Are there any benefits to booking early?

[SeaSickGill]

Dead fed up:(

 

The cruise I have booked has been MASSIVELY reduced - I could have got an superior delux cabin now for the price of my inside. I spoke to P&O this morning and was told that people that are phoning to book inside cabins now with P&O, they are being offered upgraded cabins. :confused:

 

So I wonder what benefits there are to booking early, and I paid in full.

 

Just a thought......I've learnt my lesson - leave it to 3 weeks before departure. I feel better now that I've got that whinge off my chest.

 

Cheers Gillian

[Host Sharon]

If it was a cruise you really wanted to sail on, the advantage was that you got the cabin of your choice on the cruise you wanted, as well as any extras like free car parking. Also - being able to look forward to it for so many months :)

 

If however, you are willing to take the chance, don't mind where or when you go, then yes - leave it till the last minute.

 

Once booked - I try not to look at prices again :(

[u2cruiser]

Dead fed up:(

 

The cruise I have booked has been MASSIVELY reduced - I could have got an superior delux cabin now for the price of my inside. I spoke to P&O this morning and was told that people that are phoning to book inside cabins now with P&O, they are being offered upgraded cabins. :confused:

 

So I wonder what benefits there are to booking early, and I paid in full.

 

Just a thought......I've learnt my lesson - leave it to 3 weeks before departure. I feel better now that I've got that whinge off my chest.

 

Cheers Gillian

 

Gillian, won't they let you upgrade? :(

 

I'm not surprised you're fed up, the whole cruise booking system appears to be in the middle of a big confusing change with different style deals being thrown around requiring 100% early payment and guaranteed cabins only.

 

The only obvious benefits that I can see of booking early are getting the deck and cabin you want, having secured the cruise dates/itinerary to suit yourself and to ensure booking the time off work. It also helps with holiday budgeting if you know in advance. If none of these things are important, then there seems to be little point in booking early at the moment.

 

The downside of last minute booking is that the stress of waiting for cruise deals kind of takes away from the experience for me because you can't really do the forward planning and the anticipation doesn't build up the same. Also, there is no guarantee that the price for your chosen cruise will fall or that there will be availability on the cruise you want, so you need to be flexible with dates, ships and itineraries.

[SeaSickGill]

Thanks Sharon - free parking? Wasn't offered that either - even more hacked off now!:eek: Please everyone - don't tell me about other offers you've got!

[jodanuke]

Don't care what cabin or what deck? Book late and save a small fortune - massively outweighing free carparking or ob credit.

 

Want a specific deck or cabin or the exact date to the day? Book early and just shop around as many places as you can and play one against the other. Had a balcony upgrade for £20 that way.

[SeaSickGill]

Next year it's a month in Thailand :D but 2013 I'll book two weeks before, any ship, any cruiseline,any location - a cabin for two can't be hard to find. The thing that hacked me off more was the P&O guy saying that upgrades were being given to people booking now - the upgrade list seems to be a myth.

 

Cheers

Gillian

[Host Sharon]

Thanks Sharon - free parking? Wasn't offered that either - even more hacked off now!:eek: Please everyone - don't tell me about other offers you've got!

 

I think that was an offer if you booked the first month cruises went on sale. They are offering it again for next year if booked before 31 May 2011.

 

If a P&O guy actually said that to me about the upgrades I would ask to speak to his manager and try and negotiate the same - you've nothing to lose anyway.

[cruiser1955]

Gillian

 

Unfortunately, this isn't unusual on some cruises. The last few I've been on have been sold out, so there have been few last minute deals. For those I've booked for this year, again, few spare cabins with the exception of one which I booked as a last minute option to see what sort of cabin I would get from a guaranteed cabin - I did well with that.

 

One cruise I booked a few years ago had dramatic price reductions and I was unable to get an upgrade or reduction. Luckily, I noticed the price change before the balance was due, so cancelled and rebooked. Yes, I lost my deposit but still saved well over £1000.

 

Free parking comes and goes throughout the booking period. I got it on both of this years P&O cruises, but not on either of the Cunard ones, yet it is now available on all of them.

 

Just remember that when you booked the cruise you were happy with the price you paid for it. At least the cruise companies aren't as bad as some furniture shops with their sales;)

[upwarduk]

when you booked the cruise you were happy with the price you paid for it

 

Yes I was very, very happy with the price we paid for 18 nights out of Southampton on Independence of the Seas' Ultimate Mediterranean.' It worked out at less than £50 per night.

 

Much talk on a thread here that 17/12/11 & 04/01/12 have been redeployed to 3, 12 night Cannaries cruises. As of this afternoon our TA cannot confirm, as the final decision was being made in Miami at lunch time today 18.03.11.

 

So the company will have 3 ship loads of passengers instead of 2, to spend their money.

 

So much for booking sooner, to get the best deals.

[SeaSickGill]

Hello!

I keep being told that I was happy with the price when I booked it - I didn't book it, my mum did, in a drunken stuper on New Years Day! And then she told me she'd paid in full - if I'd have known about OBC, free parking and etc then I'd have kicked the bloody cat:eek:

 

I've got over it by the way, just booked flights to Thailand for next year (and no they won't go down - they never do!)

 

Gillian x

[capasamari]

Oh dear, it's usually the mother's fault somewhere along the line!!

 

Enjoy your cruise anyway. We all live and learn!

 

Carol x