Can I change if I book far in advance?

[Barca-longa]

Hi! I'm pretty new to this so excuse me if this is obvious.

 

I'm thinking of taking a cruise next June to Alaska. Some other family members might come as well with their spouses and kids. With the kids-sail-free promo going on now at RCCL (we have two little ones) I'm thinking about finding a cruise and booking now.

 

But since I'm such frugal frannie, wondering if the price goes down if I'm able to get the better price down the road. Is it a matter of just saying I found a better price or do I have to cancel and rebook? Does it depend on if I book through the cruise line vs travel agent vs online broker - does everyone have their own policy?

 

Also, about that price - Is there just one price set by the cruise lines and then that's the same one offered by travel agents and online brokers? Or do they each set their own price?

 

For the cruise we'll be taking in October we bought through an online travel site. I had been watching the price go up and down on that site - sometimes a few times over a day - and then put it on hold when it seemed too good to pass up. Which was a good thing, since only a few hours later it was back up again. So, is this price dictated by the cruise company - do they change that fast - or is this a special deal from them?

Edited June 22, 2014 by Barca-longa
a word

[Keith1010]

In many cases you can followup with the cruise line and get the reduced rate.

 

Remember while sometimes the price goes down there are also times when it goes up or most times when it just stays the same.

 

We have always found it wise to book early.

 

Keith

[life_dizzy]

Hi! I'm pretty new to this so excuse me if this is obvious.

 

I'm thinking of taking a cruise next June to Alaska. Some other family members might come as well with their spouses and kids. With the kids-sail-free promo going on now at RCCL (we have two little ones) I'm thinking about finding a cruise and booking now.

 

But since I'm such frugal frannie, wondering if the price goes down if I'm able to get the better price down the road. Is it a matter of just saying I found a better price or do I have to cancel and rebook? Does it depend on if I book through the cruise line vs travel agent vs online broker - does everyone have their own policy?

 

Also, about that price - Is there just one price set by the cruise lines and then that's the same one offered by travel agents and online brokers? Or do they each set their own price?

 

For the cruise we'll be taking in October we bought through an online travel site. I had been watching the price go up and down on that site - sometimes a few times over a day - and then put it on hold when it seemed too good to pass up. Which was a good thing, since only a few hours later it was back up again. So, is this price dictated by the cruise company - do they change that fast - or is this a special deal from them?

 

I have only been on one cruise so far. We just booked our second one for January 2015. Being 6 months away, I am always wondering if the price will drop and if I could get a discounted rate. I plan to check once in a while and call them to see if we can get a reduced rate if it does drop.

 

However, if I'm not mistaken, RCL's policy for cancellations is that you lose your deposit money unless you're more than 75 days out. In which case the price is less likely to drop anyway, since it's still a good ways away from sail date/last minute promotions. I probably wouldn't take the chance of canceling and re-booking personally. Then again, I'm fairly new at this as well, so I'm still learning when they do their best sales and promotions!

 

We used a travel agent for our first once since we got married on that cruise, and we had other guests and such to book dining tables together, etc. But this time I decided not to use a TA. The rates my TA gave me last time were exactly the same as the website, as it was this time, so I booked it on my own.