Repositioning Cruise Pricing Question

[calurduran]

I feel a little sad that my first post is going to be a question to which the answer is probably "no one really knows yet". But maybe someone out there was monitoring the prices for this year's repositioning cruises and will have some advice. I'll just bold the question at the end if you'd rather skip the narrative.

 

I am in the enviable position that I work a job that for a brief part of the year (mid-May to mid-June), I can do from almost anywhere, including on the high seas. I was planning on going to Europe for a few weeks during this time of year in 2016 when it hit me that since I live in Florida, perhaps I could save some $/airline miles and take a repositioning cruise to get there.

 

There's one itinerary that works, on board the Navigator of the Seas. Unfortunately others in my life don't have the same flexibility and so I'd be traveling solo. It looks like the single supplement is in full effect right now and so the total would be around $2000. Still a great rate for 13 nights, especially as I need to get to Europe one way or the other and I love days at sea.

 

But I'd be a lot happier pulling the trigger if the price came down a bit. I realize that if I wait until a month or two before the cruise the price is likely to have changed, though in which direction depends on how quickly it books.

 

Did anyone happen to notice with the RC 2015 Caribbean -> Europe repositioning cruises whether the prices dropped (or increased) significantly come March/April? Or whether they dropped the single supplement or decreased it as the sailing date neared?

 

 

Thanks!

[PSU]

If you book now and the price comes down, you can get the reduction in price. So it is a no-brainer. Usually repositioning cruises are very popular.

[calurduran]

Huh. I had never heard of that before. So if I book it now and two weeks before sailing date there are still openings and they massively reduce the price, they will match it and refund the rest of my money?

[Clarea]

Huh. I had never heard of that before. So if I book it now and two weeks before sailing date there are still openings and they massively reduce the price, they will match it and refund the rest of my money?

No, you have until final payment date to get a price drop. That would be 75 days before the cruise in your case.

[calurduran]

Ah yes...I guess I was wondering if anyone had noticed whether there'd been big price drops this year after the 75-day cut-off. I figured there wouldn't be too much movement in the price before then. Sorry, should have been clearer in my question.

[Clarea]

Ah yes...I guess I was wondering if anyone had noticed whether there'd been big price drops this year after the 75-day cut-off. I figured there wouldn't be too much movement in the price before then. Sorry, should have been clearer in my question.

If you are willing to sail in an inside, I have seen those go down close to sailing on repositioning cruises.

[calurduran]

I'm pretty much willing to take anything :P Thanks for the input!

[Grandma Dazzles]

You may find the one-way air fare home to be expensive. Last time I did a TA was November 2012. Used airline miles for flight and had plenty of miles with Delta, American and United. Found American was the only one that would honor a one-way flight as far as miles. Others charged round trip miles.

[calurduran]

You may find the one-way air fare home to be expensive. Last time I did a TA was November 2012. Used airline miles for flight and had plenty of miles with Delta, American and United. Found American was the only one that would honor a one-way flight as far as miles. Others charged round trip miles.

 

 

Oh, I'd definitely use miles for the way back. At this point thankfully all three major US airlines do one-ways for half the price of round-trips.

[MADflyer]

If you google 'cruise price drop tracker' you will find a website where you can fish around for historical pricing.

 

Every year has a little of a different dynamic. If you are open to cabin location and can take a GTY category Z, Y or X then the best deals for this years sailings did come just after the final payment in February of 2015.

 

As they had a new ship to introduce and then had another go from dry dock directly to Southampton in 2015 Brilliance to Harwich was the only choice and the best rates were on Feb. 21 to 23, 2015.

 

RCI have been pretty tough about holding the 200% single supplement on most ships. They will rarely appear now on the weekly Going, Going, Gone sales.

[Clarea]

You may find the one-way air fare home to be expensive. Last time I did a TA was November 2012. Used airline miles for flight and had plenty of miles with Delta, American and United. Found American was the only one that would honor a one-way flight as far as miles. Others charged round trip miles.

That's where Royal's Choice Air is worth a look. They are generally much cheaper for one-way overseas flights.

[patreke]

I am currently booked on that cruise as a solo. I found the current bogo event appears to help with single supplement. I know there are a lot of opinions about the value of the sale & whether or not it will ever end but I figured I would book it on the BOGO sale & if it worked out later that a higher single supplement on a lower cruise price worked in my favour I would ask for the change at that point.

Just as an aside, my "price" has gone up about 700 for a solo balcony since I booked when the itinerary was released. And at that time (March) the prices of 2015 spring & fall TA's weren't dramatically different.

 

Good luck.

Edited May 21, 2015 by patreke

[cruisevv]

I've booked some TAs with the same hope of a price change. Maybe in the next WOW.

 

Quick question, can someone clarify on the past final payment date/75 days to the cruise compensation. You can't get the difference in price removed but you do get some form of compensation if the price changes right? Usually OBC?

[Clarea]

I've booked some TAs with the same hope of a price change. Maybe in the next WOW.

 

Quick question, can someone clarify on the past final payment date/75 days to the cruise compensation. You can't get the difference in price removed but you do get some form of compensation if the price changes right? Usually OBC?

There is no credit of any kind for price drops after final payment date.

 

The only exception is if you book after final payment date and the price goes down within 48 hours. Then you can get 110% of the difference as OBC.

[cruisevv]

There is no credit of any kind for price drops after final payment date.

 

The only exception is if you book after final payment date and the price goes down within 48 hours. Then you can get 110% of the difference as OBC.

 

So you're basically SOL at 2 1/2 months out. Good to know.

[Clarea]

So you're basically SOL at 2 1/2 months out. Good to know.

You might be able to upgrade for free, if you find that the price of a better stateroom has come down enough. However, you have to be careful, because you could lose promos that you had on your original booking, if those promos are not still in effect.

[clarky213]

15 Night Transatlantic Departing 28th April 2016

 

Jewel of the Seas

 

FLL to Rome

 

Currently $ 1,544 for a single interior

[NJ&Ozzie]

There is no credit of any kind for price drops after final payment date.

 

The only exception is if you book after final payment date and the price goes down within 48 hours. Then you can get 110% of the difference as OBC.

 

Hi,

That's very interesting. Haven't known about this 48 hour price exception. Is this in print somewhere or just sort of a known policy with RCCL?

We sometimes book after 75 day so will keep this in mind.

Thanks for mentioning this!

NJ :)

[Clarea]

Hi,

That's very interesting. Haven't known about this 48 hour price exception. Is this in print somewhere or just sort of a known policy with RCCL?

We sometimes book after 75 day so will keep this in mind.

Thanks for mentioning this!

NJ :)

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=best_price_guarantee&cid=RCConsumerWebLP-091609BestPriceGuarantee

Edited May 21, 2015 by clarea

[NJ&Ozzie]

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=best_price_guarantee&cid=RCConsumerWebLP-091609BestPriceGuarantee

 

Hey - thanks Bob. Good stuff.

NJ :)