curiosity - unexpected pricing

[meow!]

We by chance (just out of curiosity) found two consecutive voyages, both on the Whisper. Both (in opposite directions) are between Sydney and Auckland, visiting similar though not all the same ports. Normally, one would expect the first of the two, a "Christmas New Year voyage" from December 19, 2009 to January 3, 2010 to be more expensive than the second, which will be a post-holiday "lull", from January 3 to 18, 2010. Both these voyages will be for 15 days.

 

Strangely enough, the first one, still on the "2009 scheme" has a list price of $15,295 and a 45% discount price of $8,412 for a verandah suite. The second one, on the new "2010 scheme" has a list of $21,295 and a 50% discount price of $10,647 for the same verandah suite. We all know about this new 60% (in 2010) versus the old 50% (for 2009) numbers game, but the bottom line actual price for Jaunary 2010 is $2,235 or 27% higher for the post-holiday voyage compared with the prime holiday voyage.

 

Apparently, the post-holiday one sells better than the prime holiday one despite its being more expensive. Even if you reduce the post-holiday one to 55% discount to be "comparable" to the 45% discount of the previous one, it will still be $9,583 which is $1171 or 14% more expensive. Can someone think of why this is the case, which is contradictory to the usual prime holiday versus post-holiday trend? It is unlikely that just crossing from 2009 to 2010 can make such a big jump in fares (which is actually not the case for other itineraries).

[ging466]

The post holiday cruise is a Venetian Society cruise, so take off another 5%.

 

Perhaps people generally want to stay home & have Xmas with their families rather than travel all the way down here. Just a thought.

 

Cheers

ging466

[meow!]

You may well have a point, especially since the voyages involved are so far away from the homes of most passengers. We remember in 2001, when we went to Australia and New Zealand, we were thinking that we have flown as far as we could (and all the way from Perth, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland) that if we had continued, we would be flying back home on the other side of the globe or become an astronaut .. meow!

[lord of the seas]

Apparently, the post-holiday one sells better than the prime holiday one despite its being more expensive. quote]

 

I think that you may have answered your own question.

[Wellseasoned]

Yes, the December 09 Whisper voyages are apparently not very popular.

as I noted on another thread, the 16 day Singapore to Sydney just before the Christmas cruise has been discounted 73% on the Venetian Value Club offer.

[wripro]

Most cruises in the early part of December are cheaper. People do not usually want to be away from home just before the holidays.

[cruzadict]

Does anyone know how full the Christmas and New Year cruise on the whisper from Sydney to Auckland is? I asked on an earlier post but we seem to be sailing on our own!!!

[Jaffa]

Yes the discounts for these cruises are quite large for Venetian Club members only.

I recieved this offer yesterday by E-mail.

 

 

 

To view this email online please click here.

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Sail Date Days Ship Itinerary

 

3 Dec 2009 16 Silver Whisper Singapore to Sydney

Vista $4,195 Veranda $4,995

 

4 Dec 2009 16 Silver Cloud Buenos Aires to

Santiago (Valparaiso)

$4,195 $4,995

 

11 Dec 2009 9 Silver Shadow Barbados to Fort Lauderdale

$2,245 $2,645

 

 

For more information or to book a Silversea voyage please call 61.2.9255.0600, visit Silversea.com or contact your travel professional.

 

 

*All offers are valid on new bookings only, for a limited period and are subject to availability. Fares shown are cruise-only, in U.S. Dollars, per guest, based on double occupancy and reflect the best available fares and the highest savings available for each voyage. Port charges, government fees and taxes of $150 to $500 are included. Venetian Value Club offers are valid for new bookings only, are capacity controlled, subject to availability, may change or be withdrawn without prior notice and are not combinable with any other savings programmes, including, but not limited to, Early Booking Incentive savings, Advance Payment Bonus savings, Silver Sailing savings, Venetian Society Savings or Friends of Society savings. Venetian Value Club offers represent savings from the published fare. Cruise Credit Certificates, Reassurance Credits and Onboard Spending Credits may not be applied to the Venetian Value Club fares above. Silversea will not provide air, hotel or transfer arrangements for Venetian Value Club members taking advantage of Venetian Value Club fares. Silversea's regular cancellation penalties apply. Not all Venetian Value Club offers may be extended to all Venetian Value Club members. Only (1) Venetian Value Club member per family will be permitted to make a Venetian Value Club booking; limited to one (1) suite per cruise. A family is deemed to be persons living at the same residential address. Further terms and conditions apply.

 

Ships' registry: Bahamas. All information contained herein is accurate and in effect at time of writing.

[Wellseasoned]

Jaffa, very interesting. You apparently received the same e-mail which ging466 received, also in Australia. Though these prices say U.S. dollars, they are higher than those sent me in the U.S. The prices I received are $150 lower on the 9 day cruise vistas and verandas and $500 lower on the 16 day cruises.

[wripro]

These are really good prices by whatever measure.

[ging466]

These are really good prices by whatever measure.

 

I agree, especially with our dollar going so well at the moment. All the Aussies should jump in on these prices, I wish I could.:(

 

Cheers

ging466

[meow!]

... with our dollar going so well at the moment. All the Aussies should jump in on these prices ...

Cheers

ging466

Exchange rate changes and the out of step waxing and waning of different countries' economies have great effects through the years. Besides the A$ which moved from 48 cents to 94 cents, the euro also moved from 85 cents to $1.6 at different times, that is a range of 2:1.

 

In 2001, when we visited Sydney, we bumped into the Paspaley store at King Street and Castlereigh (moved away a couple of years ago), the salelady showed us this 14-18mm perfectly round, blemish free and lacquer like lustered strand and told us "Americans must really like this strand" It was $750,000, the female cat might be tempted if its price tag had two zeros less!

 

We can imagine today that saleslady telling some tourists that "EUROpeans must really like this strand". Wanting to have a souvenir from this premier farmer/manufacturer of half of the world's South Sea pearls, we bought a small "keshi" ring for A$800 (then $400), a wonderful purchase to remember our trip, bringing home such a natural product of the country we have visited .. meow!