QM2 price query

Looking to sail Eastbound from NY on August 4th and was wondering when and how much prices drop for inside/outside cabins in the months leading up to it? The cheapest price I found today in the UK was £1083 per person for an inside cabin-will it get much cheaper than that if we leave it another couple of months or so to book? Any advice much appreciated!

That's peak vacation time on both sides of the pond.

It's possible there may be late price drops on insides but these tend to be guarantee only, no choice of dinner seating time. And they tend to be in the locations that nobody wanted for one reason or another. If the voyage is selling well prices may not get any better.

Also, the later you book the higher the deposit and very late bookings require immediate full payment.

You have to decide if locking in your sailing date is more important to you over a possible lower price later. Or maybe prices going up or selling out. You and Cunard are both playing the same game.

We have weddings in New York to go to in July so that is the sailing date we want. Is there any way of knowing how well a particular cruise is selling?

We sailed in December 2013 with a guaranteed cabin so are more than happy to take our chances again-price is important and we've been unlucky before booking and then a massive price drop within days (which is tough when you have been saving for a long time only to find you could potentially have saved hundreds more pounds!). We are expecting to have to pay in full and will be happy with any cabin we end up with if only we can afford to be on cruise to begin with!

If you're booking from the US your fare is fully refundable until about 90 days before sailing. If you want those dates book now and watch for sales.

If it's going to get cheaper it is likely to be after final payment but I don't think you want to wait that long.

My husband is American but we live in the UK. I rang a couple of travel agents today and they said the price you book at is the price you pay no matter how much it goes down. They tried to say it could also go up, but Cunard have previously told me fares don't go beyond their original price for the cabin grade. I've seen on Cruise Critic articles people being offered perks like on board credit for the difference in price at booking to the price at sailing but this seems to be only for US customers.

Also, I was under the impression that in the US it tends to be a cruise only fare whereas we are looking at the price for the cruise and the flight.

Really hope we can afford to sail this summer since I absolutely hate flying and we have been saving for 18 months so far to try and afford it!

Hi whiteladder42. On this side of the pond, I'm seeing special offers called 'Cunard's 175th Anniversary Package' on select voyages booked by Feb 28. I don't know what the terms and conditions are for this special offer for bookings made on your side of the pond, but you might want to phone Cunard and ask. (In the US, the promo code is: R2G/Z2G)

BTW, I imagine that the special offer might mean categories sell out earlier than usual so you might want to factor that in when considering if you want to wait closer to sail date to book. Best wishes, -Salacia

My husband is American but we live in the UK. I rang a couple of travel agents today and they said the price you book at is the price you pay no matter how much it goes down. They tried to say it could also go up, but Cunard have previously told me fares don't go beyond their original price for the cabin grade. I've seen on Cruise Critic articles people being offered perks like on board credit for the difference in price at booking to the price at sailing but this seems to be only for US customers.

 

Also, I was under the impression that in the US it tends to be a cruise only fare whereas we are looking at the price for the cruise and the flight.

 

Really hope we can afford to sail this summer since I absolutely hate flying and we have been saving for 18 months so far to try and afford it!

Then you'll be sailing under the UK fare rules where the deposit is non-refundable. (These geographic price differences have been argued many times here on CC.)

You're told us that both affordability and locking in your sailing date are the key considerations. If you book now, and the price drops, will it diminish your enjoyment of the voyage? So much so that you'll feel "taken" and despise every minute of it? If you wait and the price goes up or the voyage sells out will you be willing to fly home instead?

I'm afraid none of us are clairvoyant enough to tell you to wait for price drops, you'll be just fine, and still get the sailing date.

Waiting for a better rate is okay if :

1) Lowest price is your upmost importance

2) You are not fixed on 1 sailing date

3) You can accept a category guarantee

4) You can accept sold out and not sailing

5) Airfare is not an issue .

My husband is American but we live in the UK. I rang a couple of travel agents today and they said the price you book at is the price you pay no matter how much it goes down. They tried to say it could also go up, but Cunard have previously told me fares don't go beyond their original price for the cabin grade. I've seen on Cruise Critic articles people being offered perks like on board credit for the difference in price at booking to the price at sailing but this seems to be only for US customers.

 

Also, I was under the impression that in the US it tends to be a cruise only fare whereas we are looking at the price for the cruise and the flight.

 

Really hope we can afford to sail this summer since I absolutely hate flying and we have been saving for 18 months so far to try and afford it!

If your husband is a US citizen I don't see why you couldn't simply book via a US travel agent and take advantage of the US booking rules. (Others may have better information on this and I invite their input). In the US we can cancel without any penalty up to 90 days before sailing so you could just book now and jump to the lower fare later if one should show up. We have done this many times -- actually we have gone to a lower fare more than once for a single voyage. Most of the time my travel agent just goes ahead and swaps us to the lower fare without me even contacting her.

If your husband is a US citizen I don't see why you couldn't simply book via a US travel agent and take advantage of the US booking rules. (Others may have better information on this and I invite their input). In the US we can cancel without any penalty up to 90 days before sailing so you could just book now and jump to the lower fare later if one should show up. We have done this many times -- actually we have gone to a lower fare more than once for a single voyage. Most of the time my travel agent just goes ahead and swaps us to the lower fare without me even contacting her.

One problem with this is that US fares do not include the one-way airfare. Right now the cheapest inside for this crossing in the US is just a little cheaper than the UK fare mentioned by the OP which includes the airfare which the U.S. does not.

If your husband is a US citizen I don't see why you couldn't simply book via a US travel agent and take advantage of the US booking rules. (Others may have better information on this and I invite their input). In the US we can cancel without any penalty up to 90 days before sailing so you could just book now and jump to the lower fare later if one should show up. We have done this many times -- actually we have gone to a lower fare more than once for a single voyage. Most of the time my travel agent just goes ahead and swaps us to the lower fare without me even contacting her.

Hi old fool. Just to mention that my experience in the past few years is that fares are most dramatically reduced after the 90 day final payment. For example, the Sept 2013 cruise round trip NY to Canada fares were reduced by almost half months before sail date compared to what we paid by booking in advance. No price adjustment for previous bookings was made at that point. So if passengers really want to play the game of "chicken" with cruise lines, they need to play the waiting game and book less than 90 days before sail date. For reasons MCC retired posted previously, it might not be to their best advantage. -S.

Thanks for the advice and info-looks like at the moment we will have to hold off booking (simply due to not having the money now) but make a decision in around a month or so-if we leave it too long and the cabin grade sells out, we might not be able to afford return flights either! And we absolutely do not want to be in that situation.

I know it's out of our control as passengers as to price changes but we have saved so hard and made a lot of sacrifices for this summer holiday, to find out the price has dropped hundreds of pounds days after you pay (happened last time in 2013) is unpleasant. I know everyone has different views on the subject though! Does anyone have any recommendations in the UK as to websites or travel agents that will update you on any price changes without me having to look every single day? Perhaps asking too much...!

There used to be a fair difference between travel agents and booking directly with Cunard a few years ago, but not that does not now seem to be the case. For example, about 5 years ago we went Transatlantic round-trip and it was £1050 each with a travel agent and booking directly was £1800 each for the same thing (inside cabin).

Sometimes there's not much in it in terms of price booking there and back - have you considered that option ? I'd vote for it.

I like risk, so I'd wait and see and hopefully you'll see the price fall as you get nearer the sailing date.

I know it's out of our control as passengers as to price changes but we have saved so hard and made a lot of sacrifices for this summer holiday, to find out the price has dropped hundreds of pounds days after you pay (happened last time in 2013) is unpleasant. I know everyone has different views on the subject though! Does anyone have any recommendations in the UK as to websites or travel agents that will update you on any price changes without me having to look every single day? Perhaps asking too much...!

Unfortunately it is against CC rules to mention names of travel agents on here.

I see you have got quite a good discount as you mention the figure of £1,083 whereas Cunard is showing an Early Saver fare of £1,139. These fares include flights from a London airport.

Speaking of airfare, I've noticed that one-way tickets are ridiculously more expensive than a round-trip ticket. What do people do about this? If you buy a round-trip and don't use one leg of it, can you get vouchers or a refund? Thanks!

Speaking of airfare, I've noticed that one-way tickets are ridiculously more expensive than a round-trip ticket. What do people do about this? If you buy a round-trip and don't use one leg of it, can you get vouchers or a refund? Thanks!

Let the cruise line book your one-way airfare. I flew over in January in Premium Economy. Booking it on my own would have been over $2700 while letting Cunard book it was under $600. I had a choice of dates and where I wanted to connect.

I have read on CC that if you book a round-trip and don't use the first portion the return is automatically cancelled with no refunds.

Aer Lingus or Icelandair aren't particularly expensive for a one-way ticket.

Speaking of airfare, I've noticed that one-way tickets are ridiculously more expensive than a round-trip ticket. What do people do about this? If you buy a round-trip and don't use one leg of it, can you get vouchers or a refund? Thanks!

Hi Miss Smee. Cunard e-mail recently received mentions special air fare for US passengers on select voyages, new bookings only...

"It's never been easier to escape on a legendary Transatlantic Crossing or magical Mediterranean voyage. For a limited time, book a select voyage and receive airfare starting at just $199*. Restrictions apply. Offer expires 15 April 2015"..."Please reference promo codes UEA"

As usual, the terms and conditions are extensive...best to contact your travel agent or Cunard for details. -S.

Speaking of airfare, I've noticed that one-way tickets are ridiculously more expensive than a round-trip ticket. What do people do about this? If you buy a round-trip and don't use one leg of it, can you get vouchers or a refund? Thanks!

We're sailing Southampton - New York on November 5. We used Cunard's air connection and are flying over for about $450 per - you have choice of airline, date, flight, and can select seats. While Iceland and Aer Lingus offer better one way fares than most lines, they cannot compete.

Just make sure you check with the airline as soon as flight is booked so you have locator number and ticket numbers - sometimes it seems that people leave it all to the cruise consultant and wind up with undesirable flights - with connections or inconvenient times.

In our case, while we prefer American for mileage points, we wound up picking Delta because their equipment had the seat arrangement we wanted - two together, towards the rear, between window and aisle - rather than sharing a row of three or four seats. It pays to do a bit of research and get your choice.

Thanks to those who replied to my airfare question. The replies are a big help and much appreciated!:)

Let the cruise line book your one-way airfare. I flew over in January in Premium Economy. Booking it on my own would have been over $2700 while letting Cunard book it was under $600. I had a choice of dates and where I wanted to connect.

 

I have read on CC that if you book a round-trip and don't use the first portion the return is automatically cancelled with no refunds.

I don't know if that is still the case, but we had that happen to us four years ago when we and R/T tickets to London, but had to re-book at the airport for some reason. Because the computer read the re-booking as a cancellation, our return flight was cancelled. We were able to get the return flight reinstated, but it caused some uncertain moments. Bottom line - I would not take that chance.

I hope Whiteladder managed to secure a booking for her family wedding at a good price. Perhaps she'll come back on & tell us?