Cruise Occupancy

[IndyKid]

Is there any way to determine how full a certain cruise is? Or how many rooms of each type might be available?

[SCX22]

If you have a TA, he/she can plug the booking through POLAR and divulge the number of cabins left in each category.  (You will come off as sketch.)  If you want to do the leg work for yourself, you can can make dummy bookings on the Princess website or an online TA's website.  For a specific meta/location category, online TA sites are better because they show availability in this manner.  Only Princess knows the true number (sometimes cabins are blocked for guest performers, cruise staff, quarantine (if this is still a thing), etc.), but the methods above will give you an idea.

 

If this is regarding your upgrade bid, be patient.  If it was meant to be, it will happen.

[david63]

Essentially - no. A TA might be able to get some information but I doubt they would have full disclosure as it can be commercially sensitive data.

 

The only people who will know will be the cruise line.

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, IndyKid said:

Is there any way to determine how full a certain cruise is? Or how many rooms of each type might be available?

Most cruises are sailing near capacity.  The easiest way is to select each category to see how many available cabins still are in inventory.  Not sure why you want to know this information.  If it is to decide when to book, or just for personal information, it is difficult to know how many are booked until you get onboard and get the sailing numbers from a crew member.  
 

This is a little more complicated than checking an airplane’s inventory because of the size of the ship and different cabin categories.  I just return from a flight that was “sold out” but had empty seats.

[skynight]

Just assume the ship will be booked full. Also assume if you are booking summer Alaska that the ship will be overfull with families occupying the 3rd and 4th berths in many cabins.

[BamaVol]

5 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Most cruises are sailing near capacity. 

And that will continue until a weaker economy keeps more people at home. A refundable reservation for a future cruise might be a wise strategy as we start to fly into headwinds and turbulence. Assuming, of course, that the OP is trying to find bargain prices and a ship sailing under capacity at some point next year. 
 

Caveat: I am not predicting the near future world economy, just parroting what several financial advisors had said. I’m sure there are contradictory opinions.

[Arizona Wildcat]

11 hours ago, IndyKid said:

Is there any way to determine how full a certain cruise is? Or how many rooms of each type might be available?

Sort of.

 

There is a website that you can use to "scan" for open cabins for your next "sea" voyage.  They are a TA so cannot mention there name.

The issue is all cabins in group blocks show as sold until the block is released - about 30 days out.

A clue that is simple.  After final payment is prices move up- very full.  Down - lots of unsold.

By the time we you know too late to cancel.   As already said cruises are pretty full today.

[IndyKid]

4 hours ago, BamaVol said:

 Assuming, of course, that the OP is trying to find bargain prices and a ship sailing under capacity at some point next year. 

No, that wasn't my motive, although I'm always intrigued by a good deal and a less-crowded experience. 

 

I bid on an upgrade, and was curious if there were actually any cabins left of the type I'm trying to get. 

[BamaVol]

50 minutes ago, IndyKid said:

No, that wasn't my motive, although I'm always intrigued by a good deal and a less-crowded experience. 

 

I bid on an upgrade, and was curious if there were actually any cabins left of the type I'm trying to get. 

Life is full of mysteries.  A lot of things can happen between now and the sail date.  And many can affect your chances.  You just need a single cabin.  May the cruise gods smile upon your quest. 

Edited October 7, 2023 by BamaVol

[EDDY0827]

1 hour ago, IndyKid said:

I bid on an upgrade, and was curious if there were actually any cabins left of the type I'm trying to get. 

Look at current inventory on your sailing. You will get a good idea of what's available.

[BamaVol]

9 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

Look at current inventory on your sailing. You will get a good idea of what's available.

I think the OP would like suggestions on how to do that.

[IndyKid]

11 minutes ago, EDDY0827 said:

Look at current inventory on your sailing. You will get a good idea of what's available.

This is the point of my original post - how do I do that?

[SCX22]

1 minute ago, IndyKid said:

This is the point of my original post - how do I do that?

 

www.princess.com > Plan a Cruise  > Find Cruises

 

Narrow down and find your cruise and sail date using the search criteria.  Attempt a dummy booking for whatever category you would like info on.  If your cruise is showing as "Currently Unavailable" it could mean that it's sold out or yield management is working on cabin assignments and could again become available if at the end there are still cabins available.

[EDDY0827]

44 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

 

www.princess.com > Plan a Cruise  > Find Cruises

 

Narrow down and find your cruise and sail date using the search criteria.  Attempt a dummy booking for whatever category you would like info on.  If your cruise is showing as "Currently Unavailable" it could mean that it's sold out or yield management is working on cabin assignments and could again become available if at the end there are still cabins available.

^This^

[NavyVeteran]

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

 

www.princess.com > Plan a Cruise  > Find Cruises

 

Narrow down and find your cruise and sail date using the search criteria.  Attempt a dummy booking for whatever category you would like info on.  If your cruise is showing as "Currently Unavailable" it could mean that it's sold out or yield management is working on cabin assignments and could again become available if at the end there are still cabins available.

This is not always accurate. It could show a lot of cabins available, but Princess could have sold a lot of guarantees that aren't assigned yet.

[SCX22]

5 minutes ago, NavyVeteran said:

This is not always accurate. It could show a lot of cabins available, but Princess could have sold a lot of guarantees that aren't assigned yet.

 

I stated this previously.  Reply #12, as I understood it, the OP needed instructions in getting to the right place.

 

14 hours ago, SCX22 said:

Only Princess knows the true number (sometimes cabins are blocked for guest performers, cruise staff, quarantine (if this is still a thing), etc.), but the methods above will give you an idea.

 

[Wishing on a star]

It can be impossible to know until close to sailing.

If you are getting close to Final Payment Date, and many or most categories are still showing a number of cabins available, then that can be an indicator.

If the number of cabins booked, plus the number of guarantees booked, are getting close to the number of cabins available,  then the Princess web-site will ONLY show Guarantee, and no specific cabin selection.

I have seen a sailing that did show some cabins available at Final Payment Date..  but the ship quickly filled up with last minute promotions.

Truthfully, if it is the way it always was, and back to pre-pandemic, then most all cruises are sailing pretty much full.

Our last cruise was the exception, at only about 60%... it was wonderful!!!!  No scrambling for dining, theater seats, etc.    Of course, that meant that they chose the sailing to shut down and renovate the Adult Retreat Pool.  (my favorite)   But, the weather turned chilly anyhow.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I see that you posted 'How do I look at the inventory'....

Just act like you are booking a cruise.  Let's say Balcony Cabin...  then select the different categories and sections of the ship to see how many, if any, are available for you to select.  Or, if it only offers Guarantee.

It does take a few minutes.  But, can be done.

And, this is only useful after Final Payment Date, and close to sailing, when GTY bookings are assigned and the bidding process starts.

Especially with the bidding for upgrade, then a lot of people could move up to a better category, then some GTY bookings could be moved up to fill those cabins....

It is an ongoing and never ending thing now...  So, there really is no way to know with any confidence.

[rbtan]

We'll ask once boarding. In most cases it has not been determined until close to departure. It's quite amazing how many cancellations may come through. A good tip is(if you want a upgrade or cabin change is the the guest desk know your wishes & have them leave a message on your room phone. Some cruises do actually say at about 100% capacity so moving around may not happen. Those that get on board are the first at the guest desk, so they may get first choice & consideration.The amount of cruises on Princess(and accommodation level) helps, too