Looking for a deal on a 2010 Cruise: This not the year to wait

[testifyoncruises]

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=77192.blog

 

Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard Fain added that the year "is looking much stronger than many thought possible only a short time ago."

 

 

The upbeat comments from Royal Caribbean executives echo those from several other lines that have noted an upturn in bookings and pricing. Luxury line Crystal Cruises recently reported record bookings during early January, and upscale line Oceania Cruises said it had its single highest booking day ever last month after its new ship, Oceania Marina, went on sale.

 

 

There have been years where it has paid to wait for a last-minute deal. But with cruise prices starting the year at a relatively low level, and bookings rebounding, there's growing consensus that this likely is not one of them.

 

 

We totally agree with this outlook.

[RoofingPrincess]

Is that the royal "we"? ;)

[BETEP]

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=77192.blog

 

We totally agree with this outlook.

Wishful thinking! With economy down the drain and no improvement in sight I expect deeply discounted rates for at least another year.

[marci22]

Seriously, everyone has extra money? I don't think so. He's dreamin.

[Puffinater]

Nice to be optimistic but who knows how much of that he really believes or how much is to encourage early booking revenues. We will just have to wait and see.

[andrzej5914]

Seriously, everyone has extra money? I don't think so. He's dreamin.

 

We have a very good friend that works for an RV sales place. Just in a week they sold 40 RVs and I'm not talking about pop-up RVs, I'm talking about 25' to full size bus size RVs. The same customers added some very expensive options as well, like big screen TVs with full surround sound stereo systems, satellite systems, jacuzzi tubs (on the bus sized RVs) etc. etc.

 

We stopped by her work last Monday and we actually took a tour of one of the busses that was getting prepped. It was amazing. But I guess it better be when the final bill is ~$300K.

 

The RV business was really hurting last year. Our friend had to take a pay cut, and did not get any bonuses. Just last month she was promised that the pay cut will be lifted and to top it off, she will get some of it back.

 

So, it seems like people are spending discretionary funds on luxury items, so perhaps your analysis is not totally correct.

[ucfknight07]

The link provided by the OP quotes the CFO of RCI as saying that the past three weeks have generated record booking volumes for the company. I think the combination of the beginning of the new year and their 'book an oceanview, get a balcony' and 'book an interior, get an oceanview' sale can at least partially be attributed to this. My fiance and I were pretty much dead set on what cruise we wanted to book. I was waiting for a decent sale to come along, and when I heard of the upgrade sale they're running (which, fortunately, the cruise we were watching happened to be part of) I decided it was time to book. Probably can't attribute everything to the sale, but I'm sure it's helping for those cruises that are part of that promotion.

[SliderNc]

People who have the money to cruise will cruise, just like people who have the money to buy a $300k RV will buy it. Everything is relative. I can probably guess that most people who have tight money situations or no discretionary income to spend are probably not doing the above.

[testifyoncruises]

One of the biggest indications is the Tuesday sales. Last year there were pages and pages of those sales. This coming Tuesday has one page and frankly the "sales" are not all that special when you have been watching prices.

 

Sure some sailings are softer than other, but week after week those ships are going out at 104% capacity and higher. The booking window is getting longer and longer and those close in sailings are going at a premium or there just is no space available.

 

This makes me so happy as prices will go up yields will get bigger again!

[KeyserSoze]

IMO its not so much that people now all of a sudden have money to spend. The economy is still in the toilet. But at least now, many feel it has already hit the bottom. Because of all the uncertainty last year, people were afraid to spend. No one knew how bad it was really going to get, so they played it safe. Now that many think we've seen the worst, those that made it through OK are willing to spend again. Hopefully, we have seen the worst because I just booked today for July...

[jumbo1]

One of the biggest indications is the Tuesday sales. Last year there were pages and pages of those sales. This coming Tuesday has one page and frankly the "sales" are not all that special when you have been watching prices.

 

Sure some sailings are softer than other, but week after week those ships are going out at 104% capacity and higher. The booking window is getting longer and longer and those close in sailings are going at a premium or there just is no space available.

 

This makes me so happy as prices will go up yields will get bigger again!

:mad:

[shellyclark]

If the figures are from the past few weeks then I am sure it is also from alot of people getting their income tax returns and booking a vacation!

[jackdiamond]

Our personal experiences with regard to about 25 cruises over the last eleven years is simply that booking early is much better than waiting if you have a cabin preference; and, you will discover in most cases that you will experience the best rates in this regard. As a matter of fact, for all of our presently booked four cruises the prices have increased for all of our cabins. By the way, we only cruise the Caribbean out of Florida; hence, our experiences may not be applicable to other cruise designations or to inner or OV cabins.

[marci22]

.

 

So, it seems like people are spending discretionary funds on luxury items, so perhaps your analysis is not totally correct.

 

My analysis is that I don't know anyone who's bragging about having a great financial year. I guess RV purchases is an indicator that the economy is on an upswing so great for me maybe my stocks will recover. I do want everyone to be wealthy and happy.

[marci22]

One of the biggest indications is the Tuesday sales. Last year there were pages and pages of those sales. This coming Tuesday has one page and frankly the "sales" are not all that special when you have been watching prices.

 

Maybe that's because the prices started out lower in the first place since they finally realized they can't charge what they were charging and fill their ships. Royal is still relatively expensive.

[MrsPete]

IMO its not so much that people now all of a sudden have money to spend. The economy is still in the toilet. But at least now, many feel it has already hit the bottom. Because of all the uncertainty last year, people were afraid to spend. No one knew how bad it was really going to get, so they played it safe. Now that many think we've seen the worst, those that made it through OK are willing to spend again. Hopefully, we have seen the worst because I just booked today for July...

I think this may be true. Last year people seemed uncertain. Now it seems that most people are saying, "I made it through the lay-offs. I'm adjusting to this new level of economy. It may be less than I had before, but I feel fairly sure I'm not going to be laid off and I know what to expect each month in my paycheck."

[testifyoncruises]

We think that the cruise lines have realized there are still areas of the country that are not as bad off as others. Things are not in the toilet in all areas. Lowering of the price of the cruise did not result in higher onboard revenue. We had more than one F&B manager say they were off as much as 50% and more on some sailings.

 

I am so happy to see prices stabilize if not rise to a more realistic level for the type of vacation you get.

 

Most people have just now filed their taxes so the poster who attributes the sales to tax refunds is pretty far off. We have seen client's who have waited to the last minute expecting to find a deal are only finding a sold out ship or a stateroom that no one wanted.

 

Let those prices rise across the board! Woo Hoo!!!

[bmazzo]

I work for a Major US Air Carrier and we are definately seeing an upswing in early bookings. Traffic on our carrier rose almost 9% over January last year, Business travel is still low, but we are seeing signs of improvement there also. That said, Airlines, Cruiselines and hotels aren't heavily discounting at this time. If you wait for a deal, it might not come. I grabbed a great deal on a 5 night Celebrity trip on March 1, Sky Suite garantee for $699.00 pp. then I noticed that it went down to 599.00 pp. I just got my 200.00 OBC. But there isn't much else out there, I've been looking.

[gerig]

I wonder what he's been smoking - I do beliieve he's trying to generate more revenue' however he's not going to succeed. With the going rates Rc is charging it will not happen.