How early do you...

[leaski]

book your cruises? I was just wondering what the average time frame for most people is. We usually book at least a year in advance, but the two currently booked cruises were way more than that. Hawaii was almost two years and we are actually considering another one for April 2014, which seems to be the last date currently available.

 

Do you do this for prices, room choice, payment ability, or other reasons? I'm just curious as to what motivates others to book so early, and others to consistently book within a few months. We mostly do this for room choice and price.

[Quincella]

I usually book about a year in advance. The planning is half the fun for me. Plus, it gives me plenty of time to save for the whole thing.

 

Meanwhile, I'm DYING to be on the sea, and I have 279 days, 5 hours and 25 minutes to go.....

[susie8862]

I always book early under "early saver"....

 

As soon as the new dates came out, I booked April, 2014. :o

[Cruisegirl6]

It depends whether we go with family and friends if we do this we generally book 6-8 months in advance. If its just "us" I generally book three months advanced and few times we want a short cruise getaway that is last minute as we live in florida and sometimes can get last minute rates, thats between 2-4 weeks in advance.

[KPfromCT]

We booked our April Pride cruise, just 2.5 months out, which I LOVED because I didn't have to wait long....But we are getting ready to book the Breeze for next April (2013), and it's going to KILL me to have to wait that long:eek::eek: lol

[rcnme]

We book early for payment, room choice, and then sit back and count down.

[slk09]

While I do enjoy all the planning and have extra time to save up - the main

reason for us booking early (our trip is in July of next year on the Liberty)

is my nephew is handicapped so they (his parents and my neice) have to

book a quad handicap room and on the Dream (our last cruise) there were

4 on that ship but on the Liberty there are only 2. Not sure I understand that

because there are many people with special needs but anyway, that is the

reason as soon as we pick a date we book as soon as the dates open up

so that they get the cabin they need. But we have a group of 10 so it gives us all something to look forward to!

[irishlizz]

Depends on the cruise.

 

Next years Panama Canal and last years Panama Canal I booked both around a year out. I usually try to book so I can use Early Saver.

 

Last summer on NCL I did book a last minute deal out of Boston to Bermuda for $99/person for 7-days. I do keep an eye on last minute deals just in case there is one I can grab.

[RAVI360]

book your cruises? I was just wondering what the average time frame for most people is. We usually book at least a year in advance, but the two currently booked cruises were way more than that. Hawaii was almost two years and we are actually considering another one for April 2014, which seems to be the last date currently available.

 

Do you do this for prices, room choice, payment ability, or other reasons? I'm just curious as to what motivates others to book so early, and others to consistently book within a few months. We mostly do this for room choice and price.

 

 

oh at least a year........and drive myself crazy until i sail.....:(

[susie8862]

oh at least a year........and drive myself crazy until i sail.....:(

This is why you need numerous cruises booked at the same time:o

[Walkenkeg]

I usually book in November because thats when we pick vacation time at work for the next year. I never book a cruise without having my vacation time picked. I like to book ASAP for room choice.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I've booked as late as three weeks out and as early as a year and a half, but usually it's about 6 months. I booked next year's cruises early this year because one is DD's HS graduation cruise and I'll be on sabbatical, so we already knew we're going to Europe and wanted to do a cruise while we're there. The other one that's in the fall next year is to ease my empty-nest woes! But, usually I don't know that far in advance. I just decided a month ago to take B2B in August, so I booked those less than two months out.

 

So, I guess my answer is, "It depends." :o

[Quilting_Cruiser]

This is why you need numerous cruises booked at the same time:o

 

 

Like! :D

[Room Service!]

Usually a year out. Finish with one, book another.

This time we're waiting on two, Oct. 2012 and Nov. 2013.

I like to book ES.

[StingRaysfan]

On average in the past it's been about 9 months... but we recently booked our longest time out and our shortest.... the Breeze a year out (SO LONG!!!) and the Imagination 3 months out.

[tiggerman101]

Our big cruises are usually booked pretty far out. I like the cabin choice, research time, etc. I will book my short solo cruises pretty late because I usually see a deal I can't pass up. I actually just bought really cheap air to Miami for September that fits the dates for three different short cruises. I plan on doing one of them solo, but figured I would wait till last minute to book. That way I can take advantage of the discounts that I know will be coming.

 

We leave for Venice in 10 days for a Greek Isles cruise. It was originally an Alaska trip that was switched on final payment day due to an amazing deal. Usually a cruise like this would have been booked pretty far out. As it is, neither one of us really feels like we are about to leave for Europe. Of course, we are thrilled to be able to do this, but without the long build up it just doesn't seem like it is happening. Very odd.

[askimdog]

It takes us about 12-15 months of savings to cruise. So we cruise about every 12-15 months if possible. Always setting it up when prices fall right ( 265-300 per for a 7 dayer for example/inside cabin). So about a year out. Our last cruise was January 2012, we can already tell we won't hit the mark financially, so we are now looking at Jan. 2014.

 

We can cruise December-February, that is when it works for the wife, daughter and I, escape winter and when work allows the time, nice timing.

 

We loved Roatan and Belize City so much we are thinking of re-doing that route, we have seen enough of Cozumel though. It also helps that we tend to cruise from Ports where we have friends living, like Tampa, saving on Hotel costs. We tend to stay in home ports a day or two before and after the cruise, making our vacation 10 days.

[aggiejade]

My next cruise is in Oct 2013 and I booked it 19 months out with ES.

 

My previous cruises have been booked 9 - 12 months ahead.

 

I like to book early for cabin choice, pricing and to be able to save or make payments for cruise.

[WindsorFred]

We book early for payment, room choice, and then sit back and count down.

 

Same here, we usually book about 10 months in advance. We select our cruise by ports visited then ship. We cruise with friends and get adjoining balconies. Like to select our cabins far enough ahead of time.

[Another ship trip]

As late as 3 weeks before and as early as 4.5 months. I am not sure if we have ever booked any sooner. I don't like to wait that long once I know I am going. We tend to be a bit spontaneous and can't see planning that far in advance even though we know we will always be planning another cruise.

[PortSideCruzan]

book your cruises? I was just wondering what the average time frame for most people is. We usually book at least a year in advance, but the two currently booked cruises were way more than that. Hawaii was almost two years and we are actually considering another one for April 2014, which seems to be the last date currently available.

 

Do you do this for prices, room choice, payment ability, or other reasons? I'm just curious as to what motivates others to book so early, and others to consistently book within a few months. We mostly do this for room choice and price.

 

Hi Leaski:)

 

We we only sail B2B voyages and typically book 12 to 15 months in advance.

Our main reason is cabin choice.

 

[taillon]

We book from 6 months to a year in advance! If I lived closer to a port I think we would do more last minute cruises but being in Missouri, I have to plan things out more.

[jerseyjjs]

Just booked the Miracle leaving in just over 2 weeks. Got a good rate for a great cabin.

[larkz]

I had been booking cruises in the early spring for late fall / early winter (about 6 to 9 months ahead).

 

But last time around, about a month before my Liberty cruise, I booked Victory for the following year. As others have mentioned, it's nice to know another one is around the bend -- even if that bend is a full year away. You don't feel quite so deflated after the vacation is over with, and the planning for the next cruise can start right away. Compulsive planners get half their pleasure out of doing the research.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Price is the #1 reason.