Is it a bargain to book while onboard?

[mtnmusic]

Does it pay to book your next cruise at the end of your current one? We are on the Noordam in January and would like to also go on Noordam to the Mediterrean next summer. I am itching to book now' date=' but heard that the rates are the best if you book onboard. The other issue is missing a good SA or SB cabin if I wait till January 2010 for an August 2010 sailing. Any insights here?[/quote']\

 

The smart thing to do is book onboard and then use a website to bid out the cruise when you get back home. The main advantage to the onboard booking is that you pay only a $100 deposit, get onboard credit and your choice of cabins, all of which can be transferred to a TA. We're doing a 24 day cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam next year and after booking onboard and then bidding out to TAs we're getting the 2nd person in the cabin (my wife) for only $500 more than HAL's rack rate for one person.

[serendipity1499]

I booked this as one cruise, with one booking number, and in the same cabin (remember, this was 10 months out). To book it as two separate cruises, with two booking numbers, would have cost significantly more.

I wasn't able to get my #1 preferred cabin, but did get my second choice. I booked the cruise, not an open booking, and had it assigned to the TA I used for the cruise I was on at the time. I'm happy with her, and want to stay with her.

 

Thanks so much Ruth..If my DH can survive our 28 day this time, we'll decide to book the entire 36 days on board..We can always cancel if our TA can't come up with a good price..

Thanks again..Betty

[serendipity1499]

OOPS double post ...sorry

[Archie's Mom]

Another question these very good answers has brought to mind... How exactly do you "Bid it out to a TA." I have never done this. Are these local TAs or online agencies? Could someone give me a brief sample of what you would do to get a good bid? Thanks so much. I can feel my next cruise becoming a reality!

[mtnmusic]

Another question these very good answers has brought to mind... How exactly do you "Bid it out to a TA." I have never done this. Are these local TAs or online agencies? Could someone give me a brief sample of what you would do to get a good bid? Thanks so much. I can feel my next cruise becoming a reality!

 

These are all online TAs. The CC website would probably frown on me if I gave you specific endorsements but you can google "cruise compete", "cruise bids" or "cruise quotes" and find them for yourself. Pick where and when you want to cruise and the cabin category you need and they'll get back to you with their lowest bid.

 

Some TAs buy up a block of cabins at a discounted rate for resale while others simply cut their commissions working on the assumption that 10% of something is better than 100% of nothing. There's nothing immoral about shopping for the best bargain.