What do you have a harder time with?

[PoppyandNana]

Normally we cruise annually. The worst time is when I have 10-11 months to go. The thrill of the last cruise is starting to fade, my review is done. 30 days out is great, we are usually doing something to get ready every day, my roll call will usually be adding to the excitement.

 

At our stage in life we are faced with two choices. We can take two cruises a year. One, in January (ten days) to the Caribbean and one longer, 12 days, to Europe.

 

OR.

 

We can take three shorter, seven day, cruises locally within CONUS.

 

What would you do?

[aubreyc1988]

I usually never book more than a month in advance of my sail date, just because i like to keep my options open and prefer the price drops after final payment. Also because I HATE a long wait for something. If I don't have anything booked, then I don't have any anticipation and time flies until its a month before I want to leave, and then I look and find a sailing :)

[aubreyc1988]

At our stage in life we are faced with two choices. We can take two cruises a year. One, in January (ten days) to the Caribbean and one longer, 12 days, to Europe.

 

OR.

 

We can take three shorter, seven day, cruises locally within CONUS.

 

What would you do?

 

I've never taken a longer cruise than 9 days, but if you are still working, i'd do three 7 day cruises over the 2 longer ones, breaks up the work year. If you aren't working, i'd do the two longer.

[Clarea]

At our stage in life we are faced with two choices. We can take two cruises a year. One, in January (ten days) to the Caribbean and one longer, 12 days, to Europe.

 

OR.

 

We can take three shorter, seven day, cruises locally within CONUS.

 

What would you do?

I'd take the longer, presumably more interesting cruises.

[Flamencacha]

At our stage in life we are faced with two choices. We can take two cruises a year. One, in January (ten days) to the Caribbean and one longer, 12 days, to Europe.

 

 

 

OR.

 

 

 

We can take three shorter, seven day, cruises locally within CONUS.

 

 

 

What would you do?

 

 

 

I would do the two longer ones.

 

 

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[Flamencacha]

I usually never book more than a month in advance of my sail date, just because i like to keep my options open and prefer the price drops after final payment. Also because I HATE a long wait for something. If I don't have anything booked, then I don't have any anticipation and time flies until its a month before I want to leave, and then I look and find a sailing :)

 

 

 

I like your thinking. Sounds like a plan that could work for me. Also you don't have to worry and check if the price drops.

 

 

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[aubreyc1988]

I like your thinking. Sounds like a plan that could work for me. Also you don't have to worry and check if the price drops.

 

 

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Flight prices are a reason many people don't do this. I live by a major airport so prices a month out are pretty much the same or cheaper as a year out or 6 months. Plus with my husbands job, he doesn't know until about a month or so out when a good time for him to vacation.

 

Another thing I've heard people do is find a cheap flight to Miami or Fort Lauderdale area on a weekend where lots of ships leave and then they pick a ship after final payment based on price. I want to do it one day but I'm pretty chicken! Maybe whenever we have more vacation and can take more than 2 cruises a year

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

I usually never book more than a month in advance of my sail date, just because i like to keep my options open and prefer the price drops after final payment. Also because I HATE a long wait for something. If I don't have anything booked, then I don't have any anticipation and time flies until its a month before I want to leave, and then I look and find a sailing :)

 

Further out is harder.

 

We've only booked 3 last minute cruises and only one was cheap.

 

I always like to keep a couple cruises booked in advance, but pretty sure I'm going to try the after final strategy for most of our 2018 bookings

[BillOh]

At our stage in life we are faced with two choices. We can take two cruises a year. One, in January (ten days) to the Caribbean and one longer, 12 days, to Europe.

 

OR.

 

We can take three shorter, seven day, cruises locally within CONUS.

 

What would you do?

Given those two choices, I would do one this year and the other next year.

 

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[Pipo]

I can only sail on cruises during my annual vacations, so my longest wait is 11 months, when air tickets are released. But I would say six months out is a good balance between desperation and good planning.

[Flamencacha]

Flight prices are a reason many people don't do this. I live by a major airport so prices a month out are pretty much the same or cheaper as a year out or 6 months. Plus with my husbands job, he doesn't know until about a month or so out when a good time for him to vacation.

 

Another thing I've heard people do is find a cheap flight to Miami or Fort Lauderdale area on a weekend where lots of ships leave and then they pick a ship after final payment based on price. I want to do it one day but I'm pretty chicken! Maybe whenever we have more vacation and can take more than 2 cruises a year

 

 

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I live in Spain so airfare is quite reasonable most of the time. I did a last minute out of Miami, I was already there. Worked out well. My cheaper cruises have been last minute. My more elaborate well in advance.

 

 

 

 

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[Paulette3028]

They're equally arduous when I'm actively thinking about the cruise. After spending the past year planning 2 cruises, I don't know what I'll do come October, when they are both over. Definitely won't be cruising in 2017. Now that will be hard.

 

Plan a cruise for 2018 and have something to look forward to. If you book a cruise while on a cruise the deposit is less and they give you an OBC as well.

[mattg43]

Becomes harder when I've made the final payment. The out of pocket expense with 3 months to wait makes the waiting that much worse.

[hapster85]

Plan a cruise for 2018 and have something to look forward to. If you book a cruise while on a cruise the deposit is less and they give you an OBC as well.

Oh we know. We booked our Anthem cruise this year, while on the Radiance last year. :D

 

As to 2018, that's already being considered for June or July, after our youngest graduates high school. :D

[Paulette3028]

Oh we know. We booked our Anthem cruise this year, while on the Radiance last year. :D

 

As to 2018, that's already being considered for June or July, after our youngest graduates high school. :D

 

All good things....we are sailing on Empress next week, and planning to book a cruise for February of 2018 when onboard.

[preschool teacher]

6 months out still feels so far away and takes forever to get through...a month I just get more and more excited!!!!

[Cuizer2]

When you are still 6 months out from a cruise or when it is right around 30 days left?

 

 

Personally for me, it is at 30 days. The days seem to drag by at this point for me because I am ready to go on vacation and it is close but still oh so far away.

 

 

What about for you guys?

 

You have to get a lot closer for me. For me the hardest time is the last few days. Prior to that I'm fine.