The cruise we are interested in starts four months from tomorrow. Will it cost more if we book less than x number of days in advance?

This is our first cruise and our first travel agent experience and I e-mailed her our interest on Monday and I haven't heard back. She had been working with us on another trip that fell threw, so we are not completely new to her. I am working hard to be patient, but I am excited!! I have no problem waiting another couple of days, but if it is going to cost me more money, we will need to make alternative arrangments.

Any advice is most welcome!

From reading the boards, I know that we are a little late already. I will wait until tomorrow.

I definately want to use an agent right? I have gone on the website and it looks like I could reserve online or over the phone, but I have read that the brochure or online price is the book/list price and the cruise will be a little cheaper.

True?

What cruise line and ship are you looking at?

Are you a member of Sam's or Costco? You can contact the travel services of either one of these companies and get good prices. Another place for a good price for a cruise is www.skyscrapertours.com
Contact Lori at 1-888-278-9648 . You can email, it's based out of Arizona,
[email protected] is the email address. A friend of mine had good luck with price and service (we live in NC). Since it's only 4 months before the sail date, you may have to book a little more expensive room. I would, under NO circumstances, deal with an agent who can't return a call.

Lori at Skyscraper has an unbelievable reputation--can't go wrong there.

You might also try http://www.CruiseCompete.com

It's not an agency, rather it's a web site where you select your cruise and let agents compete to offer you the best deal. It's also anonymous until you choose the contact an agency.

As to when to book--there's no magic number of days in advance to get the best deal. It all depends on how full the particular sailing is at the time compared to how full the cruise line expects the sailing to be at that time. (If that makes sense). Below projections = nervous cruise line = lower prices. Above plan = confident cruise line = higher prices. So you just never know....

Call Ann Stilson, her direct line, 888-800-1177, email at [email protected]. She only does groups, referrals and repeat passengers and this keeps her very busy! Ann has best pices and knowledge of ships of anyone! She has done just cruises 16+ years and before that was with NCL. Just got back from $299, balcony cabin, deck 8, 7 days on Costa. Granted we booked Tues. and left Sun. but we can do that. Ann got us $850, 11 days, over New Years. In November we paid $479 for 7 days, Carnival's Glory.
I say shop around and get prices from different agents. Ann's prices have always been the lowest. She actually saved a friend $2,000 on a cruise! (two cabins). Tell her Bonnie from NC said to call. She told me she alwys takes care of my referrals.