How long to wait ?

[waASPCrusier]

I am unable to respond to your current cruise situation, but may I make a few suggestions that have been helpful to us for your future cruises?

 

1) We select a cruise 12-15 months away and then wait for one of HAL's

"deposit sales" to actually book (usually $100 per person deposit). We

are then able to select the specific cabin we desire.

 

2) We watch the fare from that point forward, and if the rate goes down

significantly, we request the rate reduction, or an upgrade.

 

3) If something comes up we like better, we can cancel and re-book

and our deposit is transferred to the new cruise.

 

4) We have recently learned to book our next cruise while onboard. The

deposit is again only $200, we can take 'any future cruise' within four

years, and we will receive onboard credits for the cruise (the amount

is dependent on the specific cruise we end up taking).

 

5) If we are truly unable to cruise, we are only out $200, which we can

rationalize.

 

 

I trust that you have been good all year, and Santa will see that you get your "last minute" cruise wish!

 

While we dont book that far out...we do use the future cruise credit...for this cruise the deposit will be a mute point so we will just take advantage of the cruise credit...thanks for the response :)

 

Tayo and Kristy

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

Thanks Pete....and we were holding out for the Penthouse...oh well next time =] Guess we will just have to be happy visiting your suite :)

 

 

Tayo and Kristy

 

 

You're invited...as long as you don't push me overboard. :)

 

That would be one heck of a splash. Or should I say "splat"!

[chloes nana]

Book a guarantee cabin now. If you are waiting for the upgrade fairy to bless you the earlier you book the better your chances.

 

Aunty Pat

 

 

is that really the case? I booked a 20 day mediterranean cruise for August 09 in October 08. Guaranteed VF. are my chances good for an upgrade?? and how much of an upgrade does HAL usually do? never cruised before so I am a newbie with no history? does that matter??

Phyllis

[sail7seas]

Never, ever expect an upgrade. They don't come quite as often as some folks as let to believe. IF you get one, terrific.... to expect one is to set yourself up for disappointment.

 

That being said, possibly, date of booking might be a factor in upgrades but no one knows for sure. It is a a closely held secret, whim of upgrade fairy or result of random game of darts!!! :D

 

[chloes nana]

Never, ever expect an upgrade. They don't come quite as often as some folks as let to believe. IF you get one, terrific.... to expect one is to set yourself up for disappointment.

 

That being said, possibly, date of booking might be a factor in upgrades but no one knows for sure. It is a a closely held secret, whim of upgrade fairy or result of random game of darts!!! :D

 

I am so totally happy if I get a VF, don't have a clue what they look like other than the pics on the HAL website but a room with a balcony and a view for the first cruise to a beautiful foreign port can't be all bad. ;)

[Taxguy77]

Years ago my uncle had a couple of TA's that would call him for last-minute (1 or 2 days) deals if they were REAL bargains. I remember he went on several cruises, including Australia.

I met a man on a cruise that told me he booked "anything they had", not specific as to line, and had gotten everything from a poor closet to a suite. Have not verified his tale, but there are deals there for those who can reach the ship in 24-36 hours. I'm sure it would require some work to find them.

Add adventure and save money, good deal.:D

[waASPCrusier]

Years ago my uncle had a couple of TA's that would call him for last-minute (1 or 2 days) deals if they were REAL bargains. I remember he went on several cruises, including Australia.

I met a man on a cruise that told me he booked "anything they had", not specific as to line, and had gotten everything from a poor closet to a suite. Have not verified his tale, but there are deals there for those who can reach the ship in 24-36 hours. I'm sure it would require some work to find them.

Add adventure and save money, good deal.:D

 

Sounds good to me :)

 

Tayo and Kristy

[samikitty]

We wait for about 2 months out maybe 30 days. We are within driving distance to all the FL ports, so the airfare is not an issue. The one thing I will mention is that the size of the party is also important in booking. If you are looking for a cabin for 3 or 4 it is much harder then a cabin for 2. If the 3 or 4 person capacity rooms are gone, they're gone...

 

Best deal for us was a few years back (around 2003) when we cruised 7 nights Caribbean on the Zuiderdam the week before Christmas for my family of 3 all-in at $900 total. Booked it the week of Thanksgiving (3 weeks out). But, we have also missed sailings that we wanted to go on, but the price never made it to my target.

[hammybee]

There are only 5 more cruises before the Oosterdam begins her repositioning.

 

3/5 are showing sold out, right now.

 

1/2 remaining cruises only has a balcony available. That's on the 2/21 sailing.

 

This leaves the inside cabin on the 1/31 sailing, for sale. I am seeing it priced about $499 p/p, exclusive of port charges and taxes, just about the same as it was 3 months ago.

 

My sense is that the game has changed for 7 day cruises. HAL discounts deeper and earlier which is probably why so many of their 7 day, warm weather cruises have sold out.