Discount on Xmas cruise?

[MarElz]

The Emerald Princess is sailing out of Houston for Christmas week. Since i live in Houston I can wait to book until just before departure. I'm wondering at the likelihood that there will be some sort of last minute sale of unused cabins for a holiday week. Does anyone have any experience with this happening? I really like the itinerary and am thinking about booking it as my first solo cruise.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

The Christmas & New Years cruises are the most popular of the year so I wouldn't expect to much of a cut in prices.

[paul929207]

The holiday cruises sell well and are priced higher that other dates. They are likely to sell out.

[Coral]

I have gone 2x over Christmas and both times got great rates.

 

One time was in 2002, we had a $550 rate for a 10 night Mexico cruise. We booked it around Thanksgiving.

 

In 2010, I had booked a B2B over Christmas and New Years and the prices were very high. I had planned to cancel if it stayed high. I waited and the prices went below $999 per person for a mini suite and we ended up keeping the cruise. This was also Mexico. I try to get mini suites for under $999 per person for any week and was pleased that the price for both holidays went below that.

 

I think the key to a cheap Christmas cruise is Mexico :)

 

I have seen price reductions and sales for Christmas sailings. Usually they are above normal weeks but there are deals out there to be had.

[MarElz]

Thanks Coral! I think I've about decided to just wait and see what happens. I'll hop on if the fare goes down, do it another time if it stays high. I'm already booked on HAL on January 3 but it would be great to go on this one too!

[PescadoAmarillo]

Given the concern about Ebola and Texas right now on these boards, I think you stand a good chance of getting a last minute deal. We've cruise the past three Christmases; in my experience, New Years week generally hasn't been reduced at all, but Christmas has.

[Princess Patches]

The 7-day Christmas and New Year's cruises to Mexico are nearly booked this year. My family is booked in the Christmas cruise and I have been watching the prices since April. The cheapest price for an inside was $799 back in June, which was when we booked. The insides and minis are fully booked and remaining balconies start at $1300. The New Year's cruise is even more fully booked with higher prices on the remaining cabins. It does not look good for any discount on the holiday cruises to Mexico this year.

 

However, I did notice some last minute specials last year on the holiday cruises out of Florida and Houston, but getting airfares at Christmas from the West Coast for us was more than the cost of the cruise. You might be able to get something out of Houston at the last minute. Are you signed up for the email specials?

Edited October 18, 2014 by Princess Patches

[OCruisers]

Christmas and New Year's cruises are always expensive.

Also, don't wait to book because they sell out ... especially the best cabin locations. ;)

LuLu

[GradUT]

I don't know what will happen in the future, but here is what has happened so far:

 

I'm booked on the Emerald out of Houston for the Christmas cruise. I've was watching the fares before final payment was due on October 7th and they have not gone down in price since I booked in August. When I booked, they were offering OBC for each cabin class, but that's gone now. And in early October, there was a special where you could get pre-payment of gratuities (worth $161 per cabin), but that's also gone now.

 

Also, when I booked in August there were lots of cabins available in all categories, but I see now that the only cabins available are the full suites and balconies.

[Coral]

OK - I looked up some prices:

 

Dec 21 on Regal Princess 7 night cruise - insides $449, balcony $549, MB4 $799. This ship must not be popular :(

 

Dec 20 on Ruby Princess 7 night cruise - insides $779, balcony $1249

 

Dec 22 on Caribbean Princess 5 night cruise - $559 inside, $799 balcony

 

Dec 19 on Royal Princess 10 night - $1099 inside, $1599 balcony

 

Dec 20th on Crown Princess 7 night - $899 inside, $1299 balcony

 

This prices are actually reasonable for Christmas IMO. I couldn't believe Regal's prices. There is plenty of availability on that ship and some of the others also. Looks like they have already started flash rates on some of these sailings.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Coral

[Princess Patches]

OK - I looked up some prices:

 

 

 

Dec 20th on Crown Princess 7 night - $899 inside, $1299 balcony

 

Not sure what you are looking at but Princess website is showing insides are sold out on this cruise.

[Coral]

Not sure what you are looking at but Princess website is showing insides are sold out on this cruise.

 

There was 1 cabin available at $899 for an inside. It is now gone. There are 2 cabins for outside at $999 and then many other outside cabins starting at $1009. BF is starting at $1299.

 

There are plenty of cabins available on this sailing for outside and balcony cabins. Ministries are sold out and now insides are sold out.

[Princess Patches]

There was 1 cabin available at $899 for an inside. It is now gone. There are 2 cabins for outside at $999 and then many other outside cabins starting at $1009. BF is starting at $1299.

 

There are plenty of cabins available on this sailing for outside and balcony cabins. Ministries are sold out and now insides are sold out.

 

OP asked about discounts for Christmas, not cabin availability. $1300 for a balcony and $1000 for ocean view are about double the normal discounted fare for 7-day to Mexico. Not a great discount. That is the usual cost for the Mexico Xmas cruise, double normal discounted fare. Much better prices out of Florida for Xmas. I noticed that last year too and the Florida prices you pointed out also reflect that. Probably due to more ship availability than Mexico.

[Coral]

OP asked about discounts for Christmas, not cabin availability. $1300 for a balcony and $1000 for ocean view are about double the normal discounted fare for 7-day to Mexico. Not a great discount. That is the usual cost for the Mexico Xmas cruise, double normal discounted fare. Much better prices out of Florida for Xmas. I noticed that last year too and the Florida prices you pointed out also reflect that. Probably due to more ship availability than Mexico.

 

My point is that there is still quite a bit of availability on many of these ships including the Crown and there is still time to discount them to fill the ship (availability means they need to fill the ship - thus the correlation on why I posted that). I mentioned that on one cruise, I booked it at Thanksgiving when the prices went down. There were no problems getting to LA airfare wise.

 

I have seen a ton of specials in the past years for Mexico at Christmas as it has not been a popular place with the chaos going there.

[Princess Patches]

My point is that there is still quite a bit of availability on many of these ships including the Crown and there is still time to discount them to fill the ship (availability means they need to fill the ship - thus the correlation on why I posted that). I mentioned that on one cruise, I booked it at Thanksgiving when the prices went down. There were no problems getting to LA airfare wise.

 

I have seen a ton of specials in the past years for Mexico at Christmas as it has not been a popular place with the chaos going there.

 

Crown Princess Xmas Cruise:

 

Insides- sold out

minis - sold out

suites-3 left

Outsides- about 60 left

Balconies - about 30 left

 

So out of 1500+ cabins, ship is about 95% sold out right now. I don't call that a ton of availability. Prices have steadily risen since June/July. We will just have to disagree that there is a good chance for a last minute discount on this cruise. The situation has been the same on the Mexico Xmas cruise these past three years. However, I do agree there is a chance for good last minute Xmas discounts out of Florida, but there are 6 ships offering a Xmas cruise out of Florida and just 1 ship offering a Xmas cruise from LA.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Princess Patches

[caribill]

Prices have steadily risen since June/July.

 

The last time I had a Princess Xmas cruise we booked it in August. From then until disembarkation day the price only went up.

 

Could there be some last minute availability on an Xmas cruise? Yes, but I would not bet my vacation on it happening.

[MarElz]

I'm only looking at the Emerald Princess since I live in Houston. If I have to fly to Florida and stay in a hotel, that would eat up a lot of any discount and these cruises are already higher priced than any other time of year. There are only outside balconies available and, since I would pay double, as a solo, it's about $2400. Sure want to do it!

[Casey12]

Crown Princess Xmas Cruise:

 

Insides- sold out

minis - sold out

suites-3 left

Outsides- about 60 left

Balconies - about 30 left

 

So out of 1500+ cabins, ship is about 95% sold out right now. I don't call that a ton of availability. Prices have steadily risen since June/July. We will just have to disagree that there is a good chance for a last minute discount on this cruise. The situation has been the same on the Mexico Xmas cruise these past three years. However, I do agree there is a chance for good last minute Xmas discounts out of Florida, but there are 6 ships offering a Xmas cruise out of Florida and just 1 ship offering a Xmas cruise from LA.

 

For a Christmas cruise this is after final payment. Princess will just want to fill the ship at this point. It wouldn't surprise me if the prices go down on this sailing and those outsides go flash.

[shastatroy]

My Christmas cruise cabin has gone up $1000, book early they don't come down in price.

[Princess Patches]

For a Christmas cruise this is after final payment. Princess will just want to fill the ship at this point. It wouldn't surprise me if the prices go down on this sailing and those outsides go flash.

 

There won't be any last minute flash sales on the Xmas Mexico cruise with less than a 100 cabins of 1500+ to fill in two months. Prices have been steadily rising for 3 months. There also won't be any last minute flash sales on New Year's Mexico cruise with only about 50 of the 1500+ cabins left to fill. The remaining prices on New Year's are even higher with just 50 cabins left to go. $1600 for balcony and $1100 for an inside. I have not seen last minute flash sales on the Mexico cruise in the past few years. Book in June/July for cheapest fare. The prices start to rise in August.

 

I have seen last minute deals only on the Florida Christmas cruises in the past few years. There are currently some good deals out of Florida but getting an airfare to Florida during Christmas week right now will most likely be cost prohibitive and cost more than the cruise.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Princess Patches

[helenb]

We booked the Star for the Dec. 19 Hawaii departure about a year ago. When we booked, we had our choice of cabins and locations. We got a balcony and an inside across the hall. Since that time, prices went up, then went down back to where we started. Then the inside went down slightly, and the balcony went up slightly. Not enough to make it worth losing the OBC we had on this cruise by moving things around.

 

Now we're after final payment and prices still haven't gone down, although there seems to be availability in every cabin category, including full suites. Perhaps it's because this is a 2 week cruise? But it's over the Christmas and New Year's weeks, so it fits perfectly within my kids' school holidays.

[caribill]

 

Now we're after final payment and prices still haven't gone down, although there seems to be availability in every cabin category, including full suites. Perhaps it's because this is a 2 week cruise? But it's over the Christmas and New Year's weeks, so it fits perfectly within my kids' school holidays.

 

Princess web site will not show flash sale prices if there are any. Only TAs will have access to them.

[helenb]

Princess web site will not show flash sale prices if there are any. Only TAs will have access to them.

 

I only check prices on my TA's site. No sale there. :(

[sugarcat]

Did you check the prices today? We scored a xmas cruise on Regal Princess for a song yesterday (deluxe balcony for $600).

[helenb]

Did you check the prices today? We scored a xmas cruise on Regal Princess for a song yesterday (deluxe balcony for $600).

 

Still the same. At least, on our cruise.