I seem to be seeing quite a large number of discounts (and pretty steep ones) in the Oct. Nov. Dec. time frame for Caribbean cruises. Is this normal? A chance of a lifetime and grab it while you can? or hang tight and they will get better the closer to the cruise date you get?
Saw a Zaandam Balcony listed for $761 including port fees (but excluding taxes) in November. It's sooo tempting but it seems like every cruise line is offering serious discounts in that time frame. Is there some reason for the steep discounts? or is it just too many boats and not enough passengers?
I was wondering the same thing. Is the weather okay the? I don't know the seasons very well for Carribean. I'm getting lots of newsletters and emails for bargains but don't know how that area usually does. Wouldn't the weather be better in the fall-winter rather than the summer months?
We booked the Veendam on Thanksgiving week. We have outside cabins (no balcony though) and paid just over $600 p.p. including port fees and government taxes, etc.I think that was a great deal for a holiday week. Since we booked the rate has gone up a bit, but not a lot. This is an interesting Caribbean itinerary that includes Belize. Cozumel, Costa Maya and Santo Tonas, Guatamala. The cruise is R.T. Tampa.
We are booked on the Zuiderdam 08/30/2003, got a Cat. A deluxe verandah cabin for $579 including port taxes. We use www.cruisetravel.com Their site lets you check prices and cabins on your own without a agent.
Weather in the Caribbean in the fall has been great for me so far. Hurricane season ends November 30th. I have sailed the Western Caribbean twice so far in December and have had pretty good weather. Had one or two overcast skies but outside of that great.
Hope that helps.
Chyna
Late October or early November is my favorite time for the Caribbean. The ships aren't as full, few children and the prices are lower. As far as the weather goes.
On the 5 cruises I've taken at that time of year we averaged less than 1 partially rainy day per cruise. We also did 2 cruises in January and had rain days on both of them. Don't worry about the huricane season. The ship will change their itineray to avoid the hurricans.
"We are booked on the Zuiderdam 08/30/2003, got a Cat. A deluxe verandah cabin for $579 including port taxes. We use www.cruisetravel.com Their site lets you check prices and cabins on your own without a agent."
I just checked out the site you recommended and did not see anything like what you stated above. When I followed links to cruises which interest me on this exceptionally snail-paced website, it gave only lead-in prices per category, and not specific cabin numbers with detailed prices. For more information, it requested that I "SEND" my request....in other words, just like most websites out there.
Perhaps I am using this site incorrectly? On several top booking websites, It is very easy to locate specific cabin numbers on specific sailings at specific prices, but I didn't find that to be true for cruisetravel.com. It seems just to be another travel agency that wants my data before giving me information. How did you obtain a CatA deluxe verandah cabin for $579 through this company?
Strongly believing in "if it's too good to be true ....", I also went to the referenced site. It is very attractive, but bears no resemblance to what "Dan" described. As you mentioned, nowhere is there the option to view cabin vacancies. In fact, going to the Cruise Line buttons, the HAL link opens a new window with all the ships links available ... except for the Zuiderdam. Going to the Itineraries page ... the "ships cruising the Caribbean" .... no Zuiderdam. Going to the Specials, AHAH!, there is the Zuiderdam, but not for Aug. 30th. Going to HAL's site, the Aug. 30th cruise has Cat A vacancies at $1084 pp. There are Cat N insides at $704. Going to a link that HAL sent me, the Promo 2002 price for a "Balcony stateroom" is $659, but not for a Cat A.
So the cruisetravel.com site has none of the features that many other sites do.
I got a category B guarantee on the 11/15 Zuiderdam for $699 per person with a $75 per cabin credit by checking on OBITZ website and then going to Cruises-n-more web site where I saw the price. Called agent and booked it. Two years ago I paid twice this amount on Grand Princess.
Dick: You really got a good deal! I just checked Cruises-n-More and the best rate for 11/15/03 is 599.00 plus Gov Fees for an inside. A 'B' guarantee is $899.00. Be interested to know who you talked too. Thanks. Enjoy the cruise. May C U!
I monitor the web sites daily when I am looking. I look at 6-8 web sites I have used in past and they all send me emails. When I see a price I like I call them and put a 48 hour hold on it while I discuss with wife. I then call and book. I got a 1A cabin on the Constellation transalantic this way for $2000 per person including airfare. The low prices do not last long. HAL sent me an email for a category B cabin on both new ships for $699 on 12/15. All Mariners got this email. Remember if you see a bargain, jump on it.
Dick: Very confused with your two postings? R U on the Z 11/15 in a Cat B for $699.00 with the $75/cabin credit that you booked through Cruise-n-more back in 12/02 or did you recently book this cruise with Cruise-n-More? Fully aware of the daily price finding and I get may emails from various TAs in regards to prices. Thanks!
I'm sorry that rate has seemingly gone south. We booked it April 30th. The total for two including fees taxes etc. was $1313.56 for category FF, which is the least expensive outside cabin that has a picture window, not a porthole. I've watched the pricing raise every few weeks this summer. The demand must be greater than just after the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The cheapest I can find now for a similar cabin is just over 1k p.p. This cruise pricing game is pretty amazing. The prices go up and down more than the stock market.
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Big Discounts this fall
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