How far in advance do people book??

[nurseshortie]

So we have booked of very first Royal cruise on the independence for next September that's only 449 days away!! Any one else booked this far in advance? And if so how the hell do you stop yourself from looking at everything cruise every min of the day ha ha

 

Lesley x

 

 

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[njm5378]

I book as early as I can. And I never stop looking.

[Dan-P]

So we have booked of very first Royal cruise on the independence for next September that's only 449 days away!! Any one else booked this far in advance? And if so how the hell do you stop yourself from looking at everything cruise every min of the day ha ha

 

Lesley x

 

 

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I have two cruises currently booked that I put deposits on right at the two year mark, so over 700 days prior to the cruise!!!

 

Dan.

[Clarea]

So we have booked of very first Royal cruise on the independence for next September that's only 449 days away!! Any one else booked this far in advance? And if so how the hell do you stop yourself from looking at everything cruise every min of the day ha ha

 

Lesley x

We try to book as soon as the cruises come out, which can be around 2 years in advance.

[baileymouse]

I booked Anthem for June, 2017 back around April of this year. Lots of people book as soon as the itineraries are released.

[Teach2pre]

We book as far as a year and a half out to get the cabin we want!

[bouhunter]

I believe our January 18' cruises were booked in March 16' :)

 

If you can book as soon as things are released you'll often lock in a price that is the lowest it will ever be.

 

Our January 17' Allure wasn't booked quite that early, but right now it's pricing at almost twice what we are paying.

 

In addition to pricing, as noted above it helps with choice of cabins!

Edited July 8, 2016 by bouhunter

[Desert Cruizers]

I book as soon as they open and select our room of choice. I will continually check for price drops. Prices generally will be at their lowest at early booking.

[Finabear]

Six months out is the max we have ever done I believe. We can't seem to plan very far out. We often book inside of final payment. Some great deals that way.

For those of you who book so far out: Is it easy to change your plans? Do you have to stay with the same cruise line when you change or do you lose your deposit?

We almost always use the same online cruise TA. Not sure if that matters.

[Clarea]

Six months out is the max we have ever done I believe. We can't seem to plan very far out. We often book inside of final payment. Some great deals that way.

For those of you who book so far out: Is it easy to change your plans? Do you have to stay with the same cruise line when you change or do you lose your deposit?

We almost always use the same online cruise TA. Not sure if that matters.

We use a travel agent that does not charge cancel or change fees, so there is no charge to cancel or change up to Royal's final payment date.

[Goes Cruising]

My October 2017 TA was booked the day it opened. I got a great room, and a price that current pricing hasn't again come close to. There were lot's of folks waiting for the bookings to open, and the coveted rooms went very quickly.

 

Other times, an idea may come up among friends, or a sale entices me to make plans, and I will book at any time and hope to catch a price break by watching for price drops.

 

Btw, you answered your own question. Cruise addicts do spend an inordinate amount of time on this board discussing every little detail of the ship, the itinerary, planning, and more!

[George C]

As early as possible, although now we try to book while on board to get the extra RCCL on board credit, if price goes down you can call RCCL and they will adjust your fare if its not past final payment date

[2CatsInFlorida]

We booked a balcony on Brilliance for January 2017 on December 2015. Got the deck we wanted. The same cruise is now $200 more. We can always cancel if plans change or rebook if prices drop.

 

 

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Edited July 8, 2016 by 2CatsInFlorida

[grandgeezer]

I book when the price is something I think is fair and I can live with if it doesn't drop. If it doesn't get to that price, I stay home. The calendar isn't part of the equation.

[jules815]

Our next cruise, the October transatlantic on Harmony, was booked online thru RC over a year ago. Most of our other cruises have also been booked a year in advance, and we've started booking while on board so we receive some nice obc. I sailed with Celebrity in March, and booked 2 cruises for 2017 with them. (they were offering some really nice perks) One doesn't sail until December 2017, so the wait is very long. Looking at everything cruise related online helps pass the time. :)

[Fouremco]

Add us to the list of those booking as soon as*cruises are released by the cruise line. Best choice of cabins and generally lowest possible fare. We have taken last minute, spur of the moment cruises - it's nice being retired! :) - but not very often.

[eldolko]

My booking history looks like this:

• 7 months ahead.

• 8 months ahead.

• 13 months ahead.

• 2 months ahead.

• 19 months ahead.

 

Our upcoming cruise in February 2018 is the earliest we have ever booked. But I think this will be the way we book in the future. With a child and two careers to fit together I think we will need som careful planning ahead.

[Sequim88]

Transatlantics a a twice a year unique cruise so they fill up fast and must be booked pretty early. Especially if a wheelchair accessible cabin is required. Our last TA booking (on NCL, later cancelled :( ) we booked within hours of it opening up about 18 months in advance.

[MommaBear55]

Add us to the list of those booking as soon as*cruises are released by the cruise line. Best choice of cabins and generally lowest possible fare. We have taken last minute, spur of the moment cruises - it's nice being retired! :) - but not very often.

 

US too! If we find another cruise at a good price we book then, too, as I booked a January 2017 cruise in June 2016.

 

It ends up that we have anywhere between 5 and 10 cruises booked at a time, so the next cruise is rarely more than 6 months away, and often less than 60 days between cruises.

 

Already planning my booking strategy for next Spring when the rest of 2018 and some of 2019 is announced.

[Desert Cruizers]

Recently I had our next cruised booked on the Adventurer out of SJ and had our TA move us to the Freedom. The deposit was transferred to the new booking, I kept our original booking #'s

[Funbobby68]

Four booked at the moment furthest one out is March 2018 .... And hoping for more

 

 

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[grandgeezer]

Transatlantics a a twice a year unique cruise so they fill up fast and must be booked pretty early. Especially if a wheelchair accessible cabin is required. Our last TA booking (on NCL, later cancelled :( ) we booked within hours of it opening up about 18 months in advance.

 

I can't speak for handicap rooms, but we booked the 13 day April transatlantic, on the Silhouette, five weeks before sailing and paid $600 p.p. plus taxes and fees for a 1A balcony and we got to pick our cabin. I would be stunned if anybody that booked it when it first came out got it for anything near that. We've done seven transatlantics and never paid more than $75 p.p., per day for a balcony, all booked within three months of sailing.

[ReneeFLL]

When we first started cruising (not that long ago) I thought booking a year out was crazy. It just seemed so far away to me. First time we booked a cruise while on a cruise was a year out. Last June I booked a cruise for next April and I thought that was really crazy. :D As it turns out it really isn't. The ship filled up fast. I have learned from CC that the sooner you book the better it is if you want a certain location on the ship. So when others say they book 2 years out it now makes sense to me. :D

 

As for trying not to go nuts while waiting for the next Trip that's a tough one. If you figure it out let us know. Have a great cruise on the Indy.

[DISFANS3]

WE our booked for Jan 2018 on the Freedom...

[Tin can]

I have two cruises currently booked that I put deposits on right at the two year mark, so over 700 days prior to the cruise!!!

 

Dan.

 

I thought I'd win this one with our Asia cruise booked at 654 days out but I'm a mere amateur! :)

 

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