Cruise Prices question

[Price31]

Im looking to book a cruise last week of February on either RC or Norwegian. I've been following the prices for almost 2 months and the past 3 weeks, the ships we are looking at are skyrocketing. Any chance they come back down or should I book ASAP? TIA

[SRF]

Check your crystal ball.

 

That is the only way to know.

 

But if the prices are going up, this close to sailing, it is unlikely they will be coming down.

[BlueRiband]

This is the down side of waiting for a late booking deal - the deal never happens.  Cruise pricing is all about supply and demand with many lines using an algorithm that automatically adjusts pricing.   By now final payment has past and any cancellations will occur only because something bad has happened in someone's life.  What few cabins remain or might open up are being sought by people like you - planning an escape from late winter weather.

 

Nobody here can predict which way prices will change in the next few weeks.  If you keep playing the waiting game maybe you get a break.  But more likely prices will keep notching up as you watch the ship sell out or only crappy cabin locations are left.  And if airfare is an issue last minute fares will eat up any cruise price savings.

[leaveitallbehind]

As SRF indicates the pricing is impossible to predict with future changes this close to sailing. And as you are within final payment date, full payment will also be due with your booking.  If the current pricing is within your budget I would book it now.  Waiting any longer will also reduce stateroom availability and location options within your desired category, or eliminate that category altogether.

Edited December 20, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[sparks1093]

I'm pricing tickets to Germany for April and in the past week or so the prices did jump up a bit. I'll see what they are in January after the holidays. If it were me I'd wait until January to see if the come down (and I'd be checking other cruise lines, too).

[iancal]

We  ,mostly do last minutes, late bookings if you will.   Three things are important.

 

First, understand the pricing levels so you know what a good deal is.  Hit the buy button immediately when it shows up on the price file.   Second, be flexible as to ship, cruise line.  Third, and most important, always have a plan B and if necessary a plan C.

 

This has worked well for us over the years and over multiple cruises, AI's, flights, and hotels.

 

We are shopping air for our winter trip now.  It will be a few months in either Mexico of SE Asia.   Hoping that air to Thailand in  will go down, as it typically does in early Jan.  If not, we will simply pay the going fare or choose Mexico.  And if that does not work it will be Costa Rica and Panama.

[mjkacmom]

If it’s presidents week I’d expect fares to go up.

[Zach1213]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

If it’s presidents week I’d expect fares to go up.

 

Ah man, they get a whole week now?! Who do these guys think they are? 

[ldubs]

5 hours ago, iancal said:

We  ,mostly do last minutes, late bookings if you will.   Three things are important.

 

First, understand the pricing levels so you know what a good deal is.  Hit the buy button immediately when it shows up on the price file.   Second, be flexible as to ship, cruise line.  Third, and most important, always have a plan B and if necessary a plan C.

 

This has worked well for us over the years and over multiple cruises, AI's, flights, and hotels.

 

We are shopping air for our winter trip now.  It will be a few months in either Mexico of SE Asia.   Hoping that air to Thailand in  will go down, as it typically does in early Jan.  If not, we will simply pay the going fare or choose Mexico.  And if that does not work it will be Costa Rica and Panama.

 

Pretty good outline of the process IMO.  I'm retired.  Mrs Ldubs will retire early next year (whoopee!).  When that happens there will be a quantum shift in how she books cruises.   But your three "steps" would still apply.   

[navybankerteacher]

10 hours ago, SRF said:

Check your crystal ball.

 

That is the only way to know.

 

But if the prices are going up, this close to sailing, it is unlikely they will be coming down.

Good point - if they are “skyrocketing” now, it would seem that supply/demand rules are in play.  With ever-narrowing window,  what rationale is there for thinking the trend will not just change, but reverse (ie:  come down).?

[iancal]

You never know.  Our price hit.  Right everything.   Called our on line TA to book.   She says just a minute and puts me on hold.  Then she comes back on the line and says don't book today, call me back on Tuesday AM and have you credit card ready. 

 

We did , and it dropped.  But it could just have easily zoomed up.  Knowledge.  She must have known something that we did not.  

 

We have done last minutes at Christmas and March break.  Cannot figure that and did not try.  We just hit the buy button.  Other times we waited too long and had to move along to plan B.

Edited December 20, 2019 by iancal

[MCC retired]

Presidents week .

Many schools are off all week around the country .

Popular for families .

Book now or choose another week when most schools are in session.

OP has probably waited too long on this one .

[GUT2407]

I predict price will ?????

 

do what it will.

[bonsai3s]

We book as early as possible...then we are vigilant on watching for price drops and have our bookings adjusted accordingly when prices drop....sometime it doesn't but we've been fortunate the last few years.  We used to book "last minute" cruises but now that we have to fly to almost every departure port...we have to also consider the cost of flights/airfare along with our cruises.   Note: The last time we booked a cruise "last minute"...it was really cheap...but we got killed on the cost of airfare...lesson learned. Now, if you're driving to the port...that's a different story.

[SRF]

If I could predict what cruise prices (or air fare) will do, I would not be worrying about the cruise (or air) costs, as I would be making a KILLING on the stock market. 😄