Reduced Cruise Fares for Apr 05.

[Barocl]

Yesterday we received in the mail a notification stating a couple could sail 05Apr Rio to Athens at a reduced cruise fare price and a reduction on the airfare if a person booked an outside cabin or better. . Since we were already booked on this cruise, in an outside cabin and paid more than the new advertised price we decided to have our travel agent check to see if we could have the reduced cruise and reduced air fare. No luck. She was told it was after final payment and tough luck for us. This price was for new bookings only. I guess the message is unless you are really dying to go someplace special it is better to wait until after final payment to see if the ship is full. If it isn't there are deals to be had. This is one time the early bird didn't get the "best" worm. Take care.

[kryos]

This is one time the early bird didn't get the "best" worm. Take care.

Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. Yes, booking late is best ... but only if you are very flexible on sailing date and cabin accommodations. If a cruise hasn't sold well, and there are loads of empty cabins still available close to the sailing date, the line will ALWAYS offer a special enticement to get late bookers. In fact, depending on the sailing, they will open up group space and give the group some killer ammenities for booking within a month of sail date. Usually the people who can take advantage of this are folks who reside near the embarkation port ... such as large Senior organizations based in the state of Florida.

 

On my last cruise, we apparently had a lot of empty cabins onboard. About a month before sailing, HAL booked in a group of 300 people put together from a Leisure Towne type development by a large travel agent. Those people got guaranteed upgrades ... pay for an inside, get an outside, etc. ... plus they had lots of special group ammenities. HAL bussed them all from their home town to Fort Lauderdale so that last minute airfare wouldn't be an issue, and gave them lots of group ammenities once onboard, such as free cocktail parties and whatnot.

 

So, yes ... it is true. The early bird does not catch the worm in this case. But the other side of that coin is that if you book a cruise late ... in order to take advantage of reduced fares, you might wind up not getting on the cruise because of something like this ... a last minute group that snaps up all of the available cabins. Even if you do get on a last minute cruise at a nice rate, you also won't have a very wide choice in cabin accommodations. Basically, you'll take what is left and often that means cabins in locations that others found undesirable and thus wouldn't book.

 

So, it's a gamble, like most other things in life. Wait until the last minute for some great deals, and possibly not be able to get on a cruise you really wanted to take ... or book in advance for a sure thing, in the accommodations you prefer. Personally, I'd rather book in advance ... take advantage of price drops up until final payment, and then knowingly lose out if additional ones come up afterwards.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Yesterday we received in the mail a notification stating a couple could sail 05Apr Rio to Athens at a reduced cruise fare price and a reduction on the airfare if a person booked an outside cabin or better.

See if your travel agent can "negotiate" an upgrade for you. Sometimes while HAL won't cut your cruise fare after final payment, they might throw you a bone by giving you an upgrade. If you booked an outside, maybe they'll upgrade you to a balcony cabin.

 

It's worth a try anyway.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[SailAways]

Booking early, selecting the cabin we want, having the TA watch for lower prices, then forgetting about price after final payment works perfectly for us.

 

We really don't care what anyone else paid for their cabin. If they got a great deal- good for them. We are happy to have selected the exact cabin which we want - and take our chances on a lower price.

If it is reduced; great. If not, so what - We had already alloted that amount to spend on the cruise anyway.

 

So, in this respect, we feel that the "Early Bird Does Indeed Get The Very Best Worm!:) :)

[jascruise]

We have almost always booked well in advance of our cruises, sometimes a year beforehand. My wife is a schoolteacher, as was one of our traveling partners (recently retired), so the dates when we can cruise between September and June are restricted to the school vacations. We book early so that we won't get shut out.

 

After June this will no longer be a factor, as her retirement is looming (knock on wood), and we can wait and book closer to departure, and hopefully take advantage of some good deals.

 

On the other hand, anticipation is half the fun...well not half, but a good chunk.

[BajaFred]

I 2nd Kryos suggestion to have TA try for upgrade. We had the same thing happen to us last yr when we were traveling to Alaska. TA worked with her HAL representative and we were able to get an upgrade in accommodations. Maybe not as good as a rebate, but at least it was something. Does not hurt to try.

Book early - book late - hard to say what to do. We booked late on trip we took last month - I waited so long I almost missed getting on the ship. I guess if you are flexiable booking late is fine.

Carole

[Barocl]

I'll try to answer the comments I've received from my last post.

 

I agree anticipation is a great part of the cruise experience and that is why we are usually booked far in advance and two or three cruises in the future.

 

As far a what you or anyone else paid for a cruise I don't care, but I do care that HAL tells me that today, I could take the same cruise that I've already booked at a reduced price had I waited.

 

Yes, I have a set price or budget we spend on each cruise. That is why we are outside and not in a balcony (veranda) or suite. Tho with the reduction we may have been able to stretch our budget to a veranda/balcony.

 

The travel agent said she tried for an upgrade, but once again no dice.

 

Don't get me wrong, this won't stop us from enjoying this cruise or the next one, and we've been cruising long enough to knnow what could happen, but it still a bother when it happens to you.

[SailAways]

As far a what you or anyone else paid for a cruise I don't care, but I do care that HAL tells me that today, I could take the same cruise that I've already booked at a reduced price had I waited.

 

I agree - I like your wording better than mine.

I hate the after the fact brochures too.

Somehow, they do seem to be an unnecessary slap in the face.

Wouldn't it be nice if the cruise line would change this policy to make it more equitable for those who do opt to book early.

I doubt that will happen - too much revenue involved.

We shall stick with our plan; book early, make reservations on airlines and hotels early, and hope for the best.

We surely do not want to be stuck in a cabin above the theater, kitchen, or the new bowling alley, or at the lowest level of the ship.