Best Time To Book

Just wondering when to book a cruise to get the best deal.

Cant say about when to book but we find best pricing on cruising Sept-Oct during hurricane season.

Just be aware if storm comes itinerary could be completely different than what you booked.

Carnival has a promo going thru tomorrow, May 30, for a $99 deposit. For seven day cruises, the deposit would normally be $500 so that's a pretty sweet deal.

I realize this has no bearing on the actual cost of the cruise but this is an Early Saver rate, so if you book now and the price drops, you are eligible to receive that rate.

Carnival has a promo going thru tomorrow, May 30, for a $99 deposit. For seven day cruises, the deposit would normally be $500 so that's a pretty sweet deal.

 

I realize this has no bearing on the actual cost of the cruise but this is an Early Saver rate, so if you book now and the price drops, you are eligible to receive that rate.

But if the price drops and you want the new price they will quickly expect you to pay the rest of the normal deposit. To me this is not a great deal.

Take money off the price and than we are happy.

Just wondering when to book a cruise to get the best deal.

I have always booked about 3:17am on a Wednesday.

Seriously though there is never really a better time. If you see a good price you can live with, go for it.

Bill

I have always booked about 3:17am on a Wednesday.

 

Seriously though there is never really a better time. If you see a good price you can live with, go for it.

 

Bill

Hmm if we want to go on a cruise you are thinking about guess I will have to get up at 3 05.:):)

Historically, the cheapest cruises are usually between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can probably find a good deal the first two weeks in December. Carnival Freedom out of Galveston, 7 day Western Carrib, Dec 5 2015, $339 Interior....

Just wondering when to book a cruise to get the best deal.

Off peak times. We book October or early Nov. for fall cruises (hoping most of hurricane season is over) If you are flying you can't wait until the last minute or you'll pay dearly for air. Fall cruises off the east coast are usually heavily discounted from now until they fill. There are a lot of tools on line to assist you and be sure to ask about any discounts you may be eligible for (Senior, military, resident, past guest, casino etc.)

Agree with LoveMyGkids about not worrying about the booking with the reduced deposit.

However, in regards to when to book a cruise, if you don't care about where the cabin is, probably the best time is a few weeks before the cruise; except on specialty (e.g., repo) cruises.

But as mentioned earlier. If the cruise is a price you are willing to pay and be happy with, do it at that point.

But if the price drops and you want the new price they will quickly expect you to pay the rest of the normal deposit. To me this is not a great deal.

And to make it less of a deal, that special $99 deposit is also non refundable. No thank you.

To the OP: rule of thumb about when to book is, if you're cruising during high season (summer months, holidays, etc) book as early as possible for the best rates. If you're sailing during low season (fall, hurricane season, or right after thanksgiving) then wait as prices have a tendency to drop closer to departure.

There's no specific time frame though. Although you can predict trends, it's hard to pinpoint the specific time when the cruise prices will be at their lowest. It's all based on supply and demand.

Booking early is probably the best deal, if you can plan way in advance. Waiting till the last minute is a gamble, the ship can sell out or the price can increase drastically.

It also depends on the itin. Some never go down. It's rare for a HI cruise to go down.

Many times there will be reductions just after final payment and when TAs release their unbooked group cabins. Sometimes the Pack n Go rates, about 6 weeks out, are very good.

Just wondering when to book a cruise to get the best deal.

Well, there are always promotions but booking a cruise after labor way is usually a better deal since schools are in session.

Even after I book, I continue to check on the prices to see if something dropped

And to make it less of a deal, that special $99 deposit is also non refundable. No thank you.

 

To the OP: rule of thumb about when to book is, if you're cruising during high season (summer months, holidays, etc) book as early as possible for the best rates. If you're sailing during low season (fall, hurricane season, or right after thanksgiving) then wait as prices have a tendency to drop closer to departure.

 

There's no specific time frame though. Although you can predict trends, it's hard to pinpoint the specific time when the cruise prices will be at their lowest. It's all based on supply and demand.

ES has worked well for us over the years and often even if we dont get obc just before the cruise we can upgrade ourselves at very low cost.