How early do you book??

[beachlvn]

We want to go on the RUBY in the spring of 2015 (Caribbean). Right now prices seem a bit high. When do you all book? Do you wait for a sale or do you just book? Thanks.

[Nan_Sea]

If we know when and where we want to go we book and when there is a sale get the price adjusted.

[Nan_Sea]

We have also booked last minute for some really good deals. Dec. 14 we are on the Ruby. We paid $199pp for inside and got upgraded to balcony.

[Ren1216]

If there is a particular cabin you want, or you need several side-by-side.... book now and get your price adjusted later if a promotion occurs. We've booked as far out as a year in advance and as near as 3 months. Personally speaking, my family needs a little advance nontice for getting vacation times coordinated as well as checking on airfare. If it were only the two of us, AND if we lived closer to a departure port.... I may be more apt to go the last-minute route. It really all depends on your degree of flexibility, and also what your needs are.

[Pam in CA]

Just booked a CA coastal cruise on the Crown in 3/15. We wanted obstructed view cabins and this way, we have our choice of those with the least obstruction thanks to Theo's great website.

 

I've found that booking very early, I almost always wind up paying a lot less than paying later plus I can choose my cabin. Checked my March 2014 cruise pricing and discovered that I'm paying 26.6% less than the current Princess fares. I booked months ago. Just checked my Royal cruise next year and I'm paying 21% less than the cabin next door which is currently available.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Pam in CA

[Happy2cruise]

If we know when and where we want to go we book and when there is a sale get the price adjusted.

Same here:D

[Pia1913]

We want to go on the RUBY in the spring of 2015 (Caribbean). Right now prices seem a bit high. When do you all book? Do you wait for a sale or do you just book? Thanks.

 

ASAP. Then watch the fares and ask to be refared if they go down. You can do this with Princess direct or with a travel agent. But be sure to use an agent who doesn't charge fees.

[dchip]

We just booked the Royal, 20 days in the Caribbean, for April 2015! The earliest we ever booked was the Star at 645 days out. We wanted a specific aft cabin.

 

Cheers, Denise.

[OCruisers]

As soon as we decide on which cruise we want, we go ahead and book so we can get the cabin of our choice. :)

 

LuLu

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[DrivesLikeMario]

It depends. I used to book about 15-16 months in advance but now I book within 2-3 months of sailing for the average cruise. If I'm booking a small ship or a sailing that is almost sold out (like my AK cruise), then I book as soon as I know for sure I want to go.

[Jules59]

Depends, but normally book with the TA as soon as we can. Take advantages of the price drops. Our next cruise is B2B in January, Booked it in the spring of 2012 .Around $999 to &1099 plus all the perks we get. Best mini-suite on the ship.

[Aussie Gal]

We usually book the moment the itinerary comes out if we like the cruise. We then can select the cabin we want and often the prices are the cheapest at the beginning. If not, then we watch and if they come down then we get the price adjusted.

 

I booked our cruise for April, 2015 on the Ocean Princess in May this year - 23 months before the actual cruise.

 

Jennie

[Vexorg]

Usually I'll book when I'm pretty sure I'll actually be taking the cruise. Typically this is about 3-4 months out, but the last couple I've booked have been 6 months and 8 months out when I booked. That's probably about the upper limit of how far in advance I can really plan for.

[Gunner22aa]

Or very close there to. There are between six and eight aft suites that we like and they tend to sell out fast on most cruises. We currently have three booked with the farthest out being Feb 27 15. Price reductions are not a factor for us as the prices of suites are seldom discounted especially on longer itineraries which we tend to sail on.

[Wehwalt]

I booked the Ocean as soon as booking opened to get the specific aft cabin I wanted, on the 62-day Asia and Africa. I mean, I was sitting outside waiting with my laptop, old school Ticketmaster technique!

[skynight]

When we decide to go, we book. As I type this message we are thinking about a b2b in Feb 2015, which we may reserve in a week or so. If we book now we can be sure to get the cabin we want on both legs.The TA we use does not charge anything if we cancel, change or re-book to get a lower fare or promo, therefore nothing lost, little risk. We use the FCC's which are re-deposited if you cancel before final payment date. Some cruises, such as those on the small ships fill up early. Also, on longer voyages suites tend to sell out quickly, if you want a suite. So, there is no single answer to your question.

[satxdiver]

We book at least a year ahead. Right now we have a sailing the fall of 2014 and another one the spring of 2015. Many times the price we book at is less than what Princess is charging 6 months or so from the cruise. Nice part about Princess is that they will lower your fare if you find a price lower than you originally booked. Special sale prices don't count but the special sales I have seen on ships we booked have been more than we were paying.

 

Added advantage is that by booking early we get the cabin we want.

[dorisis]

It depends! If there is a cabin we really want on the ship, we will book early and get the cabin. If we just want the ship or the itinerary, we book as soon as we make up our minds that we really want to go.

[sassyredhat]

We usually book a year ahead, and check for price drops before the final payment.

Our April cruise was booked 2 years ago. Our TA said that our penthouses have gone up by $938. :eek:

Pat

[geoherb]

If I know there's a specific cruise I want to go on, I'll book it as soon as possible. Usually, though, I'm keeping watch among several cruises that fit our dates. We've been able to save quite a bit by booking last-minute bargains--after the final payment date.

[born2cruize]

I've never been one to book last minute. Once I've decided that I needed a cruise fix I would book. The room was the most important selection. However, now that I have a scooter to get around it's ever more important for me to get a handicap room and since they are so few I'll book even earlier.

[avcruz]

As others have said, it depends upon the ship and the itinerary. If it's a longer or rarer itinerary, will usually book as soon as it comes out, as much as 20 months in advance. If it's not, then I'll book about 6-8 months ahead. This is in part because I need to make scheduling arrangements for work. Plus for me, the planning and anticipation is half the fun!!! :-)

[Kinkacruiser]

It's a long countdown, but usually 14-15 months out (when the following year's itineraries are released). There's always a price drop (or 2) during that time.

[sashas_mom]

Just booked a CA coastal cruise on the Crown in 3/15. We wanted obstructed view cabins and this way, we have our choice of those with the least obstruction thanks to Theo's great website.

 

I've found that booking very early, I almost always wind up paying a lot less than paying later plus I can choose my cabin. Checked my March 2014 cruise pricing and discovered that I'm paying 26.6% less than the current Princess fares. I booked months ago. Just checked my Royal cruise next year and I'm paying 21% less than the cabin next door which is currently available.

 

Hi Pam,

 

I just discovered Theo's site. Are these,windows behind the bed or to the side of the bed so they are easy to look out of? I don't understand why they put them behind the bed unless it's just to offer some light in the cabin. I had a cabin like that once on our first and last Carnival cruise.

[Steven_&_Daniel]

We usually book between a year to a year and a half ahead. Last June we booked a trip for March 2015, which was 659 days in advance.

 

I make monthly payments from the time I book until payment is due. The further out I book, the lower the payment.