To Book Early......Or Not

[PoppyandNana]

 

We booked a June 14 Norway, Constellation last April. Lots of jockeying around, changing this and changing this but at the end of the day we have a nicely located 2B balcony on deck 7 for a little over $4,800, PLUS $500 in OBC.

 

Today's price for the same category is around $1,800 higher WITH the 15% Thanksgiving discount but WITHOUT the 123 promo we received. Without the 15% discount we would be looking at roughly $6,500 for the same cruise and the same cabin.

 

We always book as soon as possible after making a decision on when and where to go. In this case paid off nicely. As an added bonus we were able to get lower tier FF flights.

[attilamom1217]

We booked our Jan 14 cruise last April with the 124Go Promo. With no promo, the cabin category we chose is now $450/person above what we paid; with the 15% off it is still >$200/person more. :eek:

 

I am definitely a proponent of booking early. :D

[Tucker in Texas]

Book early and chase price drops. You get the cabin you want where you want. Only downside is putting out the deposit. Also, if you need pre-existing coverage insurance via third party, you have to buy it within a couple of weeks of booking. If your plans change and you cancel, that premium is going bye-bye even though you haven't put a dime out that is non-refundable.

 

I have noticed that, sometimes, they will have a promotion like 1-2-3 but then raise the price of the cabin that about equals what 1-2-3 is worth (lol).

 

I booked my spring 2014 TA in May of this year for $975 pp. Today noticed it is $1,500. I didn't buy insurance because it was so far out. However, there is one company that will give you pre-existing coverage buying it to 24 hours before final payment. Costs about double of what I would have paid but it is better than nothing. As luck would have it, we have had a major medical issue come up between the time I booked and today. I can maybe wait out the 60 day "look back" but, if I can't, I'm not upset about having to pay the additional premium. Rather do that than take the chance I would have to cancel the cruise because I can't get pre-existing coverage.

 

Tucker in Texas

[flyingv4me]

We book early then watch the prices up to final payment. At final payment on my January B2B, both were well above what we paid and didn't include the 123Go promotion. After final payment, one is now $111 higher and one $54 lower for my CC room. I'm happy and will continue to book early but with a watchful eye.

Edited November 15, 2013 by flyingv4me

[iancal]

It really depends on the vacancy rate. We have been able to get our past three Med cruises, and our upcoming 14 day Christmas Eclipse cruise at our target price of $100. day for a balcony. All booked either in the cancellation window or just outside. The Eclipse was booked about 45 days prior to sailing and was the only gty cabin-we were able to select our cabins on the other three bookings.

 

But, our schedules permit us to travel without booking too far in advance. We tend to take advantage of the Tuesday specials.

 

There is absolutely no harm in booking early. You can take advantage of any subsequent price decreases or you can cancel prior to final payment.

Edited November 15, 2013 by iancal

[varoo]

It depends on a combination of circumstances.

There is no one right answer that fits all situations.

 

Some cruises fill up and sell out early, where the opening prices are the best and the prices just go up after that. Often you can see prices go up and down, up and down, if you watch them over a period of time.

 

But for many cruises the best prices are the last minute closeout prices where you can pick up some great deals if you are patient and willing to wait.

 

Sometimes if you book early you can take advantage of price drops along the way. Other times the best prices that come along later are for new bookings only.

 

 

The best time to book can vary depending on how much one wants a particular cruise, the person's scheduling flexibility, ease of access to the embarkation port, availability of other acceptable competitive cruises with similar itineraries, and your willingness to accept another cruise if that one doesn't pan out.

 

Many times waiting until the last minute is a great way to get a suite for those who do not want to pay suite prices.

Other times the suites sell out so there are no great last minute prices offered.

 

Sometimes an irresistible offer suddenly comes along and we book a last minute cruise on impulse that we had not planned to take.

That was how we got our very first cruise.

 

[OCruisers]

When we've make the decision to book a cruise, we go ahead and do it so we can get the cabin we want.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Macadian]

we booked a little under a year in advance for our current cruise in February. We got the 123 Booze package at this time. Just checked celebrity web site for what our booking would cost now. Almost $1000 per person more and no '123'. On this occasion at least, we would seem to have called it right.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Macadian

[PoppyandNana]

It really depends on the vacancy rate. We have been able to get our past three Med cruises, and our upcoming 14 day Christmas Eclipse cruise at our target price of $100. day for a balcony. All booked either in the cancellation window or just outside. The Eclipse was booked about 45 days prior to sailing and was the only gty cabin-we were able to select our cabins on the other three bookings.

 

But, our schedules permit us to travel without booking too far in advance. We tend to take advantage of the Tuesday specials.

 

There is absolutely no harm in booking early. You can take advantage of any subsequent price decreases or you can cancel prior to final payment.

 

Don't you run the risk of higher airfare than what you might have got had you booked earlier? Seems this could offset any cruise fare savings.

[karena1]

 

We booked a June 14 Norway, Constellation last April. Lots of jockeying around, changing this and changing this but at the end of the day we have a nicely located 2B balcony on deck 7 for a little over $4,800, PLUS $500 in OBC.

 

Today's price for the same category is around $1,800 higher WITH the 15% Thanksgiving discount but WITHOUT the 123 promo we received. Without the 15% discount we would be looking at roughly $6,500 for the same cruise and the same cabin.

 

We always book as soon as possible after making a decision on when and where to go. In this case paid off nicely. As an added bonus we were able to get lower tier FF flights.

 

Same here! On any of our longer cruises we book right away to get the cabin we want. Rarely, if ever, have they gone down in price. On our Summit for next April (we got the Promo Classic bev) the price went up $300pp from what we paid. Even now it is $200 pp more than we paid and w/o the beverage pkg.

 

On short 3/4 nighters, we many times wait until the last minute as we can pretty much go whenever we feel like it.

[retired067]

we booked our xmas 2014 Eclipse, 14 day SC cruise while onboard in Aug. paid 2519 pp, 250.00 onboard booking allowance and PYP promo. last week the price, with the 15% discount was 1882.00. so did we pay for the promo????

[Tucker in Texas]

Last minute air fare is a big consideration. We do trans-Atlantics and have found that Choice Air stays around the same price early or late. Choice Air is the best deal for one-way to/from Europe. Domestic, Choice Air is not that good a deal most of the time. Frequent flyer miles not available on close departures.

 

Another pitfall might be the flight availability schedules might not be as good as if you bought it earlier.

 

Tucker in Texas

[iancal]

For overseas flights, we have found that prices go down anywhere from 30-60 days out to the price that they were 180 days out. At least that was our experience in booking Calgary-Istanbul, Toronto-Istanbul, and Toronto-Rome airfares. It surprised us. The big exception to this is if we want to use airline reward points....then it requires some planning. We had to pay a bit of a premium on our upcoming Christmas cruise because we are stopping over in Tucson on the way.

 

Prior to finalizing a booking in or near the cancellation period, lets say a Tuesday special, our TA grabs the cabin/rate for 8 hours. Then we double check on fares. Typically we have had our eye on one or two cruises and have already checked on the airfares. But the airfare is most definitely part of our consideration. We in fact backed away from one South American short notice trip in favour of another destination because the airfare had spiked to a very high rate. We have only found cruise air from a cruise line to be cheaper on one occasion...a one way from Miami to Costa Rica on New Years day past. All other times, there has not been a price advantage...and often a schedule disadvantage to going with cruise line air.

 

 

We are quite flexible and have a long list wish list so we typically grab the best deal that happens to be on our list.

Edited November 15, 2013 by iancal

[varoo]

Don't forget the last minute closeout offers from travel agencies too.

Their tempting prices can be well below what the cruise line is showing, even better than the exciting deals. Many times they are for new bookings only.

 

We missed out a couple of times when we booked a cruise early and later received a great offer from a travel agency.

It was much better than any price offered previously, but we were locked out and could not take advantage of it because we were beyond the 60 day transfer cutoff and too late to cancel and rebook.

 

Waiting will not work for those who must book early to get a specific cabin they want.

 

But it works nicely for people who can be flexible and would be happy with any of a number of different cabins.

We will gladly pass up a favorite AQ or CC cabin when we can get a nice suite for equivalent or lower price.

 

[iancal]

We do the same. In the winter we keep a sharp eye out last minute AI trips to Cuba or Dominican Republic. Makes for a great break from cold weather.

[harz99]

There is absolutely no harm in booking early. You can take advantage of any subsequent price decreases or you can cancel prior to final payment.

 

Unless of course you don't live in North America;).

[insidecabin]

Unless of course you don't live in North America;).

 

You can still book through the US.

[davekathy]

We always book early. I guess we’re lucky because we always seem to get a hard to beat price. We get the cabin we want (especially when doing a B2B Cruise). We always do early traditional dining so no worries concerning being wait listed. We enjoy the planning and the anticipation of the Cruise. We booked our B2B March/April 2014 Cruise on the Summit 23 August 2012. TA gave us OBC’s and the Celebrity 123 Promo for both legs of the Cruise. Paying an early deposit is no biggie. Works for us.

[Denny01]

As seen from the previous posts. there are all kinds of options and variables. Here are the 'rules' I try to follow in booking:

 

- Book well in advance. Did this for popular itineraries and those needing extended flgihts (to/fm Europe).

..... -- Booked a Black Sea Aug 2013 cruise over a year before it. It was fully booked months before the cruise and went up in pricing when SRS were avail.

.... -- Booked our upcoming Brit Isle Aug 2014 cruise back in April 2013. Got pretty cheap flights; nice hotel; good private tours; good SR. My SR Class is already booked up.

 

- Booking close to cruise:

....-- Waiting until a 'good deal' pops up.

.... -- Cruise is one of many same type of cruises.

.... -- Don't need a flight (Can drive) or easy to get to (lots of flights within US)

.....-- lots of SRs available.

....--Example: a Mar/April 7N Caribbean cruise on the Shilohette is one I am watching and will wait for good deals....lots of options.

 

That is how I pick when to book a cruse.....but then I end up breaking all those 'rules' I just wrote up when I see a cruise I really want to go on....and I don't think I could survive without a booked cruise in my future.

 

Den

Edited November 16, 2013 by Denny01

[portcbob]

Hi Guys.

 

Bob and Chis from Australia.... Have been reading these threads and not sure what you guys mean by the 123 Promotion on Celebrity. It appears that you get very nice prices for your upcoming cruises. My wife and I are researching our first cruise with Celebrity on the Silhouette to the Med in May/June of 2015 and are prepared to book even this far out if we get a great fare. We are looking for a balcony stateroom somewhere midships probably around deck 7 or 8. Just wondering about how to get this Promo rate?????? and when do you think we should book?????

Any advice would be greatly appreciated thankyou guys.

Cheers Bob & Chris.:p:p

[davekathy]

Hi Guys.

 

Bob and Chis from Australia.... Have been reading these threads and not sure what you guys mean by the 123 Promotion on Celebrity. It appears that you get very nice prices for your upcoming cruises. My wife and I are researching our first cruise with Celebrity on the Silhouette to the Med in May/June of 2015 and are prepared to book even this far out if we get a great fare. We are looking for a balcony stateroom somewhere midships probably around deck 7 or 8. Just wondering about how to get this Promo rate?????? and when do you think we should book?????

Any advice would be greatly appreciated thankyou guys.

Cheers Bob & Chris.:p:p

 

When we booked our B2B March/April 2014 Summit Cruise in August 2012 the 123 Go promotions were not offered. Celebrity came out with the promotion in January 2013. I called my TA and was able to get the promo added to our bookings. If my memory serves me correct the 123 Go was for a specific cruise, dates and cabin categories. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that.The 123 Go promo allowed us to choose one of three offers. The 3 offers range from a complimentary Classic Beverage Package for two, complimentary Gratuities, or an OBC ranging from $100-$300, depending on length of sailing. This far out I doubt Celebrity is offering any promotions. Check with your TA or Celebrity to make sure.

[Kathie44]

Last Feb. on Summit, my friend, Kathy, and I each booked a cruise on Silhouette using the 123 Promo. We chose the OBC option of $100 instead of $50 per person.

Kathy needed a new roommate for the new cruise. I asked another friend of mine after we got home and she is going. My cousin, who went with me on that cruise, had to back out of the upcoming one due to major health problems. Luckily, my SIL is now going with me. The OBC is still intact since we didn't change to another cruise.

We will be sailing on Silhouette Jan. 26th. 10 weeks from tomorrow! :D

[stereo]

Hi--Plan to take Millie north to Alaska in Aug 2014--Last summer before the Millie disaster Celeb used Tuesday specials to fill their AK cruises--I have booked frequent flyers --hotel and train--will wait for fire sale to book the cruise--do not care about cabin--for my fall 2013 TA--booked cruise over a year in advance-- selected cabin and received on board booking obc--Both early and last minute seem to work

[fleckle]

Hi Guys.

 

Bob and Chis from Australia.... Have been reading these threads and not sure what you guys mean by the 123 Promotion on Celebrity. It appears that you get very nice prices for your upcoming cruises. My wife and I are researching our first cruise with Celebrity on the Silhouette to the Med in May/June of 2015 and are prepared to book even this far out if we get a great fare. We are looking for a balcony stateroom somewhere midships probably around deck 7 or 8. Just wondering about how to get this Promo rate?????? and when do you think we should book?????

Any advice would be greatly appreciated thankyou guys.

Cheers Bob & Chris.:p:p

Celebrity runs different promotional sales at different times, typically restricting the dates when they can be booked.

 

Here is a link to their promo for the 123 sale that was offered last spring, showing the options that were offered with that package

 

Choose Your Offer - Cruise Specials & Packages | Celebrity Cruises

 

 

They have offered other promotions since then and will undoubtedly continue to offer more in the future.

 

Their current promotional offer is the Thanksgiving sale. Here is a link to it

 

Giving Thanks Sale - Cruise Specials & Packages | Celebrity Cruises

 

 

You can sign up for their email offers on their website, but there is no telling how well that will work. Some people say they signed up and never received any offers, while others keep receiving multiple copies of every offer!

 

It is the Celebrity website after all. :D

 

[phoenix_dream]

My main considerations are three: am I locked into particular dates due to work schedule, am I booking a cruise that is likely to sell out, and how many flight choices are available for the dates I am looking at. The answers to those questions tell me whether to book early and watch for price drops or to wait and take a chance. Those who can drive to ports of course have significantly more options to choose from than those of us who cannot. Same goes for many retirees who do not have to coordinate around kids vacations or work schedules. So there is truly no one right way to answer the question of early or late - the only realistic answer is 'it depends'.