How Early do you Book?

[tonyr1988]

Just wondering how early you guys usually book your trips. We're planning on doing cruise, flight, and hotel separately. We'll probably wait until we get our tax refunds, to get some padding in the savings. We were thinking about booking in June or July for our December '08 vacation. Is that too early?

 

We're still working out the details of everything, but we don't want to wait too late and have no choices. When do you normally book?

[GORDONCHICK]

That's not too early for December. If you're booking in early December, you may get some really good pricing and/or great cabins will be left. The closer you get to Christmas/New Years, the pricing goes up, most desireable cabins are gone, etc. We book as far in advance as possible because we have to have a cabin for three and they are in short supply. It can also depend on the destination. When booking for Alaska, and most recently the Med, the booking frenzy starts early! Depends on what your needs and desires are.

[katmu]

I do think how early you book somewhat depends on the destination. I just booked a cruise for Dec.13 2008 for the Caribbean, but I booked on a new ship. I think if you are looking at something pre-Holiday for December you would be ok to wait for a bit. I haven't booked our airfare yet, but set up an alert to tell me when the price drops.

[Sheffie]

We usually book about a year out for our cruises. We usually book for next year while on our current vacation so that we can get the OB Cabin credit. The prices haven't gone up on our cruises, but they could. We know that if they go down, we will be able to get the adjustment.

 

We have had to change our cruises due to scheduling problems, but by keeping the same booking number, we are still able to keep the OBC.

[ehfl]

The sooner the better.

[clackey]

We've booked as far as 14 months out and as soon as 3 weeks. It depends on our checkbook and time schedule.

[cathi]

Depends on where you want to go and how long a cruise you want. talking Dec you are probably looking at Caribbean. Haven't booked that destination for a while but any of the exotics often sell out a year in advance. We are leaving in April which we booked last Feb. and our 2009 cruise was booked in Nov for late April and the balcony cabins are on a waitlist already!!