Celebrity - alaska - aug '14 - when to book?

[rustle53]

Hi CC,

 

we are half interested in the C.Solstice, Aug '14 Seattle/Seattle cruise and trying to get a handle on when the best discounts come out?

 

Rustle53

[attilamom1217]

You have asked an excellent question. It is the one question that no one will have an answer to.

 

My suggestion is to book as soon as soon as you make the decision. Since you will be booking well in advance, it could be that you are booking at the lowest price. Or, prices will come down and you can 'rebook as long as it is before final payment. Or, a discount or special promotion may come out and you can 'rebook' if there is value in doing so (e.g. You book at $X; promo comes out for classic bev. package (or OBC, gratuities, 55+, etc. but the fare for your cabin goes up. Is the new price+drink package less than you would normally spend? Does the discount now give you a lower price?).

 

We booked our upcoming cruise 9 months in advance during a promo and the price for our cabin went up $450/person. Final payment is in process for the cruise, so we will know in a couple of weeks if prices will come down. Will they come >$450/person? Who knows?

 

It's a gamble.

[bigbenboys]

Hi CC,

 

we are half interested in the C.Solstice, Aug '14 Seattle/Seattle cruise and trying to get a handle on when the best discounts come out?

 

Rustle53

 

We just booked the May 30 2014 Alaska cruise out of Seattle on Solstice. Our TA had a great deal with National Cruise Vacation Week. We got a great deal on Aquaclass. I say earlier the better. Richard

[phoenix_dream]

We have been considering another Alaska cruise so have been periodically looking at prices the last couple of years. Other than the very end or very beginning of the season, it seems that these cruises are very popular and prices generally tend to rise rather than fall. That said, there are often good deals to be had for OBC or drink packages. It may be worth it to wait for awhile at least until you see one of those and then jump on it.

[fleckle]

We booked last minute Alaska cruises for this past season at the discounted closeout prices.

 

We are now sorry that we did not book them earlier.

 

The cruises got canceled.

Darn it -- if we had booked earlier at the higher prices, we would have received much better future cruise credits when the cruises were canceled. :D

 

[K.T.B.]

Always, always, always book an Alaskan cruise as early as you can. Whatever discounts you may or may not get later on do not beat the chance at getting a great balcony cabin where you want it. Plus there's always a shot at an aft cabin.