 of them and even that wasn't more than $100.

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When I book a cruise and see the price continually going UP, I always feel elated, knowingh I got a good deal.

I just don't understand distress over not seeing a price drop at all. I'd rather have the great deal from the start than to have to deal with getting any credit.

Why the heck would people WANT that??

I just do not get it at all....

Last year we went on the Breeze for new years. I had numerous price drops with over $1500 in obc. We have the same cruise booked this year & not 1 price drop yet. I check everyday & hope but not counting on it so if I get it, I'll be happy :D!

I feel like a stalker I check for drops so often!

 

Received a few before final payment not one since....fingers crossed I get something. :rolleyes:

me too. Seriously. I check all the time!

Also depends on which room you booked.

You're much more likely to get a drop on an inside, ocean view or regular balcony than a spa room, vista suite or aft wrap.

Be proud that you are getting the price drops. That means you did your research and booked the best fare. :cool:

When you think about it, it's almost funny to watch others brag about how much OBC they received for price drops. :rolleyes:

Thanks to everyone for the advice. All great stuff.

We do normally cruise when the kids are out of school which is holidays. That may have something to do with it.

It's a hot or miss as to when price drops come through. I just got one tonight for our 4-day cruise on the Imagination for $90.00

Pretty soon Carnival is gonna be paying me to cruise with them instead of the other way around

Also depends on which room you booked.

You're much more likely to get a drop on an inside, ocean view or regular balcony than a spa room, vista suite or aft wrap.

Yes, more likely. BUT, I just got 3 price drops on our Nov 3rd cruise on the Breeze, booked in an aft wrap ! Nobody was more surprised than I !

I had an aft wrap on the Breeze for our Med cruise last year. I didn't really expect price drops as there are few cabins of this category but I ended up with several drops, saving a significant amount of money. I booked early saver and my TA processed every drop for me with each one up to final payment being deducted from my invoice and then the later ones adding some OBC. I was very happy with the ES rate and the price drop process!

Pam.