Pre booking future cruises on board

[Kamloops50]

Is ther any advantage to pre-book cruise on board?

 

Myself and DW want to do Europe or South Pacific in early 2010.

 

Do the cruiselines have a special deal like

 

1 - reduced deposit

2 - OBC

3 - cabin selection

 

all and any answers are appreciated.

 

:):confused:

[CC Help Michell]

Is ther any advantage to pre-book cruise on board?

 

Myself and DW want to do Europe or South Pacific in early 2010.

 

Do the cruiselines have a special deal like

 

1 - reduced deposit

2 - OBC

3 - cabin selection

 

all and any answers are appreciated.

 

:):confused:

 

It depends on the cruiseline. Most offer some kind of pre-booking deal. Sometimes a discount, sometimes onboard credit, sometimes a cabin upgrade, and some are moving to a deal where if you "prebook" you don't have to decide then and there where to go/when -- you get a credit amount greater than you pay that you can apply to a reduced deposit on a future cruise.

 

I prefer the latter approach -- I only book a cruise after doing a lot of research and I'm not going to spend time on THIS cruise researching the NEXT one -- so a nice deal that gives me a good "bang for the buck" toward the next one, which I can book later, fits my preferences. By way of example, NCL's Cruise Rewards has a $250 outlay on your cruise -- in return you get an immediate $100 OBC on the current cruise (so the net outlay is $150), and a certificate for a $250 deposit on a future cruise that works as the ENTIRE deposit for that cruise (regardless of number of pax, but not applicable to their highest end suites). You have 12 months to book, and must sail within 30 months.

 

For any onboard offer, read the "mice-type" (small print) and be sure you are clear on the details.