If the ship is sold out...

[IrishSails]

will it not pull up when searched on the Carnival site or other search sites?

 

We depart on the 12/19 Liberty and I like to just see what last minute availability is on out sailings. If I remember correctly in the past the sailing would pull up and show available categories or sold out. This one is nowhere and Ive been looking for about a week.

 

Thanks!

[shof515]

when the ship is sold out, it is removed from the carnival website and possible other sites too. that is normal. 

[BlerkOne]

Call Carnival?

[TxTeach79]

31 minutes ago, IrishSails said:

will it not pull up when searched on the Carnival site or other search sites?

 

We depart on the 12/19 Liberty and I like to just see what last minute availability is on out sailings. If I remember correctly in the past the sailing would pull up and show available categories or sold out. This one is nowhere and Ive been looking for about a week.

 

Thanks!

 

Are you sure the date is correct? I may be missing something, but I'm seeing a 4 night Liberty sailing on 12/18, with availability in all levels of cabins. 

[asalligo]

Yes, my cruise next week is also now sold out and missing from the list. 

[cruisingguy007]

One trick I learned is to check expedia cruises to see if it's really sold out, oftentimes there will still be cabins available that show up there but not on the cruise lines main booking engine. There usually aren't many cabin options but there are, oftentimes, multiple categories and some good deals. Now if you are trying to parlay that into some kind of upgrade with the cruise line then it probably won't work but if you are trying to find a cabin for a last min addition to your cruise companions it may allow them to join you on the cruise even when it isn't listed on the main cruise line website. Another option, as Blerk suggested, is to call the cruise line directly but even then, those listed cabins may be blocked off and only available through a third party arbitrage travel site. 

 

I will say that folks are booking, much more than usual, lots of ships are filling up. I've been quite surprised to see so many ships with limited availability into the shoulder season when there is usually plenty. Our Jan cruise is nearly sold out and that hasn't been the case in the past, even pre covid. Prices arn't as cheap as they've been in the past either and that hasn't seemed to slow demand. Folks looking to cruise.    

[staceyglow]

11 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

One trick I learned is to check expedia cruises to see if it's really sold out, oftentimes there will still be cabins available that show up there but not on the cruise lines main booking engine. There usually aren't many cabin options but there are, oftentimes, multiple categories and some good deals.   

The larger travel agents (including the one with the really fabulous search engine) may have cabins available because they have "pre-purchased" them from Carnival, so they are not in Carnival's inventory.  We have gotten some great deals on cruises because the agency had a lot of them that were still unsold, so they slash the prices to an amount that Carnival does not want to match.  On the flip side, they might  have cabins after Carnival has sold all of their remaining ones.

[cruisingguy007]

10 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

The larger travel agents (including the one with the really fabulous search engine) may have cabins available because they have "pre-purchased" them from Carnival, so they are not in Carnival's inventory.  We have gotten some great deals on cruises because the agency had a lot of them that were still unsold, so they slash the prices to an amount that Carnival does not want to match.  On the flip side, they might  have cabins after Carnival has sold all of their remaining ones.

 

Indeed, I've seen some incredible deals recently, even for more premium lines (like crazy good!). The only problem is you have to be willing to sail in short order. Funny thing is we usually do that, just up and decide we want a vacation and then book something, in fact, most of our vacations have been essentially pack and go (even land based) so this could work for us in the future for sure. We did our first cruise this way actually and it was how we discovered cruising. I hadn't known anyone that went on a cruise before that, knew nothing about cruising and just hadn't considered it an option. Then when looking for a last min vacay, bam, good deal pops up on a arbitrage site and we said what the heck? Been hooked ever since.  

Edited December 13, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[Eli_6]

Also, I just learned that apparently a ship may still have rooms open but it can be at "passenger" capacity if enough people are booked in 3- and 4-person rooms.  In that case, it will disappear off the website. 

[Saint Greg]

9 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Also, I just learned that apparently a ship may still have rooms open but it can be at "passenger" capacity if enough people are booked in 3- and 4-person rooms.  In that case, it will disappear off the website. 

 

Not very smart on the part of the cruise line since the 1st and 2nd passengers pay a lot more than the 3rd and 4th. At some point I'd stop allowing 3rd and 4th bookings and fill up those other rooms.

[mz-s]

4 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Not very smart on the part of the cruise line since the 1st and 2nd passengers pay a lot more than the 3rd and 4th. At some point I'd stop allowing 3rd and 4th bookings and fill up those other rooms.

 

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

[cruisingguy007]

13 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Also, I just learned that apparently a ship may still have rooms open but it can be at "passenger" capacity if enough people are booked in 3- and 4-person rooms.  In that case, it will disappear off the website. 

 

That makes sense, need life boats for all souls onboard. It's also a nice buffer in case you have any issues with cabins and need to move folks because of malfunctioning cabins, quarantine passengers or passenger groups who are fighting/carrying on etc. Options are always a good thing to have.    

[cruisingguy007]

Just now, mz-s said:

 

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

 

Indeed, plus those third, fourth and fifth passengers are paying gratuities, taxes, port fees and potential excursions and onboard spend. It also decreases cabin servicing loads on crew since they have less cabins to clean vs all cabins booked single/double+ capacity.  

[Eli_6]

18 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

Not very smart on the part of the cruise line since the 1st and 2nd passengers pay a lot more than the 3rd and 4th. At some point I'd stop allowing 3rd and 4th bookings and fill up those other rooms.

On some sailings, though, those 3rd and 4th actually go for more.  This is usually sailings where you have a lot of kids.  I experienced this personally on a Christmas sailing in 2019. It was cheaper to book 2 rooms rather than a 3 person room. However, we had 2 adults, 1 kid.  But sometimes, in the case of babies or toddlers and 1 adult, you can't put them in a room by themselves. So, if you hypothetically have a Mom cruising by herself with two very young kids, you have to have a three person room...particularly, if one next door or directly across the hall isn't available. 

 

Carnival has certain rules based on ages of kids about where/how you can book them.  I don't know them all, but (for example), my kids can be booked directly across the hall in an inside room or next door in an inside room now, but not in a balcony by themselves and not anywhere else.  But they are 8 and 10 now. Kids over a certain age can be booked like 5 doors away; and then over age 18 but under 21 can be booked anywhere but still have to have a "guardian" (i.e. someone over 25 who is responsible for them) on board.  

Edited December 13, 2022 by Eli_6

[Eli_6]

Also, I think they also have to leave some cabins open for Covid quarantine rooms.  Not sure if they are still doing this or not, but they were back in July last time I cruised. 

[Cruiser_1977]

2 hours ago, TxTeach79 said:

 

Are you sure the date is correct? I may be missing something, but I'm seeing a 4 night Liberty sailing on 12/18, with availability in all levels of cabins. 

Are you looking at 2022 or 2023? OP is referring to 2022. Carnival Liberty is currently doing cruises to the Bahamas. The cruise in progress is 12/12-12/16. The next one is 12/16-12/19. With @IrishSails boarding on the 19th.

Edited December 13, 2022 by JennyB1977

[Drazil65]

Our Mardi Gras sailing 12/17 is gone from the website  as well.  They are also selling the loft 19 cabanas for $1750 for the week, looks like 4 are sold and 8 available.  

[BlerkOne]

10 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

On some sailings, though, those 3rd and 4th actually go for more. 

 

To make up for cabins that will have to go unsold.

[TxTeach79]

18 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

Are you looking at 2022 or 2023? OP is referring to 2022. Carnival Liberty is currently doing cruises to the Bahamas. The cruise in progress is 12/12-12/16. The next one is 12/16-12/19. With @IrishSails boarding on the 19th.

 

Good call. My bad, thanks!

[TxTeach79]

Nevermind, misfire. 

Edited December 13, 2022 by TxTeach79

[Joebucks]

I was surprised to see my month away cruise was sold out, and other nearby sailings on the same ship. They must not be doing so bad. Little do these people know, they can't order 3 MDR entrees for free!!!!

[Illbcruzn4life]

3 hours ago, staceyglow said:

The larger travel agents (including the one with the really fabulous search engine) may have cabins available because they have "pre-purchased" them from Carnival, so they are not in Carnival's inventory.  We have gotten some great deals on cruises because the agency had a lot of them that were still unsold, so they slash the prices to an amount that Carnival does not want to match.  On the flip side, they might  have cabins after Carnival has sold all of their remaining ones.

What happens to those cabins if they are not sold by cruising date?

 

This is something I’ve never seen discussed. I’ve heard that agencies have blocks of cabins but if not sold by final payment date they are returned to the cruise lines

[staceyglow]

2 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

What happens to those cabins if they are not sold by cruising date?

 

This is something I’ve never seen discussed. I’ve heard that agencies have blocks of cabins but if not sold by final payment date they are returned to the cruise lines

If I am not mistaken, they don't like to give them back (assuming they are allowed to) because it may affect the number of cabins the line is willing to give them in future.  That is why you can get some crazy deals close to the cruise date. They would rather sell them at a loss than give them back to Carnival.

[BlerkOne]

9 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

If I am not mistaken, they don't like to give them back (assuming they are allowed to) because it may affect the number of cabins the line is willing to give them in future.  That is why you can get some crazy deals close to the cruise date. They would rather sell them at a loss than give them back to Carnival.

At some point Carnival will take them  back.

[staceyglow]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

At some point Carnival will take them  back.

I didn't say Carnival won't take them back.  I said that the TA doesn't want to give them back, even if it means taking a loss on them.