How much advance notice do you get on new cruise schedules?

[FigmentSpark]

Indeed, RedSox68. Frenzied purchasing. But then, they had a rule that you have until PIF (15 to 16 months?) to cancel. I imagine it causes a lot of paperwork for their staff to have to sign up people for purchases, then do changes and cancellations. I guess they think it's worth it.

But as an aside, when I booked my cruise, on the first day it opened, it took about a week for the price to go up and then, it only went up $16. It was at that price for about 100 days (using Touring Plans fair tracking site). Sure, it's about $1700 more now with still 7 months to go, but it took awhile to move up to that price. Then again, maybe it's different for unique sailings (E/WBTA or Panama Canal) or certain dates, like New Year's or July 4th?

 

[RedSox68]

Indeed, RedSox68. Frenzied purchasing. But then, they had a rule that you have until PIF (15 to 16 months?) to cancel. I imagine it causes a lot of paperwork for their staff to have to sign up people for purchases, then do changes and cancellations. I guess they think it's worth it.

But as an aside, when I booked my cruise, on the first day it opened, it took about a week for the price to go up and then, it only went up $16. It was at that price for about 100 days (using Touring Plans fair tracking site). Sure, it's about $1700 more now with still 7 months to go, but it took awhile to move up to that price. Then again, maybe it's different for unique sailings (E/WBTA or Panama Canal) or certain dates, like New Year's or July 4th?

That's what my travel agent told me -- that certain sailings (like Norway or new itineraries) cause a feeding frenzy for reservations becasue they are high in demand. When I questioned why out WBTA for next year was so much less than we paid in 2005, she said it was because Disney knows it's not a popular cruise so they started the pricing out at low. The problem with Disney now is that the norm was that pricing would rise as the rooms sold out; but my TA said they are starting out high on the popular cruises so that there is no wiggle room for prices to rise but through the roof!

 

[olookasquirrel]

wondering how much do they normally increase? Is it a significant savings? or is just a 10% or less increase?

So I can tell you for a normal, low season Western, 7-day itinerary on the Fantasy, for an inside cabin:

Booking day was late October - price was $1200 per person
By Christmas, other family wanted to join us - price was $1550 per person (no discount for my smug satisfaction of "I TOLD YOU to book in October and cancel if you change your mind!")
By January/February, other OTHER family wanted to book. Looking for a room change a few days later, price went up to $1700.
Current price is $1814.50.

My mother has a veranda cabin - her booking price was $1561pp, and the cabin across the hall is now going for $2220pp - a 40% increase.

Of note - this was a standard itinerary that got transformed into a SWDAS one, so take that as you will (not sure when in the timeline it happened...).

 

[KashasMom]

I know it must be incredibly frustrating to the silver and newbies, but I can tell you why so many of us place holds that first day -- and it (again) goes back to the way Disney does their ridiculous release of reservations and the panic it causes. Every other cruiseline we have sailed releases their itineraries months in advance, giving you a chance to look them over and compare and make logical and financially sound decisions because their prices don't skyrocket in a 24-hour period! Disney makes an announcement the same day the itinerary (finally) goes public -- which is usually the day before gold/platinum and book. However, that announcement never gives the interested person a clear idea of pricing. So on opening day, you are scrambling to make a split second decision once you are quoted the price, without the ability to check with family or compare to other options. So as not to lose that pricing, yes -- many put a hold so they have time to get over the sticker shock and make a logical decision. Speaking for us, we never hold the reservation three days -- we always make our decision by the next morning and let our TA know to drop or keep the reservation. The fact that Disney raises their pricing as they fill up in only a matter of days has never made sense to us. I've booked on HAL, Princess and Carnival and can look at my cruise months later and the pricing hasn't moved -- in fact in most cases you can get a sale and price adjustment (another thing Disney does not do).

So while I know it's frustrating to the silver and newbie groups, Disney basically forces the issue by their pricing standards and announcement policies.

You are absolutely 100% correct. Reading what I already knew somehow made it clear. Disney does inspire the feeding frenzy. I hate the fact that all the other lines have their itineraries out for months before Disney finally puts theirs out for the same time period. People seem to be afraid that they'll miss out. But when you think about it, there is so little that is new with Disney itineraries. So much of the same old, same old. On the other hand....whatever they do seems to work for them.

 

[RedSox68]

You are absolutely 100% correct. Reading what I already knew somehow made it clear. Disney does inspire the feeding frenzy. I hate the fact that all the other lines have their itineraries out for months before Disney finally puts theirs out for the same time period. People seem to be afraid that they'll miss out. But when you think about it, there is so little that is new with Disney itineraries. So much of the same old, same old. On the other hand....whatever they do seems to work for them.

It's frustrating that just because Disney adds one new port to an old itinerary (like San Juan or Lisbon, etc.) -- people go panic blind! If you want to see that port, look at other cruiselines. Just because Disney is offering it for thousands more doesn't mean it's going to be a lousy visit to that port if you can't do it with Disney!