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Pricing 2019 vs 2020 Sailings


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Hey there,

I often hear it is better to book cruises a year in advance since it is usually cheaper. Although after investigating this I am seeing rates almost double the price as similar 2019 last minute sailings! For instance, I just booked a 4 day Perfect day and Nassau cruise on Navigator of the seas for $750 after tax for 2 people from Sept 9-13th. The same sailing for 2020 is substantially higher! Where do the so called "good deals" exist? 

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Last-minute bookings can get you low rates, provided you don't care where your cabin is located or you don't care if everyone's cabins are spread all over the ship. If you want a particular cabin type (e.g., mid-ship balcony on a lower deck), or you need to keep your cabins clustered together (e.g., adjoining cabins for parents and minor kids) then you very much need to book far enough ahead to ensure those choices are available. That is where booking at least a year out will save you money vs. booking closer in, as those more desirable cabins thin out and the pricing goes up with lower inventory.

You may also be seeing the effect of a ship that is due to undergo the major "Amplification" refurbishment in 2020 (Oasis, Allure, Freedom, etc.) -- pricing on pre-refurb sailings will be (maybe significantly) lower than pricing on a sailing post-refurb, because after the refurb is done it's expected the ship will be more desirable and many more people will want to experience the new features and upgrades on board.

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1 hour ago, Xceed said:

I often hear it is better to book cruises a year in advance since it is usually cheaper. Although after investigating this I am seeing rates almost double the price as similar 2019 last minute sailings! For instance, I just booked a 4 day Perfect day and Nassau cruise on Navigator of the seas for $750 after tax for 2 people from Sept 9-13th. The same sailing for 2020 is substantially higher! Where do the so called "good deals" exist? 

The highly sought limited itineraries tend to have the best pricing when they are initially released.  Take Alaska for example..the best pricing for that tends to be as soon as they release the itineraries. 

The shorter sailings I have noticed seem to come down in price once they are within the final payment.  That's typically a supply and demand thing.  People probably canceled at the 90 day mark and the cruiseline has a larger inventory of rooms, so they will allow them to go cheaper.  This sometimes happens with the typical 7-day Caribbean sailings (excluding holidays) as well.  It's good for those who have the flexibility to take advantage of the cheaper prices.  

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1 hour ago, Xceed said:

Hey there,

I often hear it is better to book cruises a year in advance since it is usually cheaper. Although after investigating this I am seeing rates almost double the price as similar 2019 last minute sailings! For instance, I just booked a 4 day Perfect day and Nassau cruise on Navigator of the seas for $750 after tax for 2 people from Sept 9-13th. The same sailing for 2020 is substantially higher! Where do the so called "good deals" exist? 

You got a good price.  Anytime you pay less than $100 per person per night, you are doing just fine.   Coco Cay cruises jumped to $150-$200 per night for "grand opening", which was definitely overpriced.

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