Way To Tell Degree of Occupancy?

[MajSteve]

Hi: I have been wondering if there is a method to tell the current percent of occupancy/reservations of a cruise ship before I sail. It would be cool to know what to expect in the way of fellow travelers, Thanks a lot!

[mom says]

Not with any degree of accuracy. But you can check for available cabins in each category a week or so before sailing.

[CruiserBruce]

Figure its going to be full, or so close you can't really tell the difference. The cruise lines have many ways to try to make sure the ship is full.

[leaveitallbehind]

Most cruises today are sailing fully booked.  But this information is not released by most cruise lines in advance of any given itinerary.  As suggested, one way to get an idea is to do mock bookings on different stateroom categories close to the sailing date to see availability and closed categories.  But this would only provide a guestimate.

 

There is also a difference between full at double occupancy booking and full to maximum lifeboat capacity.  The latter is reached with double occupancy bookings plus additional individual stateroom capacity for 3rd and 4th passengers up to the maximum allowable passenger lifeboat capacity.

 

Using the newly launched Icon of the Seas, as example, double occupancy booking is 5,610, but maximum capacity is 7,600, which would also be the maximum passenger lifeboat capacity.

 

But to answer your question, expect the ship to sail full with little or know empty staterooms and likely a manifest total somewhere north of double occupancy total booking.

Edited February 5 by leaveitallbehind

[Ferry_Watcher]

You could ask the agent checking you in.

Edited February 6 by Ferry_Watcher

[navybankerteacher]

8 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Figure its going to be full, or so close you can't really tell the difference. The cruise lines have many ways to try to make sure the ship is full.

Including last minute give-aways to TA’s, friends of management, suppliers (I have met a few on cruises), etc.

 

Once spaces are purchased, the lines have zero incentive to sail with ANY empty cabins.  A traveller getting a freebie is still virtually certain to spend something on board.

[leaveitallbehind]

12 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

You could ask the agent checking you in.

If you booked through a TA you can also ask them close to sailing as they have access to the cruise line booking tool which will show remaining availability - at least as released from inventory at that time by the cruise line - in each stateroom category.  Again, not a perfect science and although it would not show a passenger count, it would show what is open if, for instance, you were making a last minute booking.  If all categories are closed, you can assume it is full, at least to double occupancy capacity.

 

I would only do this if you dealt with a live person and, IMO out of respect for their time, know them well enough to feel comfortable asking.

 

 

[Mum2Mercury]

You can see how many cabins are still available for your cruise, but that doesn't tell you: 

- How many people have purchased Guarantees and haven't yet been assigned. 

- How many 3rd and 4th people are in those cabins. 

 

Other indicators: 

- If you're near your date and the price is dropping, your cruise probably has unsold cabins. 

- If you're booking over the summer or on a holiday, you're almost certainly going to sail "over capacity".  Probably with lots of kids.  

[leaveitallbehind]

24 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

- If you're booking over the summer or on a holiday, you're almost certainly going to sail "over capacity".  Probably with lots of kids.  

I believe I understand what you mean by this, but maybe some don't.  To clarify, a ship will never sail "over capacity" as the total capacity is strictly limited by the total passenger lifeboat capacity.  As such, this number can never be exceeded, so a ship can only sail as a maximum at this capacity.

 

But what will definitely happen is that double occupancy capacity will be reached, and then 3rd and 4th passengers (typically families) will exceed that capacity in staterooms equipped for that, and the actual capacity will then be somewhere between exceeding double occupancy capacity and maximum passenger lifeboat capacity.  But never "over capacity".  (See the Icon of the Seas example in my first response on this thread).

 

Not challenging - just clarifying. 

Edited February 6 by leaveitallbehind