When to book?

[Playa Cofi]

I originally posted this on the Solo Cruiser board but received no response so I thought I would try here. Thanks in advance.

 

I am an expat living in PR and am entertaining taking a cruise, I am 55 and married. Hubby is 70 and has no desire to go. Hence I would be going solo out of San Juan and this would also be my first cruise.

 

In order to be prudent do you think it would be better if I picked the cruise or for that matter cruises I am interested in and wait till a few days prior to the cruise to see if they offer a better deal on the solo price?

 

My thinking if the first one does not give me a deal, I can always try the next.

 

Thoughts anyone?

[Kamloops50]

I originally posted this on the Solo Cruiser board but received no response so I thought I would try here. Thanks in advance.

 

I am an expat living in PR and am entertaining taking a cruise, I am 55 and married. Hubby is 70 and has no desire to go. Hence I would be going solo out of San Juan and this would also be my first cruise.

 

In order to be prudent do you think it would be better if I picked the cruise or for that matter cruises I am interested in and wait till a few days prior to the cruise to see if they offer a better deal on the solo price?

 

My thinking if the first one does not give me a deal, I can always try the next.

 

Thoughts anyone?

 

Keep in mind that most cruise ships run full capacity . Normally the best prices are about 75 days (Full payment due) . Prices days before the cruise are higher with only the most expensive or the worst cabins left . Personally I would book now and look for a sale and request a price reduction or cabin upgrade.

[justcrusn]

it depends on the cruise line.

I am most familiar with celebrity, and they as well as royal caribbean post what are called "tuesday specials" anywhere from 75 to 90 days before sailing with their best deals.

These are past final payment prices though so once you book, no changing your mind.

[beachbum53]

If you're only interested in trying to find so-called last minute deals, sometimes you can find them, as long as you're not too picky about which ship and which cabin. It's a bit like going to a store on the last day of a clearance sale. On the other hand, if you do want to choose a specific ship, itinerary and cabin, you're best bet is usually to book as early as possible, then watch for price drops.;)

[paul929207]

I originally posted this on the Solo Cruiser board but received no response so I thought I would try here. Thanks in advance.

 

I am an expat living in PR and am entertaining taking a cruise, I am 55 and married. Hubby is 70 and has no desire to go. Hence I would be going solo out of San Juan and this would also be my first cruise.

 

In order to be prudent do you think it would be better if I picked the cruise or for that matter cruises I am interested in and wait till a few days prior to the cruise to see if they offer a better deal on the solo price?

 

My thinking if the first one does not give me a deal, I can always try the next.

 

Thoughts anyone?

Assuming you understand and accept that the price could go up, the ship could sell out or only less desirable cabins may be available (likely), then your plan would work.

[MCC retired]

Waiting too close to sailing to book , you probably have already missed the best rate promos or close in rates ( that appear shortly after Final Payment date passes).

[trish1c]

If you can be flexible with your dates, you have the ability in theory to score some awesome last minute deals as a resident of PR. Cruises sailing out of San Juan don't always fill up because the airfare is so expensive it cancels out the cheapness of the cruise. As time passes, prices drop. You have to be vigilant & your choice in cabin will be whatever is available. If you are OK with that, I'd wait to see what shakes out.

 

If you don't have that flexibility or you want to sail from somewhere you have to fly to, booking earlier for the peace of mind is a good idea.

[Playa Cofi]

I am very flexiable on dates since I am retired. I would also want a balcony.

 

I am so new at this that when I see all off these offers such as $300 onboard spending or tips paid, etc. I do not know if that is just standard promos or whether they come and go.

 

I think the reason I am/was considering booking at the last minute was to try to avoid the solo surcharge.

 

So if I understand right if I book a cabin, pay the full price and the price goes down I can ask for the difference back?

[Kamloops50]

I am very flexiable on dates since I am retired. I would also want a balcony.

 

I am so new at this that when I see all off these offers such as $300 onboard spending or tips paid, etc. I do not know if that is just standard promos or whether they come and go.

 

I think the reason I am/was considering booking at the last minute was to try to avoid the solo surcharge.

 

So if I understand right if I book a cabin, pay the full price and the price goes down I can ask for the difference back?

 

You'll still have to pay the solo surcharge even if you book last minute.

[Playa Cofi]

Oh, I was of the mindset that if they wanted to sell a cabin last minute, they may waive it or discount it.

[Kamloops50]

Oh, I was of the mindset that if they wanted to sell a cabin last minute, they may waive it or discount it.

Most last minute cabins still can be sold to couples . The have no incentive sell a cabin to a single at a single price . If you don't pay the solo rate they kn ow it can be sold to a couple. No ship now sails empty , most are about 10% over the normal number . The normal number is based on double occupancy in each cabin. Any cabin that is over normal occupancy (3+) will drive the figure over 100%.

[cruise_mojo]

yea, you will be fortunate if they waive the full fare, but, it really does always depend on each specific sailing

 

if they are at the last minute and have tons of cabins, yea they will waive the surcharge, but before they ever get in that situation, they will have cut the rate on the cabin, 60-70 and even 80% the deal is, if they can two people on board their costs for those people are marginal but their ability to nickel and dime two peeps are doubled!

 

so they'd rather have two people in the cabin instead of one!

 

we just booked and tooked a cruise in feb on the enchantment of the seas, I think they may have waived the surcharge at the last minute, we booked 9 days out and had an inside room but were way up on deck 8

 

but you said you wanted a balcony, most times the balcony cabins are the first booked, its unlikely you'd score one late except for canellations and then probably never avoid the single surcharge on one....:confused:

[Roz]

As a solo cruiser myself, I think it's unrealistic to expect to get a solo balcony cabin at the last minute and not pay any supplement, but miracles happen.

 

Roz

[bar_20]

Most single rooms are about what it cost for two people. I would try and talk your hubby into going along! What's his excuse? It's one week out of his life. Tell him it will make you happy, and making you happy is his reason for being married to you. If that doesn't fly ask him if you can invite a cub to come along to share the cougars den. :D:D

[OCruisers]

Gosh, I'd go ahead and book as soon as I found the cruise I wanted to take. :)

LuLu

~~~

[BlueRiband]

You want a rock bottom last minute price, a balcony, and no single supplement. (I'd like that too!) But you are 99.9% likely to be disappointed unless a voyage is selling very badly. And selling very badly rarely happens because cruise lines are not going to schedule such an itinerary.

 

I'm going to assume you are working within a tight budget. One way to reduce cost is to consider an "inside" cabin. It wouldn't work for me (too much like a bomb shelter) but others consider them great bargains. It really depends on how much time you would spend inside. If you intended to read a lot on your balcony then of course it won't work. But if you are only in there to sleep than it may be just fine.

[Sauer-kraut]

You can always book and ask a friend to go with you! If you're already paying the single supplement you can ask them just to pay the port fees for their booking.

[I-Cruiser]

Well, I would go ahead and book as soon as you find a departure date you can travel.

As others has said; you can watch for price drops.

[trish1c]

I am very flexiable on dates since I am retired. I would also want a balcony.

 

I am so new at this that when I see all off these offers such as $300 onboard spending or tips paid, etc. I do not know if that is just standard promos or whether they come and go.

 

I think the reason I am/was considering booking at the last minute was to try to avoid the solo surcharge.

 

So if I understand right if I book a cabin, pay the full price and the price goes down I can ask for the difference back?

 

 

Balcony cabins tend to sell out. Very few are available last minute. The last minute deals often involve inside cabins. If you must have a balcony, book it.

 

Again, due to the popularity of balcony cabins you are less likely to convince the cruise line to waive the requirement that you pay for 2 passengers. Look at it this way, if the cabin price started at $799 per person or almost $1600 for 2, but the last minute deal dropped the price to $499 per person of $1000 per cabin why would the cruise line allow you to only pay for 1 person at the lower rate & take $499 for something they previously sold for $1600?

 

The promotions for OBC vary but are more incentives to book early. They come & go but aren't that rare.

[Playa Cofi]

I understand everyone's point of view.

 

No, I am not traveling on a budget, it is the principal that they penalize a solo traveler in order for them to maximize their profit.

 

That's all.

[paul929207]

I understand everyone's point of view.

 

No, I am not traveling on a budget, it is the principal that they penalize a solo traveler in order for them to maximize their profit.

 

That's all.

Do you think you should pay the same fare as each of the two people in a similar cabin? If so, then I would get a balcony for me and an inside for my wife. That would usually save us money and give us extra room.

[navybankerteacher]

I understand everyone's point of view.

 

No, I am not traveling on a budget, it is the principal that they penalize a solo traveler in order for them to maximize their profit.

 

That's all.

 

No, they do not "penalize" anyone. They simply do not want to sell a cabin to one person, who will only provide the revenue from one person's on-board spending, when they might be able to sell it to two people.

 

Sure, they are willing to sell that cabin to a solo traveler, but do you really expect them to sell it for half of what they could get -- while not benefitting from a second person's on-board spending?

 

As long as we are talking about the "principal", it helps to remember that the "principal" of being in business is to operate profitably.

[BlueRiband]

I understand everyone's point of view.

 

No, I am not traveling on a budget, it is the principal that they penalize a solo traveler in order for them to maximize their profit.

 

That's all.

 

If they didn't have a single supplement what would keep a couple each booking his and her own staterooms just for each to have their own bathroom? In theory the ship would sail half full - with half the revenue - because each cabin was occupied by only one person. Waiters, stewards/ stewardesses and other crew members depend on gratuities for a large portion of their income. When the ship sails with fewer passengers it means less money for them.

 

I sail solo. I could sail more often if I got a travel companion. But I've read too many stories of "cabin mates from hell". I know the deal and pay the single supplement because my privacy and peace are more important than saving money on vacation.

[TruckerDave]

Fly to Miami (or NYC) and take one of the NCL boats that have solo cabins.