Best time to book to save $$$

[Junonia]

Hi All,

 

I want to book a July or August cruise (the earlier the better)RT Seattle, but I am shocked at the prices this year! Even during the alleged sale at HAL, it was well over $1000 pp for the least expensive inside cabin. Last year I sailed HAL for $749 in a outside HH cabin and loved it. Now that the sales are over, the prices are well over $1300!

 

As luck would have it, a HAL agent called me last week to see if I wanted to book something during their promotion. I told him I thought the prices were way higher than last year and he said that since we (the US) are "now out of the recession", prices are back up. I couldn't believe my ears. How stupid that he would not only say this but also believe it!

 

I was holding off on the reservation to wait and see about a few things, #1, my tax return situation and #2, for SouthWest to open up their flight schedule beyond August 12th, for which I have rewards flights I can book. So I am trying to balance timing in favor of early planning. SW usually opens up their schedule in March.

 

So for all of you veteran price-savvy travelers- when is the best time to lock in a good price? I don't really care about the cabin choices left, but I do prefer HAL or Princess. When can the best prices be found for this itinerary?

[thinfool]

Consider the following:

 

1. Carnivalcorp profits are up...they just increased their dividend by a huge percentage.

 

2. While unemployment is high, there is still a large part of the workforce making good money.

 

3. HAL bookings must be fairly good or the sales prices would be lower. (supply + demand)

 

4. There are fewer ships sailing Alaska, hence fewer cabins available.

 

5. Flash sale pricing often occurs within a week or two after final payment date for a given cruise. So May might offer you some hope. (90 days out) :)

[marym933]

Southwest will open the window past August 12 on February 8.

 

Book as soon as you can. Most cabin categories on my sailing are already sold out.

[luv2vacation]

I am also shocked at the cruise prices to Alaska. I had some friends who sailed in a balcony cabin for around $2000 total a few years back. It is hard to find any room on a ship for that price now. I have been wondering if I was trying to book too far in advance. If I remember right my friends booked fairly close to their sail date - maybe about a month out.

[thinfool]

I do prefer HAL or Princess.

 

I see the HAL pricing in the range that you report, but I also see Princess pricing for less in the late August sailings.

 

Seattle roundtrips.

[Junonia]

Thank you! I was so distraught that HAL raised their prices that I forgot to run a query on Princess. Yes....looks like the Sapphire in August will do the trick :)

[Putterdude]

Actually there are more ships going to Alaska this year with Disney enter the market and next year Princess is going to add a ship. I would just sit tight and watch for a promotion...me thinks that they are still going to happen. On the other hand there is nothing wrong in booking now and worrying the price down. That all said, July and August are the prime time and discounts will not be as deep as they are in shoulder seasons.

[Junonia]

Well, I spoke too soon. Princess doubled their prices today :(

[thinfool]

Well, I spoke too soon. Princess doubled their prices today :(

 

 

Sapphire Princess

August 21, rt Seattle is showing $849. on the Princess site and $799. on at least one online TA.

[Junonia]

Well, I know I am not going crazy but I have been monitoring the 90 day cruise ticker and watching HAL and Princess and I saw the prices double in the last few days.

 

Then, at Tinfools suggestion, I looked directly at Princesses site and there were the lower fares. I refreshed the 90 day ticker and voila, lower prices, once again. Obviously the sales/computer codes are fluctuating at the end of the month and during sale times.

 

So to save myself pain in the future, I booked the Sapphire for $849, outside obstructed and just in case something doesn't go quite right, I have until mid June to cancel with 100% refunded, plus I can qualify for a reduction if there's a sale.

 

Whew...thanks for helping me figure this out!

[Yochell]

Well, I know I am not going crazy but I have been monitoring the 90 day cruise ticker and watching HAL and Princess and I saw the prices double in the last few days.

 

Then, at Tinfools suggestion, I looked directly at Princesses site and there were the lower fares. I refreshed the 90 day ticker and voila, lower prices, once again. Obviously the sales/computer codes are fluctuating at the end of the month and during sale times.

 

So to save myself pain in the future, I booked the Sapphire for $849, outside obstructed and just in case something doesn't go quite right, I have until mid June to cancel with 100% refunded, plus I can qualify for a reduction if there's a sale.

 

Whew...thanks for helping me figure this out!

 

Junonia, I've been trying to figure out the same thing - when to book for the best rates. I have a question for you, though - what is the 90 day ticker? Does that show cheaper rates?

[Yochell]

Actually there are more ships going to Alaska this year with Disney enter the market and next year Princess is going to add a ship. I would just sit tight and watch for a promotion...me thinks that they are still going to happen. On the other hand there is nothing wrong in booking now and worrying the price down. That all said, July and August are the prime time and discounts will not be as deep as they are in shoulder seasons.

 

Putterdude, what do you mean by 'worrying the price down'? I'm trying to decide when to book, also.

[bqkali]

Junonia, I've been trying to figure out the same thing - when to book for the best rates. I have a question for you, though - what is the 90 day ticker? Does that show cheaper rates?

 

Cruise prices tend to be lowered in the last 90 days if there are still a significant number of cabins to be filled "last minute".

 

There is an internet cruise-booking travel agency (regularly advertises on Cruise Critic) that has a "90-day ticker". All it does is list prices for any cruise bargains within this 90-day period. If you're flexible on destination, itinerary, cruiseline, or ship, it's a good place to see all the bargains listed out by price for comparison shopping. If you are hoping for one particular ship, you can just stop by your favorite cruiseline's website within this 90 day period to see if they are running any specials.

 

Unfortunately, I cannot post the link due to CC policies, but maybe you'll stumble upon it (it was the first website result when I googled it...).

[Yochell]

Cruise prices tend to be lowered in the last 90 days if there are still a significant number of cabins to be filled "last minute".

 

There is an internet cruise-booking travel agency (regularly advertises on Cruise Critic) that has a "90-day ticker". All it does is list prices for any cruise bargains within this 90-day period. If you're flexible on destination, itinerary, cruiseline, or ship, it's a good place to see all the bargains listed out by price for comparison shopping. If you are hoping for one particular ship, you can just stop by your favorite cruiseline's website within this 90 day period to see if they are running any specials.

 

Unfortunately, I cannot post the link due to CC policies, but maybe you'll stumble upon it (it was the first website result when I googled it...).

 

Thanks, bqkali. I will check it out. :)

[pattyfresh]

I booked my cruise to Alaska last October and I paid $920 pp for a balcony room. But I'm also going early in the season May 10th and I booked ES.

[CowPrincess]

In 2010 I was watching prices like a crazy woman, as I wanted to move to an oceanview from an inside cabin for my Alaska cruise. I booked in February for a mid-September sailing. The prices never went down. They went up.

[CroozeAddict]

I booked our upcoming (Jun/Jul) 10 Night CruiseTour last April for $4900 (for 2). The cabin is a Balcony E-1 (8594) on Radiance of the Seas. I have been checking 2-3 times a week for price changes and the cost has been steadily increasing. Right now, for the same tour we booked, it's $5710 (for 2). Cruise only (7-nt) price is $4500.

 

The same thing is happening with airline tickets. We spent $526pp from New Bern, NC - Anchorage / Vancouver - New Bern. The cost is now about $1000pp for basically the same itinerary.

 

The primary reason I book early is because cabin selection is very important to me. I guess the cost factor is becoming something to seriously consider now.

 

Glad I booked early!:D

[#1TravelMom]

Luckily our group held space over a year ago for the Diamond Princess in July. The prices have skyrocketed and the ship is showing sold out-which is odd, because we still have cabins available. I guess they show as sold until our final payment date. I don't know if I would be allowed telling you the date we let them go so you would know to check inventory???

[vbmom87]

From my observations there is no guarenteed way to predict the best time to buy. Oftentimes when the cruise is first posted is a good time. I have seen prices creep up after that. However, I have noticed that on my 14 day itinerary the May cruises have dropped in price from when I first started looking last fall. However the July/August dates don't seem to have budged. I am still hoping for a drop like Cow Princess. I would like to move into an outside for about the same price as my inside. It happened to me on our 2008 cruise. We actually ended up with an outside for less than the inside we originally booked. The big sale that year was in March. It is all going to amount to supply and demand. No way you can predict that. As mentioned you can often get a last minute deal, but then you may be paying more for your airfare. All is a gamble and risk no matter what you do.