Waiting for price to go down?

[aprilfool01]

I know this must have been asked before in one shape or another but any guidance would be so helpful. I have been tracking a Thompson cruise for June waiting for the price to go down but instead it's going up! Any ideas (I know how long is apiece of string!) when it might go downs. Thank you

[Tina.w12]

I'd it ex uk or med?

 

 

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[geomagot]

thoms pricing is a dark art....its unfathomable :confused: the answer to that question is the answer to the question everyone wants to know

 

sometimes a late booking can be a bargain...but its never very consistent....sometimes the price can rise astronomically in the last few weeks...its all down to availability or how popular that particular itinerary is

 

if you are flexible on dates and can get away pretty soon after booking? it is worth keeping an eye on the website for last minute but you may not always get what you want

[kruzseeka]

I know this must have been asked before in one shape or another but any guidance would be so helpful. I have been tracking a Thompson cruise for June waiting for the price to go down but instead it's going up! Any ideas (I know how long is apiece of string!) when it might go downs. Thank you

 

As you have quite rightly said it's fairly indeterminable and will depend on how well the cruise is selling. And prices may not be an indicator until late in the day. And there's your dilemma - do you wait and how long can you wait? To an extent it depends on how much you want that cruise, that date, that airport and what's the most you are prepared to pay. I've missed out in the past by waiting (not getting the cruise I wanted) but also had some good deals, occasionally excellent deals - but often there have been even bigger reductions still had I waited! It is a gamble!

 

Keep an eye on cabin availability by going through a mock booking process to see if there are still most categories available. Although the lowest deck insides are usually sold out first as long as there is still a good choice and no 'only five cabins left' messages by the category then you might assume there's a reasonable amount of cabins still left.

 

Watch out for airport availability too - once the 'only 8 seats left' type messages flag up, prices are not likely to fall from that airport departure although if you can choose a different airport the prices from there could be a lot cheaper if their plane has plenty of room. It's sometimes staggering the difference in price between airports especially as departure gets closer even £100's - it's all supply and demand.

 

Prices may start to fall after full payment is due about ten or twelve weeks before departure. That's when more cabins may become available if people have changed their minds about the trip when they have to pay the balance. It's a bit early for that to happen for June sailings.

 

That's not really any help as individual cruises may be extremely popular (school/public holiday periods) and may not come down at all. I'd be tempted to wait a while yet - but only you know how disappointed you'd be if you missed out altogether and if you are prepared to take the chance. But good luck with the tracking and I hope you get what you want at a price you think acceptable. :)

[kruzseeka]

I'd it ex uk or med?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

 

That's an excellent point - I didn't think to ask that. Ex UK sailings often do have good discounts near departure - for one thing you don't have the complication of plane seat availability from your local airport to worry about!

[Tina.w12]

When I have been tracking prices, the ex-uk have some really good discounts close to sailing date (maybe this is why they are not doing ex-uk in 2015). The adriatic hold there price and fill up fast, sailing from Palma can depend on time of year school holidays etc. As Geo said it's a dark art!!

[geomagot]

the ex-uk have some really good discounts close to sailing date (maybe this is why they are not doing ex-uk in 2015)

 

interesting bit of info tina...thanks for that...i am currently tracking fire n ice....have never done ex uk before so havnt really been paying much attention to the fares on those itineraries in the past....dilemma dilemma? i dont really want to miss out as this is the last year thoms are doing ex uk

[Tina.w12]

We did Fire and Ice 4 years ago, excellent cruise, is it going from Harwich? It may be more popular as it has previously gone from Newcastle.

[kruzseeka]

interesting bit of info tina...thanks for that...i am currently tracking fire n ice....have never done ex uk before so havnt really been paying much attention to the fares on those itineraries in the past....dilemma dilemma? i dont really want to miss out as this is the last year thoms are doing ex uk

 

The exUK sailings in my experience have had some amazing discounts especially really late on - but the fact that they aren't sailing from the UK next year could very well mean more demand - therefore prices may hold!!! As you say.....dilemma!

[aprilfool01]

Thank you everyone - we want to do a med cruise from Palma followed by a stay in hotel in Majorca.

[hall4me]

Thank you everyone - we want to do a med cruise from Palma followed by a stay in hotel in Majorca.

 

We did stay&cruise from Majorca prefer it this round & stayed in the Santa Lucia in Palma nova had a great time then picked up at hotel for transfer in cruise terminal for the dream to do med medley really enjoyed it . This hotel would strongly recommend or the son Matius very close by best 2hotels in palma nova I've been to Keith

[joeholiday2]

As has been said, it's a dark art.....

 

We have booked for the last 2 years running the first 2 weeks of July, once on Dream, then Majesty.

I found that the best time to book is around 4 to 5 weeks before departure, the price had dropped quite a bit by then, and then it started to rise. Things can vary though so don't take it that this will happen again this year....

 

We have always had the luxury of knowing that if the price went up we could just go a week later as we could easily change holidays at work. If you don't have that choice and have to stick to the weeks you have booked then it might be better to book earlier rather than later, you might miss out.

 

We only booked our next cruise early because of the AI offer and the dates we have to take are concrete.

 

As Kruseeka has said, take note of the seat/cabins left indicators. They are not BS just used to try and get you to book now. We once booked a Thomson holiday to the Dom Rep, it said online only one room left at this promotional price, I thought aww yeah they are trying it on. We booked over the phone with our TA and straight afterwards the price online went up.

 

Doing a cruise and stay also brings another variable with it. There is also the chance the hotel you want is full. 700 or so cabins on the Dream, your Hotel may only have 100 rooms?

[CRUISIN LINDA]

I am currently tracking fire n ice....have never done ex uk before so havnt really been paying much attention to the fares on those itineraries in the past....dilemma dilemma?

We booked this one early as we got free parking at Harwich and some OBC :) Also Spirit does not have many double cabins - don't want one of those L shaped ones ;) Swings and roundabouts really!

[CRUISIN LINDA]

..

 

As Kruseeka has said, take note of the seat/cabins left indicators. They are not BS just used to try and get you to book now. We once booked a Thomson holiday to the Dom Rep, it said online only one room left at this promotional price, I thought aww yeah they are trying it on. We booked over the phone with our TA and straight afterwards the price online went up.

Too true Joe. Last week, I was looking for a hotel in Salou for May half term and it said only one room left at this price - Yeah right! I thought. But by the time I had decided to book it, it had gone up £12 a person :rolleyes:

[happy v]

interesting bit of info tina...thanks for that...i am currently tracking fire n ice....have never done ex uk before so havnt really been paying much attention to the fares on those itineraries in the past....dilemma dilemma? i dont really want to miss out as this is the last year thoms are doing ex uk

 

I agree ex uk often have good prices closer to sailing, however I've also been tracking a couple for a while and found the prices were very good at the start of the year but are starting to creep up again now, and cabin grades are starting to sell out. Of course I'm looking from Newcastle, may be different from Harwich.

[Little Nell]

Happy v, the one we were tracking has no deluxe cabins left :( It is also from Newcastle. I am disappointed as we can't do the first one we chose because of a family wedding.

[happy v]

The ones I was looking at were almost sold out of deluxe.

 

I'll wait now and only go if we get a really cheap deal nearer the time. Luckily the port is only about half an hour away so no planning needed.

[Little Nell]

Thinking the same, Happy.