Do transatlantic cruise prices drop?

[april47]

Browsing the Princess web site I notice that most of the best sale prices do not include the TA's. I'm interested in the Crown leaving Galveston next April and am wondering if I want to wait or book now. There is no roll call for it yet which I think is a little unusual for a one time only TA. Is this cruise not selling well? It looks like a great itinerary for a TA. I took a TA out of Galveston years ago. It seems like the only way I am willing to get on a plane. I HAVE to get on to come home.:o

[Budget Queen]

Many times TA cruises are given away after final payment. The exceptions are those with desired, unusal ports, like Iceland. An "ordinary" sailing, is more likely. BUT, you would have definate success, if you are more open and flexable. My TA this month, ended up costing me $299++ booked just after final payment. Was a boatload of choices available. :)

[caribill]

If it turns out to be a popular cruise, the prices will not drop.

 

If it turns out to be unpopular, prices will drop.

 

How well can you predict the future?

 

If you can book at a great price at the last minute, can you get a decent one way airfare to return home at that time?

[Astro Flyer]

I generally book well in advance & watch the prices drop and for 'sales'. My TA later this year has dropped considerably in the past 14 months since booking it. Doing it this way allows me to get a cabin of my choice while getting fare reductions.

 

At the end of March I received a 'last minute' deal for many repo cruises around the world including many of the April TAs. Because airfare to Europe was so expensive for a last minute booking we decided to book a Canal cruise & only have to fly to FLL because it ended in LA near our house.

 

The prices were great...under $1,000 for the 14 night cruises in a GTY balcony cabin which for us ended up as a BB on the Canal cruise. This may not work for a TA which didn't for us because of the airfare. Whether you're that flexible & willing to maybe have an expensive airfare, I don't know?

 

For me, if I definitely want a cruise I book early; if not I take my chances with a last minute deal for a cruise. :)

[spyro1952]

Browsing the Princess web site I notice that most of the best sale prices do not include the TA's. I'm interested in the Crown leaving Galveston next April and am wondering if I want to wait or book now. There is no roll call for it yet which I think is a little unusual for a one time only TA. Is this cruise not selling well? It looks like a great itinerary for a TA. I took a TA out of Galveston years ago. It seems like the only way I am willing to get on a plane. I HAVE to get on to come home.:o

 

TA's are usually less expensive because there are few ports involved. The TA this past April on the CB (San Juan to South Hampton) ended up at like $699.00 for an inside room for 14 days and the ship was still half empty.

You can book now and just keep watching the prices. If there are price reductions before final payment, you can call and get the new price.

 

Also, I have 3 TA's booked. Princess one way air fare has been the best deal except for FFM's. There are some popular TA's (Royal maiden, Grand 11/3) that are really popular and pretty much sold out.

[Love.II.Cruise]

The TA we are doing this fall is very popular and selling well. It's not with Princess though. We booked our cruise last April for this upcoming November and we have seen the prices go up since we've booked. Others on our roll call have been given incentive offers to go on a different cruise with an upgrade in cabin.

[Putterdude]

Supply and demand....so yes, not much demand prices drop and no cruise line will deliberately sail with unsold cabins.

[Astro Flyer]

Supply and demand....so yes, not much demand prices drop and no cruise line will deliberately sail with unsold cabins.

Absolutely & that's the bottom line because empty cabins generate none of the onboard income that cruise lines depend upon to stay in business.

[srpilo]

Ok, back to OP's original question.

 

Historically spring TA's will be cheaper after final payment then fall TA's after final payment. This play's out year after year when you regularly see spring TA prices slashed after final payment date, and fall TA's prices while discounted, remaining a bit firmer. Of course while this applies to the majority of TA's, there are always a few best sellers that even after final payment will have tight availablity, and likewise some that will start out as a cheap TA, and after final be slashed to almost free.

 

If you're a gambler.. Here's a strategy I've used on previous TA's, if you have FF miles book your one-way to or from europe with miles (*you can cancel if needed and put the miles back in your acc for a fee) and then wait til after the TA"s final payment date and grab the discounted cruise fare. If no discounts appear that you can live with, cancel your flight , and you've only lost the $150 "FF miles return to account fee".

 

 

Remember history is on your side :)

Srpilo

[april47]

No frequent flyer miles here. I don't fly unless forced to. I have checked though and British airways is more for one-way than 2 way so it would make sense to just book 2 way and throw away the other. I have never sailed Princess. Normally I wouldn't book airfare with a cruise but would they do one way and be cheaper? Anyone with experience with Princess air?

[srpilo]

No frequent flyer miles here. I don't fly unless forced to. I have checked though and British airways is more for one-way than 2 way so it would make sense to just book 2 way and throw away the other. I have never sailed Princess. Normally I wouldn't book airfare with a cruise but would they do one way and be cheaper? Anyone with experience with Princess air?

 

 

April, there's lot's of airlines to europe besides BA, that don't charge alot more for booking a one way. Check some search engines, and be a little creative in your flight searches, you'll be amazed what you can come up with. :)

 

Srpilo

[caribill]

April, there's lot's of airlines to europe besides BA, that don't charge alot more for booking a one way. Check some search engines, and be a little creative in your flight searches, you'll be amazed what you can come up with. :)

 

 

Yes, but the poster lives in Houston and most of the other airlines will fly you to a northeast USA city from which you would then need a one way ticket to Houston.

[caribill]

No frequent flyer miles here. I don't fly unless forced to. I have checked though and British airways is more for one-way than 2 way so it would make sense to just book 2 way and throw away the other. I have never sailed Princess. Normally I wouldn't book airfare with a cruise but would they do one way and be cheaper? Anyone with experience with Princess air?

 

Princess' EZAIR will usually have a relatively good one-way fare back to the USA...if you book early. As you get closer to the cruise the fare can skyrocket as others have used the alotment of lower fares.

 

I have seen a fare that was around $600 be promoted as "only" $3200 as the cruise date approached.

[srpilo]

Yes, but the poster lives in Houston and most of the other airlines will fly you to a northeast USA city from which you would then need a one way ticket to Houston.

 

And ??

As with any city that's not a major air gateway, the creative part comes down to finding domestic flights that compliment the international flight segment that may or may not be on a non-legacy USA or a foreign carrier that offer reasonably priced one-way flights.

 

Many times the price of the one-way domestic, and one-way international flight together will be significantly less expensive then simply pricing out a one way or round trip flight on BA or any legacy carrier for that matter like the OP stated in her previous post

 

Srpilo

[Times Prince]

No frequent flyer miles here. I don't fly unless forced to. I have checked though and British airways is more for one-way than 2 way so it would make sense to just book 2 way and throw away the other. I have never sailed Princess. Normally I wouldn't book airfare with a cruise but would they do one way and be cheaper? Anyone with experience with Princess air?

Princess can usually do "open jaw" flights cheaper than booking directly with the airlines.

 

Check out American (via Dallas). We've gotten some great deals flying Continental (United) via Houston - they fly direct to/from Amsterdam and BA has good one way fares LHR - AMS. BA is also a partner with American, and they've been trying to buy some business qith some good deals.

 

We've flown last minute via Princess air to Italy, and they had seats available where the airline showed sold out.

[OperaJoe]

Browsing the Princess web site I notice that most of the best sale prices do not include the TA's. I'm interested in the Crown leaving Galveston next April and am wondering if I want to wait or book now. There is no roll call for it yet which I think is a little unusual for a one time only TA. Is this cruise not selling well? It looks like a great itinerary for a TA. I took a TA out of Galveston years ago. It seems like the only way I am willing to get on a plane. I HAVE to get on to come home.:o

 

We just did the Caribbean Princess Transatlantic from NY to Southampton (May 3 to 14). It was a steal - we paid $600 pp and we got upgraded to a balcony room on the Baja deck a couple of weeks before the sailing. The ship was not full - was told about 2300 passengers out of a capacity of around 3200. Perhaps because it wasn't full, the service was the best we've experienced. The weather was cool and rainy, and the sea a bit rough, but not the fault of Princess of course. A more southerly route to avoid ice conditions meant we were extremely late getting into Dublin - instead of 7 am we got in at 2:30 p.m.!

 

I personally would recommend booking late rather than early as TA don't normally sell that well because of one-way airfares. I would also avoid the flagship airlines like British Airways or Air Canada - these airlines usually charge extortionist rates for one-way. AC wanted an outrageous $1300+ for a one way from London to Toronto! We ended up booking Air Transat one way for $400 pp, and it was perfectly fine :)