Book on opening day. My four day spring break 2015 has almost doubled in price since last December.
Absolutely! Go ahead and pick your ship, and then pick your cabin. Something new folks don't always realize is that all cabins aren't equal; for example, on Royal Caribbean you can get a far-aft balcony cabin with a wider room and a double-sized balcony . . . for the same price as any other balcony cabin. But if you aren't ready on the first day the dates open up, someone else will snag that super-value cabin.
Also, keep watching your price online. If it goes down, you can call in and ask for a price drop. The rules will vary from line to line, so read and inform yourself.
Remember to look at cruising as relatively all inclusive. You won't need park tickets or food.
I don't often disagree with crisi, but I think the inclination to consider a cruise "all inclusive" is a bit misleading to first-time cruisers. In addition to your cruise ticket, here's what you'll probably spend upon:
- Transportation; we always drive, but it seems that most people fly -- if you drive, be sure to include the cost of parking your car, which is not inconsequential.
- Night-before hotel; ALWAYS arrive the night before -- too many things can happen to delay you, especially if you're flying, and this is cheap insurance to be sure you won't miss your ship.
- Excursions. These are the activities in which you'll take part during the island stops. Yes, you could just walk around and shop or hit the beach, but most people want to take part in some type of activity -- snorkeling, ATV rides, whatever.
- Tips. More and more, these are being included with your initial costs, so be sure of your cruise line's policies, but traditionally cruisers tip their servers and room stewards on the last night of the cruise -- and a week's worth of service deserves a big tip.
- Drinks. Most food on a cruise is included in the ticket . . . but most drinks cost money: Alcohol, sodas, milkshakes, premium coffee. Yes, you can do without these, but most of us won't.
- Specialty food. Lots of people splurge on the "upgraded" meals at the specialty restaurants, and they are expensive!
- Insurance. You'd be wise to buy travel insurance for a cruise. You probably don't need full coverage (for example, since we drive ourselves and always go a day ahead, we do not pay for travel interruption or luggage coverage -- if we have a travel emergency, we can probably overcome it in that extra day, and we're smart enough to hold onto our own suitcases), but we'd all be wise to buy emergency evacuation insurance. Any of us could have a medical emergency, and this insurance would pay to fly you home to an American hospital. This isn't expensive -- if you don't buy it through the cruise line.
Sure, you could cut out some of these, but you probably won't.
Note that I didn't include any shopping. If you choose to do so, you can buy LOTS of junk on a cruise: Tee shirts, spa treatments and massages, gold by the inch, perfume, Coach bags, Build-a-Bears, teeth whitening service, temporary tattoos, video games, "fine artwork" . . . and then there's the casino. I personally am VERY adept at saying, NO THANK YOU and meaning it, but judging from the crowds flocking around the day's offerings, most people don't need much convincing to buy all this junk.
Another necessity that you must consider is your paperwork. That is, the documentation that will allow you to board the ship. If you're taking a closed loop cruise (meaning you leave from an American port and return to an American port -- and I assume you are an American yourself), you can board with a CERTIFIED birth certificate and a driver's license or other state-issued ID (cruisers over 16 -- children don't need this). However, many people choose to buy a passport, which is over $100 per person.
2. Book in the off season (May, September, early November, early December)
3. Choose your cabin wisely. If you've never cruised before, you won't know what you're missing if you don't get a balcony.
October and November are our FAVORITE months to cruise! I suspect that if we tried April and May, we'd like them for the same reasons: The weather is ideal. In the islands, you can wear shorts all day but you won't sweat -- and in the evening you might want a light jacket or wrap. Additionally, as you say, you can't beat the prices.
I disagree, however, about the balcony. When our kids were younger, we found that the balcony was the cheapest way of getting extra space. The balcony allowed us a space to sit and talk after the kids were in bed, and it gave Dad a place to which he could disappear while the girls were dressing. Other people prefer to get the most space for their money (and an extra bathroom) by booking two connecting interior rooms.
We are cruising on the Fantasy on January 24 for 7-nights, Eastern Caribbean itinerary. Today, you can get an ocean view veranda stateroom (category 6B) on that same cruise for $4985 and some change for two adults and two kids. Yes that is a big chunk of change.
For kicks and giggles, I looked at Royal Caribbean that same week on a similar itinerary (not the exact same but Eastern Caribbean still). For an ocean view balcony room (they have balcony rooms that aren't ocean view, but what's the point, really?) to book today it would be $4682 for the same two adults and two kids.
Hmmm . . . that didn't sound right to me, so I checked. As of today (Saturday, October 18, 2014), Royal's prices for an Eastern sailing on January 24 are as follows:
Allure of the Seas -- new mega-ship with all amenities -- 3877/family of four
Freedom of the Seas -- ship around 10 years old but still considered prime cruising -- 1273/family of four -- okay, this was actually for January 4; it wasn't available for January 24, and since this one sounds like a great deal, I can only assume that they're sold out for January 24
Serenade of the Seas -- smaller ship that many people favor, fewer amenities -- 2823/family of four
The first cruise we took was on Disney, and we loved it; however, since then we've found that we can almost take two cruises for the price of one on another line. Disney IS a great product, but it is in no way twice as good as the others!
Things I preferred about Disney: The ships they offer for short cruises are nice, whereas the other companies tend to use their older, smaller, lower-in-amenities ships for these short cruises. They showed first-run movies in a good theater. Their private island is wonderful.
Things I prefer about other lines: They tend to have more amenities, which even my kids prefer: Water slides, climbing walls, ice skating rinks. My husband enjoys the casino.
As for the activities, yes, other lines have some activities that aren't for kids; however, it's easy enough to avoid these. And I'm sorry to say that I encountered more people with a me-first, it's-my-vacation-and-I'll-do-as-I-please, "entitled" attitude on Disney. I wonder if that has to do with them having paid the high ticket price.
This kind of levels the playing field when we compared to other lines.
I rebooked on my last two cruises but won't be on this one.
