Earlier and earlier ?

[jayscore]

Has anyone noticed that you need to book "that certain cabin" earlier and earlier each year?

I suppose it all started when CCL wised up and started to have sub-categories for all deck's cabins. (Yeah, I'm old enough to remember when a cabin category price was only related to which deck you booked.) So, it goes...

Being an Aft Rat, it used to be, "eight month's, or, ya snooze and ya lose".

 

Now, I have to book "that certain cabin" almost a year in advance to snag what I want.

I'm not complaining, just observing............:confused:

[beachbum53]

Has anyone noticed that you need to book "that certain cabin" earlier and earlier each year?

I suppose it all started when CCL wised up and started to have sub-categories for all deck's cabins. (Yeah, I'm old enough to remember when a cabin category price was only related to which deck you booked.) So, it goes...

Being an Aft Rat, it used to be, "eight month's, or, ya snooze and ya lose".

 

Now, I have to book "that certain cabin" almost a year in advance to snag what I want.

I'm not complaining, just observing............:confused:

 

 

Yep. Just like the old saying "The early bird gets the worm." I know you don't want to get worms, but you do have to plan ahead and book the cabin you want as soon as possible, at least 12 - 14 months ahead or earlier.

[13cheermom]

Sssshh! Don't tell everyone our secret, lol. Your right about room selections, we love the L-shaped balconies on decks 6 & 7, there are only a few of these yet price match with all aft balconies. The last one we booked a year and 8 months out, probably the longest timeframe yet. But we figure it just gives us longer to check for price drops, :D.

[Banditswife]

Luckily, we aren't picky. We just book the least expensive balcony, paying close attention to what is above & below. But yeah I guess if you want a very specific cabin type &/or location- book early.

[lizardhowson]

People are just booking cruises earlier then in the past.

[Drazil65]

We have always booked early, it's in my blood to be prepared and ahead of the game! It's what I do, plan and organize...;p

[mojavetex]

Do you think that because there really is no advantage to booking onboard this has contributed to booking farther out?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[lizardhowson]

Do you think that because there really is no advantage to booking onboard this has contributed to booking farther out?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

IMHO, the best prices are obtained in these days by booking early.

Carnival's last minute rates are not what they used to be.

[jewel825]

Has anyone noticed that you need to book "that certain cabin" earlier and earlier each year?

I suppose it all started when CCL wised up and started to have sub-categories for all deck's cabins. (Yeah, I'm old enough to remember when a cabin category price was only related to which deck you booked.) So, it goes...

Being an Aft Rat, it used to be, "eight month's, or, ya snooze and ya lose".

 

Now, I have to book "that certain cabin" almost a year in advance to snag what I want.

I'm not complaining, just observing............:confused:

 

We had to book a full year in advance to get a Havana room. I really wanted one of the Cabana rooms but ended up with an Aft Balcony because that is all that was left. Even all the interior rooms were sold out! Crazy, so far in advance!

[jayscore]

IMHO, the best prices are obtained in these days by booking early.

Carnival's last minute rates are not what they used to be.

 

I won't argue that. In fact, My cabin category has already gone up a couple of bucks since I booked two weeks ago!

[tallnthensome]

We book every cruise 2 years plus+ in advance every year or when they open for bookings. I've had my 2020 Panorama booked for a couple months already. When the ship had only ONE aft extended balcony in the Family Harbor area you can't wait. The prices on all my cruises the last 5 years never dropped since the day I booked and that's on CCL, NCL, RC and MSC .....

[summersigh]

IMHO, the best prices are obtained in these days by booking early.

Carnival's last minute rates are not what they used to be.

We've found this to be true as well.

I think too that the economy is improving and there are more folks feeling more confident about spending "disposable" income.

Our December cruise on the Breeze has very, very few balconies left and those are in noisy locations or suites (more expensive)

[eh24fan]

For us, we tend to book at least a year out and in early April we booked for March 2020. It helps to book early to get the best price and the cabin we want, but also it gives us plenty of time to pay on the cruise. We are able to pay a small amount each week and have it paid off in time, as opposed to paying it all at once or having only a few months. It works best for us this way.

[Alaskan Joe]

When we booked our Alaskan Aug 18' two week cruise we booked it 535 days out, wow the waiting is almost over. Anyways, I was looking at cruise like 550 days out, and I had decided if we did Alaska again we would get an AFT balcony, for the panoramic views:D. One room was 7442 (which by the way was the address at which I grew up at) so I thought it would be cool to have that room number. However, while were talking/thinking it over we noticed all the aft balconies were filling up and FAST only about 10-15 days of thinking. That when we noticed room 7442 was gone:(, we did not hesitate we grabbed the next best (best for us) AFT balcony, like I said it was about 535 days out, but we got an AFT balcony.

[bjd2]

We book every cruise 2 years plus+ in advance every year or when they open for bookings. I've had my 2020 Panorama booked for a couple months already. When the ship had only ONE aft extended balcony in the Family Harbor area you can't wait. The prices on all my cruises the last 5 years never dropped since the day I booked and that's on CCL, NCL, RC and MSC .....

 

We have our Panorama March 2020 booked too. I wanted a port side Lido balcony for 2 people and there were none! I took starboard. There is one left. Craziness.

 

I also booked our Horizon March 2019 well over a year ago and got a Havana Vista balcony on deck 6. There is only one interior Havana room left for 2 on that sailing.

[Joebucks]

We've found this to be true as well.

I think too that the economy is improving and there are more folks feeling more confident about spending "disposable" income.

Our December cruise on the Breeze has very, very few balconies left and those are in noisy locations or suites (more expensive)

 

This is a big part of it. When the economy is stronger, traveling gets book up faster.

[saunalick]

I also, just booked a cruise to Grand Turk, Princess Cays, and Nassau 18 months out. On the Triumph. It isn’t until 1/25/2020. Great deal as a solo traveler, and an aft balcony on the 6th deck. Wanted the 8th, was already almost sold out. Like another poster said, gives me plenty of time to pay for it:cool::cool:The countdown has begun