How Full is My Ship?

[2cmu92]

Is there any way I can tell how full our cruise will be?   We are about 30 days out - so I know it could change.  We usually cruise during busy vacation times but now are empty nesters and looking forward to an off season cruise. 

[1025cruise]

Assume the ship will be full.

[2cmu92]

While I appreciate you taking the time to respond - that was not what I asked.    I have cruised on full Oasis class ships on RC and had a great time - I was simply just asking a question as I have never cruised  "off season" before.  

[Gershep]

It takes a while but you can do a mock booking and go into every cabin category to see if there are any cabins left. We have sailed on off season and longer cruises and they have always been full. I don't know of any website that would tell you how many cabins are available.

[2cmu92]

Thanks for the info - much appreciated

[BirdTravels]

29 minutes ago, 2cmu92 said:

While I appreciate you taking the time to respond - that was not what I asked.    I have cruised on full Oasis class ships on RC and had a great time - I was simply just asking a question as I have never cruised  "off season" before.  

If it is a 7-day cruise, NCL normally sail their ships full. On-season/off-season it does not make a difference. If it is off-season, the mean age will higher. There will be fewer families, so, I suppose that means less 3rd and 4th bunks full. But as your cruise gets closer, they will work hard to fill every room. 

[BlueLineGal]

While making my dining reservations I just asked and they told me that the ship had a "tremendous" amount of openings, but then again I do not sail until December 1st.

[hladygirl]

What ship and date?

[graphicguy]

It’s been years since I sailed on a ship that didn’t sail full.  And, that was a HAL repositioning cruise on one of their oldest ships.

[BlueLineGal]

While making my dining reservations I just asked and they told me that the ship had a "tremendous" amount of openings, but then again I do not sail until December 1st.

 

Sorry this is for the Encore their new ship. 

What I was trying to say is just call them and maybe they will let you know.

[2cmu92]

Oct 12 - Norwegian Sun

[biker@sea]

NCL ships run from 100% full = 2 passengers per cabin.

Up to 120% full with 3 and 4 per cabin.

 

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[hladygirl]

Just did mock booking on this 5 day cruise and it shows tons of empty cabins. Great price too.

[Markanddonna]

Even if there are lots of cabins available, cruise lines have ways of filling them up at the last minute: local residents whose suitcases are always packed and employees and families of partnering companies (usually airlines.)  These folks get the rock bottom rates.

[1025cruise]

It doesn't matter when the sailing is, my response is still valid. For the most part, ships will sail as close to full as possible.

 

The only time I had a lighter cruise was the week after Thanksgiving. Ship was still relatively full, but there were empty cabins.

[billslowsky]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

Even if there are lots of cabins available, cruise lines have ways of filling them up at the last minute: local residents whose suitcases are always packed and employees and families of partnering companies (usually airlines.)  These folks get the rock bottom rates.

I did that on my last trip.  Bermuda from NYC on the Escape, bought it on Wednesday or Thursday before the departure, nice balcony cabin on deck 13, $899 as a solo traveler, no perks.  (plus port fees)

[buddylover]

48 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

I did that on my last trip.  Bermuda from NYC on the Escape, bought it on Wednesday or Thursday before the departure, nice balcony cabin on deck 13, $899 as a solo traveler, no perks.  (plus port fees)

I do believe now with Homeland Security restrictions and requiring ship manifests, you can no longer just walk on less than 10 days to 2 weeks before departure when Homeland Security needs to know the travellers??  Used to be that you could show up at the port the "day of" and get available rooms for very inexpensive to fill the ship (my in laws used to do that all the time) - but not any longer.  Even Thursday before departure (assuming it was a weekend departure) seems unlikely in today's world??

[CookieShip]

I've booked less than a week before departure recently, back in April. 

I would hope everything is digital these days and transferring manifest to DHS should only take minutes, if that. 

18 minutes ago, buddylover said:

I do believe now with Homeland Security restrictions and requiring ship manifests, you can no longer just walk on less than 10 days to 2 weeks before departure when Homeland Security needs to know the travellers??  Used to be that you could show up at the port the "day of" and get available rooms for very inexpensive to fill the ship (my in laws used to do that all the time) - but not any longer.  Even Thursday before departure (assuming it was a weekend departure) seems unlikely in today's world??

 

[billslowsky]

21 minutes ago, buddylover said:

I do believe now with Homeland Security restrictions and requiring ship manifests, you can no longer just walk on less than 10 days to 2 weeks before departure when Homeland Security needs to know the travellers??  Used to be that you could show up at the port the "day of" and get available rooms for very inexpensive to fill the ship (my in laws used to do that all the time) - but not any longer.  Even Thursday before departure (assuming it was a weekend departure) seems unlikely in today's world??

 

I did it for the July 7, 2019 cruise.

[BirdTravels]

18 minutes ago, buddylover said:

I do believe now with Homeland Security restrictions and requiring ship manifests, you can no longer just walk on less than 10 days to 2 weeks before departure when Homeland Security needs to know the travellers??  Used to be that you could show up at the port the "day of" and get available rooms for very inexpensive to fill the ship (my in laws used to do that all the time) - but not any longer.  Even Thursday before departure (assuming it was a weekend departure) seems unlikely in today's world??

Nope. NCL sells to a few days prior to cruise.  (We have purchased in that window). 

 

But, on the Monday prior to departure (on a weekend departure)  they begin processing the final upgrades finishing around Wednesday or Thursday  (the latest we have got an upgrade). So inventory will be shifting all around during that period. 

[Gershep]

You can book up until a couple of days before.

[buddylover]

46 minutes ago, Gershep said:

You can book up until a couple of days before.

Good to know....thanks.....I stand corrected!

[smplybcause]

It's around the 24-48 hour mark that they cut off sales. In that time frame it's kinda hard to tell if it sold out or cut off 😉 but I've seen several cruises available the day before. 

[JamieLogical]

They will fill the ship one way or another. They drop sail away rates to ridiculous levels and offer free rooms to Casinos At Sea players.One of my Escape cruises, there were literally hundreds of rooms left a week or two out from sailing, but then when I got on board, the ship was packed and the Casino was the most crowded I had ever seen it. I honestly had to give up on trying to play slots, every single machine was taken any time the casino was open!

[biker@sea]

1 hour ago, smplybcause said:

It's around the 24-48 hour mark that they cut off sales. In that time frame it's kinda hard to tell if it sold out or cut off 😉 but I've seen several cruises available the day before. 

 

I bought a Cruise on Thursday night when I noticed a large price drop and sailed the next day.

 

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Edited September 6, 2019 by biker@sea