Painful to see a price drop

[sr4mjc]

It's a gamble. My JS on the Serenade just kept going up and up and up, even until the last day.

[swedish1]

I think with the high cost of airfare the cuise industry is going to have to continue to drop prices of the cruise fare just to fill cabins and the current policy will be evaluated. I would think that if the cruise industry could develop a policy that would allow for OBC for price drops most people would be happy. After all, Southwest Airlines will offer future credit if the airfare price drops.

[KuffMUp]

Save your sarcasm emoticon, because you're wrong.

 

First of all, what is considered "last-minute" for booking a cruise is still well outside what airlines consider "last-minute." The OP apparently is still 22 days out from her cruise. There's usually no difference in price when booking airfare whether you're three weeks out or three months out (absent a specific sale of course). Booking a last-minute cruise would only be difficult if you're trying to do it within one or two weeks of a cruise.

 

.

 

Ah, not really. I just looked at flights to get to San Juan. $1,400 to book today for her trip and if I wait till mid April it is $781. Big, big difference.

[Familygoboston]

book at the last minute, but check how much (more$$$)your air will cost booking the last minute:rolleyes:

 

Exactly; when I check after final payment and see a drop ( or have considered grabbing a last minute deal) I always check the airfare, every time I've done this exercise the difference in the cost of airfare wipes out any savings, and sometimes costs more:eek:

Even if the prices are close, when I actually go through the exercise of booking, the times I need are gone, leaving me with having to buy extra nights in hotels, renting day rooms etc, which also adds to the bottom line.

 

I think right now people are getting a bit caught. The cruise industry was coming back strong after the economy had been depressed so long, and prices were popping back up; then Costa and skyrocketing airfares hit the industry. So there will be people who paid high and now the cruise lines are selling low; it's an unfortunate situation, but all of this is a kind of gamble! Supply and demand. But if the cruise lines keep dropping prices at the last minute they train their market to wait and they lose when that happens too!

 

As a side note: it definately seems like buying the lowest cabin in the cat has the advantage of giving you somewhere to go when / if prices drop. I was able to shuffle up to an aft balcony d2 because I was originally booked in an E 1, so that took the sting out of a $600 loss from 2 cabins.( and yes, I would have paid $750 more for 3 of us to fly at that point, so that took the sting out too!)

[love2cruise56]

I Logged into RCCL this morning and my cruise has dropped $700.00 and there is nothing I can do about it. Very painful. And that is just mine. The 2 other cabins in our party both $500.00. Makes me sick. Might have to reconsider when I book cruises from no on and just take the chance of getting a cabin.

 

 

I guess I booked on the wrong ship. The price on the Allure has not gone down. I check every day.

[Karter]

Maybe RCCL should create an early saver price like Carnival where you can get price adjustments in the form of OBC up to two days before sailing. The downside is the depost is non-refundable and there is a fee to change ships/dates.

[Sadie cruiser]

I am in a situation where we bought airline tickets to Tampa last October from Wisconsin for 300.00 a person. I have a LOS cruise on hold this am for 4/9-4/14 E1 category (balcony) for 1826.00 for our family of 3. I hope I got a deal! Last cabin on the ship! I have never ever waited this long for travel plans. Either it was going to be this or finding last minute hotels wherever I could.

[swedish1]

I am in a situation where we bought airline tickets to Tampa last October from Wisconsin for 300.00 a person. I have a LOS cruise on hold this am for 4/9-4/14 E1 category (balcony) for 1826.00 for our family of 3. I hope I got a deal! Last cabin on the ship! I have never ever waited this long for travel plans. Either it was going to be this or finding last minute hotels wherever I could.

Good for you on your air.....we paid $400.00 per person on Southwest to Ft. Lauderdale out of Milwaukee and purchased our air Dec 1st.

[terpfan101]

Maybe RCCL should create an early saver price like Carnival where you can get price adjustments in the form of OBC up to two days before sailing. The downside is the depost is non-refundable and there is a fee to change ships/dates.

 

That'd be a good idea. And my Allure cruise in June hasn't gone below what I paid (cat N)...I've seen some small drops on higher cabins but nothing to near what I paid. I'd imagine summer cruises have much fewer price drops than during other times of the year.

[renech]

I called and they said I was already in the highest balcony room there was and that all cabins suite category's are sold out. I'm almost in tears about this. $1,700 between 3 cabins. :( :(:( Is it to early for a drink.

 

 

I hear ya. This happened on my most recent cruise and it does sting. But as many others have pointed out, it's a trade off - booking early and having your choice of cabins, or booking last minute and hoping for a great price. It's very unpredictable.

 

If I were you, I'd keep checking to see if one of the suites open up, and if it's dropped to the price you paid. Then, bumping up would take some of the sting out of it. We did that (from D1 to JS) and I was thrilled. 3 weeks out, it's still very possible for cabins to shift around and open up.

 

Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great vacation. :)

[parddr]

Thanks for all the support that was given. I appreciate all the help for cruises that I have been on in the past including this one. I have taken advice on beaches, food and shopping places from these boards. While on the cruises family that is traveling with us have said glad we have you planning our vacations. You know all the right places to go. Thanks to you all. Good thing out of all this. I was able to get my aunt (her first cruise ever) from an interior room to a balcony on our floor. :D:D

 

To you all have a great time on all your upcoming cruises. Lets try to be nice to each other here. This is a great place to find info. I just hate all the negativity that I somtimes read.

 

PS. Hubby reminded me that we only paid $400.00 pp (3) to fly to San Juan from Baltimore. He is taking this well. Me I like the bargains.

[parddr]

I hear ya. This happened on my most recent cruise and it does sting. But as many others have pointed out, it's a trade off - booking early and having your choice of cabins, or booking last minute and hoping for a great price. It's very unpredictable.

 

If I were you, I'd keep checking to see if one of the suites open up, and if it's dropped to the price you paid. Then, bumping up would take some of the sting out of it. We did that (from D1 to JS) and I was thrilled. 3 weeks out, it's still very possible for cabins to shift around and open up.

 

Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great vacation. :)

 

Thank you so much we will. We have a cruise virgin with us. My aunt is taking her very first cruise with us for her 65th birthday. That part I can't wait for. she wanted no more than an inside room which is what we got her. Today I was able to move her with the price drop to a D1 balcony. She is very excited. She can't believe a balcony on her very first cruise. She took some pain away today. Thanks for your advice and we will enjoy the cruise very much. We are taking our nephew for his 13th birthday along with my parents.

[critterchick]

Unless you are looking for upgrades, its best to just not check anymore after final payment for price drops :) Its hard to break the habit but it will save you the heartache in the end lol.

 

I've adopted that attitude. We have a cruise next year on Rhapsody that I'm sure will drop in price, but we wanted a corner aft JS (and nearly lost it in the renumbering fiasco) so booked right away. Last year there was about a $1200pp price drop after final payment - we were able to take advantage because it was our last "golden" booking. So if that happens again, I don't want to know. I'll just monitor the GS and OS prices to see if they drop below what we paid. I might give up my corner for one of those...

 

That has never been our experience.:confused:

 

Ours, either (airfares dropping close in).

 

Maybe RCCL should create an early saver price like Carnival where you can get price adjustments in the form of OBC up to two days before sailing. The downside is the depost is non-refundable and there is a fee to change ships/dates.

 

I'd love to see that - we use the EBD all the time on Carnival. As it turns out, we never see a price drop, but we book for less than the next lowest rate, so it works out nicely.

[seaofwonder]

It's sort of just like airfare....once I booked I stop looking. I do look for cruise price drops up to final payment and then stop looking at my category. I'll occasionally look for higher categories for upgrades, but I'll avert my eyes from my category (or it's sold out).

 

I haven't looked at our cruise next week since final payment. Alaska has gone up in price and so has our Allure cruise.

[seaofwonder]

I've often found the best time to snag a domestic airfare is 21 days out. I start tracking airfare on Kayak about 6 months out and if I see a good drop, then I'll grab it and stop looking. But I have waited 21 days out and found good prices.

[Richiebaseball]

[quote name='Karter']Maybe RCCL should create an early saver price like Carnival where you can get price adjustments in the form of OBC up to two days before sailing. The downside is the depost is non-refundable and there is a fee to change ships/dates.[/QUOTE]

Or maybe a "Gambler's" rate plan. "If the price goes down anytime before the cruise you get it back. If it goes up you pay us more."

[sadie8]

That's a lot of money - so sorry! We loved the Serenade and hope you can move past this and enjoy your cruise.

[parddr]

[quote name='sadie8']That's a lot of money - so sorry! We loved the Serenade and hope you can move past this and enjoy your cruise.[/quote]

We will thank u. Gotten over it some today

[dachshunddoglover]

[SIZE=3]No ~ it's not too early to have a drink. I will have one for you. DO keep checking every day, several times a day for some Junior Suites to open up. It may happen and you might score a really nice cabin. Are you aware there are websites to help you keep up with that? Email me if you need some info. I love your positive attitude. Wish I was at your dining table. You seem to be so nice. Have a great time on your sailing. :D[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]E-Beth[/SIZE]

[midwife1021]

[quote name='ryano']Unless you are looking for upgrades, its best to just not check anymore after final payment for price drops :) Its hard to break the habit but it will save you the heartache in the end lol.[/quote]

AMEN to that! I used to do the same thing with airfares, but finally realized that chances are that the airfare will end up skyrocketing near the travel dates. If I don't like the price, I don't buy. Pure and simple.:)

[Gil T. Azell]

[quote name='setsail']book at the last minute, but check how much (more$$$)your air will cost booking the last minute:rolleyes:[/quote]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Trebuchet MS]Actually that is an airline myth. Last minute airfare deals are available more often than you think. I've purchased airfare plenty of times within the week before a cruise/trip and have found deals that were cheaper than had I booked early. I've even purchased airfare the same day to fly across the Country and paid an extremely low fare. [/FONT][/SIZE]

[Kimmie36]

thats alot of doe!I live in Georgia and I try to book last minute,it still is a gamble!

[CruisingMachine]

[quote name='parddr']I Logged into RCCL this morning and my cruise has dropped $700.00 and there is nothing I can do about it. Very painful. And that is just mine. The 2 other cabins in our party both $500.00. Makes me sick. Might have to reconsider when I book cruises from no on and just take the chance of getting a cabin.[/quote]

Where at on the ship are your rooms? Are they all together?

[gelo7]

[quote name='emelvee']You were ok with the price you originally paid or you wouldn't have booked it, right?



[SIZE=1]That's what I have to tell myself in such a situation. It helps just a little. lol.[/SIZE][/quote]
[COLOR=Navy][SIZE=3][B]Ditto....[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[MaryJane91730]

I am upset because now they are telling they were not offering the 55 and over promotion when I booked in January for an April sailing.... Now all I hear from my relatives is what a deal they got for booking at the last minute....ugh....