Is there a secret to booking a repo cruise?

[dollymomma]

I was looking on NCL's website and saw many new repositioning cruises right in my area (vancouver), and thought it would be great to get on one of those next year... there was one in particular that i thought would be great to take my family on (we have 6 kids), seeing as it was a 3 day round trip from vancouver... we wouldn't have to pay any airfare! well... no pricing on the website, so i phoned and of course it was sold out... apparently they sell out very quickly (this one was for may 2007)... so, in your experience, how do you book a repositioning cruise before it sells out?

[photomikey]

Booked one on HAL a few years ago, and they were just about giving it away.

 

It seems hard for me to believe that they shuffle people around in rooms so they can sell more "cheap seats" on cruises that they spend hundreds of thousands advertising for, but a cruise that gets no advertising at all sells out eight months in advance. If that were really the case... wouldn't they run repositioning cruises all year long?

 

I'd try calling again in a month, and in the meantime, keep an eye on the various travel consolidator websites.

 

Good luck!

[PaulfromPA]

Hi Dolly:

 

I don't have all the answers, but I have a few clues. First, the itinerary you are talking about (3-day roundtrip from Vancouver on the NCL Sun) is new. Also, it is the only such cruise on the market for 2007. It is possible that the cruise is not actually sold out; NCL may be giving first dibbs to its Latitudes members before releasing it to the public. I would try calling NCL to see if they are offering a waiting list. (Hint: Sometimes calling more than once yields different answers -- in my experience some NCL reps are more knowledgable, and thus more helpful, than others.) Alternatively, if you have a good travel agent, especially one that specializes in cruises, they may be able to do some digging for you. Finally, sometimes a given agency will buy a block of rooms on a given sailing because they are confident they will be able to sell them at higher profit margin. You could try an advanced Google search to see if such an agency is reselling that particular cruise.

 

By the way, you termed this a "repo" cruise. In cruise jargon, repo is short for repositioning, and it refers to a particular kind of cruise that involves moving a ship from one home port to another. For example, a ship that does Alaska cruises from May through October might reposition in the fall to Los Angeles, Long Beach, etc. where it will run a winter itinerary. In that case, a special cruise from one home port to another is called a repositioning or "repo." A lot of folks like repo cruises because they are typically sold at a lower per-day cost than your run-of-the-mill roundtrip cruise. I have two such cruises scheduled next year.

 

I hope this works out for you and your family. Happy cruising! :)

 

- Paul

[Nilla]

I have done a few repositioning cruises from LA to Vancouver. I also did a cruise a few years ago on RCI from Seattle back to Seattle had a blast, it was a great price for us BC residents. I had such a good time we are doing one in 5 weeks on Celebrity! They have aournd 3-4 weeks of 3 and 4 day trips out of Seattle! The one we are goign on we get a great deal, and it is over our Long weekend in October so I only have to take one day off work! I love the little short cruises for a quick break. We have talked a few friends into trying this one with us! We can't waIT!:p

[tomluvsaida]

What's a repositioning cruise?:confused:

[boeckli]

What's a repositioning cruise?:confused:

I thought that PaulfromPA had explained that a couple of posts earlier ...

 

quote - In cruise jargon, repo is short for repositioning, and it refers to a particular kind of cruise that involves moving a ship from one home port to another. For example, a ship that does Alaska cruises from May through October might reposition in the fall to Los Angeles, Long Beach, etc. where it will run a winter itinerary. In that case, a special cruise from one home port to another is called a repositioning or "repo." - unquote

[Markanddonna]

Hi,

 

I was trying to book a specific NCL ship to Alaska and it was sold out way ahead of time. Seems that a gay/lesbian group- maybe Rosie's families- booked the whole cruise making it unavailable...so something like that might be the reason. Call NCL directly and ask.

 

Connie

[newmexicoNita]

Hi Dolly:

 

I don't have all the answers, but I have a few clues. First, the itinerary you are talking about (3-day roundtrip from Vancouver on the NCL Sun) is new. Also, it is the only such cruise on the market for 2007. It is possible that the cruise is not actually sold out; NCL may be giving first dibbs to its Latitudes members before releasing it to the public. I would try calling NCL to see if they are offering a waiting list. (Hint: Sometimes calling more than once yields different answers -- in my experience some NCL reps are more knowledgable, and thus more helpful, than others.) Alternatively, if you have a good travel agent, especially one that specializes in cruises, they may be able to do some digging for you. Finally, sometimes a given agency will buy a block of rooms on a given sailing because they are confident they will be able to sell them at higher profit margin. You could try an advanced Google search to see if such an agency is reselling that particular cruise.

 

By the way, you termed this a "repo" cruise. In cruise jargon, repo is short for repositioning, and it refers to a particular kind of cruise that involves moving a ship from one home port to another. For example, a ship that does Alaska cruises from May through October might reposition in the fall to Los Angeles, Long Beach, etc. where it will run a winter itinerary. In that case, a special cruise from one home port to another is called a repositioning or "repo." A lot of folks like repo cruises because they are typically sold at a lower per-day cost than your run-of-the-mill roundtrip cruise. I have two such cruises scheduled next year.

 

I hope this works out for you and your family. Happy cruising! :)

 

- Paul

Pau; I was thinking something similar or it could be chartered. Short cruises are very popular as sales incentives etc. No matter, I hope, for the OP it does open up but my gut feeling is, probably it won't. Repos of any kind are the cheapest and best cruises you can take, I think.NMNita

[garycarla]

They may also be using this cruise for Travel Agents since it is short. They would wait to open to the public when they knew how many rooms were left.

 

And again, this is NOT a repo or repositioning cruise.

[Host CMLA]

In my experience repositioning cruises sell the fastest. The cruise you're talking about is just a three day cruise and could be sold out for many different reasons. Could be a charter or travel agents or any other group. A true repositioning cruise repositions the ship. It's usually less expensive because it's longer, has more sea days, and comes at fringe times of year. The down side is that you usually have to pay for two one way airplane tickets. Also in my experience, the key to booking any cruise I really want is to book as early as possible then watch for price drops.

[dwrist]

A true repositioning cruise repositions the ship. It's usually less expensive because it's longer, has more sea days, and comes at fringe times of year. The down side is that you usually have to pay for two one way airplane tickets. Also in my experience, the key to booking any cruise I really want is to book as early as possible then watch for price drops.

 

;) Cecilia, I really hate to disagree but...

We booked the repo on the Pearl for April, 2007(Panama Canal). That cruise was not inexpensive and in fact has gone up in prices. The cruise fare was more than my Alaska cruise and we have a lower catagory cabin. But my airfare for MSP to Miama and LA to MSP is cheaper than my airfare was to SEA/TAC for the Alaska trip.:)

[tomluvsaida]

I thought that PaulfromPA had explained that a couple of posts earlier ...

 

quote - In cruise jargon, repo is short for repositioning, and it refers to a particular kind of cruise that involves moving a ship from one home port to another. For example, a ship that does Alaska cruises from May through October might reposition in the fall to Los Angeles, Long Beach, etc. where it will run a winter itinerary. In that case, a special cruise from one home port to another is called a repositioning or "repo." - unquote

Thanks! :) Ya, I read Pauls explanation now. Didn't see it before since it was on the second paragrapgh I didn't read before.

[newlywedcruisers]

;) Cecilia, I really hate to disagree but...

We booked the repo on the Pearl for April, 2007(Panama Canal). That cruise was not inexpensive and in fact has gone up in prices. The cruise fare was more than my Alaska cruise and we have a lower catagory cabin. But my airfare for MSP to Miama and LA to MSP is cheaper than my airfare was to SEA/TAC for the Alaska trip.:)

 

I was looking at some REPO's and I did notice that Panama Canal ones were more expensive then others.

[MrLee]

Since the Pearl is brand spanking new, some people are willing to pay more for the shine. ;)

 

I sure hope repos don't sail round trip...I'm sailing out of Dover and I don't want to spend all that time on a plane again!!! :)

[newlywedcruisers]

Since the Pearl is brand spanking new, some people are willing to pay more for the shine. ;)

 

I sure hope repos don't sail round trip...I'm sailing out of Dover and I don't want to spend all that time on a plane again!!! :)

 

Repos won't be sailing round trip. Hence repositioning ;)

[Tobintemp]

We book on July 11th. I had noticed a lapse in between the Panama and when Alaska started so I figured there would be something in between those two. I started calling about once a week starting the end of June. There is a tiny roll call for the sailing already started. We are staying on for the Alaska sailing as well.

[newlywedcruisers]

I'm in the first cruise on the sun outta New Orleans, they didn't show the repositioning cruise from LA to New Orleans until a little over a month ago.

[Host CMLA]

;) Cecilia, I really hate to disagree but...

We booked the repo on the Pearl for April, 2007(Panama Canal). That cruise was not inexpensive and in fact has gone up in prices. The cruise fare was more than my Alaska cruise and we have a lower catagory cabin. But my airfare for MSP to Miama and LA to MSP is cheaper than my airfare was to SEA/TAC for the Alaska trip.:)

Actually I said "usually" not always. I did the Star's maiden voyage from Miami to LA and it cost a mint. But I also did a few repos on the Dream (12 days and 17 days) and they were less than $100 a day for two. I think Panama Canal cruises while technically a repo cruise is really a destination cruise that happens to repo a ship. I've repo'd with the Dream twice, once on the Sky, once on the Wind and the Canal on the Star.

[PaulfromPA]

I was looking at some REPO's and I did notice that Panama Canal ones were more expensive then others.

 

My sense is that Panama Canal cruises are more expensive for several reasons. First, they tend not to be short cruises. Second, they are in demand because folks want the experience and the "bragging rights" of having traversed the Canal. Third, the cruise lines have to pay some hefty canal transit fees, and you know to whom those costs get passed....

 

On the other hand, some repos offer less expensive air options. My upcoming RCI originates in Baltimore (a city that is an easy drive for me) and disembarks in Tampa. Right now a one-way fare from Tampa to BWI is less than 100 bucks!

 

Finally, regardless of the itinerary, I doubt I would ever do a three or four day cruise... I need time to get settled in, truly unwind, and feel like I have gone on a real vacation. Ten days is my minimum! :cool:

 

Happy cruising!

 

- Paul