Do we wait until after final payment date?

[carlissaandisaacsmommy]

We're thinking of booking a cruise for August. Obviously we're too late to do Early Saver. Right now they are offering "Kid's Sail Free", but should we wait until 90 days before the cruise date to book or do the rates go down then?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[k2excursion]

It's hard to say. If this is for early August, that's a very popular time, and rates may not go down. If this is for late August, when most of the country is back in school, they may have to drop rates later on in order to fill the ship. When they have to do that, they tend to do it after final payment, and often with guarantee bookings like "Pack & Go" (Carnival picks the room for you). But you never know how things will go. It's always a risk. Sometimes, a seemingly popular time doesn't sell & an unpopular one does.

 

I know little about this current kids sail free thing, but it looks like you have to book a higher rate for the 2 adults, so that cuts into the savings. Just taking a look at one sailing, it looks like the 123 Days of Summer sale might actually be cheaper than kids sail free, if Carnival picks the room. If you pick your own room with 123, it's only $8 more than kids sail free. The point there is that if you think rates might drop later, there will probably be some other sale that beats the price of the current kids sail free. Or the "Pack & Go" rate could come up. I've never cruised in summer, only when school is in session. With those, prices always seem to drop when it gets close to & passed final payment.