Best Time to Book
 

We just got back from the Enchantment of the Seas yesterday. Want to go on a 7 night next summer on RCCL/Celbrity/Princess. When is the best time to book?

I too would like the answer to this question. I know which cruise I want to go on next summer (on RSSC in the Mediterranean). If I book now and the fare goes down substantially later, do I just have to suck it up and go on or is there a way to get a refund of the difference? I have travelled a lot and don't use travel agents as I have consistently found better deals by doing the research and booking myself, but the only cruises I have been on were on small ships which don't discount, so this was not an issue. I need to purchase our cruise early enough that I will be able to upgrade our airline tickets with FF miles.

I would book the cruise as early as possible to get the "early booking discounts" and choice of cabins. You can always cancel later.
Booking early also allows you to be more selective in your air. We always do separate air and purchase the transfers. I like to have control of my flight schedule. You can book air 9 or 10 months ahead. Better likelyhood of FF miles use.

Check with the agent you plan to use--see what their policy is on price changes. Sometimes there's a fee to change price. Some will also be agressive about checking for drops and about getting you onboard credit or upgrades even after final payment is due.

See what they say...

If you need to travel on a specific date and/or have FF miles to use, I would say book early. There's always a period when you can cancel without penalty (up until x number of days prior to sailing), so if you find something better and you can't get your original fare lowered, you have the option of cancelling and rebooking.

If you're flexible, I would just wait as booking this far in advance will not likely get you the best rates.

Early, most cruise lines will match the price if it goes down. They will not match a price though if a ta is cutting into their commissions.
Lynn

Hi,

I am a travel consultant, specializing in cruises, and I am happy to offer a few suggestions!

I would encourage you to book early! You will have the best selection of staterooms on the cruise and you may get the best price in the end if you are on a sailing that proves very popular. Some cruise lines, Disney is one of them, have adopted a tiered-pricing structure wherein the earlier you book, the lower your price. Their cruises sell out and they don't offer any late-booking savings.

Also, a good travel agent will watch the specials for your cruise departure and will call the cruise line and have the price reduction applied to your booking. It is a good question to ask when before you place your deposit. A travel agent that watches for price reductions usually has a good following and clientele and doesn't worry about losing commission. The agent should be more concerned about good service! After all, they are working for you (or should be!)

Have a great day!