getting discounts as returning cruisers

[fitbit]

Are the discounts for returning cruisers that good?

 

I'm wondering if my husband and I should be booking a smaller cruise before booking a bigger cruise with the 3 kids so we can get a returnee discount. Our choices for rooms, cruises are limited when the oldest of the teens is 18 and school vacations are pricey. We were going to take a cruise and decided to spend the money just doing a vacation.

Edited October 10, 2019 by fitbit

[CruiserBruce]

This is going to vary by cruise line, sales that may be going on at the time, the cruise line's loyalty program and a couple of other things. Without a lot of those details,  not sure anyone can predict what is going to apply in your case.

[sanger727]

not usually, in my experience. Most cruise lines offer a variety of "discounts" - past guest, residency (offered to residents of certain states), senior, early saver, etc. The discounts can range from a little to a lot but usually when they are a lot its because you 1. don't get to pick you room 2. don't get any "perks" that might come with the room. Just a past guest rate savings isn't going to enough to pay for a shorter cruise before hand.

[ducklite]

It depends on the cruise line. Some offer automatic discounts to returning cruisers, others do so on harder to fill sailings, and some offer nothing.  The best way to find out is by calling the line you are interested in.

[clackey]

The only good discount that we have gotten was our cruise next week.  We booked through Carnival and paid $200 less than friends who were going with us.  We booked cabins next to each other and bookings were identical.  It was a perk because we are platinum.  The only way that we would have paid less by booking with an online TA was by booking a  Guaranteed Inside.

[lenquixote66]

On 10/10/2019 at 7:00 PM, AnchorsAndAdventures said:

Some lines allow you to put down a future cruise credit while you are on the ship. It can be used to a future cruise and by putting down the future cruise credit you will recieve on board credit on a the that future cruise.  Travel agents also sometimes get welcome home offers for their clients. 

We do this on every cruise we are on.