Princess - Prices Go Up or Down?

[poffles]

I am just starting to look at a cruise on the Crown next April ('09) and for others who have booked trips with Princess, do the costs go up or down as time moves along. I am taking another cruise in October (our first on Disney Wonder) and we want to see if we will like it before booking another. We know we won't want to go on DCL for 7 nights so we are looking at other ships and the Crown seems to be what we would like.

 

There appears to be early booking discount on their site at this time, but when does early discount disappear. When that price discount goes away (whenever that is), does that discount get replaced by another incentive to book?

 

Would love to hear what others have witnessed in the past. Thanks.

[BJS]

I am just starting to look at a cruise on the Crown next April ('09) and for others who have booked trips with Princess, do the costs go up or down as time moves along. I am taking another cruise in October (our first on Disney Wonder) and we want to see if we will like it before booking another. We know we won't want to go on DCL for 7 nights so we are looking at other ships and the Crown seems to be what we would like.

 

There appears to be early booking discount on their site at this time, but when does early discount disappear. When that reduced goes away, does that discount get replaced by another incentive to book?

 

Would love to hear what others have witnessed in the past. Thanks.

 

Prices can go both ways.

 

Frequently booking early yields the best price and you can always take advantage of lower prices before final payment. If you book with a TA make sure to ask their policy about lowering prices should they go down. Frequently when booking with Princess you can have your price lowered if the lower price is not restricted to new bookings or residence location.

 

If the ship is not selling well Princess will have "flash" promotions for new bookings and you will find some of the lowest prices for these after final payments are made. Many people wait for just these prices. If you wait the cruise you want may be sold out or the cabin you desire may not be available.

 

If the ship is booking well Princess does raise prices and this can happen at any time.

 

.

[poffles]

Actually, now that I look again, the early discount is no longer there so my question appears to be pointless for the trip I am looking at so guess the question of when the discount disappears has been somewhat answered. So now it would appear the only risk of waiting is the room(s) not being available.

 

We will be 4 adults in two balcony staterooms hoping for adjoining rooms, nothing more specific than that.

[spongerob]

Be sure to check out other travel sites with on-line pricing before booking. The Princess web site almost always is much higher than what you can get elsewhere.

[serene56]

The earlier you book the better the savings. in 10 cruises we have taken only one came down in price.

Booked the Crown for Febuary in July 2007- the price has gone up over 200.00pp since.

 

April is spring breaks next year so those prices should be a tad higher then normal.

[Toto2Kansas]

Although it seems that 'early booking savings' is no longer showing on the Princess website, I did notice that the price for our cruise for next January is now the same even without that special $2200 savings applied. Not sure what Princess is up to with this, but nothing I have looked at lately, no matter how far in advance, is showing the early booking savings as it used to. But the pricing is still the same as it was when it did show the early booking savings. Doesn't make a lick of sense to me.

[Coral]

Although it seems that 'early booking savings' is no longer showing on the Princess website, I did notice that the price for our cruise for next January is now the same even without that special $2200 savings applied. Not sure what Princess is up to with this, but nothing I have looked at lately, no matter how far in advance, is showing the early booking savings as it used to. But the pricing is still the same as it was when it did show the early booking savings. Doesn't make a lick of sense to me.

 

I think they are changing the "Early Booking Savings" term to something else. I want to say Escape Completely fares or something like that.

[Toto2Kansas]

I think they are changing the "Early Booking Savings" term to something else. I want to say Escape Completely fares or something like that.

 

Very possible. All I know is it showed one day, and the next day the price was exactly the same, just didn't show any early booking savings. I wonder sometimes if Princess knows what Princess is doing? LOL

[Jimbo59]

Be sure to check out other travel sites with on-line pricing before booking. The Princess web site almost always is much higher than what you can get elsewhere.

 

Not always. This year I booked directly with Princess and got a better price than my on-line travel agent. They even gave me the lower price when I noticed it on-line and requested it by phone.

 

You never know!

[tekdiva]

When I first decided on my cruise in early December it was on price. Then it went up just before Christmas until the middle of January, then came back down and has been at that price ever since.....of course I booked in January when it came back down thinking the price may go back up around Valentine's Day....lol

[pekachryn]

If the price drops after I've booked but before I make my final payment, my travel agent will pass the savings along to me. Yes, I still use a travel agent, as her prices meet or beat the websites.

[custompcsys]

I am just starting to look at a cruise on the Crown next April ('09) and for others who have booked trips with Princess, do the costs go up or down as time moves along.

 

Yes :D