Cruising in March 2017 - Reserve now or last minute for best rates

We want to take a cruise around end of March or early April. We have about a 3 week window. We don't care where we go (or what cruiseline) or for how long or about the room. We're driving to the port, so it's got to be either New Orleans or Mobile. The time isn't exactly around Easter, but it could be some people's Spring Break time.

Is it a better idea to buy now or wait to see if there's any last minute deals? Will there be any last minute deals in March?

That's spring break, you might find a few deals, but traditionally that's kind of expensive. After final payment time there might be something. Galveston TX is pretty close too

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My last two cruises steadily increased in price after I booked (almost always book about a year out).

My August 2017 cruise increased slightly, I think ten dollars, the week before I booked. Then I got to take advantage of a short OBC sale, and after that sale it went up another ten dollars.

I have seen sales after final payment but only for guarantee cabins.

Hard to say depends upon how cruise is selling. Also you risk having the ship sell out and your out of luck

We cruised this last March (last week of March) on the Dream out of Nola. We booked it about 7 months out. The prices kept going up.

We have booked a cruise for next March sailing on the Fantasy out of Mobile. We booked this one in July. We had been looking at it for a couple of months and the fares just kept going up. I look every once in a while since we booked to see if there have been any reductions and there haven't been any.

If it were me and I found one I liked I would go ahead and jump on it now.

Hi there! This is just our experience, but I would have to say book today if it's anything like our cruise is.

We are booked on the Pride for May 28, 2017 (some schools may be out by then, but not most) and we actually booked way back in January of this year. There were certain rooms that we wanted, so we snagged them up early.

Since January, we have seen nothing but a steady increase. For my the balcony room my husband and I will stay in, the price is now up over $100 per person more than when we booked. And, we got $50 OBC!

If you see a price that you are good with, I say go for it. I am sure glad that we booked early in our case.

Good luck!

I have my cruises booked out until 9/2017 ... and will book my 2/2018 cruise in 19 days when I'm on the Conquest .... My experience shows that cruises tend to go up in price as sail date approaches ... and the last minute deals are typically on GY cabins ... I like to have cabins in the best locations and they are not available last minute ... so I say BOOK EARLY ... Best Price and best cabin selection.

We booked in Feb '16 for Dream in Jan '17. The cabin type we booked (Spa Balcony) is sold out now. Suites have been sold out for months. I tried booking any balcony and it will let me book on but I cannot choose a cabin. I'd book something ASAP.

We're just an inside cabin, so I can't see how cabin selection matters to us (?). But, I looked for everything from next week to a year from now and the price looks about as good as it gets, so we booked it.

Thanks everyone for the advice! [emoji3]

Best rates will be 30 days out, but you may find a booked cruise at that point. It is spring break after all.

We're just an inside cabin, so I can't see how cabin selection matters to us (?). But, I looked for everything from next week to a year from now and the price looks about as good as it gets, so we booked it.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice! [emoji3]

An inside cabin in one location may be better than another inside cabin in a different location.

Check regularly for the prices for any drop or deals on your cruise.

Xerxella, enjoy!