Savings if Booking Future Cruise On Board?

[Neesa]

I apologize but I could not find this topic, most likely searched wrong. Is there any incentive or savings or ability to book a future RC cruise while onboard? We are travelling in November 2019 & I was looking at summer 2020 for another sailing. Would it behoove me to wait until I am onboard or should I book it while home? Thank you in advance! Harmony sailing in November out of PC.

[Bakerette]

Then Book your sailing for summer 2020 now because if you wait to boom once onboard prices could increase between now and when you do on your November 2019 cruise. 

In 2017 I had booked 3 cruises for the oasis class, 1 in December 2018, 1 in April 2019, & another in April 2020 for RC and 1 in November 2020 on Carnival Mardi Gras I had originally booked one cruise but then months later I had decided to book 2 more cruises before I went my December 2018 cruise, and I am so glad that I booked 2 more cruises because between when I booked the other cruises the prices for all 3 of the other RC cruises had significantly increased in price and the Carnival Cruise has increased by a few hundred dollars and all 3 other RC cruise has not been cheaper then when I booked the cruises which was over a year ago. 

[vanelli56]

The best answer is... 'it depends'. 
Usually the trend has been that the farther out you can book... the better the price. The main benefit of using Next Cruise is the reduced deposit... most of the time, the price is the same as what you can book it for online or through a Travel agent. Best case scenario is maybe you get some extra OBC from the Next cruise desk, then you transfer your reservation to a TA that can add some more OBC on top. 

Others on here have said that sometimes they will find a 'deal' through the Next Cruise desk... but everyone's mileage may vary. 

Cheers. 

 

[Matt]

11 hours ago, Neesa said:

Would it behoove me to wait until I am onboard or should I book it while home?

I think you should book now.

Waiting until November may result in a price change that offsets any benefit NextCruise provides. 

[MotleyCruiser]

I would book now and go to Next Cruise to see if the can improve upon your booking.

[AshleyDillo]

The Next Cruise offer runs on a monthly cycle..they often repeat it for several months, but you can check http://www.royalonboardsales.com/#seeoffer to get an idea of what they are currently running.  I wouldn't wait just for the incentive as the price may go up by then..better to lock a price in now and then adjust it later.

[CruiseGus]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

I think you should book now.

Waiting until November may result in a price change that offsets any benefit NextCruise provides. 

a perfect example of the above is I was on a b2b Jan 2019 wanted to book 2b2 in Jan 2020, checked prices before I left home, planed on doing next cruise for both the lower deposit and $100 OBC.  Enjoying my first leg so I set my next cruise appt for the first day of 2nd leg, price increase of almost $400 per leg on future Jan 2020 b2b's, ouch what I would have saved paying immediately in deposits was gone anyway with the price increase.

[Neesa]

I deferred to your suggestion and just booked June 2020 with MEI-Travel & Sharla M. What a fantastic experience, thanks everyone