Is there a way to check out how full a ship is prior to buying?

[graphicguy]

15 hours ago, salty dingo said:

We booked on 9/28 for the Escape 10/20 7 day to Bermuda out of NYC. We had the choice of two Balcony sailaway prices:

• $499 pp for no perks
• $699 pp for all the perks (UBP, SDP, Internet, Shore Ex Credit)

Also we got free gratuities and $50 OBC from the TA. We ended up with a nice BB balcony on deck 13. Very happy with the location.

I did that cruise earlier this year.  Great ship. Great port.  Great cruise.  You’ll love it!

[MoniMommy]

These are good prices. So the price of a balcony on the GEM sailing dec 13, 2019 has dropped again. So now the lowest balcony with perks is 50 less than what we paid(599 per person, 3rd person free). So I may see if they will ,et me upgrade from my sail away balcony to the balcony with perks. If my calculations are correct the gratuities would be 208 (based off the drink package and soda package for my 7 year old). So since I have already paid 50 over the current price, I hope that would be subtracted leaving me with a balance of  $159 for gratuities.  

 

So not a bad deal. I am too obsessed about price. If the prices go down I will regret not having waited. If they go up I will regret not having upgraded. Well, its good to have 1st world decisions. So many have things so much more dire to contemplate. How good are those specialty restaurants. We would go to Teppanyaki, Cagneys, and Le Bistro. 

[mano2020]

I'm playing poker, and have not yet purchased for 12/13....I see the Bliss is currently $100 more $499 for a balcony sailaway than on the Gem ($399), as of the last I checked a few days ago.  I'm kind of hoping for the Bliss only because it's a newer ship, but I wouldn't mind experiencing the Gem either, and it's an extra day too on the Gem.

 

IDK what to tell you about upgrading...Let us know if they let you. I think the key is whether you have paid in full yet or not, but I could be wrong...I think if you have not yet paid in full, you can cancel your current trip and then re-book at the cheaper rate. If you have paid in full, you are at their mercy, but again, just what I have heard, and I'd be interested to hear how you make out.

 

And I think the gratuities will be more, if you get the alcohol package. 

 

I do have to pull the trigger here soon on one of these, as my friend who would be going needs to give some notice for

 

their job...If it were just me I'd wait til the last week, lol...

[MoniMommy]

I paid in full when I booked. I don't think is any other option when you are beyond final payment. One person on our roll call has reported being able to call and pay the difference in price for a higher category. Some in our roll call called an upgraded from ocean view to balcony because of the price drop. Gratuities on drink package for 8 days will be 158.40. Gratuities on soda package would be 12.72. Gratuities on the 2 "free" dining packages would be 39.60. I am traveling with 2 minors so I will save on drink package gratuities. The cabin is $49 less and the gratuities are 210.72. So i would hope to get the upgrade for 162.72. Of course an even better deal would be to get the upgrade for free. If I wait the cabin could go lower. It could also go higher. I could never be a poker player. 

[mano2020]

I just did a mock booking on NCL's site for the Gem for 12/13.  It gave me a little different numbers than you are saying, but I did it for 2 people. The cheapest guarantee balcony is $1198 for 2, plus $356.40 for the "freebies" and then $409.88 taxes, port fees., etc. for a grand total of $1,964.28. 

 

Or a sailaway balcony room is $1,207 total with taxes and port fees, but no freebies....I'd probably do this, then add some meal upgrades, since I rarely drink....although my travel companion wants to drink more, so IDK !  I might just bite the bullet. If you use all the freebies the upcharge is  probably worth it....but it's basically a $750 upgrade for 2. 

It's kind of sad that the taxes, port fees and gratuities are nearly as much, and sometimes MORE than the cost of the room & meals! Just went to Busch Gardens last weekend and they operate the same way...They offer a low gate fee (this time of year), but then hit you with a $10 administrative fee for buying on-line, and then hit you with a surprise minimum $20 parking fee.  And food prices are insane!!  Yes, we are lucky to have such things to annoy us!!
 

MM had asked "How good are those specialty restaurants. We would go to Teppanyaki, Cagneys, and Le Bistro." 

 

Cagneys was great, Tappanyaki was very good, and I didn't try Le Bistro.

[MoniMommy]

Yes, that's what I see too. The guarantee balcony with perks is 599 per person with the 3rd person free for a total of 1198. We paid 1248 for 3 for a sail away balcony without perks. Our gratuities will be less because we will be charged (I hope) gratuity for 1 drink package and 1 soda package as I am the only person in the room over 21. The gratuities for the dining package would remain the same.  I don't drink alcohol, but I would enjoy having some mocktails. I  would also enjoy going to the specialty restaurants. If we stop at great stirrup cay we would use the $50 credit on Snorkel equipment. I don't plan on getting off at the other ports. I would also use the Internet package. In fact, I would upgrade to the unlimited package. 

Edited October 15, 2019 by MoniMommy

[MoniMommy]

I called to try to get the category BD which includes perks. Online the rate in 599 per person and includes all 4 free at sea offers. I was told that I could upgrade but not get the 3rd person for free because I was past final payment. I coud get all of the other 
"perks" but not the free 3rd person.  I would call to try to get a different person, but since I  booked with a NCL personal cruise consultant, I was forwarded to him. If  I call again I will be forwarded to him again. I will never book with a personal cruise consultant again. Perhaps if I call after hours, he wont be there and whoever, I speak with may give me a different answer. 

[mano2020]

20 hours ago, MoniMommy said:

Yes, that's what I see too. The guarantee balcony with perks is 599 per person with the 3rd person free for a total of 1198. We paid 1248 for 3 for a sail away balcony without perks. Our gratuities will be less because we will be charged (I hope) gratuity for 1 drink package and 1 soda package as I am the only person in the room over 21. The gratuities for the dining package would remain the same.  I don't drink alcohol, but I would enjoy having some mocktails. I  would also enjoy going to the specialty restaurants. If we stop at great stirrup cay we would use the $50 credit on Snorkel equipment. I don't plan on getting off at the other ports. I would also use the Internet package. In fact, I would upgrade to the unlimited package. 

 

I forgot you only have 1 adult in your group, so yes, that explains the lower gratuities.

 

In my case it works out to about $375 per person extra for all the freebies....and it's probably worth it I guess....the dining is like a $100 upgrade, I'd probably drink perhaps 2 drinks a day, so there's a few hundred more, the internet would be nice to be able to check home, etc.

 

Hopefully it works out for you, and they may offer the free third person again.  I need to get busy and book too...I just realized the trip is less than 60 days away now!! 

 

The other kind of crazy expense is paying $40 a day for parking next to the ship in NYC! I wish they would offer a credit for that! I have seen small credits in the past. 

 

 

[RedwingHockeyFan]

I've been checking my cruise on the BA 1 FEB since it has passed the 120 to sail mark.  The price I paid for a balcony hasn't gone down one bit but the port fees has gone up.  It still shows a ton of rooms available.

[meggymay]

On 10/15/2019 at 3:18 PM, MoniMommy said:

I paid in full when I booked. I don't think is any other option when you are beyond final payment. One person on our roll call has reported being able to call and pay the difference in price for a higher category. Some in our roll call called an upgraded from ocean view to balcony because of the price drop. Gratuities on drink package for 8 days will be 158.40. Gratuities on soda package would be 12.72. Gratuities on the 2 "free" dining packages would be 39.60. I am traveling with 2 minors so I will save on drink package gratuities. The cabin is $49 less and the gratuities are 210.72. So i would hope to get the upgrade for 162.72. Of course an even better deal would be to get the upgrade for free. If I wait the cabin could go lower. It could also go higher. I could never be a poker player. 

 

Is that 158.40 in drink package gratuities for 1 person? I paid double that, but it was for 2 drink packages. Did I get screwed?

[CookieShip]

2 minutes ago, meggymay said:

 

Is that 158.40 in drink package gratuities for 1 person? I paid double that, but it was for 2 drink packages. Did I get screwed?

1 person, their 2nd person is a minor so they only have the soda package. 

[MoniMommy]

Yes, minor gets soda package so gratuities are less.