Ship half empty?

[rerp]

I am a relatively new Cruiser but periodically see comments in these forums about a Cruise still having plenty of availability. Is there a web-site showing how full specific cruises are, or are these people just guessing based on the fact that bookings are still being taken in Inside, Outside, Balcony etc. This could be just one or two available in each type, or am I missing something?

[Wavesprite]

I like to think of it as a "ship half full" lolol

[ourfamilylovescruising]

try cruise fish . net pick your ship and sailing

[Demonyte]

That fish site only calculates the percentage based on sold out categories, not actual sold cabins.

[swedish weave]

The usual procedures in the past were for the cruise line to reduce prices if the cruise was not selling well. Now- With the new NCL management, they seem to try to hold to their statement that they do not plan to cut rates to fill empty cabins.

 

That could leave a ship only partially booked, but you will probably not know that unless you do a fake booking near departure time and see how many cabins show still unbooked.

[kroozbuddy]

SEA scanner dot com will show you available rooms in each specific category

Edited August 21, 2015 by kroozbuddy

[Leavethekidswithmom]

The usual procedures in the past were for the cruise line to reduce prices if the cruise was not selling well. Now- With the new NCL management, they seem to try to hold to their statement that they do not plan to cut rates to fill empty cabins.

 

 

 

That could leave a ship only partially booked, but you will probably not know that unless you do a fake booking near departure time and see how many cabins show still unbooked.

 

 

You noticed that too, so much for booking thirty days out at a fantastic deal.

[Sauer-kraut]

You noticed that too, so much for booking thirty days out at a fantastic deal.

 

Those days are long gone :(

[conandrob240]

It is extremely doubtful that a ship would ever sail that empty. They would run deep sales to fill that ship first.

Edited August 22, 2015 by conandrob240

[swedish weave]

It is extremely doubtful that a ship would ever sail that empty. They would run deep sales to fill that ship first.

 

Has anyone experienced the late sales since the Del Rio regime took over NCL ?

[rydan]

Has anyone experienced the late sales since the Del Rio regime took over NCL ?

 

 

No, and for the most part you won't.

Them days be gone. Richard Fain of RCI started that trend about a year ago.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

The new ploy is "value-adds" instead of discounting. For example about a month ago NCL made ALL the freestyle choice offers available to inside cabins for sailings this fall (through 12/22) rather than dropping prices. As a result they have moved more inventory in what is essentially a soft-season and won't need to deep discount to fill the ships.

[Demonyte]

SEA scanner dot com will show you available rooms in each specific category

 

 

No they do not. NCL's system only gives out maximum of 15 available cabins in each category, if there are more available even that site does not list those. Same listing of cabins can be seen on any TA (or NCL) site.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Demonyte

[sfaaa]

You noticed that too, so much for booking thirty days out at a fantastic deal.

 

There are a few going on right now. Not as many like back in the days but they still exist.

[swedish weave]

The new ploy is "value-adds" instead of discounting. For example about a month ago NCL made ALL the freestyle choice offers available to inside cabins for sailings this fall (through 12/22) rather than dropping prices. As a result they have moved more inventory in what is essentially a soft-season and won't need to deep discount to fill the ships.

 

If you "read between the lines" of that move, it seems to be an attempt by NCL to inflate the fourth quarter revenue figures. Some other moves such as offering replacement cabins for cancelled cruises in the fourth quarter of this year also seem to be part of the same plan (or ploy).

[mking8288]

Has anyone experienced the late sales since the Del Rio regime took over NCL ?

Been tracking a few sailings for late Fall out of NY, unique due to reduced # of sailing scheduled for next 12+ months among mass lines (translation, fewer competitions) - prices have risen since this Feb/March, 35 to 40% higher vs. lowest price point with the "free" promotions - still outside the final payment/ cancellation windows, even without all the "enhanced" changes. :eek:

 

Not seeing any substantial price drop - 5% LOWER now vs. all-time high and cabins available across most category, except those "sought" after (AFT) extended balconies/suites ... One couple that we sailed with sometimes got a decent deal for Thanksgiving from their land casino's voucher program, so it's about 50% saving to them (not joining them) so that was a surprise as I would expect that week to be blacklisted - they just booked earlier this month, with choice of cabin & declined upgrade offer to higher category.

 

Just got another land-casino offer but will be overseas on an escorted 2 weeks land-tour & won't pick that up (for other lines) - the market is historically soft for the Fall. NCL's fleet redeployment next year also meant some will be changing their bookings to sail sooner and for Wall Street, the booking will continued to appear up & solid ... time will tell.

 

It's risky to generalize but for the sailings being looking at, recent prices & sail history suggested that prices don't really begin to trend downward until 2 weeks to 1 week before sailing, sometimes not until 4 or 3 days before ... unless one is close enough to homeport city, or can fly & travel on a dime and self-employed/business owners that don't need HR approval (or, semi/retired & enjoying the good life) to take 6 to 11+ work days off from work on ultra short notice - it's not happening for most folks hoping for a nice deal. But, who knows what will happen by late Sept/October for some of these sailings toward year's end.

 

DH & I got our vacations planned out for the year - if better deals are happening for us to upgrade, we will go ahead with final payment on our "HOLD" with the FCR deposit already applied - and, if not - we got alternate plans in place already & might cancel instead. Either way, not planning to "bring" any additional last minute bookings with us this Fall with those prices for new reservations. Seeing very little values to us on the same old milky runs - and with lower fuel prices, ideal time to re-visit other vacation options ... Macau, anyone & we've shown some pretty good packaged deals from one of our TA.

[fshagan]

The new ploy is "value-adds" instead of discounting. For example about a month ago NCL made ALL the freestyle choice offers available to inside cabins for sailings this fall (through 12/22) rather than dropping prices. As a result they have moved more inventory in what is essentially a soft-season and won't need to deep discount to fill the ships.

 

Deep discounting was a reaction to a soft economy, and it had to end sometime. RCL has an official program aimed at "price stability" with prices held even if cabins sail empty; one of the issues they see with deep discounting is that it "punishes" their loyal customers who book earlier. RCL also had success with the free promos and it looks to me like NCLH is copying both those initiatives.

 

I think its a better deal for repeat cruisers. Book earlier for the best deals with included extras. If you have to book later, you might get a slightly lower price based on bookings so far, but you won't get all the extras.

[coldflame]

The new ploy is "value-adds" instead of discounting. For example about a month ago NCL made ALL the freestyle choice offers available to inside cabins for sailings this fall (through 12/22) rather than dropping prices. As a result they have moved more inventory in what is essentially a soft-season and won't need to deep discount to fill the ships.

 

Yup, Not sure how they are "working" it at RCCL, but NCL is smoke and mirrors. While they might not give discounts for last minute empty cabins, the "freestyle" choices more than make for it. Saved me almost eleven hundred dollars in an upcoming trip (~ 90 days out) which I very much doubt you could get such a nice room for that deep discount even as a last minute.

[sfaaa]

Free $13.5/day DSC is a real cash discount.

Edited August 22, 2015 by sfaaa

[tallyho8]

It's extremely difficult to find out how many empty cabins are on a ship by doing fake bookings or any other method because they usually sell a lot of guarantee cabins.

 

The ship site may show you your choice of 15 cabins that you can book but they may have 14 of those cabins booked as guarantee cabins so really only 1 is available.

 

So they could theoretically show that they have 200 cabins that you have your choice of booking but they may have 199 guaranteed already so after you book the last one they get the rest.

[swedish weave]

It's extremely difficult to find out how many empty cabins are on a ship by doing fake bookings or any other method because they usually sell a lot of guarantee cabins.

 

The ship site may show you your choice of 15 cabins that you can book but they may have 14 of those cabins booked as guarantee cabins so really only 1 is available.

 

So they could theoretically show that they have 200 cabins that you have your choice of booking but they may have 199 guaranteed already so after you book the last one they get the rest.

 

The figures would be easier to get as you get near sailing time because the cruise line is required to furnish a manifest to the authorities at least 48 hours prior to sailing.

 

You can't get the information after you board, because they always have a sign on the service desk that the ship is sold out. They do this to discourage guests from asking for change of cabins.

[maywell]

No, and for the most part you won't.

Them days be gone. Richard Fain of RCI started that trend about a year ago.

 

Actually, its the reverse now - Low Price sales months / years before the sail date and no real good last minute sales. Dunno whether to thank RCI for the trend or slap them, lol.

[newmexicoNita]

anyone who thinks the days of checking availibility and hoping for some great deal is pretty much living in a la la land. There is no real accurate website that will give you a true answer as to how full a ship is.

[coldflame]

anyone who thinks the days of checking availibility and hoping for some great deal is pretty much living in a la la land. There is no real accurate website that will give you a true answer as to how full a ship is.

 

Agree on this. Those sites like fish are basically doing "guesstimates" and I've found them often are waaaaaaayyyy off. That's why I don't bother with those sites anymore. It's pretty a useless tool, afaic. The only people who _could_ tell you how full any given cruise is, wont (i.e. NCL).

[rmmom1962]

Yup, Not sure how they are "working" it at RCCL, but NCL is smoke and mirrors. While they might not give discounts for last minute empty cabins, the "freestyle" choices more than make for it. Saved me almost eleven hundred dollars in an upcoming trip (~ 90 days out) which I very much doubt you could get such a nice room for that deep discount even as a last minute.

 

 

Just saw a huge drop in price on my August 29th NCL cruise. Went from guaranteed balcony to spa balcony. No single supplement.

Learned from a NCL TA that when the cruise has empty cabins 3 days out from a cruise date they have a few agents who's job is to call cruisers that live near the port and offer them amazing deals.