Where Do You Go To See If A Cruise Is Sold Out?

[bigjohn42]

Hello, I was just wondering if there was a web site that you can go to see how far along a ship is on filling to capicity, whether its sold out or fairly empty, or is this just a stupid question.:) Thanks, John

[RuthC]

I'm a firm believer that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

But they don't all have intelligent answers, though. ;)

Now, to that question---if the ship is sold out you will be able to tell at the HAL website. When you go to the specific cruise to check availability all categories will be marked "closed". But beyond that there's just no sure way to tell how booked out the ship is. HAL---no cruiseline---is going to reveal that information. Too many people would postpone booking waiting for the fire sale.

And that's no way to run a profitable cruiseline!

[bob brown]

Some travel websites, such as Travelocity, will show you which cabins are available for selection in each category, but, I don't know if they will show all such cabins at one time...I believe the carriers will only allocate them around six or so at a time. This info may or may not be useful for your purpose.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I thought one time I would use HAL's site and pretend that I was booking a cabin just to see how full the ship was. It took far too long to go through and put in all the cabins. Won't do that again.

[bigjohn42]

Hey Folks, Thanks for the info, will try each to see which is the best way, Thanks Again, John:)

[BruceMuzz]

There's an easy answer to your question.

Nearly every cruise ship sails full nearly every cruise.

The only variable is how early before sailing it will be completely full.

 

But the real answer to your question is far more difficult than one might think. Every cabin on every cruise ship on nearly every cruise is sold an average of 8 times before it is actually occupied for that particular cruise. So many people cancel, upgrade, downgrade, move, change dates, change ships, etc, that cabins are booked and then open again many times before each cruise.

Whatever the Cruise Line website tells you, it is probably already outdated info.

[hammybee]

Some travel websites, such as Travelocity, will show you which cabins are available for selection in each category, but, I don't know if they will show all such cabins at one time...I believe the carriers will only allocate them around six or so at a time. This info may or may not be useful for your purpose.

 

Travel web sites create the perception that they are showing the consumer all available cabins. The reality is that they show some of the cabins, some of the time. They NEVER show all the cabins available because they do not know. The only entity that knows, with certainty, is the cruise line and it is not in their best interest to show their hand in the game of Cruise Poker.

 

And using HAL's own web site is no different. It's only some of the cabins, some of the time.

[hammybee]

I thought one time I would use HAL's site and pretend that I was booking a cabin just to see how full the ship was. It took far too long to go through and put in all the cabins. Won't do that again.

 

HAL's web site never showed all the cabins available on any cruise. They show essentially the same cabins that they show to travel agents.

[hammybee]

Whatever the Cruise Line website tells you, it is probably already outdated info.

 

My sense is that the proliferation of group cruising on all cruise lines has changed the dynamics of booking forever. Categories sell out and open up all the time. It's a fluid situation and the more potential pax wait for a last minute deal, the more likely they are going to be dissappointed when HAL ships sails full, without them.

[mach4]

I used to think that you could judge the relative fullness of a particular cruise by monitoring the level of discount offered in relationship to the time left until the cruise.

 

But that theory was dashed on our most recent booking. Thirty days out we booked a HAL cruise when the discount was at about the absolute max. I've ever seen. In monitoring the sites for changes in discount over the preceeding couple of months, the discount never waivered. A couple of times a "kicker" would show up as "additional discount" for previous HAL cruisers.

 

Thinking that we would be "really smart" and that surely be granted a nice upgrade on an "empty" ship, we booked an inside cabin, Imagine the surprise when the cruise suddenly became "sold out" with no intermediate change in the discount.

 

Still don't have our cabin assignment (two weeks out), so it will be interesting to see if we are the "lucky ones" to have the worst cabins on the ship, or if we actually manage to get a decent upgraded cabin.

 

The cruise lines must have some kind of a sophisticated yield management program in place, but figuring out what the parameters are is certainly not obvious.

 

Lesson: You take your chances... sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

[kwahl1]

Along those lines. Over the past ten years you always have heard, book as early as possible for the best prices Is this true? Say I see a cruise leaving next week. Is there a fire sale to fill the ship up? Deep cuts? Best prices? Or is there a bottom line price that cabin has to be sold at or "fine we'll sail with empty rooms". Never mind the fact that you'll get an inside room.

[kwahl1]

Along those lines. Over the past ten years you always have heard, book as early as possible for the best prices Is this true? Say I see a cruise leaving next week. Is there a fire sale to fill the ship up? Deep cuts? Best prices? Or is there a bottom line price that cabin has to be sold at or "fine we'll sail with empty rooms". Never mind the fact that you'll get an inside room.

[hammybee]

 

Thinking that we would be "really smart" and that surely be granted a nice upgrade on an "empty" ship, we booked an inside cabin, Imagine the surprise when the cruise suddenly became "sold out" with no intermediate change in the discount. QUOTE]

 

The discount stimulated demand for cabins and you and all the other late bookers reacted, as the cruise line intended and the sailing sold out.

[hammybee]

Along those lines. Over the past ten years you always have heard, book as early as possible for the best prices Is this true? Say I see a cruise leaving next week. Is there a fire sale to fill the ship up? Deep cuts? Best prices? Or is there a bottom line price that cabin has to be sold at or "fine we'll sail with empty rooms". Never mind the fact that you'll get an inside room.

 

It seems to me that almost all of HAL sails are selling out before the sail date.

Those that live near a port and are flexible, have the greatest opportunity for a bargain, especially on Carnival and NCL.

 

I don't know if there is a floor on cabin prices. I suspect they could be sold as loss leaders to stimulate onboard spending and generate tips for the crew.

[bob brown]

Hammybee, you are so right about those of us fortunate to live near a port getting the best shot at bargains. Living at NYC is good in that respect, but not nearly as good as for those who live in South Florida.

Speaking of flexibility, one of the greatest opportunities for last minute bargains, the classic "pier-head jump", sadly is no longer possible, due to modern security issues and necessity for advance booking for TSA scrutiny. I'm not sure of what the absolute minimum time for booking is now.

[annbanan]

I can tell you that it is nice to be in South Florida for cruises but their are limitations. I have been on 5 cruises and all were Caribbean. My past job would only let me have one week off at a time so that put more of a limit on my choices. Having warm weather year round didn't give you much of a change going to the Caribbean. I would always enjoy watching everyone from the north on these cruises knowing this weather is a great change for them. Now getting to the Port, I have to admit is so easy. We are about and hour away.

 

My present employer allows more that one week off so this time we're flying up to Boston to do a cruise. This one will be a lot different than my past experiences, I'm sure. I just hope it won't be too cold. LOL

It will be very interesting in the difference as I won't know what to expect, even on the ship in different waters. I'm not hard to please. Just being on that ship will be the best!

That's all I need.

[hammybee]

Speaking of flexibility, one of the greatest opportunities for last minute bargains, the classic "pier-head jump", sadly is no longer possible, due to modern security issues and necessity for advance booking for TSA scrutiny. I'm not sure of what the absolute minimum time for booking is now.

 

You know Bob, I hear this from time to time, about how pax can no longer book at the 11.5 hour due to TSA security. It seems to me that TSA is not as concerned with who leaves the U.S. as they are with who is entering the U.S.

 

I probably should contact Carnival in Mia to find out, given it's cruise central.

[codyody]

Here's an odd thing; I just checked my Sept Alaskan cruise and all categories are marked available, including all suites. When I checked several months ago, only the lower categories were available. I checked the mid-summer cruises, same thing; all available. I know this isn't earth-shattering, but it does seem odd.:confused:

[bob brown]

Maybe a large group cancelled? Just a guess.

[hammybee]

Out of curisosity, I called Carnival in Miami to ask the latest possible moment I could book a cruise. The helpful reservation agent told me I could book up to the point the ship sails, provided they had cabin space, and was eager to share with me some last minute bargains.

 

I am thinking that the common perception that cruise lines discontinued last minute bookings is either an "old sailor's" tale or an attempt by cruise lines to get us to book early. Of course the only way to be assured of a HAL cabin is to book earlier in the process, given most HAL sails are selling out.