Is a 7night S. Caribbean Cruise @ $1000 pp a good deal?

[kingsgirl]

Serenade of the Seas

Januarry 2009

7 Nighter out of San Juan

$1000 pp for a balcony

 

What do you think?

[suamom]

I think it is a great price for a balcony depending on what type of airfare you can get to San Juan. I may have to look at this cruise:D

[kingsgirl]

I think it is a great price for a balcony depending on what type of airfare you can get to San Juan. I may have to look at this cruise:D

 

Yeah I have no idea about airfare. For the sites I use it's too far out for them tho show flights!

 

RCI is charging a little over $1000 for flights for Jan 17.

[cb at sea]

It's all about what a vacation is worth to YOU!!!! Sounds reasonable, to me!

[kingsgirl]

RCI is charging about $1200 for flights.

 

I can't find anyone who is selling flights for these dates in Jan.

 

How early can you buy flights?

[Spring Valley]

We booked this cruise back in October and the prices have stayed the same since then. Flights don't come out till 330 days out, so it will be middle to the end of February before you can check flights for January.

 

A family member is cruising out of San Juan Feb. 17th and the best prices she found were when it as 60-70 days away from the cruise. I don't think I would want to wait that long to book flights though, sometmes the flights fill up fast. Keith

[kingsgirl]

How early can you purchase flights for San Juan not from RCI? What is a good deal and is it best to book early? What is your experience - is it better to book through RCI or try and do it yourself?

 

What are your experiences?

[melgray13]

Most major airlines allow you to purchase about 10 months in advance. We purchased our flights to San Juan in Dec for our April trip for $430. Before we've seen them for $600 and now they are around $800. The cruiseline wanted $650 ish for us. I would do some checking to see what flights are like both months from now and weeks from now to get a better idea. Good luck!

[tex_toby]

I am going on this same cruise in March during Spring Break. I have a cat D1 aft balcony and it was $900pp. I also booked during the one day "Wow Sale" so I also received $100 obc.

 

Since booking this cruise, it has only gone up in price. I have watched the price on it every week (several times a week) and have seen the price for the catagory room swing from $1200pp to $1700pp back and forth. It's never been back down to $900 since the day I booked it.

 

I also booked my airfare really early and secured flights out of Dallas for $343pp. My flight there is direct, but coming home I will have one stop. I didn't figure I would find anything cheaper than this, so I went ahead and nailed it down.

 

After watching the prices on this cruise for months, I would say that $1000 is a good deal. If you book it and the price goes down (and you catch it in the act), you can call RCC and get your price reduced to the new low price. I think you will find the price only goes up from here.

 

tex :cool:

[whit53]

I purchased my air to San Juan for my cruise in Nov. about 2 weeks after the fares came out. I paid $238 for my r/t fare and it is a non stop flight out of Chicago.

[Let'sGo!]

We booked flights for our cruise next month back in August.

They've since gone up about $200 apiece.

 

Depending on what city you're flying from, there'a couple of great websites for tracking airfares... one is Yapta.com, the other is Farecast.com. Yapta will continue to monitor your flights after you buy them to let you know if you should be given a refund/credit from the carrier.

 

Regardless - flying and staying in PR is not cheap. In fact, our airfare and pre-cruise hotel is costing us more than the price of our cruise! (Not including SeaPass of course :D )

[wrp96]

For most airlines, bookings open at 330 days out. The exceptions are low cost carriers like Jet Blue and Spirit, which generally open at 6 months out.

 

It really depends on where you live (and when you are traveling) what will be the best option for you. For my cruise out of San Juan, I saved over $150 per person by booking with RCCL and that was with paying for custom air and choosing our own flights. I could've paid $50 less booking on my own but that was to leave at 5 am, make 3 stops including in both Chicago AND JFK, and not get into SJU until after midnight.

 

But if you live in the northeast or Florida you might be able to find a deal to SJU on Spirit or Jet Blue.

[emdia43]

I purchased my air to San Juan for my cruise in Nov. about 2 weeks after the fares came out. I paid $238 for my r/t fare and it is a non stop flight out of Chicago.

 

You found a great deal there. Wish I could find anything remotely like that ...:eek:

[FL_Cruiser64]

Yeah I have no idea about airfare. For the sites I use it's too far out for them tho show flights!

 

RCI is charging a little over $1000 for flights for Jan 17.

 

Airlines come out with pricing 330 days in advance.

 

I just dropped a Southern Caribbean cruise on the AOS and switched to the Freedom.

 

When I booked the AOS I paid $849 pp for Sept 08 for a hump balcony (prices are now up). So a $1000 in winter time is a good deal.

 

I booked the flights initially via AA (FLL to SJU). I paid $298 pp roundtrip.

[love2cruiseseattle]

We booked our cruise and airfare in December. The cruise departs October 26, 2008. The last couple of flights that I have booked to various places I have found the best prices by doing one ways. So we are booked on one airline flying down and a different one coming back, the total price was $431 flying out of Seattle.

[whit53]

I will be sailing on the Serenade in Nov. I was able to get air with AA out of Chicago non stop r/t for $238. I bought my air about 2 weeks after the fares came out.

The cruise is $1026 pp that includes taxes and port charges.

[YoungDiamond]

do it, its so worth it. the only time i stay on balconies is when its under 1000 i think its a great deal. since you have lots of time you ought to sign up for the royal Caribbean credit card, you get a 150 on board credit as soon as you use it. just pay it off right away it has high interest.

[kingsgirl]

I could always book the cruise (put the downpayment) and then cancel if I can't find affordable airfare right?

 

Can I just put down MY name as going and no one elses? I don't know who I would take with me right now and I know it costs $$ to change a name later.

 

How much would I have to pay do you think in a downpayment?

[kingsgirl]

do it, its so worth it. the only time i stay on balconies is when its under 1000 i think its a great deal. since you have lots of time you ought to sign up for the royal Caribbean credit card, you get a 150 on board credit as soon as you use it. just pay it off right away it has high interest.

 

I would but I'm Canadian ;)

[waterbugohio]

We got Serenade for Nov. 08, D1 balcony for $950. Being first timers,, I wasn't sure if this was a good deal or not, but I feel it is.

 

Having been looking for airfare since Dec. I haven't booked yet, but have $236 from Cinci to San Juan found. With everything else I'm finding, I may just book it.

OP may want to just check flights on the same days of the week that he would go, check several different months and just get an idea of what they will run. I know this doesn't always run true, but it gave me some idea of what they would run.

[Spring Valley]

We have 2 singles in our group that booked but are looking for roomates, they had to put down the $500 deposit by themselves, usually it is $250 per person. When they find a roomate they can just add their name to the room and pay the first person in the room the deposit money.

[kingsgirl]

Correction, they want $1400 for RCI flights. DANG! lol

[tex_toby]

I haven't booked yet, but have $236 from Cinci to San Juan found. With everything else I'm finding, I may just book it.

 

I would book that in a heartbeat. It would be unrealistic to think it could get much better. That said, it could get a lot higher really fast.

 

tex :cool:

[whit53]

Kingsgirl, you are able to book as a solo with only $250 deposit. Then you are locked into that rate even if you add another passenger. I do it all the time.:)

[Pomperaugrr]

Serenade of the Seas

Januarry 2009

7 Nighter out of San Juan

$1000 pp for a balcony

 

What do you think?

 

We're sailing on the Serenade on Jan 17, 2009. We were able to get really low airfare for direct flights from JFk on JetBlue. If you are from Canada that may not be an option for you.

 

We just got off the Serenade last Saturday and have already booked the same ship, same week and itinerary for next year. That is a great price for all you get on the Serenade. It is our new favorite ship. We hope to see you onboard!:cool:

 

Eric