Book now or later?

[lovetoholiday]

Looking at a cruise for February 2022.  Would you book now or wait till nearer the time?  Thoughts please.

[complawyer]

1 minute ago, lovetoholiday said:

Looking at a cruise for February 2022.  Would you book now or wait till nearer the time?  Thoughts please.

i would book now, this gives you plenty of time to still cancel and get the cabin and itinerary you really want, 

[Budget Queen]

What’s the risk of booking now?   Nothing! Keep track of your pricing trends.    You have several months to decide if you want to continue at final payment.   

[lovetoholiday]

I'm in the UK so if we cancel we lose the deposit, but my thinking is book now anyway.  It's something to look forward to, after this year of cancellations.

[zqvol]

Who knows if we will even be able to cruise in February 2022. There is a good chance that your deposit will go to waste. Why would you give a cruise line money in these troubled times?

[lovetoholiday]

1 minute ago, zqvol said:

Who knows if we will even be able to cruise in February 2022. There is a good chance that your deposit will go to waste. Why would you give a cruise line money in these troubled times?

It's a special birthday so I'm forward planning!  But, I'm hoping to be cruising long before that.

[uconnWBB]

Go for it. We already have 2 cruises booked for 22. One to Antarctica in Feb and another to Iceland and Greenland in July, no risk can cancel before final payment and we used cruise next certificates. 

[casofilia]

While I book well in advance I am in NZ and so any deposits are refundable.   You are not that fortunate so have a decision to make.   It all depends on whether you are willing to take a chance, the amount required and how you see the future.

[lovetoholiday]

Well, I'm a glass half full kind of person, so I think I'll take the chance 😊

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, lovetoholiday said:

Well, I'm a glass half full kind of person, so I think I'll take the chance 😊

Good for you!

 

We rebooked our cruises when they were cancelled. And if they cancel again.... we will rebook again... 

 

We are glass 3/4 full people. We went to a resort 2 weeks ago on vacation and had a great time. We were careful about our mask compliance and social distancing. We kept our hands clean and carried our clorox wipes around to tidy up. We have to wear masks at work every day and wearing one on vacation was hardly noticeable. 

[mertziek]

9 hours ago, lovetoholiday said:

I'm in the UK so if we cancel we lose the deposit, but my thinking is book now anyway.  It's something to look forward to, after this year of cancellations.

Well I guess it depends on how finicky you are about cabin selection and how much the deposit is.  We personally book early so we get the cabin we want.  Yup, cabin selection is a biggie for us.  Right now 2 cruises booked for 2022.  I think 2021 is still an unknown.    But if losing that deposit if things fall through is a big deal then you may want to hold off a bit.  Can UK passengers change to a different cruise and use the deposit from the first one if something comes up and you have to rebook?  In the US if I cancel one cruise and rebook another the PCC will just transfer the deposit over to the new cruise.  And I agree - it’s nice to have a cruise to look forward to given all this chaos right now.

[NW Pacific]

Depending on amount of deposit.  WE like Suites, which have a high deposit, usually $1500.00.  not doing that until Ships are sailing again  If only a couple hundred dollar deposit ,  on a cruise  I  wanted to go on and choose a cabin I wanted, definitely yes!  Just would not put out any big bucks for a deposit, and then have to go through a whole process to try to getting it  back many months later. 

[Gracelyn]

10 hours ago, uconnWBB said:

Go for it. We already have 2 cruises booked for 22. One to Antarctica in Feb and another to Iceland and Greenland in July, no risk can cancel before final payment and we used cruise next certificates. 

Loving the Iceland Greenland! What ship? 
looking at Norway as well for summer 22

gracelyn

[Trimone]

I would keep your money on your hip, the cruise industry could be a different kettle of fish by then, and NCL might not be the best choice by then, premium brands might offer better choices and prices.

[uconnWBB]

7 hours ago, Gracelyn said:

Loving the Iceland Greenland! What ship? 
looking at Norway as well for summer 22

gracelyn

STAR

[Budget Queen]

13 hours ago, mertziek said:

 Can UK passengers change to a different cruise and use the deposit from the first one if something comes up and you have to rebook?  In the US if I cancel one cruise and rebook another the PCC will just transfer the deposit over to the new cruise.  And I agree - it’s nice to have a cruise to look forward to given all this chaos right now.

In the US it isn’t a “transfer”  usually.  It’s simply a cancellation and rebooking.  Easily done at the same time.    You get  different booking numbers, only the current  perks  etc.  

[Cruising Lynne]

15 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Good for you!

 

We rebooked our cruises when they were cancelled. And if they cancel again.... we will rebook again... 

 

We are glass 3/4 full people. We went to a resort 2 weeks ago on vacation and had a great time. We were careful about our mask compliance and social distancing. We kept our hands clean and carried our clorox wipes around to tidy up. We have to wear masks at work every day and wearing one on vacation was hardly noticeable. 

I like your attitude. If I had an event in 2022 I wanted to celebrate with a cruise, I would definitely book now. I have a couple of cruise-next deposits I look forward to using so no risk there. I am holding off booking anything because I hope to cruise in the fall to celebrate my September retirement, if cruising starts back up. I will be able to be flexible with dates after that. 

 

The mask thing doesn't bother me either. I have been invited back to the area casinos, so a trip there and the beach will probably be my first ventures out besides work. I don't mind wearing a mask if I am near other people, since I also wear one at work.

[The Traveling Man]

If you have found a cruise you like, I would suggest booking now.  The price for your cruise may go up in the coming months, but if you book now your reservation is locked in at today's lower rate.  If the price goes down, you always can cancel and re-book.  You still have about four months until the final payment is due, so you have lots of time to change your mind and cancel without penalty if you find something else that looks more appealing to you.  Even after final payment, if the price goes down you can re-book into a higher category stateroom and use what you already have paid to cover a portion of the cost of the more expensive room.  For example, say you paid $2000 for an Inside when Balcony rooms were priced at $4000.  If the prices drop to $1000 for Inside and $2500 for Balcony, you can apply your $2000 payment to the new lower price of $2500 for the Balcony, assuming there still are some rooms available.  Go for it!

[Budget Queen]

41 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

 For example, say you paid $2000 for an Inside when Balcony rooms were priced at $4000.  If the prices drop to $1000 for Inside and $2500 for Balcony, you can apply your $2000 payment to the new lower price of $2500 for the Balcony, assuming there still are some rooms available.  Go for it!

And assuming they make this "exception"  in the future.    I would not be quick to assume anything.   Could be very different times are ahead.   

[lovetoholiday]

52 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

If you have found a cruise you like, I would suggest booking now.  The price for your cruise may go up in the coming months, but if you book now your reservation is locked in at today's lower rate.  If the price goes down, you always can cancel and re-book.  You still have about four months until the final payment is due, so you have lots of time to change your mind and cancel without penalty if you find something else that looks more appealing to you.  Even after final payment, if the price goes down you can re-book into a higher category stateroom and use what you already have paid to cover a portion of the cost of the more expensive room.  For example, say you paid $2000 for an Inside when Balcony rooms were priced at $4000.  If the prices drop to $1000 for Inside and $2500 for Balcony, you can apply your $2000 payment to the new lower price of $2500 for the Balcony, assuming there still are some rooms available.  Go for it!

Not sure it works like that in the UK., We don't have refundable deposits. If you cancel you lose the deposit. I've never tried changing a booking like this but I'm pretty sure it can't be done in the UK - unfortunately!

[Sea saw 56]

I am finding prices for the two 14 day cruises I am interested in for 2022 to be outrageously expensive, though we are used to spending quite a bit for our cruises.  
Normally we would go ahead and book, I just am not confident how long the cruise line can hold out without actually sailing ships full of money spending people.  Sad.

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, lovetoholiday said:

Not sure it works like that in the UK., We don't have refundable deposits. If you cancel you lose the deposit. I've never tried changing a booking like this but I'm pretty sure it can't be done in the UK - unfortunately!

Yes, the rules that NCL has to play by in the UK are different from those in the US.

[mertziek]

8 hours ago, Budget Queen said:

In the US it isn’t a “transfer”  usually.  It’s simply a cancellation and rebooking.  Easily done at the same time.    You get  different booking numbers, only the current  perks  etc.  

Ok, like I said - cancel one cruise and rebook another BUT the deposit itself is transferred over to the new booking with the date of the transaction in my cruise confirmation as the date from the original booking.  

[Budget Queen]

4 minutes ago, mertziek said:

Ok, like I said - cancel one cruise and rebook another BUT the deposit itself is transferred over to the new booking with the date of the transaction in my cruise confirmation as the date from the original booking.  

Your booking number didn’t change?    

[the wandering two]

For us price was the deciding  factor.

Booked Jade for South Africa January '22 in mid May £859, price now £1299! 

 

RCL have more attractive policies for UK customers, get your deposit back, admittedly as a FCC, for cruises up to April '22.