Cruising close to Christmas / Your great deal

[jeff f]

Tell us about your good deal on a Caribbean cruise from south Florida.

Of course, we all know how the cruiselines inflate the prices around Christmas every year. This year Christmas is on a Saturday and I see the lines taking advantage of two weeks of inflated prices instead of just one. The cruises that are leaving on the 18th that will be returning on Christmas morning are inflated as well as the cruises leaving on Christmas Day. I understand hiking the price on the Christmas cruise leaving the 25th but not on the previous week of the 18th.

Anyhow, my question is this. Would you please share your "deal" or any deals that you may have seen for cruising close to Christmas, from south Florida to the Caribbean? I always cruise the week before Christmas, but this year according to the prices there really is no "cheap, week before Christmas. I would appreciate all responses as I'm sure anyone else looking to cruise around this time would.

 

Thank you

 

Jeff

Celebrity Mercury Feb. 2000 (W. Caribbean)

Celebrity Infinity Dec. 2001 (S. Caribbean)

Carnival Legend Dec. 2002 (S. Caribbean)

Princess Island Jul. 2003 (Southbound Alaska)

Carnival Conquest Dec. 2003 (W. Caribbean)

[Nitemare]

The cruiselines "inflate" the prices of those cruises to meet demand -- if SO many people didn't want to travel over the holidays they wouldn't and couldn't charge that much.

 

For the same reason, fewer people want to travel the weeks before Christmas, which is why we can get great bargains at that time.

[wieslaw]

Cruises are just like anything else.....priced according to supply and demand. Whenever the schools are out the demand seems to be higher and price is higher. There might be some destinations that are not as popular as others and the price will be lower. Every cruise line is in the bussiness to make money and the price reductions are not 'just' for our benefits (although I like to take advantage of them) but neccessary steps to fill the ships.

In the past, the last week of November, two or three first weeks in December and first and maybe second week of January were very slow times for cruises and they were priced lower to attract more cruisers.

Wes

[jeff f]

Thank you for your response. I understand the concept of supply and demand but what I'm really looking for is feedback from anyone who has already booked for December of 2004.

Please share your cruise itinerary and price for any close to Christmas dates.

Thank you

 

Jeff

Celebrity Mercury Feb. 2000 (W. Caribbean)

Celebrity Infinity Dec. 2001 (S. Caribbean)

Carnival Legend Dec. 2002 (S. Caribbean)

Princess Island Jul. 2003 (Southbound Alaska)

Carnival Conquest Dec. 2003 (W. Caribbean)

[wieslaw]

Jeff,

We did book the 11th of Dec. sailing on Celebrity's Century. We did that while we were on board the Millennium (about a month ago)so we also got 100 dol. ship board credit. We booked a cat 10 inside cabin and the price was just about 600 dol per person (no air). I am planning on trasferring this booking to Cruise Club of America to receive some additional discount( I am not sure how much that will be....they charge flat 35dol. per person for booking and suppose to pass on to 'you' the wholesale price of the cruise). I still will need to book my own air and pay for transfer/taxi to the pier and back to the airport.

I have not check any other places so I do not know if the price for the cruise is good or not.

I hope this info is what you are looking for.

Wes

[VaCruzers]

We booked Voyager of the Seas in March for the Dec 18th sailing for $510 pp. It is only 6 nights, but still a great deal as far as I am concerned for Christmas time travel. Plus, we will return home on Christmas eve so we will be home for Christmas morning!

[jeff f]

To wieslaw and VaCruzers: Thank you for your response. I'll be checking into those two cruises.

To anyone else that may be cruising close to Christmas: Please share your info. with us. I'm am looking at cruising close to Christmas (but not during Christmas day) at a "not too inflated holiday price." As I said, Christmas is on a Saturday this year and it looks like the cruiselines are inflating 2 weeks around the holiday this year instead of the usual 1.

 

Thank you for all your responses.

 

Jeff

Celebrity Mercury Feb. 2000 (W. Caribbean)

Celebrity Infinity Dec. 2001 (S. Caribbean)

Carnival Legend Dec. 2002 (S. Caribbean)

Princess Island Jul. 2003 (Southbound Alaska)

Carnival Conquest Dec. 2003 (W. Caribbean)

[bananavan]

Just a be prepared note for those of you sailing on the less expensive cruises before Xmas.

WE took Century for the Xmas week last year. Had a great time. The staff were so grateful for the wonderful guests that were on board with us. Apparently the week before was the worst set of people that they had ever seen. The Customer service desk was lined with complainants. Not about anything that Celebrity did, but complaining about the rudeness and the nastiness of the fellow travelers. The breakfast in the main dining room was a nightmare as 1700 seasoned citizens demanded egg white omelets all at the same time. Security was called to the Casino three times one evening to settle disputes over slot machine usage as octogenarians actually hit each other with canes! The tipping was another story. Apparently some of these folks figured that the ship was making ENOUGH money off the deeply discounted fare and left no envelopes.

So if you are going to go, make sure you have some great companions to travel with and vent with when all the chairs are covered with towels at 5:30 am. (Heck, they are up anyway, why not strip the beds?)

Good Luck

[Roz]

Jeff,

 

I got an excellent fare on the Zaandam leaving Pt. Canaveral on Dec. 11. It's a 7-day Eastern Caribbean, and I know you're looking for Southern.

 

Roz

[jeff f]

Thanks Roz

 

Jeff

Celebrity Mercury Feb. 2000 (W. Caribbean)

Celebrity Infinity Dec. 2001 (S. Caribbean)

Carnival Legend Dec. 2002 (S. Caribbean)

Princess Island Jul. 2003 (Southbound Alaska)

Carnival Conquest Dec. 2003 (W. Caribbean)

[jewopaho]

I usually cruise between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when the prices are at their lowest (save for hurricane season). My best deal ever was on the Horizon out of Tampa, the week before Christmas of '02, for a ridiculous $342 - and an upgrade to an ocean-view stateroom, no less!! Yes, it was a seven-night voyage; and no, I'll likely never see that price again! Right now, the best deals around are on the Inspiration (also out of Tampa) for the final sailings prior to the arrival of the Miracle (which has virtually sold out). If you can move your plans to late October or early November, you can likely sail for under $400pp. This time, I managed to book the Caribbean Princess for a spectacular price (given that it's a new ship) in mid-November. Pre-Christmas prices are similar (under $600), but if you need air transportation, you may run into holiday pricing, which more than negates the cruise savings (Southwest is notorious for this). Bottom line: keep looking. In this era of rising fares, the deals are still out there ... you just need to delve a little deeper to find them. Happy hunting and smooth sailing.

[stacyinpa]

Our family has taken vacation the week of Christmas for 6 years now. We either cruise or visit WDW. December 2003 we cruised the Inspiration on a Western Carribean. This year (2004) we are back at WDW, but I am planning my 2005 cruise now. Either we will board December 24 or 25 depending on what ship I choose.

 

Our trips are a family *gift* if you want to call it that. My girls are 10 and 15 and they dont need the latest toy/electronic fad that will sit on a shelf before long, or things with missing pieces, or things that they become bored with before long. At their ages they are looking for big ticket $ items. We have decided 6 years ago that this is what we would do. You know how fast you can drop $ on kids especially when they hit a certain age. We save all year and they know they dont get junk when we go shopping....etc. They LOVE cruising! These are memories no money could buy. These memories are better then any other gift I could buy. The *gifts* would quickly fade but they are always talking about what we saw, did...etc. We love seeing the different cultures and how people have to live on some of the islands we visit. It really makes you thank your lucky stars how good you do have it, even when rough times come upon us.

 

I know I got alittle off course here, but I wanted to say that we absolutely LOVE crusing over Christmas. It is a bit more pricey, but if you book it far enough in advance and plan for it, its not bad. You would be surprised at what you can spend wastefully if you dont watch.

 

I know the cruise lines charge more for this week.....actually New Years is more then Christmas. But as long as I plan for it and we watch unwastefull spending....we manage. No toy/gift can create the kind of memories we get from our Christmas getaway.

 

If you worry about religous celebrations, there are places on the ship that have services. So even if you are away at sea and want to go to service...its an option. The ship is beautifully decorated to. The atmosphere is there.

 

I have already researched and priced different itinerarys for 2005 and am ready to book. That gives me well over a year to save. If you have any specific question feel free to email me.

 

Stacy

[ASM]

HAL Westerdam 12/12 7 day eastern Caribbean $635 pp for a verandah -excluding taxes, port charges. New ship, mariner special.

[mconthehighseas]

We found a phenomenal fare for Dec 5 out of Galveston. We are paying the same for a junior suite on this cruise that we paid for the cheapest balcony last year, and that was during hurricane season. Our cruise is currently sold out - because the fares were great at every level.

[geoherb]

We were on the Grand Princess last year--Dec. 14 sailing. Cat. BD Balconies were less than $700 pp when we booked and we ended up switching to a BA for even less than our booking price.

 

This year, I've been looking at HAL's Zuiderdam. It leaves Dec. 18 for a five-night cruise (returning Dec. 23). By the time we find out from our employers if we can get off work, it may be too late to book it. All of the inside and outside cabins are booked. There are still verandah cabins and suites available, starting at $734 before taxes.

 

We've taken several cruises in late November and December. The ships we've been on the week after Thanksgiving have been decorated for Christmas and Hannukah.

[koolcruiser43]

We are also booked on th Voyager Dec. 18th western 6 night cruise for $550 pp inside promenade and $750 pp balcony. Many of RC ships have been shortened and discounted to a 6 day cruise the week before Christmas. They have added 2 extra days to the Christmas sailing departing on Dec. 24th making it a 9 day cruise and about triple the price. I think the Navigator, and Serenade are also doing the 6 day Eastern and Southern. You can also try some Celebrity ships which are also doing some shortened itineraries the week right before Christmas. This week is usually in very high demand due to kids already being out of school for the holidays. The Voyager sailing on Dec. 18th has been sold out for a few months now. I have noticed that some Carnival ships have reduced their prices recently for that week before Christmas. I saw the Miracle on sale and almost switched over but it is its inaugral sailing and I am a little nervous about that.

[calliecat]

We're on the Grand at Christmas for a 10 day cruise out of Galveston. We have a 12 yr old and we won't have to take him out of school for as many days. We think we got a great price considering the original price I booked it for. We booked with a local agency and I had to call them when I noticed the price went down ~$600. **The TA later told me she didn't have time to check each individual cruise for price reductions!A month or so later, I got brave and transferred my booking to a wonderful TA that used to be mentioned here when we could do it. She saved me a bundle and I trust her.

I've received e-mail from her, my cruise insurance policy and my itinerary thru the mail. The only time I ever heard from the local TA was when payment was due.......I also heard from the local TA the day she received the booking transfer notice at the office.......I'm surprise everyone didn't hear from her since she was yelling and threatening me so!

I figure for the 10 day cruise during Christmas is is running us around $155/day. This does not include insurance or airfare. Maybe not a great deal to many of you but it's our Christmas gift to us.

[calliecat]

I should clairfy that $155 is per person....still without air/insurance, a snack at the airport, renting a car from Houston to Galveston, the hotel we're staying in the night before, transfer from the ship to the airport, etc, etc etc

[Mother Bear]

HI

 

Just wanted to let you know that my husband and I booked an 11 day on Rcc leaving on Dec.13- 24. For an outside large cabin we paid 954.85 with all taxes and port charges. It is a southern carribean cruise going to some great ports. I did lots of pricing around and this is the best price I found, we booked with a place called Vactionstogo.com. Maybe you can find somthing with them as they list many of the cruise lines at their web site. Hope you find somthing.

[bigmike7]

Yo-

 

Take a look at Skyauctions December 28 MSC "Opera" 11 day So Carib cruise-

 

I have seen it go for some very reasonable prices-

 

Happy Cruisin'

 

Mike

[pinupprincess]

We booked a 'close' to Christmas cruise to the Riviera for December 11-18, just under $85pppd. I think we got a good deal:rolleyes:

[VaCruzers]

Just a quick follow-up. Our Voyager 12/18 cruise had been showing as "sold out" for months, but now has a few cabins available. The rate is not nearly as low as we got, but it might be in the price some of you are willing to pay for holiday travel. Just passing along this availability in case anyone wants to take a look.