Early booking

[nancyneptune]

Can't believe so many  people rush to book as soon as the new brochure is out.  The prices usually drop as the weeks and months go by.  Then people moan that they have paid too much for their holiday and ask if Tui will do something about it.

 

I can understand someone  booking early if they want a particular date, itinerary and cabin for a special occasion but some relatively new cruisers probably  think that these inflated prices are the norm. and jump right in.  What's the panic.  Tui will have six ships for the new season with Explorer 2 replacing the Spirit from the spring giving even more capacity.

 

The prices have gone up considerably over the past few months as cruising has become more popular. First time cruisers are posting on cruise forums of the fantastic time they have had when in fact they have nothing to compare it with either in price, facilities or the whole cruise experience.  

 

They are in fact providing Tui with free advertising and boosting their sales and keeping prices high.

 

So calm down new cruisers and let us hopefully get back to the prices we used to enjoy before Thomson became Tui Marella.

 

I know the prices have increased a fair amount due to all the ships becoming AI  but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the choices on the basic AI package shrinks and the supplement for the Premium AI increases. Then it won't seem like such a good deal. Give us moderate drinkers back our choices.

 

Just saying !

 

 

[oxygenbanditnot]

Nancy, I agree with you up to a point. BUT, I think most cruisers book early to get the cabin they want. 

Also, there are not many suites , larger/deluxe balcony, larger outside/inside, single occupancy and accessibility cabins.

These will sell faster than all other standard grades.

We prefer inside cabins, mainly for budget & nice dark conditions for sleeping.

However, there are other factors.

For example, we booked up in March for next Feb on Explorer  1,so that we could get a flight from Newcastle.

Nice and easy for us. No seats available a few weeks later. Could have got Manchester a lot cheaper.

On reflection, we might consider that if we do it again.

 

[davecttr]

Lots of valid reasons to book early, I do to ensure I can go on that cruise, single outside cabin for me. I sometimes book 15 months early.

 

[newbiewaves]

Yes if you are not that fussed about cabins waiting can save money. We weren't sure about a holiday this year and checked around pricing a cruise and other options. When in Sept finally deciding on a December cruise the price had dropped, A1 was then included and the cabin was now an outside included! It also went down a bit more after we booked. Then prices changed yet again however the airport changed and A1 was extra which brought the price back to more than we paid. timing is a key!

[nancyneptune]

On 11/18/2018 at 9:06 AM, davecttr said:

Lots of valid reasons to book early, I do to ensure I can go on that cruise, single outside cabin for me. I sometimes book 15 months early.

 

 

I sympathise with solo passengers Dave. Cabins not in the best locations on the ships and can be very noisy, especially on the Celebration and the Spirit I've been told.

 

Have sat at dinner table with some solos who have paid more for a single inside cabin the we have paid for outside twin as we usually book late. Solo passengers don't have that choice as there are few single cabins available.

 

Someone suggested that solos should wait for price to drop then book twin cabin for two but only one show up. May not save much by doing this but will definitely get a better cabin.  

 

If all solos did this then maybe solos would start to get a better deal from Marella and other cruise companies.

 

 

[lexdisic]

7 hours ago, nancyneptune said:

 

Someone suggested that solos should wait for price to drop then book twin cabin for two but only one show up. May not save much by doing this but will definitely get a better cabin.  

 

If all solos did this then maybe solos would start to get a better deal from Marella and other cruise companies.

 

 

I would be careful with that tactic and check with the cruise line first before booking. Someone on CC reported that they tried to do that and were refused. The cruise lines apparently prefer 2 guests as they will spend more while on board compared to one. There are little or no savings to be had by not feeding the second passenger as the food and drink is already allowed for  -  the bean counters try to extract the maximum. I was looking at a cruise, forget which line, which was charging singles 2.5x the PP fare. Most unfair but only to be as expected from cruise lines these days. Years ago the small ships eg Marco Polo, charged the single fare with no supplement regardless of cabin - profit,profit, profit these days - such a shame.

[campolady]

Unless we definitely needed a particular cabin we would never book well in advance again.  Booked 11.5 months ahead last May for May this year - repo Malaga to Southampton.  14 weeks before departure the price dropped to less than half we were paying.  Luckily we hadn't yet paid the final balance so it was cheaper to cancel and lose the 300 Pound deposit paid then rebook at the new price - saved several hundred pounds and got an outside cabin instead of the inside one we had originally booked.

[nancyneptune]

9 hours ago, lexdisic said:

I would be careful with that tactic and check with the cruise line first before booking. Someone on CC reported that they tried to do that and were refused. The cruise lines apparently prefer 2 guests as they will spend more while on board compared to one. There are little or no savings to be had by not feeding the second passenger as the food and drink is already allowed for  -  the bean counters try to extract the maximum. I was looking at a cruise, forget which line, which was charging singles 2.5x the PP fare. Most unfair but only to be as expected from cruise lines these days. Years ago the small ships eg Marco Polo, charged the single fare with no supplement regardless of cabin - profit,profit, profit these days - such a shame.

 

It can be done and has been done.  That piece of advice was given to someone I know by a Tui senior manager.

 

You book for two but have a no show on the day. Nothing the company can do about it.  The twin room and the flights have been paid for and the company has lost nothing.

 

 If it was the case that the second person on a genuine booking could not travel the company can't prevent the other person from continuing with the cruise on their own. 

 

Don't always agree that two passengers will spend more on board than a solo passenger especially now that all the ships will be AI. 

 

Solo passengers are more likely to book ships tours simply because they are on their own as they may consider it safer to do so.  A couple are more likely to book cheaper independent tours or just go off the ship and make their own way.

 

Some of the late deals on offer at the moment for two sharing are considerably cheaper than the price paid for a single cabin at any time.

 

 

[nancyneptune]

6 hours ago, campolady said:

Unless we definitely needed a particular cabin we would never book well in advance again.  Booked 11.5 months ahead last May for May this year - repo Malaga to Southampton.  14 weeks before departure the price dropped to less than half we were paying.  Luckily we hadn't yet paid the final balance so it was cheaper to cancel and lose the 300 Pound deposit paid then rebook at the new price - saved several hundred pounds and got an outside cabin instead of the inside one we had originally booked.

 

Well done Campolady.  Hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

I think some people who booked early for the Asia cruises are kicking themselves now. There are some great late deals to be had especially from Gatwick.