A cruise question for those who use vacationstogo.com......?
Last year in October I booked a last minute cruise that left the weekend after Thanksgiving for 7 nights in the Western Caribbean. It was a great deal and I'd like to do the same thing this year. Last time we used the 55+ discount and it was a great deal. Am I better off waiting until that time to book a cruise for the same week, or should I book it now. I want the BEST price, of course. I found the one that I want and it was $40 less a couple of weeks ago than it is now. My big question is how much do the prices fluctuate? I know it depends on how fast the ship books up, but we got a great balcony cabin last year at the last minute. (well, about 2 months ahead). I know if I call there, they'll want me to book it now, but I'm thinking I may be better off doing what we did last year. It was the best vacation of my life!
It's always a guessing game, isn't it? 
I read once that Carnival changes their fares 6x per day. I've watched their individual sailings and they don't change that often, but it may be true across the entire line. Hard to say.
I think some of it depends on what you want. I think it's very risky to wait until last minute if you want a particular ship, date, or destination. Most likely it will sell out or come close to selling out, and the price will go up near date of sailing. That said, if you just want any cruise and you are flexible, last minute might be the way to go. The few sailings that don't sell out will be discounted. Of course, you may or may not have much choice on port stops, cruise line, etc. You'll just have to choose among what's left.
As far out as it is, I would probably watch the cruise for a few weeks and see how much it fluctuates. I have more experience watching Carnival than other lines, but their prices seem to fluctuate constantly. It's not uncommon to see their fares go up and down several times in a month.
Of course, if you book now, you're not really locked in for a while. Just pay the minimum deposit and keep an eye on the fares. On most lines you would have full rights to cancel. That means if the fare goes down, they should honor the lower fare and adjust your rate. (If they didn't, you could simply cancel and rebook). Once your final date goes by, you're a little more stuck, but....you should have full information on what the fare will do by then if you've been watching it.
If you are going Carnival, their "Early Saver" rates do include a right to jump to the new rate if the fare goes down. You have to file a claim to get the new price. They are not fully refundable, however.
Hope I've helped a little. Good luck!
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