Last Minute booking advice?

[pittisit]

Due to the Concordia disaster (I've cruised Costa once before and had a terrible experience), prices are starting to drop, including the Oasis on Feb 18th.

 

Anyone on the board that does a lot of last minute sailings with RCCL - can you help?

 

My wife and I can ONLY cruise March 16-26 and were planning on Navigator - 9 night eastern cruise. There seem to be many cabins left. We're going to do an interior guarantee and hope for an upgrade. (We have 11 credits). That is currently at $829 pp.

 

Seeing the Oasis Hot Deal sale this week for 2/18 has us interested in the Allure Eastern that leaves 3/18.

 

Ignoring the ports (the Navigator ports are WAY better) - how long should/could I wait? What was the shortest booking to cruising time you all had, and how great of a deal did that get you? I just don't want to miss out but want to get the best deal possible and take advantage of the apprehension in the wake of the tragedy. (That sounds TERRIBLE, but you know what I mean).

 

Wifey and I really need to get away, but have some limitations on timing.

 

Thanks in advance!

[ctcruiser1721]

Are you a gambler?? If so, you could keep watching the Tuesday sale each week and wait to see if the Oasis sailing you are interested in turns up on a Tuesday sale. However, Tuesday sales are typically for sailings only 3-6 weeks out. That means the price of your Navigator sailing could go up. Then again, it could also show up on a Tuesday sale.

 

Since RC stopped giving OBC for price drops after final payment, I have become a big fan of the Tuesday sale and last-minute booking. I just booked a Presidential Family Suite for 7 on Liberty (though it is a 5 night sailing as opposed to 7) for less than 1/2 of what I would have paid for a CL on Allure for 4 people.

 

If you can be a little flexible, there's a good chance something good will show up that will work with your dates but (as s disclaimer) no guarantee.

[pittisit]

Thanks!

There are a ton of cabins available on both. Since we have at least two options (Eastern and departing florida), we'll roll the dice. We just don't like WAITING :-)

 

Is it a pain with documents, luggage tags, etc waiting so long? We'll do my time dining because we like to sit alone.

[Ocean Boy]

If you are seeing a lot of cabins I think that your chances are very good for a pricing deal. Remember, many people who wait until this close to a cruising date do so because they are looking for deals. If there are no deals then they don't buy. I doubt that RCI would like many cabins to go out to sea empty.

 

It is always a gamble as to what will happen with the prices and they could go up. Keep watching the inventory. If you don't see available cabins disappearing then it could well pay to wait.

[ctcruiser1721]

Thanks!

There are a ton of cabins available on both. Since we have at least two options (Eastern and departing florida), we'll roll the dice. We just don't like WAITING :-)

 

Is it a pain with documents, luggage tags, etc waiting so long? We'll do my time dining because we like to sit alone.

 

 

Docs are not a pain at all as they are generated electronically and usually within a day or so of booking. There is usually enough time to request luggage tags but please don't give them an an once of thought as they are always available at the port. You just have to fill them out yourself if you don't have the pre-printed ones.

 

I always used to book way ahead because I liked having something to look forward to but I have found this last-minute thing to be even more fun. It's kind of like a grab bag situation with no possible boobie prize! You never know what will be up for grabs but let's face it, there's no bad cruise! (Well, usually anyway...) And once you book it you don't have to wait so long for the trip. Saving lots of $$ makes it fun too!!

[Starry Eyes]

just a word of caution...just because it looks like there are plenty of cabins, there may not be. Was watching a couple January cruises...plenty of cabins seemed to be available and I thought prices might drop. Instead a bunch of cabins disappeared rather suddenly and prices went up! In retrospect, I suspect there were guarantee bookings...when those cabins were actually assigned, the real availability situation became apparent.

 

If the price you see now is acceptable, consider booking it. I do not expect to see a big Concordia effect on carribean cruises by Roayl Caribbean. Also remember, March is a popular spring break time, not a primo time to find bargains one 7 day or shorter cruises. also a time many mature cruisers prefer longer cruises with fewer spring break people.

[Sh1035]

For What it worth Clark Howard said today to expect price drops in the next month since bookings are way down during wave season.

[smallchange]

For What it worth Clark Howard said today to expect price drops in the next month since bookings are way down during wave season.

 

What's "wave season"?

[Artemis]

We have booked a lot of last-minute cruises. You are lucky to be able to drive to the port--it eliminates the airfare issue we always have to play with.

 

In our experience, prices can go up or down. haha, not helpful! But in addition to the checks you are already making, I'd go to the Roll Calls for each of these cruises and check recent posts to see if you detect GTY cabin assignments. Once they hand those out, then my experience has been, they are in full yield management mentality, meaning they are seeing a soft sell and will further drop prices or they are seeing a strong sell and will hold. Also, on the issue of upgrades, it's been our experience that "loyal cruiser" points don't matter so much for last-minute placement. They just want to stick you somewhere without upsetting the apple cart of already assigned guests, and because cheap insides are often their hottest commodity for last-minute bookers, that fact more than your 11 points might get you a better cabin. (TAs could offer a more experienced/expert viewpoint ; I'm just a cruiser!)

 

Example: Last year, on Feb. 20, we booked the Oasis for a mid-March Spring Break week. We paid $999+ taxes and port charges for an inside GTY. (I don't know if the $999 was good or bad relative to that sailing's historical prices--I hadn't been watching it.) The cabin assignment was still inside, but a "family interior," which is their most premium interior cabin--nice and lot bigger than the usual interior. (This also illustrates the 4 layers of interior cabins on a ship like Oasis/Allure vs. Navigator, which has only the basic and then promenade...considered an upgrade. If you are really lucky, you have a better chance at an OV on Nav than Allure. IMO)

 

If you prefer Allure (it'd be a hard choice for me, 9 nights vs. the amazing Allure), I think you should grab it as soon as you are happy with the price. As has been pointed out, 3/18 will be Prime Time for Spring Breakers, who really need a 7-nighter. Navigator's 9-night itinerary takes it (mostly) out of the running for the Spring Break bookers, so if I had to bet, I'd say it's more likely to be the softer sell.

 

Gosh, whatever happens, you cannot go wrong here!

[Artemis]

PS, the only other thing that occurs to me is, because you are FL, they might give FL residents a last-minute residency booking discount because they know you can drive to port. Ask you TA about historical behavior.

[megr1125]

shortest booking to boarding i ever had was last year (around this time too) on =X=..

 

booked around 11 AM friday and was in line to get on the ship in San Juan 24 hours later (yes, the DAY before...)

 

i got an outside for a little less than 100 bucks per day...AND i thought it was great since i was cruising SOLO....wound up staying for 3 weeks...

 

that said, there were not many cabins left...in fact, when i later was talking to the hotel director he said that they'd started out the day i booked with about 6 cabins open and it went down to 5! (guess who??:D:cool:)

 

i had to change cabins for the last 2 weeks (just 1 change..) but it was fine....

 

i got luggage tags at the pier...i THINK i was able to do on line check in (though i shouldn't have been able to.....:confused:)...in any event, it really didn't take a whole lot longer...being D+ on Royal made me Elite on =X= and it was super easy...

 

BTW i booked - except for payment- via the Chat feature on Royal's site (since =X='s didn't work...) while i was on the train!! Got off in Richmond, (instead of DC), hopped onto the plane....and that's it!

 

had no prob getting the dining i wanted either. Started out with my time, but the service (on Summit) wasn't good..may just have been my dumb luck as a solo....BUT once i spoke with the maitre d' and i moved to early seating, all was fine!

 

Booking really last minute can be fun.....i would do it again.....

[Merion_Mom]

Mid-March is smack in the middle of spring break season.

 

I would not be optimistic about good pricing or even cabin availability if you wait much longer to book.

[pittisit]

Hi Merion Mom - I'm a Conestoga HS Grad. :-) now live in Orlando.

 

I am going to watch the cabins book up. I would assume guaranteed staterooms would be assigned by now (44 days away from sail date). but what do i know?

 

The 3 and 4 day jaunts on monarch are $204 for an outside right now.

 

I have to expect the 9 day prices will drop as those balconies stay on sale and vacant.

 

I have 3 Maritz Credit Card Thank You Points certificates and a $100 On Board Booking credit to burn as well :-) :D

 

Just waiting to pull the trigger.......

[marci22]

I would guess the 9 night will drop more than the 7 night. Best prices on cruises I have followed (which doesn't mean much) typically occurred at 6-7 weeks out, and then starting climbing again.

 

You may see some odd cabins on sale later than that, but for best choice I'd really look in the 6-7 week out time frame.

[pittisit]

OK! We are 6 weeks out now, so I'll be checking every day.

Lowest i've seen is $829 for interior guarantee (Q).

Which is less than $100/nt pp, less out $400 in coupons, which is already a great deal. We'll book it if we don't see a drop by Monday's C&A preview sale.

 

I would guess the 9 night will drop more than the 7 night. Best prices on cruises I have followed (which doesn't mean much) typically occurred at 6-7 weeks out, and then starting climbing again.

 

You may see some odd cabins on sale later than that, but for best choice I'd really look in the 6-7 week out time frame.