Is It A Good Idea To Book Early ?

Today sees the first on sale day for P&O 2021 and 2022 programmes – seems a really long way ahead to be booking a cruise, but does the early bird catch its worm ? Well by the amount of people calling to book it certainly looks like it.

So why book early? In some cases it is absolutely essential to plan well ahead.

If you are taking the family away on a cruise, and you need to travel in any of the school holidays and need a three or 4 berth cabin then you need to book as early as possible. These cabins will be in high demand and prices will rise the nearer to departuire date we get . In 2021 there are some excellent childrens prices for booking at launch. Britannia has some brilliant child prices for summer 2021 – July and August – starting at £ 699 per child for a 14 night Western Mediterranean  cruise, the same cost for a similar one departing in August 2020 is over £ 1000 per child more – if you can still get availabilty in 3 and 4 berths cabins.

You may, as many people do ,want a particular cabin or sailing. Maybe thinking about a back to back cruise where you would need the same cabin throughout, then you also need to book as soon as possible. I have booked a really nice trip on Iona today for some clients. A seven night Norwegian Fjords cruise on 18th September followed by a longer Mediterranean one on 25th September, good price and mamaged to get the same suite on both dates, but, on the first part, it was the only suite left even at this  early stage.

Bookings made at launch carry a 10% past passenger discount, in some cases 15%, and P&O are offering a low 5% deposit too so theprices are really good. It can be OK to wait for a last minute ” bargain ” if you really are flexible but in the main prices will rise as we go through the year.

So get the brochure out and get booking , you will then get what you really want!