Alaska Cruise 2022 help

[ssgtravel]

We're planning a family Alaska cruise for 2022 and I need to book 5 cabins. Given 2 years of cancellations, I image there will be a lot of pent up demand for these cruises. I'm wondering what my best booking strategy would be. My husband and I are Silver so I thought we should immediately book two cabins using each of our names as soon as the booking window opens, then the remaining three when public booking opens.

We're planning to book 3 category 9A cabins and one 5C balcony on deck 6, hoping that all of us would be close-by.

I'd like to confirm that if we book separate cabins with our names, then later on, we would be able to change the names to accurately reflect who is in which cabin.

Also, do the ocean-view cabins tend to sell out first, since there are fewer of them, vs. the balcony cabins?

We don't particularly care which dates we sail, but cannot do early June or late August. Is there a general history of which cruise dates sell out first?

I am planning to make the bookings myself in order to control the exact cabin location. Does anyone know at what time on the date our booking window would open I would be able to go online to make our reservations?

 

[AquaDame]

The "lead" guest on a room's reservation will not be able to change, so make sure whomever is the lead is not a person you move. You can still book two cabins using your silver privileges, but have a different guest in the room be the lead. Alternatively others have said you can wait until you are on the ship and have them swap keys around instead of changing the "official" names on the reservations. For something this complicated I would likely use a TA, or a least call and verify current policies with DCL directly as things are always subject to change. They may become less accommodating on manifest changes due to the pandemic. If you know the cabins you want a TA would certainly honor that request. I typically tell them exactly what I want, with a couple alternatives, and lacking that what I am looking for more broadly. (Such as forward away from the elevators, with rooms above and below, prefer to not have a connecting cabin, and nowhere near the laundry room as I dislike the smell in the hallway).

I'm not sure which order cabins go in Alaska but many people feel balconies are a MUST for Alaska, so I'd bet the cheaper verandahs go first, then oceanview and the most expensive balconies.

First to go are any unique dates; the 9 nights, or any with a different port. Next are ones over holidays or further away from possible school dates in some parts of the country (which is why early June and late August are the usual recommendations). I haven't paid especially close attention to sell out dates otherwise so I won't try to guess. I imagine late June is less popular but early August vs July is a toss up as far as I know... people do try to time it for the salmon runs since that is a sight to see and draws in bears.

We sadly don't know exactly... officially online booking will open at 7am EST (8am via telephone) for your window, but in truth it can be anytime that morning. It frequently opens hours earlier at random.