Shopping for best cruise deal!

[pmck]

Hi Everyone,

 

My family (my husband, daughter and I) are in the market for a cruise this May and we are shopping them. Can anyone give me your best advice for finding the best prices?

I remember last year (we sailed on the Allure in May), after we booked it, I read a bunch of posts from people talking about how they saved so much money and got great deals from cruise lines. Sadly, now that I want to remember all of that, I can't...haha!!  We loved the Allure and would like to sail on the Oasis class, and are looking for a balcony. Are the prices all going to be over $1K per person for that? When we multiply that X3, then add all the other stuff, plus airfare and hotel on the front end, it adds up pretty quickly.

 

I appreciate any and all of your tips and hints.

Have a great day everyone.

 

Patti

[Ourusualbeach]

You are going to be faced with higher prices than $1000 pp if you want Oasis class.

 

You’ve left it very late to be booking.  Because Allure is going to Europe and Oasis goes to NJ that only leaves Symphony and Harmony in Florida and with them being the new ships, overall reduced capacity and only 5 months away prices are high.  I know.  I just priced out some for a client. 

 

 

[dplusd]

Best prices will be during off peak times on an older ship.  If your May timing is fixed, your best bet at lower prices will be an older ship...definitely not Oasis class.  

[Heatherco]

What I usually do is research the ships and itinerary we would like and go from there.  I then price out cabin categories for each ship etc...

 

Royal Caribbean’s cruise prices are the same no matter who you book with.  What is different is that many agencies will give you extras like prepaid gratuities, shipboard credit, etc..

 

I pretty much decide on ship, sailing and cabin category.  Then I go to a site where agencies “compete” for your business.  You plug in all the info and get emails back from agencies offering their best deals.  Not sure if I’m allowed to post the site, but you can google something like..cruise compete agencies.  Whoever offers us the most extras is who we book with.

 

Hope this helps!

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, Heatherco said:

Royal Caribbean’s cruise prices are the same no matter who you book with.  What is different is that many agencies will give you extras like prepaid gratuities, shipboard credit, etc..

Many TA’s will have group space available which can be significantly cheaper than Royals price. 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[molly361]

38 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Many TA’s will have group space available which can be significantly cheaper than Royals price. 

But going in May they are probably too late for group space in their situation right?  

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, molly361 said:

But going in May they are probably too late for group space in their situation right?  

Group space, still exists for cruises departing from May 7 😉 onward. It gets recalled at the 120 day mark. 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[grandgeezer]

I just got a flyer from my travel agency and they are showing ocean view balconys on the Oasis and Allure for under $1,000 p.p. the first two weeks of December. I didn't look at the neighborhood balconys as they are no interest to us.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

I just got a flyer from my travel agency and they are showing ocean view balconys on the Oasis and Allure for under $1,000 p.p. the first two weeks of December. I didn't look at the neighborhood balconys as they are no interest to us.

Shop around.  A better price that’s available is in the low $700’s pp

[dh464]

 Bayonne New Jersey has Oasis or Adventure sailing in May with pretty good prices.no flight cost involved!

Edited January 9, 2020 by dh464

[Illbcruzn4life]

52 minutes ago, dh464 said:

 Bayonne New Jersey has Oasis or Adventure sailing in May with pretty good prices.no flight cost involved!

 

excellent suggestion 😊👍

[pmck]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.. We don't want to sail from Bayonne in May.  We like to start in Florida (or we have sailed from Galveston and Puerto Rico), liking warm weather from the get go!  I know that it's late to plan for a May cruise and am always in awe of people that can book a  year out, but we don't have that situation.   I do like booking it, and only having to wait for a few months to go, but I realize that the best prices aren't always available then.  We do have a travel agent that we work with sometimes.  We are interested in the May 16th, Symphony sailing out of Miami, oceanfront balcony, room for 3, so I will ask her what kind of rates she can get for us and perks. I do appreciate all of your comments and welcome them.  Although this will be my 7th cruise, I feel like a newbie compared to some of you!

 

Have a great day!!

Patti

[lisa6191]

Bayonne is perfectly warm in May...certainly warm enough to justify saving airfare! I can see not wanting to sail from Bayonne in the winter but in May it will be fine. That being said, the Oasis cruises out of Bayonne in May are well over $1000/person for a balcony cabin.

[Karter]

20 hours ago, Heatherco said:

What I usually do is research the ships and itinerary we would like and go from there.  I then price out cabin categories for each ship etc...

 

Royal Caribbean’s cruise prices are the same no matter who you book with.  What is different is that many agencies will give you extras like prepaid gratuities, shipboard credit, etc..

 

I pretty much decide on ship, sailing and cabin category.  Then I go to a site where agencies “compete” for your business.  You plug in all the info and get emails back from agencies offering their best deals.  Not sure if I’m allowed to post the site, but you can google something like..cruise compete agencies.  Whoever offers us the most extras is who we book with.

 

Hope this helps!

Not always true that all agencies have the same price some agencies create group bookings by buying a block of cabins then offering the cabins at a lower rate.

When I book with an agency that has a group booking available for the ship and cabin I am looking for it usually saves me about $300 pp.

 

[pmck]

On ‎1‎/‎9‎/‎2020 at 9:30 AM, lisa6191 said:

Bayonne is perfectly warm in May...certainly warm enough to justify saving airfare! I can see not wanting to sail from Bayonne in the winter but in May it will be fine. That being said, the Oasis cruises out of Bayonne in May are well over $1000/person for a balcony cabin.

I'm with you, but sadly can't get my husband "on board" with that  That being said.. have any of you sailed on Norwegian?  We are looking at that too, but haven't sailed with them at all and wonder what the comparisons are between the two lines??

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by pmck

[ONECRUISER]

46 minutes ago, pmck said:

I'm with you, but sadly can't get my husband "on board" with that  That being said.. have any of you sailed on Norwegian?  We are looking at that too, but haven't sailed with them at all and wonder what the comparisons are between the two lines??

 

20-30YRS ago Royal was 1-2 steps up from NCL. Now, lot more similar then different. Still prefer Royal myself for many reason's including food and service, but on a newer NCL if get good price i'd do again. Beware peak seasons crowded ships on both 

Edited January 13, 2020 by ONECRUISER

[pmck]

On ‎1‎/‎8‎/‎2020 at 1:47 PM, Heatherco said:

What I usually do is research the ships and itinerary we would like and go from there.  I then price out cabin categories for each ship etc...

 

Royal Caribbean’s cruise prices are the same no matter who you book with.  What is different is that many agencies will give you extras like prepaid gratuities, shipboard credit, etc..

 

I pretty much decide on ship, sailing and cabin category.  Then I go to a site where agencies “compete” for your business.  You plug in all the info and get emails back from agencies offering their best deals.  Not sure if I’m allowed to post the site, but you can google something like..cruise compete agencies.  Whoever offers us the most extras is who we book with.

 

Hope this helps!

thanks I will do this.. I appreciate your help