How to Tell How Well Attended Cruise Will Be Before Sailing?

[HolyCityGamecock]

Hi,

 

Is there a easier way to tell how full a ship will be prior to sailing other than going to Carnival's website and doing a fake booking?

 

Im going on the Victory on April 17 and it LOOKS like there are lots of rooms open, but I could be wrong.

 

Thanks!

[coevan]

most ships sail full, and what's the difference?

[HolyCityGamecock]

Just asking. Problem?

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

[InitialD]

They will always pretty much fill them up one way or another. I've never felt any ship was more or less crowed than any other (in that ship's class).

 

Now PORTS are different. They can feel super crowed when you get 4 ships in Grand Cayman vs one or two, for example. This year there will only be two ships in Cozumel when we go; I'm interested in seeing how different it is than the usual 6 or so. There are some websites that post cruise schedules for each port of call.

[Out of Iowa]

I disagree that a ship sails full all the time so you won't notice any difference.....it may sail full, or it may sail at maximum capacity, and a person who doesn't like long lines at the buffet or prior to the comedy club performances will discern the difference!

 

The best time we ever sailed was early to mid-May. Far fewer families, far fewer kids...more breathing room.

 

All those cabins that can accommodate up to 4 people, when they have a full complement of passengers, will make the ship seem more crowded.

 

YMMV.

[BahamaMama1214]

If you looked and it seemed like there were a lot of rooms left, there probably were. That being said, you have over a month until your cruise, and Carnival will do everything in their power to sell those rooms. You might want to check back again right before your cruise.

[HolyCityGamecock]

Thanks for the HELPFUL comments!

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

[caribbeingexcited]

You can go to www.cruisetimetables.com to see how many ships will by in port with you. There's a site to look up how full the ship is but it won't let me post the link but it's cruise fish.

[bobbismith]

We are sailing May 11 hoping for a quiet ship. Kids still in school.

 

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[HolyCityGamecock]

I'm thinking our cruise will be relatively quiet with it being Monday through Friday and kids still in school.

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

[AdGuyMG]

Im going on the Victory on April 17 and it LOOKS like there are lots of rooms open, but I could be wrong.

 

Since Carnival sells Insides OVs and Balconies available at Guarantee Rates, the appearance of lots of open cabins can be deceiving as there could be many yet to be unassigned Guarantees.

 

The sailing date is still about 40 days out. So even if the Guarantees are all assigned and there are 80 open cabins, that's only 2 reservations per day to fill the ship.

[KPfromCT]

I'm thinking our cruise will be relatively quiet with it being Monday through Friday and kids still in school.

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

 

Don't be so sure of that. It's April vacation week up here in New England, and possibly other areas.

Also keep in mind, there are other cabins out there besides what you see on Carnival's website.

Travel agents/Costcos/BJ's, etc all get an allotment of rooms.

I think it would be very difficult to say for sure.

 

Hoping you have a "peaceful" week on your cruise!!:D

[Doctorsbaby]

I'm thinking our cruise will be relatively quiet with it being Monday through Friday and kids still in school.

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

 

 

 

This is the M-F after Easter and there is the possibility of a decent amount of schools out for Spring Break that week.

[HolyCityGamecock]

Possibly. I looked up college spring breaks and most seem to happen in March

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

[pusywillow]

One of my best cruises was during Hurricane Matthew. Half the ship cancelled. No lines, great service from everyone, easy to debark etc.

[Jerseygirl1416]

We are sailing May 11 hoping for a quiet ship. Kids still in school.

 

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app

 

University of Alabama commencement is 5/6&7. I wouldn't count on an empty ship on 5/11.

[dd likes to cruise]

This is the M-F after Easter and there is the possibility of a decent amount of schools out for Spring Break that week.

 

I know in the state I use to live - every Catholic school in the state has the week after Easter as spring break. Does not matter when Easter is. Not sure if that is in all states or not.

[HolyCityGamecock]

Hmm. What state? I looked up most states and everyone I could find besides Massachusetts had theirs before Easter.

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

[JMAE]

I just check availability when our sailing date is near.

[hotsauce126]

Possibly. I looked up college spring breaks and most seem to happen in March

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

 

College spring breaks are mostly in March but a lot of K-12 spring breaks are in April

[rachella]

Hmm. What state? I looked up most states and everyone I could find besides Massachusetts had theirs before Easter.

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

 

 

I live in Louisiana, and they seem to stagger spring break.....some parishes the week before Easter and some parishes the week after. I know in my parish (county), ours is the week after easter. So it may be the case in other states as well. I personally think that is to eliminate a terrible mad rush of spring breakers to the hot vacay spots in only one week and separate into two weeks.

You may have a very busy cruise.

 

 

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[KPfromCT]

Hmm. What state? I looked up most states and everyone I could find besides Massachusetts had theirs before Easter.

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

 

Again, most of New England is off that week. Not colleges. Elementary thru high school.

It's their "spring break".

No need to worry about the drunks, but there WILL be kids.

[Moviela]

... there are other cabins out there besides what you see on Carnival's website.

Travel agents/Costcos/BJ's, etc all get an allotment of rooms.

 

 

 

When I have used Costco Travel I have noticed the same rooms on the Costco site and the Carnival booking engine. I really don't think anyone in the travel industry is big enough to buy cabins on spec. One reason for this is that the boat owner does not want to see any empty cabins, even if they are paid for, because on board sales are a big part of the profits.

 

I have also looked at high volume travel sellers like Priceline, and they offer the same cabins as Carnival does to the public.

 

Carnival tells share owners that ships sail at capacity. I have taken 3 cruises in the past year, and I believe it.

[HolyCityGamecock]

My fiancé did her bachelorette party as a cruise on Carnival and saw no kids and it was on a weekend. Hmm.

 

 

First cruise: Carnival Victory, 4/17/2017

[Alaskan Joe]

Just about 40 days before my last cruise I thought the same thing, "man there is a lot of cabins left?" One guy Bruin Steve that was in the roll call laughed at me when I said "seem like this ship is going to be lite in people". He insured me that the ship will sail FULL, rather its giving me or you an update on the room (someone that has already booked), or giving great deals on the rooms left, one way or another it will sail FULL. He was absolutely correct. When got down to 25 days the cabins were dropping like flies. I think it was 4 days before we sailed the cruise was sold out.