My cruise dropped 2k

[Dis_Mom]

….

 

[Dis_Mom]

They didn’t screw you, are you new to cruising? Many times after final payment, cruise lines have fire sales to unload unbooked cabins. These cabins are usually the least desirable. If cabins have been selling well, remaining cabins will go up in price. If you cabin now cost $10,000, would you be happy to pay extra?

That’s just silly talk, what I expect is when I get up at the crack of dawn to book opening day for platinum that I get the best price….. I dont expect it to be cheaper for people later

 

[BamaGuy44]

That’s just silly talk, what I expect is when I get up at the crack of dawn to book opening day for platinum that I get the best price….. I dont expect it to be cheaper for people later

You can keep expecting that, and you'll keep being disappointed. That's not how travel pricing works, or ever has.

 

[jimmymc]

DCL won't adjust your price after final payment date. You would need to cancel and rebook with whatever refund you're able to get through Disney and travel insurance.

 

[mjkacmom]

That’s just silly talk, what I expect is when I get up at the crack of dawn to book opening day for platinum that I get the best price….. I dont expect it to be cheaper for people later

But that’s how it works! If you want the best choice of a cabin, you book early, you can always make change before final payment. Flights are cheaper. However, some folks don’t need flights, some don’t care as much about cabin location, some are able to book last minute IF there are savings (sometimes cruises sell out so last minute cruisers are out of luck). Welcome to cruising.

 

[Mango7100]

That’s just silly talk, what I expect is when I get up at the crack of dawn to book opening day for platinum that I get the best price….. I dont expect it to be cheaper for people later

That’s not realistic. If they aren’t selling the cruise they will drop the price. They would rather not leave an empty cabin, so they will sell it for cheaper if needed. No one is forcing you to get up at the crack of dawn to book a cruise a year in advance. It’s silly talk to say “I don’t want anyone to get it cheaper than me because I woke up early”

 

[Dis_Mom]

I think I am not explaining myself correctly, in the past booking opening day has been the best price. It kills me to think all of us loyal customers who do this are being punished. They should offer a room credit or something, especially cruises like this one that we were unable to use our on board booking discount

 

[cvjw]

I think I am not explaining myself correctly, in the past booking opening day has been the best price. It kills me to think all of us loyal customers who do this are being punished. They should offer a room credit or something, especially cruises like this one that we were unable to use our on board booking discount

We have found that opening day prices can still be more than a good GTY rate. We are platinum and have stopped booking opening day and just now use VGT rates for most cruises.

We can book last minute and are ok with all the best excursions and activities being unavailable for us. They were taken by others who paid full price.

When we took our adult sons in January, we were ok paying more (the VGT rate was $3400 less). By booking our cabin early, we got our desired cabin location. We got connecting cabins. We booked the exact excursions, adult dining and drink classes that we wanted.

GTY rates have downsides and you have to be ok with them.

 

[Mango7100]

I think I am not explaining myself correctly, in the past booking opening day has been the best price. It kills me to think all of us loyal customers who do this are being punished. They should offer a room credit or something, especially cruises like this one that we were unable to use our on board booking discount

You aren’t being punished. You got the cruise you wanted at the price you were willing to pay. Someone else getting a cheaper cruise takes away nothing from your cruise. You may be envious of it but you aren’t being punished. You can wait and gamble by booking late next time instead of opening day to see if they drop. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

 

[lanejudy]

what I expect is when I get up at the crack of dawn to book opening day for platinum that I get the best price….. I dont expect it to be cheaper for people later

I think I am not explaining myself correctly, in the past booking opening day has been the best price.

I'm kind of surprised you are platinum and haven't realized this previously. Yes, opening day rates are typically the lowest of "standard" fares. But *GT offers have been around for well over a decade and it's been possible for any certain cruise to have *GT offers that are lower than opening day. It's not necessarily a regular occurrence, but it definitely has happened often enough to not be anything new or shocking.

Personally -- I book the cruise and stop looking at the pricing. I was ok with the price I paid when I booked it, cruise pricing doesn't really go "down" except for the last-minute specials, and I'm not in a position to take advantage of last-minute travel. So there is no reason to keep looking at prices after I book.

I'm sorry you've been caught off-guard. All I can suggest is that you apparently were OK with the fare at the time you booked. Don't worry about what other's pay -- there's almost always someone who paid less (for lots of things in life).

 

[Dis_Mom]

I'm kind of surprised you are platinum and haven't realized this previously. Yes, opening day rates are typically the lowest of "standard" fares. But *GT offers have been around for well over a decade and it's been possible for any certain cruise to have *GT offers that are lower than opening day. It's not necessarily a regular occurrence, but it definitely has happened often enough to not be anything new or shocking.

Personally -- I book the cruise and stop looking at the pricing. I was ok with the price I paid when I booked it, cruise pricing doesn't really go "down" except for the last-minute specials, and I'm not in a position to take advantage of last-minute travel. So there is no reason to keep looking at prices after I book.

I'm sorry you've been caught off-guard. All I can suggest is that you apparently were OK with the fare at the time you booked. Don't worry about what other's pay -- there's almost always someone who paid less (for lots of things in life).

You are 100% correct, typically I never go back and look at prices but my well I intention cousin sent me a screen shot. I have learned my lesson. (This is the first time I have experienced opening day being thousands more then last min bookers) it’s just hubby and I and we dont do excursions and only want late dining so it looks like going forward I will be waiting. We have 2 more cruises booked in 2025. I think I am gonna cancel them and take my chances going forward

 

[mjkacmom]

You are 100% correct, typically I never go back and look at prices but my well I intention cousin sent me a screen shot. I have learned my lesson. (This is the first time I have experienced opening day being thousands more then last min bookers) it’s just hubby and I and we dont do excursions and only want late dining so it looks like going forward I will be waiting. We have 2 more cruises booked in 2025. I think I am gonna cancel them and take my chances going forward

It’s been my experience that cruises cost more after final payment than if booked way in advance, both are obviously a gamble but I book well in advance and have never been disappointed. Maybe when my husband retires we can look at last minute cruises (we live 25 - 45 minutes from 3 cruise ports).

 

[ironz]

You are 100% correct, typically I never go back and look at prices but my well I intention cousin sent me a screen shot. I have learned my lesson. (This is the first time I have experienced opening day being thousands more then last min bookers) it’s just hubby and I and we dont do excursions and only want late dining so it looks like going forward I will be waiting. We have 2 more cruises booked in 2025. I think I am gonna cancel them and take my chances going forward

The downside to canceling and waiting for a *GT rate is that rate may never be offered for the cruise you want.
Our next cruise has had zero *GT offers, and I check every week (booked almost a year in advance). Other cruises we've seen *GT offers before the PIF date. Others offered closer to sail time.

So if you cancel your cruises, thinking you'll for sure have options later, you might be disappointed again.

 

[sadiecatie]

Others have hit the big notes, but I think it's worth considering how much the savings might be and the chance you're willing to take to get savings on each individual sailing. For our upcoming cruise (in 11 days, woohoo!), we booked last summer, I kept looking to see if lower rates were posted, and they never were (at least not military rates - I think some GT rates eventually came out, but not that much of a saving that it bothers me, since I picked my room exactly where I wanted). For Europe next summer, I'm taking the gamble that there will likely be discounted rates (there are this summer, and the equivalent sailing this summer to the one we're looking at in 2025 has a lot of availability still). I know there's a chance that won't pan out and I'll pay a higher price than if I booked now, but the potential savings are worth it to me. Each situation is different.

 

[Husker Mike]

You could also take the just before final payment is due to check your cruise to see how many unsold rooms are left, and then you could choose to cancel in order to take a chance on a discounted offer. The flip side on waiting is that your room category might sell out; that's where my July cruise is at right now.

 

[Dis_Mom]

So many good tips. Thanks guys

 

[MomOTwins]

The downside to canceling and waiting for a *GT rate is that rate may never be offered for the cruise you want.
Our next cruise has had zero *GT offers, and I check every week (booked almost a year in advance). Other cruises we've seen *GT offers before the PIF date. Others offered closer to sail time.

So if you cancel your cruises, thinking you'll for sure have options later, you might be disappointed again.

The other issue with *GT rate is you could get an awful room--a noisy one right under the pool deck, one all the way down at the end of the long hall, intense engine vibrations, an obstructed view on a verandah. You might be fine of course, but with GT there is no room switching or refunds.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

The other issue with *GT rate is you could get an awful room--a noisy one right under the pool deck, one all the way down at the end of the long hall, intense engine vibrations, an obstructed view on a verandah. You might be fine of course, but with GT there is no room switching or refunds.

And if you are on the fantasy the aft rooms can be a big problem

 

[LAS2AMS]

I understand your frustration. Unfortunately, in the travel industry it's become more commonplace for rates to have restrictions attached to them.

We cruise fairly often but with the exception of Christmas/New Year's, we typically buy within several months of sailing. This is because most cruise lines will offer their best discounts at the last minute, sometimes through travel agencies. Of course, as discussed above, there are limitations with this -- while you're getting the best price, you may not be able to choose your cabin. And even if you can, the most desired cabins are long gone.

Every ship, no matter the cruise line, has more desirable cabins. Most often the location but sometimes they're slightly larger, maybe an interior with a(n unadvertised) porthole, etc. Sometimes it's something else -- for example, on some sailings Carnival offers windows described as completely obstructed for a nominal charge over interior. If you book early, for as little as $20 for a weeklong sailing you can get one in which 80% of the view is unobstructed. Book late and you'll get a guarantee that's a hike from anything and next to the noisy engine room (totally fine with me, not for others).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

in the past booking opening day has been the best price.

No, opening day prices tend to be the best prices, GENERALLY, but it's always been possible for last minute booking prices to be lower than those. At least in the 16 years that I've been cruising.