When to Book Baltic Cruise

Hoping that this is the right board to post this question. Our family would like to take the Star Princess in August 2006. When should we book the cruise that will have the best prices or free upgrades or shipboard credit? The prices seem a little high now so I am reluctant to commit to a booking. Don't want to be kicking myself later on if the prices drop a few hundred dollars.

Thanks for your advice.

I just booked the Star Princess for July 2006. I used a large internet-only agency that I have successfully used for several previous cruises. If the price goes down, they will revise the price downwards or give us an upgrade. Also, deposit is fully refundable until final payment date, so if I find a better deal, I can always cancel and rebook the better deal.

I think you should go ahead and book it.

I'll give you an example. I am booked on an Alaska cruise with Princess this August. I booked this well over a year ago -- the day the dates came available. At the time, it was the most expensive cruise I had yet booked. I thought about waiting, but thank goodness I didn't. We have cat. BA, but even a few months later, oceanviews and insides were selling for MORE than I paid for my BA. Prices never went down -- just up. But, let's both cross our fingers for the Baltics getting cheaper.

Have a wonderful cruise. :)

We are going on our Baltic cruise next month. I booked in December 2004, hoping to go the last two weeks in June when there is the greatest amount of daylight. I was surprised to learn that the ship was already full in December (at least in the categories we desired), so we ended up booking the last two weeks in July. Prices will be lower the closer you are to sailing time, but your choices will be narrowed.

Thanks for your replies. I guess we should do the jump and just book. I am surprised at how much difference the internet sites prices vary with the same sailing date, same amount of passenger per cabin and same category of cabin. From $5145 to almost $6000. Crazy, huh!

May sailling prices dropped the most. June and July also dropped in price but many of the cabins were sold out. Sep 2 and Sep 12 prices kept going higher and higher and got almost sold out by April. We are on Sep 12 and we booked last August! /Sultan

We're on the 9/2 sailing of the Star this year. We booked mid Feb.'05 and glad we did. Prices have just been going up and up. Currently, only the really high end cabins are available. I suspect someone (hopefully me) will get an upgrade.

It wasn't to long ago that I read an article re: vacationers from Northern Europe staying closer to home, doing more cruising. Article discussed the possiblity of the tsunami disaster and economics being the cause.

Hi guys. Please don't give out TA names or online sites where you purchase your cruises from. This post explains the guideline. Community Guideline for TA Recommendations Sorry for any inconvenience. Thanks!

We booked our May Celebrity Baltic cruise in Feb. of this year, but cabin selection was quite limited by that time and we were waitlisted for the 3rd balcony cabin we needed for a couple of nervewracking weeks. There were terrific deals to be had then, but it was a close call to get what we wanted for 6 people. Our discount travel agency was terrific, though, and got us great, conveniently located cabins-what almost amounted to a duplex with 2 adjacent cabins on deck 7 plus Dad's suite at the bottom of one flight of stairs-all amidships.

I've booked a cruise thru Princess for 2006 & made the initial deposit. At the time, I didn't buy insurance. I'm planning to transfer the booking to a TA & getting insurance at that time (either thru her or insuremytrip.com). Will there be a problem since I didn't buy insurance within a month of booking the cruise? Any comments on Travelex Travellite?

Thanks.

Hi,

I booked in August '04 for our cruise on Celebrity, 5/21/05.

Elaine

I've booked a cruise thru Princess for 2006 & made the initial deposit. At the time, I didn't buy insurance. I'm planning to transfer the booking to a TA & getting insurance at that time (either thru her or insuremytrip.com). Will there be a problem since I didn't buy insurance within a month of booking the cruise? Any comments on Travelex Travellite?

 

Thanks.

If you're still within 21 days of making your initial deposit, buy your insurance from Travelex NOW!!! That's the only way pre-existing conditions (for you or an immediate family member) will be covered. I wouldn't buy the insurance from the travel agent. I went with Travelex Travelite for 2 cruises, and my traveling companion (my sister) had to cancel her cruise when her husband had bypass surgery.

You can compare coverages and prices for travel insurance policies at http://www.insuremytrip.com. Most require you to purchase within 14 days of booking to waive preexisting conditions, but a few have a larger time window. We don't have any preexisting conditions but have parents and other relatives who do, so we figure better to be safe than sorry.

Hope you have a great trip,

Donna