Can you negotiate price?

[Jim Henry]

Is it possible to negotiate a price directly with the cruise lines? I don't want to pay the inflated prices for a cruise during the holidays.

 

I am looking at a family cruise during Christmas break either out of Jacksonville or Mobile. 2nd time with Carnival.

 

What if I wait until 60 days out, or less, can I get a “last minute “ deal, or am I taking a chance that my choices will be sold out?

[chasinraynbowz]

Is it possible to negotiate a price directly with the cruise lines? I don't want to pay the inflated prices for a cruise during the holidays.

 

I am looking at a family cruise during Christmas break either out of Jacksonville or Mobile. 2nd time with Carnival.

 

What if I wait until 60 days out, or less, can I get a “last minute “ deal, or am I taking a chance that my choices will be sold out?

 

 

You may be taking your chances. I honestly have not heard of anyone being able to "negotiate" the price. Good luck.

[Traveler353]

Give it a try and let us know how it works out.

[G'ma]

Is it possible to negotiate a price directly with the cruise lines? I don't want to pay the inflated prices for a cruise during the holidays.

 

I am looking at a family cruise during Christmas break either out of Jacksonville or Mobile. 2nd time with Carnival.

 

What if I wait until 60 days out, or less, can I get a “last minute “ deal, or am I taking a chance that my choices will be sold out?

 

You can try....but, it won't do you any good. The price will be the price. Understand that Christmas week is the highest priced week of the year to travel anywhere....not just cruises.

 

If you wait too long, you may be disappointed. Christmas space sells out regulartly.....that week is the second highest travel period of the year....the highest being Thanksgiving.

[KenMo]

Your choices will definately be limited if you wait.

 

Lots of people cruise with family during the holidays. They can inflate the prices during peak times because people are willing to pay them.

 

Doubtful they will negotiate because Carnival knows the ship will sail full. They don't need to negotiate.

 

OTOH, it never hurts to ask.

[ehfl]

Prices are established by supply and demand. Unless you know of a magical way to create more cruise ships during the holidays when demand is high, I don't think you can logically consider the prices "inflated".

 

If price is a big consideration, then you need to be flexible about dates. If you are not flexible about dates, then you'll understand why prices are higher then.

[Tapi]

• You can't "negotiate" prices directly with the cruise lines. It's not "Let's Make a Deal"
   
  
• You may be able to get a bit of an additional discount if a travel agent is willing to cut their commission and pass that on to you, but you'll have to shop around for that
   
  
• Low prices or last minute delas during Christmas?? It's not going to happen! Usually, these sailings are sold out weeks if not months in advance.
   
  
• If you definitely want to sail over Christmas, don't wait to make your reservation! Chances are that the more you wait, the more you'll pay for a less desirable cabin.
  

[StillPooh]

I don't much care for the doubled prices over the holidays either, but our 25th anniversary will fall three days after Christmas 2010, so I expect we will just have to suck it up. :D

[salty dingo]

Is it possible to negotiate a price directly with the cruise lines? I don't want to pay the inflated prices for a cruise during the holidays.

The reason prices are inflated is because so many people, like you, want to cruise at that time.

 

If you don't mind taking a chance on paying even more, you can wait. Personally, once I make up my mind to do a cruise, I book it.

[Sargent_Schultz]

You can forget negotiating - the price is what it is - but varies!

 

Anyway, for a full ship charter you can maybe negotiate price; for a group, maybe group prices work for you.

 

Last Christmas was Sale of the Century for some last minute holiday bookings. No surprises, considering the economy. This year ????

 

Pick a cruise or three and check prices again just after final payment is due. But....

[TahoeBob]

Is it possible to negotiate a price directly with the cruise lines? I don't want to pay the inflated prices for a cruise during the holidays.

 

I am looking at a family cruise during Christmas break either out of Jacksonville or Mobile. 2nd time with Carnival.

 

What if I wait until 60 days out, or less, can I get a “last minute “ deal, or am I taking a chance that my choices will be sold out?

I have only been on one Christmas cruise it was 5 years ago, RCI Vision of the seas. I booked in may at of a cost of $549.00 PP for a inside. I talked to one person who booked a inside in November at a cost of $1100.00 pp for the same cabin. The main reason teh prices are high for this time is because people pay it.

[gazingm42]

During holiday season one word NO. They have a high demand for rooms.

 

But in off season and last minute cruises I have been successful in doing so.

 

 

I played hardball once with a cruise about 7 days out. I finally told them no and

I was not interested at that rate. I received 2 additional phone calls back from

the PVP that night with a lower price each time. We finally took the price only

after getting some OBC added with the lower price on the 2nd phone call to our

home.

[CruiseIsGood]

I sailed Ecstacy for a Thanksgiving cruise once and I think they had roll-away beds in every single room but ours. It was packed. And not as much fun because of that. Just way too many people.

[jimmmbobb]

Is it possible to negotiate a price directly with the cruise lines? I don't want to pay the inflated prices for a cruise during the holidays.

 

I am looking at a family cruise during Christmas break either out of Jacksonville or Mobile. 2nd time with Carnival.

 

What if I wait until 60 days out, or less, can I get a “last minute “ deal, or am I taking a chance that my choices will be sold out?

Hello...after a very frustrating process...we were unable to "make a deal" with Carnival. Simply put, the way it was put to us is that they "offer" deals regularly and because they do, the price you see is the price you get. We had purchased tickets, the price went down on a category, we were willing to move to a lesser room for the price but Carnival Policy is to apparently not let you move down. The story is more complex than what I am saying but the reality is that Carnival is PRETTY STINKY in some ways in our opinion. However, they are, "Fun Ships"!!!!

[NutsAboutGolf]

I think the current system is very fair compromise for everyone plus the cruise lines and obviously everyone has a different opinion...

 

By offering fixed prices, they're able to publish lower rates. You book under the early saver, and as long as you do the work to watch prices get 110% back as an onboard credit. It's a win win both you and the cruise line. If Carnival is under their goal of sailing full, they open it up to pack and go specials.

 

I understand some people love the art of negotiating. But this would be the model. Higher advertised prices. People are going to pay those full prices not knowing they were able to negotiate. Once on the cruise they'll meet someone who bragged about how low of a price they were able to book. Now the full price paying couple is going to be upset and their expectations and sense of entitlement will go up. On top of possibly being miserable, they may choose to ignore rules and compliain about every little thing. Then there's the increased workload on the customer service working harder to satisfy the irrate customer. Lastly the increased amount of time the sales dept. Both for the regular cruiser and for the idiot lowballer who says "I'll give you $50 for a 7 nights"...

[gtalum]

You can negotiate the price with a travel agent, but generally not directly with the cruise line. The cruise lines have contracts with the TA's that forbid them from selling below their current published prices and undercutting the TA.

[patseacruiser]

And while the cruiselines have agreements with TA's not to undercut their prices you see it all the time. It makes it very hard from a TA to compete when some of the online agents will give you all the commission minus about $10 back in rebates. I don't know how they get away with it but they do.

[gtalum]

And while the cruiselines have agreements with TA's not to undercut their prices you see it all the time. It makes it very hard from a TA to compete when some of the online agents will give you all the commission minus about $10 back in rebates. I don't know how they get away with it but they do.

 

The online agents are TA's too. That's not the cruise line undercutting TA's, it's other TA's undercutting TA's.

 

I always book with online agents as I much prefer to keep that commission for myself.

[salty dingo]

Could you imagine? If buying a cruise was like buying a car. If no one ever paid the asking price and everyone haggled for a deal. What a mess that would be!

 

Some folks being good negotiators would get better deals and other people would pay dearly. There would be "professional negotiators" you could hire to do the deal for you, for a fee.

 

And how many extra people would the cruise line have to hire to do the negotiating? Those folks are not cheap, and the cost would be passed along to us in higher fares.

 

Nope, I don't EVER want to see a negotiable cruise fare. That would really stink!!

[Waynetor]

If you think the prices are inflated now for a holiday cruise - wait a couple years and see what the prices will be like when the economy recovers - there will be a lot of bent up demand and today's prices will not likely be seen again. In this economy ships are sailing full even though it takes discounts to do it, it will not always be this way.

[Earthworm Jim]

If you think the prices are inflated now for a holiday cruise - wait a couple years and see what the prices will be like when the economy recovers - there will be a lot of bent up demand and today's prices will not likely be seen again. In this economy ships are sailing full even though it takes discounts to do it, it will not always be this way.

 

Not necessarily. Remember, there is more cruiseline capacity now than there ever was before due to more and bigger ships, so it could be that prices won't go up that much. Pent up demand may not be much of a factor, unless the number of people cruising increases a lot.

[Litewait]

• 
   
   
  
• Low prices or last minute delas during Christmas?? It's not going to happen! Usually, these sailings are sold out weeks if not months in advance.
   
  
• If you definitely want to sail over Christmas, don't wait to make your reservation! Chances are that the more you wait, the more you'll pay for a less desirable cabin.
  

 

This year is a little different due to the economy. I am cruising over New Years for the 4th consecutive year. This is our longest (an 8 day on Spirit) I am paying for 2 in a balcony cabin what I paid for 3 in an inside last year on a shorter cruise. As well, the cruise is not nearly booked and final payment is Oct. 15th. I counted just balcony cabins 2 days ago and there were over 40 avaliable and SEVERAL Aft balconies:eek:

 

So.. that being said there may be some deals to be had after final payment this year. Maybe not the most select locations but you'll be on the ship..

[T. Advisor King]

Hello...after a very frustrating process...we were unable to "make a deal" with Carnival. Simply put, the way it was put to us is that they "offer" deals regularly and because they do, the price you see is the price you get. We had purchased tickets, the price went down on a category, we were willing to move to a lesser room for the price but Carnival Policy is to apparently not let you move down. The story is more complex than what I am saying but the reality is that Carnival is PRETTY STINKY in some ways in our opinion. However, they are, "Fun Ships"!!!!

 

You mentioned that the story is more complicated than your brief summary, so we have to give you the benefit of the doubt. But I'm not sure I understand the complaint. The cruise line will establish a price that it thinks balances its supply with demand. People who buy at that price are willing to pay that amount, in part because they want the comfort of an advance booking.

 

Months later, the cruise line realizes that it is underbooked on that sailing, so they offer discounts. Perhaps it is a "last-minute" discount or maybe it is still a few weeks away from the sailing. I can't see how I'd be bitter that the price being offered nearer the cruise is less than the price that was offered when I agreed to purchase. I paid a premium because I wanted to be assured of a booking.

 

In addition, I paid the original fare to eliminate the risk that the particular sailing would be in heavy demand and prices would rise as the supply of available cabins dwindled. I'd sure like to hear from a passenger who booked early and then, closer to departure, offered to pay the cruise line more when the passenger realized that the market price of that cabin had increased substantially due to heavy demand and fixed supply.

 

I wouldn't ask an airline to give me a rebate or provide some other accommodation to me if it dropped its fares after I had booked. That's the choice you make because you are willing to pay the posted fare and you want to eliminate the risk that the cruise will sell out or that the price will increase closer to sailing.

[jayscore]

You do have two choices; "Take it" or "Leave it". Simple as that.;)