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- Oct 13, 2010
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I poked around looking for "last minute cruises", but nothing popped-out at me that gave me much insight into the typical scheme used by cruise lines to tread the line between getting people aboard and keeping up the profit margins. IOW, the schedule for price decreases as sailing date approaches.
There just might be someone on here that's watched the price of a cruise or two as the sailing date approached, and can make some generalizations about their observations.
It depends on how full the ship is expected to be, of course. I'm looking at this 14 day re-positioning cruise and the price has gone from $1731, to $1634, to $1562 (for an obstructed balcony...I use that not because that's what I'll book, but it's the one quoted). The price didn't go straight down...it bounced around those prices between 80 and 66 days before sailing (the time I've been watching). Oh, and they add $230 to these prices, plus $182 in tips, so the price I'm quoting is the standard industry practice "BS low-ball brochure" amount. And of course times two, for two people. But I digress.
When I check the cruise on the Princess site, there appears to be plenty of cabins available. There are a few of the cheapest of the cheap balconies (the ones with a lifeboat hanging in front of balcony). And there seem to be very many of the unobstructed ones. And this is 66 days from sailing.
Should I wait to see if the price drops more?
There just might be someone on here that's watched the price of a cruise or two as the sailing date approached, and can make some generalizations about their observations.
It depends on how full the ship is expected to be, of course. I'm looking at this 14 day re-positioning cruise and the price has gone from $1731, to $1634, to $1562 (for an obstructed balcony...I use that not because that's what I'll book, but it's the one quoted). The price didn't go straight down...it bounced around those prices between 80 and 66 days before sailing (the time I've been watching). Oh, and they add $230 to these prices, plus $182 in tips, so the price I'm quoting is the standard industry practice "BS low-ball brochure" amount. And of course times two, for two people. But I digress.
When I check the cruise on the Princess site, there appears to be plenty of cabins available. There are a few of the cheapest of the cheap balconies (the ones with a lifeboat hanging in front of balcony). And there seem to be very many of the unobstructed ones. And this is 66 days from sailing.
Should I wait to see if the price drops more?