El Cheapo Cruises Thread

[MicCanberra]

Yeap. That was the sole aim of creating this thread. Cause I like to post the cheapo deals so figured if I can't go, maybe someone else can go and it grew from there and others started posting deals.

 

It was an excellent idea, thanks for starting it.

It would be so much better for me if only I could take advantage of some of these deals.:D

[jillbob]

Okay just received this email entitled Red Hot

 

Ship Name: Pacific Pearl Cruise Code: P443 Departure Date: Wednesday, 22 October 2014 Cruise Name: South Pacific Nights: 10 Departing: Sydney

 

Inside $549 pp $775 oceanview.

 

Noumea, Lifou, Port Vila, Luganville.

Thanks for showing us this awesome offer--very tempting as our X cruise finishes in Sydney on the 22nd!!!!

Never seen this one so cheaply-still offered!!:D

I'm addicted to cruising-and this thread!

[icat2000]

Thanks for showing us this awesome offer--very tempting as our X cruise finishes in Sydney on the 22nd!!!!

Never seen this one so cheaply-still offered!!:D

I'm addicted to cruising-and this thread!

 

Website still showing availability. :D

[VK3DQ]

Hi Folks

 

Whist not a bargain basement price this cruise on Legend of the Seas does tempt me a little.

Will see what deals I can get whist on board Solstice in January

 

$ 1,063 AUD

 

Legend Of The Seas

 

Any thoughts??

 

 

24-Mar Brisbane, Australia 16:30

 

25-Mar Cruising

 

26-Mar Cruising

 

27-Mar Champagne Bay, Vanuatu 08:00 17:00 Tendered

 

28-Mar Vila, Vanuatu 08:00 17:00 Docked

 

29-Mar Lifou, Loyalty Island 08:00 17:00 Tendered

 

30-Mar Mystery Island, Vanuatu 08:00 17:00 Tendered

 

31-Mar Maré, New Caledonia 08:00 17:00 Tendered

 

01-Apr Cruising

 

02-Apr Cruising

 

03-Apr Brisbane, Australia 06:00

 

 

Regards

John

[Tara Jane]

Sun princess 17 nights departing Hong Kong Oct 13th

Down to $499 pp inside with $100 OBC per cabin

Flights $419 on !0th with Jetstar, with a decent stop over in Singapore. arrive Singapore mid arvo, Overnight in Singapore, to HK late arvo then couple of nights in HK before boarding the ship.

Sounds like a super deal to me.

Hope some of you are in the position to book.

Just checked and still available with on line booking co.

Princess itself is showing $699

[gaechann]

Yeap. That was the sole aim of creating this thread. Cause I like to post the cheapo deals so figured if I can't go, maybe someone else can go and it grew from there and others started posting deals.

 

I too want to thank you for starting this thread Sarah! :D:D After reading all the specials I've almost decided that I'm MAD to book early as we don't have the option here in Australia to change if we see the price of a higher grade cabin decrease. In my experience we have to cancel the original booking, lose our deposit then re-book the lower price and/or the higher grade cabin.

 

It seems to me that as long as I'm on a ship, it really doesn't matter too much where the cabin is situated if I'm taking advantage of a BARGAIN = more cruises each year!

 

LOTS of last-minute specials at the moment. I've saved them from a couple of the online travel agents to compare when I'm looking to book towards the end of next year hoping that they will appear again then!

 

Gae

[Tara Jane]

John, like the itinerary, we did similar on the radiance of the seas feb 2013 paid $850 in and out of Sydney with an extra port Noumea for an inside room 11 nights.

 

my 2 favourite stops on sth pacific itinerary are champagne bay and mare.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Tara Jane

[MicCanberra]

I too want to thank you for starting this thread Sarah! :D:D After reading all the specials I've almost decided that I'm MAD to book early as we don't have the option here in Australia to change if we see the price of a higher grade cabin decrease. In my experience we have to cancel the original booking, lose our deposit then re-book the lower price and/or the higher grade cabin.

 

It seems to me that as long as I'm on a ship, it really doesn't matter too much where the cabin is situated if I'm taking advantage of a BARGAIN = more cruises each year!

 

LOTS of last-minute specials at the moment. I've saved them from a couple of the online travel agents to compare when I'm looking to book towards the end of next year hoping that they will appear again then!

 

Gae

Great idea Gae, I have tried to do this in the past for flight sales but some get repeated at around the same time each year while others are just pot luck. I wonder if the same will apply for cruises.:D

Edited October 8, 2014 by MicCanberra

[icat2000]

I too want to thank you for starting this thread Sarah! :D:D After reading all the specials I've almost decided that I'm MAD to book early as we don't have the option here in Australia to change if we see the price of a higher grade cabin decrease. In my experience we have to cancel the original booking, lose our deposit then re-book the lower price and/or the higher grade cabin.

 

It seems to me that as long as I'm on a ship, it really doesn't matter too much where the cabin is situated if I'm taking advantage of a BARGAIN = more cruises each year!

 

LOTS of last-minute specials at the moment. I've saved them from a couple of the online travel agents to compare when I'm looking to book towards the end of next year hoping that they will appear again then!

 

Gae

I think it depends on the type of cruise and the months (October and November are known baragin basement time for cruises up to the South Pacific, trips around Australia and repositioning ships from US and Asia).

 

However, for example a cruise I am doing and Mic is on a TA Northern out of London ending up in New York going via Iceland is sold out one year prior to departure. Now cabins might free up around final payment but I don't think there will be any baragin hunting. :D

[awesome girl]

Sun Princess 25 Nov 2014 14 night South Pacicif.

Inside $1099

Oceanview $1299.

Spitting chips as I am already booked on this one.

Oh well thems the breaks.:eek:

[woodyren]

I just picked up 10-12 weeks work with the government department that made me redundant about a year and a half ago. They agreed to give me the work even though I am already committed to a holiday in China starting on Friday for a month and two weeks in NZ and on the Solstice in December. That will take us through to Feb with the travels in between so I have been quiet on the bargain search front.

 

I still check every now and then and if the price and timing is right we MIGHT be able to squeeze a short local cruise in between Feb and late April when we leave for some more travels and the Quatum.

 

I love this thread and we are all lucky that we can pick up one of these bargains every now and then.

[Aus Traveller]

Sun Princess 25 Nov 2014 14 night South Pacicif.

Inside $1099

Oceanview $1299.

Spitting chips as I am already booked on this one.

Oh well thems the breaks.:eek:

I suggest checking if you can have a price reduction. Princess often gives this if the price for the category you booked is reduced, however, this might not apply after final payment. It is worth asking. :)

[MicCanberra]

I think it depends on the type of cruise and the months (October and November are known baragin basement time for cruises up to the South Pacific, trips around Australia and repositioning ships from US and Asia).

 

However, for example a cruise I am doing and Mic is on a TA Northern out of London ending up in New York going via Iceland is sold out one year prior to departure. Now cabins might free up around final payment but I don't think there will be any baragin hunting. :D

 

Yes agreed, if there is a particular cruise itinerary that you want to do that is very popular and /or a cabin class that you want/need, waiting is not the wise move, grab a good deal when you can, quite often that will be the early bird sale.:D

[goodycruising]

If you want a deal you have to be proactive in looking out for them. I check out the sites every day. Most times I have seen the deal on a cruise website before I get the email.

 

When you see it you have to jump. You can always reserve a spot for 24 to 3 days depending on the cruiseline or agency. This gives you enough time to think about things.

 

I enjoy seeing the new deals on this thread, lots of dreaming and getting a feel for when and what to look out for. I agree, put a hold on asap, and THEN go outside and talk to the hubby. Learnt that another time. :) We have sometimes put the deposit on, and then decided it wasn't right. So far that has only meant tying up the funds for about a week overall, about four days to be reversed on card. Sometimes it has meant that when you look a couple of months later there is a better price :D Hard to know when the deal is at its hottest, but as long as you see value for your requirements that is the main thing.

Edited October 8, 2014 by goodycruising

[Tara Jane]

Also something to remember with these fantastic deals is that if you don't actually phone and speak to a human that sometimes booking "on line" isn't a firm booking but an enquiry even though credit card info is put in. This has happened to me if I came across a great deal late at night so no chance to speak to a human so did the next best thing "booked" on line only to receive an email the following day to say sorry not available. Some could get caught out thinking they had booked on the cruise, then go ahead and book a non refundable flight to Sydney where most aussie cruises go from.

Of course always best to speak to the company whether direct with cruise line or on line TA but not always possible if the deal comes up in the middle of the night or on a weekend.

[ninjacat8]

Originally Posted by icat2000

I think it depends on the type of cruise and the months (October and November are known baragin basement time for cruises up to the South Pacific, trips around Australia and repositioning ships from US and Asia).

 

However, for example a cruise I am doing and Mic is on a TA Northern out of London ending up in New York going via Iceland is sold out one year prior to departure. Now cabins might free up around final payment but I don't think there will be any bargain hunting. :D

 

Ninjacat8

July 13 we booked on the Royal Princess 13 months in advance, we were told it was booked out and it showed booked out - funnily enough through the year at different times it became available again, then the prices went down on certain categories, luckily everyone posts this on the CC site and you can apply for a reduction, we got one but no where as much as those from the US

They seem to release cabins in blocks - sadly we had to cancel about 8 weeks before we were to leave as I had to have unexpected surgery

Someone was booked and paid but wait listed for a rear deluxe balcony, it was gone in a flash - I know this because our friends who were booked wanted to have it, but the people on the wait list got first choice

BUT if you want a specific grade of cabin in a specific location you do need to book a long way in advance or pay and wait list for what you want, someone got lucky on our cruise and got what they wanted

Happy Cruising

Erin

[icat2000]

Another TA I did in 2012 for 19 days on the Ruby Princess was sold out a year prior and not many cabins opened up afterwards.

 

Its those itineraries they only offer once or twice a year that seem to sell out early.

 

The dime a dozen multiple choices Med, South Pacific, Caribbean, some asia routes etc you can probably wait.

[MMDown Under]

Another TA I did in 2012 for 19 days on the Ruby Princess was sold out a year prior and not many cabins opened up afterwards.

 

Its those itineraries they only offer once or twice a year that seem to sell out early.

 

The dime a dozen multiple choices Med, South Pacific, Caribbean, some asia routes etc you can probably wait.

 

I agree.

 

I did get offered a last minute offer on one Northern TA I was waitlisted on, but it was too close to organise from Australia.

[MicCanberra]

Originally Posted by icat2000

I think it depends on the type of cruise and the months (October and November are known baragin basement time for cruises up to the South Pacific, trips around Australia and repositioning ships from US and Asia).

 

However, for example a cruise I am doing and Mic is on a TA Northern out of London ending up in New York going via Iceland is sold out one year prior to departure. Now cabins might free up around final payment but I don't think there will be any bargain hunting. :D

 

Ninjacat8

July 13 we booked on the Royal Princess 13 months in advance, we were told it was booked out and it showed booked out - funnily enough through the year at different times it became available again, then the prices went down on certain categories, luckily everyone posts this on the CC site and you can apply for a reduction, we got one but no where as much as those from the US

They seem to release cabins in blocks - sadly we had to cancel about 8 weeks before we were to leave as I had to have unexpected surgery

Someone was booked and paid but wait listed for a rear deluxe balcony, it was gone in a flash - I know this because our friends who were booked wanted to have it, but the people on the wait list got first choice

BUT if you want a specific grade of cabin in a specific location you do need to book a long way in advance or pay and wait list for what you want, someone got lucky on our cruise and got what they wanted

Happy Cruising

Erin

 

The blocks of cabins that get released seem to be from TAs that haven't been able to sell their allotment by a certain time (not always after final payment), this allows for those who are waitlisted in other areas/countries. We had it with a South American cruise, when it was sold out and then around 20 cabins came on line (presumably from the SA market) and the were snatched up very quickly.:D

[The_Big_M]

Farewell to Rhapsody with 12 nights to Fiji/New Caledonia, 25 November, from $888/person/twin share.

 

$1076 OV.

[icat2000]

Ship Name: Sun Princess

Cruise Code: S435

Departure Date: Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Cruise Name: South Pacific / Fiji

Nights: 14

Departing: Sydney

 

$1088 inside pp

[By The Bay]

Ship Name: Sun Princess

Cruise Code: S435

Departure Date: Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Cruise Name: South Pacific / Fiji

Nights: 14

Departing: Sydney

 

$1088 inside pp

I checked Princess, still $1649, my online agent from the past, $1589 and finally I found it on another online site at $1072.

 

It pays to compare and look around to get the special.:D

[MicCanberra]

I checked Princess, still $1649, my online agent from the past, $1589 and finally I found it on another online site at $1072.

 

It pays to compare and look around to get the special.:D

 

Yes, some TAs/places will price match as well.:D

[Aus Traveller]

Yes, some TAs/places will price match as well.:D

But you have to know there is a lower price before you can start 'horse-trading'. Five or so years ago we had booked a Princess cruise to Tahiti before a friend told us she had booked a balcony at a % off (I can't remember the exact percentage she quoted). I phoned our TA and quoted the % converted to dollars off the brochure price. The TA eventually said she could meet the price. We changed our booking. I later found out that our friend had made an error with her maths and her discount wasn't as much as she had claimed!! Oops. I didn't tell her we got our balcony cabin cheaper than she did.

[datone]

Carnival Spirit ex Sydney 9th November - 11 nights South Pacific - $714 inside, $832 outside, $930 balcony.

Edited October 10, 2014 by datone