Very Long Cruises are overpriced

It is simply market based pricing. If there is good demand the price will keep going up until demand levels off. Same for low bookings.

Same as hotels, rental cars, airlines. Heck, even when we travelled in Greece tourism was well down. Most restaurants gave us a complementary drink, or appetizer, or after dinner drink. That did not happen very often on prior visits. Hotels were often as much as 40-50 percent less that the normal rates.

If we think that a price is too high for whatever we simply don't book/buy.

Actually, OP asked the wrong question. A decent room for two - with at least twice daily "maid service" - say $85, unlimited breakfast buffet - say $15 per person, unlimited lunch buffet - say $20 per person, seated, served multi-course dinner - say $40 per person, unlimited coffee, tea, lemonade - say $5 per person , evening shows - say $10 per person, daily movies - say

$7.50 per person --- that's $280 per day for two or $140 per person per day; then add tound trip transportation to say two foreign ports - say - $210 per , or $30 per person per day.

Total : $170 per person per day on a cheap seven day cruise.

If you think about it, $183 is a good deal per day. A hotel is at least $100 a night. Then you have probably $50 in food then factor in the airline ticket prices it would take you to travel to every country you visit on such a long cruise, plus the entertainment. I'd say it's a steal!

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You can say that the world cruises are over priced, but it really is a supply and demand thing.

Think $183pp a day is over priced? Have you ever looked at the price for booking say.. a place like Atlantis in the Bahama's? With Air, Room and food for 3 people... I was looking at close to $5000 for 1 week which is closer to the $240pd mark.

Say I look at Disney, for just 2 adults with meals and flights from my area for a week it would be $3600 for 6 1/2 days in the very cheapest Disney room there is. Or almost $260pd.

My DH's goal is to save up enough that when we retire in 20 years we can take a world cruise. Why? Because we want to and don't mind paying for it. As to is it only for those who are retired? I would say not really. In less than 10 years, before my DH is 50, he would be able to take 10 weeks of PAID time off, and then another 3 of non-paid if he wanted to. For the fact that the only reason I work is for money only to pay for more vacations, well I could quit and go with him. All before we are both 50 and generally living a very middle class life style. My mother generally cruises for 40+ days a year, along with taking working "vacations" every weekend (she gets paid to go) in her late 50s. I am sure within the next 10 years she will be on a 100+ day cruise also.

I wouldn't say they're all overpriced. I just booked a 24-night Transatlantic to Venice for $3700 each - and we're in an aft-wrap suite with the all-inclusive beverage package, private restaurant, etc. For $156 pp a day, I'd say it's a pretty great deal. I also booked 18 months out and kept an eye on pricing like a hawk. I know this doesn't fall into OP's idea of long cruises (30-70 days), but it is close. And yes, the only way we're able to do it is because I will be retired. :D

How can anyone say that any product, be it a ticket to "Hamilton", a cruise or a fad toy at Christmastime is "overpriced" if it sells out?

 

The marketers of any product which sells out should probably ask themselves why they underpriced it.

 

If you do not think something is worth what others are willing to pay for it, do not buy it.

What about the Bitcoin you mentioned a few days ago. I think it is now overpriced. Two years ago it was priced right. happy cruising

Also consider that it is more expensive to sail in Europe, Asia than the Caribbean. I am not sure if it port fees or what but you would need to compare a similar pathway with shorter cruises to evaluate what ppd for each region.

Also consider that it is more expensive to sail in Europe, Asia than the Caribbean. I am not sure if it port fees or what but you would need to compare a similar pathway with shorter cruises to evaluate what ppd for each region.

Caribbean cruises tend to be inexpensive for several reasons: in season, there are so many ships competing - tending to hold down prices;

the market is largely penny pinching Americans who are lured in by low price tags - which they then try to balance with casino, on-board sales of booze, decent extra fee restaurants, bingo, lottery tickets, etc.; fuel costs are low because most ports are just a few hours apart; port charges are also low.

I wonder why the very long cruises ( 30--70 days) are highly overpriced, (upto $12441 pp) even when you consider cost per day.($183 pppd X 70 days)

Is it because only retired people can take such a cruise and the Cruise lines think that they are super rich and can be exploited?

And how can they provide you with different shows and activities for 70 nights?

Why do you consider free market pricing exploitive? No one is forced to go on a 70N cruise.

Why do you consider free market pricing exploitive? No one is forced to go on a 70N cruise.

Very good point. Put very politely - however, I might have said that OP just wanted to winge because he did not want to pay for something that many other people are happy to pay for.

I wonder, if he owned a house and decided to sell it -- would he ask market price, or would he discount it for someone who just wanted it but did not want to pay market price.

I said 30-121 night very long cruises are overpriced, because there are many 14-15 night transatlantic and repositioning Cruises from just $40-50 per day.

Also, Costa has some 26-29 night cruises for under $40 per day (+DSC)

Even the fabulous Royal and classy Celebrity have some repo 13-15 night cruises for under $70 per day, so what is the need to pay $150+ per day for very long cruises?

Even the fabulous Royal and classy Celebrity have some repo 13-15 night cruises for under $70 per day, so what is the need to pay $150+ per day for very long cruises?

Because they're going places you want to go.....

To prove my point, there is a 32 night World Cruise from Singapore to Venice on Costa Luminosa on March 21, 2018; for just $2793 or merely $87 per day!

What about the Bitcoin you mentioned a few days ago. I think it is now overpriced. Two years ago it was priced right. happy cruising

Bitcoin is proof of the "Greater Fool Theory" and has no connection with cruises

Because they're going places you want to go.....

This! Many of the places important to hubby and me on our first travel bucket list were remote. Lifelong desire plus relative convenience of travel made nothing overpriced.

What one person considers overpriced, the next person may consider money well spent. It is all relative to individual circumstance.

Even the fabulous Royal and classy Celebrity have some repo 13-15 night cruises for under $70 per day, so what is the need to pay $150+ per day for very long cruises?

To prove my point, there is a 32 night World Cruise from Singapore to Venice on Costa Luminosa on March 21, 2018; for just $2793 or merely $87 per day!

There can be differences between a "repositioning cruise" and a longer cruise. In repositioning cruises, the ship needs to be moved from one season or area, to another season or area. Yes, the cruise line will attempt to get some revenue out of this move, but still keep the prices low to attract pax. Your Costa cruise is a good example of that. However, it is NOT a world cruise. Panama Canal repositioning cruises used to be heavily discounted for this reason, but the demand has grown tremendously, so the pricing is now similar to other cruises.

"Longer cruises" are marketed, and priced differently, for the reason the ship doesn't have to be moved from one season or location to another. In fact, a good number of longer cruises are roundtrip out of the same port, just very long cruises.

Yes, the pax demographic on longer cruise is skewed much older, as retired folks are the ones that are much more capable of taking the long cruise, due to being retired. However, I don't think they are deliberately ripping off older folks. Your priority seems to be only cost...so take the cheapest cruise you find. Regardless where it takes you.

Lots of items cost more from one vendor to the next. If price is your only determinant, you have found your cruise in the Costa repo cruise. The Costa cruise is probably not selling well, as it is going to some less stable parts of the world.

I want the best entertainment, shows and activities at a reasonable price. I don't care so much about food, ports and cabin type.

Are the entertainment shows and activities on Costa much inferior to the main Cruise lines?

I want the best entertainment, shows and activities at a reasonable price. I don't care so much about food, ports and cabin type.

Are the entertainment shows and activities on Costa much inferior to the main Cruise lines?

From what I understand, since Costa is an Italian cruise line that caters to lots of nationalities, the shows are more stuff (acrobatics, variety show) than spoken (comedy, singing)

I said 30-121 night very long cruises are overpriced, because there are many 14-15 night transatlantic and repositioning Cruises from just $40-50 per day.

Also, Costa has some 26-29 night cruises for under $40 per day (+DSC)

You also said:

"Is it because only retired people can take such a cruise and the Cruise lines think that they are super rich and can be exploited?"

I'm still curious - why do you think free-market prices can be exploitative?

You also said:

 

"Is it because only retired people can take such a cruise and the Cruise lines think that they are super rich and can be exploited?"

 

I'm still curious - why do you think free-market prices can be exploitative?

I thought that the problem was solved and the case closed.[emoji6]

To answer your question--

It's the "Robin Hood" principle of life.

Anything better is much more expensive. eg) Balcony cabins are much more expensive than Inside cabins.

Cos they know that folks who want better can afford to pay much more than the budget conscious. So, the cruise lines often cross subsidize and exploit the rich.

Similarly, if you can get an Ocean view cabin on a 14 night cruise for $1000, why would you pay $12000 for the same cabin on the same ship for a 70 night cruise?

Free on Norwegian or Celebrity

The only thing that is truly free on a cruise ship is the air you breathe. EVERYTHING ELSE is part of the bundle.

And marketing language cannot change that.

Similarly, if you can get an Ocean view cabin on a 14 night cruise for $1000, why would you pay $12000 for the same cabin on the same ship for a 70 night cruise?

And, as people have been trying to explain to you, the example you are giving is not apples to apples. That 14 night, $1000 cruise could be in the Caribbean, the cheapest place to cruise, in terms of cost to the cruise line, or a trans Atlantic (TA), which is also not a particularly expensive place to cruise (for the cruise line), and if a repo-ing TA, is commonly subsidized, as they have to move the ship to it's new destination. Every person they get on board helps defray the cost of moving that ship.

The 70 day cruise is typically far more exotic, with far more logistical issues, commonly on a smaller ship (which typically have higher per diems), and just have quite a few more considerations. Plus, they are marketed differently than a TA. Long cruises sometimes have additional perks, like baggage shipping, or free ground transport. As others say, nothing is absolutely free on a cruise ship.

As you stated on your other major thread, you don't profess to be an expert on the cruise business. Hopefully you are getting the idea it is far more complex than calculating per diems of random cruises.

You also said:

 

"Is it because only retired people can take such a cruise and the Cruise lines think that they are super rich and can be exploited?"

 

I'm still curious - why do you think free-market prices can be exploitative?

The free market concept : a willing buyer and a willing seller agreeing on a price -- clearly the best (only) way to establish a fair price - is scary to a lot of people who cannot accept the idea that perhaps they are not entitled to something just because they want it.

The free market concept : a willing buyer and a willing seller agreeing on a price -- clearly the best (only) way to establish a fair price - is scary to a lot of people who cannot accept the idea that perhaps they are not entitled to something just because they want it.

I'm doing an 80-day cruise, as a single, this year. It takes me to places I want to see, I have the time and the money, so why not. My question was never how much would it cost, but is this a trip I want to take. I'm retired and deserve this.

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