Fall of 2006 Mediterranean

[seacrystal]

Does anyone know when the cruiselines will take reservations for fall of 2006? I am particularly interested in the Grand Princess "Grand Mediterranean Cruise" flying into Rome and includes the Greek Isles.

 

Thanks in advance.

[seacrystal]

BUMP

 

Anyone???

[leighuf]

I've heard April.

[SheilaNC]

generally it's a year in advance, we heard from the cruise line rep. on board. However, sometimes it's earlier (as soon as rates are published). The reason they don't book further in advance is that rates are likely to increase a bit each year especially the Med. which are so popular this year.

[seacrystal]

Thanks leighuf and spengle,

 

I am drooling over the 2005 Med cruise brochure so I am ready for the 2006 cruise. I am already collecting information. I have heard how popular the Med is this year. I am afraid the prices will now skyrocket for 2006.

 

spengle - I know you will have a good time this fall. Please make sure you post your review.

[SheilaNC]

Will certainly post review....you might check out the roll calls for Oct, 2005 Millenium and Century to get more ideas of the thinking of those going this year. We've done a lot of discussing of shore excursions.

 

Counting the days

 

Sheila

[leighuf]

I'm planning to book a Med cruise for either May or June 2006, so I'm anxiously awaiting the release of information. I'm going with a friend on a Med sampler cruise (a short 7 dayer) in October, so I'm thinking about a Greek Isles cruise for 2006 with my husband. Maybe with Celebrity or maybe Princess. Depends on price and schedules.

[seacrystal]

spengle -- good idea about monitoring what people are doing this year as a guide to planning for 2006. It seems so long to wait but at least I have 2 cruises this year to look forward to. Going to Europe has always been a dream but I have been a little afraid with the way the world affairs are going. Touring by cruise ship makes me feel a little safer. I am trying to get my DH a little more interested by using this year's cruises as bait.

 

leighuf -- I actually took the Princess, Celebrity, Carnival and RCL Europe brochures for 2005 and made a table of comparison on the cruises I thought would be interesting to help me choose. I picked September because it was after school started and the weather was supposed to be better. I am anxious to see what changes will be made to my selections for the 2006 season. I cringe to think what price increases will be for 2006.:(

 

I would be interested to see what you choose also. I think my first choice is the Grand Princess because it included the Greek Isles. I also liked that it started in Rome and ended in Venice so with any luck we could include a pre and post stay in those cities. What parameters are you looking for?

[leighuf]

I will be going on a Med cruise in October (7 dayer) that visits Barcelona, Marseille, Villefranche, Livorno, Rome, and Naples. This will be my first time in ANY of these cities.

 

For 2006, I'm looking for:

* 11-14 day cruise

* itinerary that includes cities/countries I've never visited before (Greek Isles and Venice at the top of the list)

* cruise date in May or early June

* reasonable price (if I have to book an inside stateroom to afford it, so be it)

 

The 2005 cruise itineraries that appeal to me the most are:

Princess 12 day Greek Isles cruise, Rome - Venice

Celebrity 11 day cruise out of Rome on the Galaxy

Celebrity 12 day cruise on the Millennium, Barcelona-Venice

 

We'll see if the ships/ports of call change for 2006. Booking early seems the way to beat supply and demand prices. I paid 700 per person for my upcoming Med cruise (an inside cabin). Before it sold out, it reached upwards of 1100 per person. Not bad . . . but I've heard that people who booked early paid roughtly $2000 per person for an outside cabin on the Millennium Med cruise. Now, an inside cabin is $4000 per person!:eek:

[seacrystal]

leighuf -

 

I know what you mean about booking early. Since I am leaning toward the Princess Mediterranean cruise I plan to do an open booking while on my Alaska cruise in June. That way I have less down payment and have more time to save for the balance.:D

[vacationhappy]

We are booked on Princess Greek Isle cruise this year - can't wait!

 

We booked in April 2004 for August 2005. I have been watching the prices for deals and none have been offered...in fact, the prices have gone up. So, based on this, I would recommend that you book early. I also notices at the one year mark, almost all of the quads were already booked as well as a significant portion of the inside cabins. So, if this is what you are looking for, book early!

[mdeane]

I am so glad to see you that are considering a Med. cruise for 2006. I am looking at several for 2006. Right now I am most interested in the Celebrity Millie Barcelonal to Venice. I like the Princess itininery best but want to be on RCCL or Celebrity. My travel agent is getting prices at the moment. We do not think the dates will change very much for th 2006 season. (Hopefully the prices won't either). I am looking at late Aug. or Sept. Would like to go this year but we are going to England so that will be the big trip. Looking forward to getting a good thread going as soon as we all decide.

[BCHappyGal]

We too are looking at theMed for 2006 - so far the only brochure I have is the Holland America - Prinsendam. They have an excellent itinerary but the dates really do not work for me.

do any of you know if any other cruise line has any of their 2006 itineraires out yet????

 

I would prefer a late Sept early Oct sailing.

 

Anyone know what the weather would be like then - we want the Greek Iles & Venice.

[Queenk2]

We are booked on the Galxy for July 25th. We have been in the med before so chose this cruise because it is mainly Greece and Turkey. We loved the ports! The time in ports is somewhat longer than other cruises too! I will let you know. We have sailed on Celebrity before as well as Princess and RCCL. I like them all, so that didn't influence me! The prices have risen substantially over 600 pp since we booked. Do it early..you can always get your deposit back!

[hmstins]

I don't know if this will help -- just a suggestion. Check out the repositioning cruises in the fall and spring. Some of those itineraries are different from anything you get during the regular season, and prices can be better. We are on the Grand Princess Galveston to Rome on 4/16/05 and apparently the bookings are very "soft" I have heard. Lots of us are hoping to get a visit from the "upgrade fairy" before all is said and done.

[mountainmare]

I just want to vent some frustration with the other cruise lines. We are faithful HAL sailors and like most of you we are planning a Med 2006 (probably fall). This is not our first trip to Europe but it will be our first cruise to Europe, so I wanted the tradional if its Tuesday get your pockets picked in Rome itinerary. I love HALs more exotic take on things, but Celebrity and Princess seem to have the ports that I want for our first Med cruise (in 2005 that is). So now many of the HAL ships are selling out like hotcakes and I'm waiting for May or June hoping that I'll like the offering in 2006 by Celeb. Even if they don't accept bookings because they have not set the pricing, they could at least release the itineraries so that we could dream in detail!!!

[harry3rd]

Princess Europe 2006 will open for booking on March 25.

[joyride]

We are planning our first trip to the Med for September 2006. My TA emailed me today that the Princess Rep told her the space will become available on March 25th. We are looking at the Golden Princess Med/Greek Isles on 9/23/06. My TA is going to get group space for that.

 

I'm so excited to finally be planning a trip to Europe!

[mountainmare]

Thanks for the heads up, I think I'll click on over to Princess!!!

[leighuf]

I'm glad they are being upfront! I wonder if the dates or schedules or ships will switch or change?

[Cruisebird]

Can someone tell me where you are even getting information on the 2006 european cruises? I've checked the cruise line websites and every one in between...they all tell me the info is not yet available. I don't need prices yet...just itineraries.

 

Please help if you can.

[mdeane]

My TA tells me that he doubts very much if any of the current itineraries will change much if any for the 2006 season. So I am looking at all the current ones and even the dates will only move by a day or two. I still like the ports with Princess and celeb. but would prefer the RCCL ships. However, I will be happy on any cruise (okay most any cruise) as long as it is in the water and I am on it.

[mcq0306]

My husband called the major cruise lines last week to see when the schedules would be out. Most were unsure, we got dates all over the map, from April to July. But, Carnival said that they would not be sailing the Liberty ship at all in the med, as it will be heading over to the caribbean. They made it sound like they (Carnival), would not be in the med at all in 2006.

-Lynn

[Classynfun1]

Mountainmare-

 

I'm sailing on HAL for the Med. and wanted to make sure I saw *everything* on my list. I booked the Rotterdam's back to back May29 and June 8th cruises. If you have the time, it might just be the way to go! I get Italy, Greece, Turkey, France, Spain, Portugal, and England that way! Woo Hoo!

[leighuf]

Princess Europe 2006 will open for booking on March 25.

 

Where? By calling? I don't see anything online yet. :mad: