Do Sail Away rates trend down closer to sailing?

[coldweather]

I am interested in a Bermuda cruise in May or June 2019.  I see the Sail Away rate is offered for these sailings.

 

In my experience in tracking a different upcoming cruise, once the Sail Away rate was offered, it seems to stick around until very close to sailing.  Also, I noticed that the Sail Away rate decreased as we got closer to sailing.  (Obviously on this specific cruise they were trying to fill cabins.)

 

Questions:

1. Does the Sail Away rate increase over time?

2. If you book a Sail Away rate and you are well outside of the 120 day full payment, do you need to pay in full at the time of booking?  

 

Trying to figure out if procrastinating booking pays off as long as I know I want to book the Sail Away rate with no perks.

 

Thanks.

[Paul Bogle]

Sailaway rates will move relative to the booking algorithm prediction. If books are running slower than predicted sailaway rates will fall. If bookings are running ahead of expectations they will rise or disappear.

[Love4Jah]

Sometimes sail away cabins could be sold out.

[kochleffel]

7 hours ago, Love4Jah said:

Sometimes sail away cabins could be sold out.

 

On some itineraries sailaway cabins are the first to sell out! They might be reinstated later if bookings lag, or they might not.

[Mike_DeA]

Sail Away rates work the same as the other rates, you put a deposit down if outside the final payment window.

 

I booked the Escape from NYC this past June 3-10 and paid a last minute Sail Away Inside rate of $749+ solo, with no single supplement.  The Sail Away Inside for that same week in 2019 is currently $899+.

 

No one can predict which way rates will move, however I would recommend going with May or early June before schools are out.

 

[resetjet]

if you book a sail away guarantee which is all they offered me, could you then upgrade to a higher category if your room sucks, and when do you get your room.  Within a few days or close to cruise?  I chose the higher category as I did not want to gamble on location.  

[April42749]

13 minutes ago, resetjet said:

if you book a sail away guarantee which is all they offered me, could you then upgrade to a higher category if your room sucks, and when do you get your room.  Within a few days or close to cruise?  I chose the higher category as I did not want to gamble on location.  

You can always "upsell" yourself to a higher category...IF you are paying more.  The only problem is if the higher category ends up costing less than what you paid for the lower category.

 

[April42749]

On 12/17/2018 at 11:47 AM, Mike_DeA said:

Sail Away rates work the same as the other rates, you put a deposit down if outside the final payment window.

 

I booked the Escape from NYC this past June 3-10 and paid a last minute Sail Away Inside rate of $749+ solo, with no single supplement.  The Sail Away Inside for that same week in 2019 is currently $899+.

 

No one can predict which way rates will move, however I would recommend going with May or early June before schools are out.

 

I was monitoring NYC to Bermuda for May-June 2018.  The earlier ones went way down right before the sailing date....the earlier the deep the deeper the discount.