Time to Book?

[WindinmySails]

Typically, I book cruises about 1 to 7 months out.  There is a cruise I'd like to do in 2024.  I always wondered about the prices going down closer to the cruise, especially with a large ship.  I am looking at the Prima out of Galveston in January of 2024. 

On our last cruise a few people complained that they booked it 2 years out and the prices were lower now than when they booked it.  

I remember booking a cruise on Royal Caribbean, and when there was a price drop, even after final payment, I was issued OBC.  

Thoughts?

TIA

[PATRLR]

5 hours ago, WindinmySails said:

Typically, I book cruises about 1 to 7 months out.  There is a cruise I'd like to do in 2024.  I always wondered about the prices going down closer to the cruise, especially with a large ship.  I am looking at the Prima out of Galveston in January of 2024. 

On our last cruise a few people complained that they booked it 2 years out and the prices were lower now than when they booked it.  

I remember booking a cruise on Royal Caribbean, and when there was a price drop, even after final payment, I was issued OBC.  

Thoughts?

TIA

Prices typically drop as you get closer to departure.  The risk is that they actually don't drop (maybe inflation gets worse and prices go up) or that your cabin choice is unavailable.  

[shof515]

i noticed the opposite were prices increase as the sail date gets closer. this happen for most of my cruises this year

[dexddd]

Hard to say.  The computers driving things and the new ships crazy high.  Go with price good to you.  We just sailed Prima and I would not pay much extra to sail it.

[Sailing12Away]

There's a few new threads on here about price drops and 'sales' and getting adjustments and such after booking.

 

If you're before final payment date, you can get price adjustments if the cost goes down just like with RCC. Once you're past final payment date the rules are a bit different.

 

If you've got your heart set on a sailing and particular cabin and you're comfortable with the price, book it now and just put the deposit down. Then from time to time reprice it out. If it goes down, call NCL and they'll lower your remaining balance. If it goes up, pat yourself on the back for locking in at a better price.

[WindinmySails]

Actually, the ship or the dates are not that important to me, it is price for a balcony, and that this is an NCL ship out of Galveston.  Heck I'd sail on their smallest ship if it left Galveston.  It is a port we can drive to...17 hours, but still, we stop in Austin stay with my sister, and then a quick drive to Galveston. 

[Nataly1982]

10 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

There's a few new threads on here about price drops and 'sales' and getting adjustments and such after booking.

 

If you're before final payment date, you can get price adjustments if the cost goes down just like with RCC. Once you're past final payment date the rules are a bit different.

 

If you've got your heart set on a sailing and particular cabin and you're comfortable with the price, book it now and just put the deposit down. Then from time to time reprice it out. If it goes down, call NCL and they'll lower your remaining balance. If it goes up, pat yourself on the back for locking in at a better price.

Hi. Is price adjustment reflected in reduced final payment, or in a form of FCC? Is there a limit on how many times can you adjust the price? 

[RocketMan275]

14 minutes ago, Nataly1982 said:

Hi. Is price adjustment reflected in reduced final payment, or in a form of FCC? Is there a limit on how many times can you adjust the price? 

 I received a price adjustment just last week.  It was in the form of a reduced final payment.  This was before final payment.  Don't know about limits on times.

[Sailing12Away]

If it's before final payment and you have a remaining balance due, they deduct the credit from what you still owe them.

 

If you've already paid the balance off, you get a refund to your original form of payment. 

 

My first 2 (3? I lost track how many there were, there was a lot for this trip) adjustments took money off my remaining balance owed. The last adjustment I had was the day after I made my final balance payment, one day before the final payment due date. That came back to my credit card literally today, $1899.24. Due date was the 27th I think, so about a week for it to show up.

 

If you're after the final payment date, I think it is only offered as a FCC. No limit to adjustments made before that final date, but there are limits once you pass that point of no return.