Book or Wait??

[Sea and Me]

I'm looking at the Caribbean Princess 10/7/17 and it is one that is the 3 for 1 sale:) The cabins are pretty much available and the price isn't too bad. I'm looking at obstructed ocean views on the Emerald deck. They are now $1739. I don't ever remember booking a year ahead on any cruise. The question I have is this: Do we book or do we wait until say Spring?? Do I chance it and give up the "great sale" hoping another "sale" comes along??

 

What would you do and I appreciate your answers. Have a good day.

 

Carol

[moki'smommy]

Book. If the "great sale" comes along before the penalty date, you can always modify your booking or cancel and rebook at the great rate.

[Orlando Vic]

...and you will have a better choice of cabins if you book sooner rather than later.

[oldjetdriver]

Book. I have one booked for Jan 2018.

[cabinfever60]

If you want the sale and the price, then book it now and get the cabin that you want and if things change before final payment then you change, " But be warned if you change for something else make sure you don't lose out in the end. Do it all at the same time so you won't lose your cabin also hope that the price does not go up after the sale is over. If it was me I would book it now transfer it over to a TA get some obc then keep a eye on Princess web site for any changes that look better then what you have, if not take the cruise and don't look back!!!

[cynbar]

Book it now, you'll get your choice of cabins and the good ones go fast. Then keep an eye on the pricing and sales between now and final payment ---- you can refare with no penalty until final payment, but as mentioned above, make sure you'll be getting a better deal overall because you would lose your current perks and get whatever was offered with the new fare.

[nukesubsailor]

One more argument for booking early-----these promotions have a "capacity controlled" stipulation. That means that only a certain number of each type of cabin can get the promotion. Once that number has been reached, no one can get the sale perks for that type of cabin, yet the promotion continues for other cabin types.

[OCruisers]

We already have one booked on Caribbean Princess for January 2018. :)

[Pam in CA]

Book. I often book two years in advance and almost always pay less, even if the cruise goes on sale. I get the cabin I want.

[cabinfever60]

Now you have it!!! Pam has given you her opinion, nothing else needs to be said. Thank You Pam

[jennybenny]

I'm a big believer in booking when you know you want to do, ship, itinerary, etc.

Get the cabin you want and then monitor cruise pricing and deals to see if you have the opportunity to save later. It's worked out great for us and sometimes it's the best deal we could get, other times we save. Luck of the draw and I keep an open mind.

 

For instance, we booked a thanksgiving cruise last December. We booked a mini suite for the first time. The price was okay. It's what we pay for a weeks vacation at Disneyland at the Grand Californian. So, if the price went down great. It never did but that's okay too

 

Always book what you want at a price you are willing to pay and any deals that come by are a bonus [emoji4]

 

 

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[1965]

I asked the very same question back in Nov. for a cruise departing Sept. 2017, almost 2 yrs in advance. Everyone here said book it. Get the cabin you want. If the price goes down I could rebook. If I need to cancel it's all refundable if done before a certain date. I booked it, and am SO glad I did. The price did go down last week, and in addition there is the 3 for free sale. My fare went from $4349 to $3899 pp, we got a total of $300 OBC (in addition to the $500 we already had), and the free gratuities saved us over $700. Everyone here was absolutely correct then, and now. And Pam always gives great advice. I don't know her personally, but I sure do like her. :)

[f-mattox]

One more vote for "book it now"; if you've got a good deal and a cabin you like, do it. You can always refare if the price drops, and occasionally there will be incentives that drop your net price even lower. I book one and a half to two years out and usually refare 2-3 times--and I always have the cabin I want.

 

Oh, and by the way, I'm a big fan of Pam's also--she knows Princess like nobody else I know.

[cabinfever60]

That's right, even if she doesn't know it!!! "SHE IS THE (FAIRY PRINCESS) OF PRINCESS:)

[1965]

Carol P.-Just realized you'll be boarding the Caribbean Princess right after we leave her on Oct. 7. Our cruise departs London on 9/10/17, and ends in Ft. Lauderdale on Oct. 7. I'm counting the days!! Have a wonderful cruise. :)

[Zooguy]

First of all, Pam from CA is always right.

Like so many others have said, book it now and you're in the drivers seat instead of waiting and hoping you get what you want.

Currently we have a 10/17 booking and also a 03/18 booking.

 

 

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[Tak8]

I say book now. I booked a May '17 European cruise when they first opened up. Later, the Sip and Sail promotion became available. I was able to switch. You may have to pay a price difference if your cabin category has gone up. Then you would have to decide if it is worth it or not depending on price. I tend to book early to get the cabin I want and then keep an eye out for promotions or price drops.

[riclop]

I'm looking at the Caribbean Princess 10/7/17 and it is one that is the 3 for 1 sale:) The cabins are pretty much available and the price isn't too bad. I'm looking at obstructed ocean views on the Emerald deck. They are now $1739. I don't ever remember booking a year ahead on any cruise. The question I have is this: Do we book or do we wait until say Spring?? Do I chance it and give up the "great sale" hoping another "sale" comes along??

 

What would you do and I appreciate your answers. Have a good day.

 

Carol

 

If the price is right for you then book it.

[Lucky TGO]

Book. If the "great sale" comes along before the penalty date' date=' you can always modify your booking or cancel and rebook at the great rate.[/quote']

I agree Moki is right.

Tony

[easyboy]

The question I have is this: Do we book or do we wait until say Spring?? Do I chance it and give up the "great sale" hoping another "sale" comes along??

 

Carol

Book it.

[Knickearth]

we had a different experience from most of the people here. A bunch of us were constantly checking for a year on a future cruise and the price was pretty high. It did have free gratuities etc. Well six months prior to that cruises the prices dropped drastically, but by booking it you can not get the free gratuities etc. Considering it is a month long cruise, the gratuities are costing us a fortune.

 

Book now and you can always change it with no consequences. But should the price drop they are known for removing your free stuff.

[Krozulo]

we had a different experience from most of the people here. A bunch of us were constantly checking for a year on a future cruise and the price was pretty high. It did have free gratuities etc. Well six months prior to that cruises the prices dropped drastically, but by booking it you can not get the free gratuities etc. Considering it is a month long cruise, the gratuities are costing us a fortune.

 

Book now and you can always change it with no consequences. But should the price drop they are known for removing your free stuff.

 

That makes sense. If you book it under one promotion, then rebook under a different (or no) promotion, you don't keep the benefits of the first promotion. You have to take into account the total price of both when deciding if it's a better deal.

 

I'll be booking my cruise under the 3 for Free this week, even though I anticipate the price going down later to more than make up for the free gratuities. If it does, yay! I can rebook because the reduced $100 deposit is refundable. If it doesn't, I'm still booked in the cabin I want with free gratuities.

[Kingofcool1947]

I'm looking at the Caribbean Princess 10/7/17 and it is one that is the 3 for 1 sale:) The cabins are pretty much available and the price isn't too bad. I'm looking at obstructed ocean views on the Emerald deck. They are now $1739. I don't ever remember booking a year ahead on any cruise. The question I have is this: Do we book or do we wait until say Spring?? Do I chance it and give up the "great sale" hoping another "sale" comes along??

 

What would you do and I appreciate your answers. Have a good day.

 

Carol

 

If it were me, I'd wait until another sale comes along. You might save a couple hundred, if you 're not too particular where your obstructed view cabin is located.

 

Otherwise book now.

 

Good luck, and happy cruising.

Edited September 19, 2016 by Kingofcool1947