How far in advance do you plan your trips?

[pppiglet]

I have a cruise for next 5/07, but am starting to look for years after that. I want to go to Hawaii next, then back to the Mexican Riviera to the ports we haven't seen etc.....one cruise each year. Do you have all your trips planned way in advance or play it by ear every year?

[Tinkerbell]

I usually book between 6 months to a year before a cruise. We are leaving on Sat. for Alaska and we booked this one only 4 weeks ago. It has been fun either way. There are pros and cons to both ways. This time we got a last minute deal. My travel agent is great and she usually finds me a great deal. We don't stick with one cruiseline we jump around where the deals are.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

My DH is self-employed so we don't have the luxury of planning way ahead. We booked our upcoming cruise the beginning of May (almost 3 months before the trip) which is about as far ahead as we can count on. Our first cruise we booked a week before we went! And, we booked our Alaska cruise only three weeks prior to going.

 

I've enjoyed having so much time to plan this one--I know three months isn't "so much time" to a lot of people, but for us that's pretty good!!

 

Cheers!

Jayne

[senoritafromToronto]

Well, it depends on whether you're looking for a specific type of cabin. If you're not too fussy, then you can get some great last minute deals but you're taking a chance with whatever cabins are available. If you want a specific cabin, then you may as well book in advance to ensure availability. I'd say 3 months is good because getting a flight might be difficult at the last minute. Hope that helps. Maybe thats just me...I'm spontaneous, so I wouldn't book too much in advance in case something better comes along for e.g. a new cruise ship.

 

Hope that helps.

[Cotton]

I usually plan about 4-5 months ahead. However, the last cruise, I decided I needed a break and booked it 2 wks. before the date. I just booked yesterday for a cruise in Sept. So - whatever hits my fancy!;) No matter when I book, I select a specific cabin, and have always been able to get the one I want.

[wrp96]

It varies. My first and 4th cruises we planned about 4 months in advance. The 2nd and 6th cruises a year in advance. The 3rd, 5th, and 7th were planned at between 30 and 45 days out. My upcoming February cruise I've been planning since late last year plus I currently have a cruise planned for 2008.

[chasetf]

I have a cruise for next 5/07, but am starting to look for years after that. I want to go to Hawaii next, then back to the Mexican Riviera to the ports we haven't seen etc.....one cruise each year. Do you have all your trips planned way in advance or play it by ear every year?

That is almost a year out. I would want something happening before that and if it was not in the hopper, I would be looking for it. :D

 

I am retired so that makes a difference as I do not have to worry about taking time off work. ;)

[dgund]

I usually book one year in advance or when the prices come out for the destination I'm interested in.

[molly361]

We have a cruise booked for December that was booked Sept 2005, have one already booked for April 2007 and one for December 2007- we like to pay as we go along so we don't have to pay the whole cruise all at once- some like to start cruise savings but if I have the extra $100 I like to put it towards the trip

[Keith1010]

I usually book the cruise as soon as the itineraries are available. This can range from one year to eighteen months out.

 

We do this for a variety of reasons including the ability to have a good selection of cabins to choose from. If plans change, we can always cancel the cruise and get the deposit back. We ensure that our TA knows that there is always a chance we could cancel before the final payment is due and that they understand we do not want to pay the TA a cancellation fee.

 

Keith

[Bonnie J.]

We have booked 4 months ahead but have decided to wait for real last minute cruises as prices can't be beat. New Years, 11 days, $850, we booked in September. We are both self employed so can do last minute cruises. A year or so ago, our TA called me at 10:30 to find out if we did want to cruise the following Monday. (I had left her a message we did.) She said bookings were closing at noon so she had to verify we were going and we did.- $379, 8 days Carnival's Legend. In Feb, we went 7 days on Costa's Magica - a great ship!- for $299. Booked on Tuesday and left that weekend. And got a balcony cabin for that $299!! End of March, we paid $399, 7 days, Carnival Valor, granted inside, but who cares, on Lido deck,the pool deck and our favorite deck on thoses ships. We booked this about a week before. Before 911, we booked a Mellenium (SP)New Year's cruise at 10:30 Sunday morning and got on the ship the next day at 1PM! But can't do that any more. Decided we'll plan on a last minute cruise(s) for this year.

[edste]

We usually book a year in advance because I like to pick my cabin. The full Panama Canal transit we book 18 months in advance and it sold out very quickly. edna

[10X]

We usually book 11-13 months in advance, so we generally have next year's cruise before we take this year's cruise. The lone exception was our January 2007 cruise on the Crown Princess, which was booked in September 2005. We are already looking toward 2008 so that we can book before we leave in January.

 

We also book our airfare almost as soon as it's available. Since we always cruise in winter, and flying from Michigan at that time of year is never a given, we want to make sure we have seats on a good flight. If we have to make a connecting flight, that flight is never to another northern airport. For example, I don't fly from Michigan to New York, New Jersey, Minneapolis, etc. I always make sure my connecting flight is south of Michigan (Atlanta, Miami, Dallas) to increase my odds of making it to the ship. We also fly a day early - always.

[silentbob007]

If I'm planning to cruise at a certain time, I try to book as soon as possible. If I find a good deal ... welll, those may be a little closer to the sail date. ;)

[silentbob007]

If I'm planning to cruise at a certain time, I try to book as soon as possible. If I find a good deal ... welll, those may be a little closer to the sail date. ;)

[jae1969]

We booked 18 months out. DH kept saying I should wait until we are back from one vacation before planning another. I just cant help myself. I am however waiting for next years vacation. Hoping to hook DH on cruising this time!;)

[monakayk]

I have a cruise for next 5/07, but am starting to look for years after that. I want to go to Hawaii next, then back to the Mexican Riviera to the ports we haven't seen etc.....one cruise each year. Do you have all your trips planned way in advance or play it by ear every year?

 

:o On ALL our vacations..whether a cruise or hotel/resort/campground that requires any type of reservations...I always start searching online for deals anywhere from 8-6 months in advance to the time of year we want to go.

Airfares...I try to hold off as long as possible to get the best rates. I put up e-mail 'alerts' for those destinations I want to visit and then can view the options during the years time.

So far...we have saved a TON of money using this system. And also been able to have nicer vacations in places such as Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, Walt Disney World/Disneyland, Washington DC, and many, MANY National Parks, and not felt like we have "broken the bank".

For those of you who do not know about 'My Yahoo' ...it is FREE and you can sign up for many different types of 'alerts' to be delivered via e-mail or to 'My Yahoo'. You are able to view these 'alerts' for vacation destinations/airfares around the world at one single glance and from various online travel resource businesses. You are able to customize your 'alerts' to only show places you are interested in going to. I have tried 'My MSN' (a year ago) and did not think it offered as many options as Yahoo, but that was awhile ago so it might have changed.

My philosophyy about traveling: take your time in making decisions on where you want to go...take the TIME to investigate for the best deals, get the info about where you are going and what you want to see/do BEFORE you leave, and then you are able to enjoy your vacation to the max and not feel like you have paid too much for it in the long run..and worry about the bills coming in later because it turned out to be more than expected. It has worked for me for over 20 years!

:o HAPPY CRUISING!:o

[monakayk]

We have booked 4 months ahead but have decided to wait for real last minute cruises as prices can't be beat. New Years, 11 days, $850, we booked in September. We are both self employed so can do last minute cruises. A year or so ago, our TA called me at 10:30 to find out if we did want to cruise the following Monday. (I had left her a message we did.) She said bookings were closing at noon so she had to verify we were going and we did.- $379, 8 days Carnival's Legend. In Feb, we went 7 days on Costa's Magica - a great ship!- for $299. Booked on Tuesday and left that weekend. And got a balcony cabin for that $299!! End of March, we paid $399, 7 days, Carnival Valor, granted inside, but who cares, on Lido deck,the pool deck and our favorite deck on thoses ships. We booked this about a week before. Before 911, we booked a Mellenium (SP)New Year's cruise at 10:30 Sunday morning and got on the ship the next day at 1PM! But can't do that any more. Decided we'll plan on a last minute cruise(s) for this year.

 

:o Bonnie,

Being self-employed (as I, also, am) it does give you thef lexibility to travel at some of the best places and get the best 'last minutes' deals online.

I am looking forward for those days when it will be equally as easy for my husband (who works for others) to be able to do the same with me when he retires.:o

[last_mango]

We book all of our vacations, including cruises, one year out. It's a long time to wait, but this way we get exactly what we want and don't have to worry about things being sold out or at inconvenient times. With both of us working full time and me going to school as well, we have very narrow windows of available vacation time and we want to be 100% sure that we get to take advantage of it.

 

Planning is another thing than booking, though. We plan years in advance (vacation '08 is already planned) and then book at the 1 year mark.

[flamomo]

We have booked 4 months ahead but have decided to wait for real last minute cruises as prices can't be beat. New Years, 11 days, $850, we booked in September. We are both self employed so can do last minute cruises. A year or so ago, our TA called me at 10:30 to find out if we did want to cruise the following Monday. (I had left her a message we did.) She said bookings were closing at noon so she had to verify we were going and we did.- $379, 8 days Carnival's Legend. In Feb, we went 7 days on Costa's Magica - a great ship!- for $299. Booked on Tuesday and left that weekend. And got a balcony cabin for that $299!! End of March, we paid $399, 7 days, Carnival Valor, granted inside, but who cares, on Lido deck,the pool deck and our favorite deck on thoses ships. We booked this about a week before. Before 911, we booked a Mellenium (SP)New Year's cruise at 10:30 Sunday morning and got on the ship the next day at 1PM! But can't do that any more. Decided we'll plan on a last minute cruise(s) for this year.

 

 

Bonnie,

I envy your being able to get these great prices on all these last-minute cruises. I'm retired and I'd love to be able to do the same, but my traveling companion (also retired) lives up north and getting a decent airline ticket price on short notice is virtually impossible.

Consequently, we have to plan and book well in advance. Wipes out the possibility of getting those great prices.

Oh well, we still get to cruise once a year, and that's the most important thing.

[Genessa]

I have a cruise for next 5/07, but am starting to look for years after that. I want to go to Hawaii next, then back to the Mexican Riviera to the ports we haven't seen etc.....one cruise each year. Do you have all your trips planned way in advance or play it by ear every year?

 

sometimes we only plan a couple of months ahead, sometimes a couple of years.

The planning is almost as much fun as the vacation, for me.

[cruisinbuddy]

For me, it's a year in advance. You get the cabin you want. Before booking I study the itieraries and the ships, figure out the cabin I want and go book it. My T/A loves it, I just walk in and give her the info. She phones the company and boom we're done.