Cruise bargains to get harder and harder to find

[testifyoncruises]

This is such fabulous news!!!

 

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/travel/14pracdeals.html?ref=travel

 

While cruise lines may continue to dangle free airfare and onboard credits, don’t expect to see the level of upgrades and freebies of 2009. Disney Cruise Line is not offering its Kids Sail Free deal this year. Norwegian Cruise Line has dropped the $250 onboard credit it offered to everyone early last year. Instead, it’s offering up to $300 in onboard credit but only for suites booked nine months before sailing. Reservations must be made by April 1.

 

 

 

And rates are inching back up. Last year Holland America Line offered rates as low as $999 for 12-day Europe and Panama Canal voyages. This year those trips start at $1,199. A seven-night Alaska cruise that could be found for $399 last year is starting at about $500 a person this year, said Bob Miller, an owner of Cruise Holidays in Alexandria, Va. More typical introductory rates, he said, are $899.

[jmf123]

I think you are either being facetious, you are a TA, or you are already booked! :D

[Maraprince]

Or they may just be happy that some sailings will be less full due to the higher prices.

 

MARAPRINCE

[krisko]

I think it's all relative. You simply can't expect a $400 Alaska cruise all the time. When I see 2000 room ships being built (oasis, epic), I see a lot of cabins to fill and a lot of disounts to be had. I love to cruise but I don't love it enough to pay msrp. I could easily move on to something else if the price gets irrational.

[The_Big_M]

Or they may just be happy that some sailings will be less full due to the higher prices.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

I'd say that's a false expectation. The prices have increased as demand has.

[willysgrandma]

There was just an article in a TA magazine quoting Execs at all the cruiselines saying bookings are way up for 2010. That means if the ships are selling, they don't need low prices as an incentive to book. Most said they expect 2011 pricing to increase. Many of the large travel agencies are seeing bookings up 40 - 50% over last year. If bookings are up, you will not see many bargains anymore.

 

NCL just put out pricing for Alaska out for 2011 and the prices are quite a bit higher than this years.

 

If you are going to book - book now.

[SliderNc]

Supply and demand will really rule what prices they charge. 2011 is a long way off and if in 6 months they aren't seeing the bookings that they hoped to see, they'll go back to the promotions or lowering prices. Economy is still in the tank and people are still losing jobs. It's all relative. Things are looking up now, but it can change. It only took the market a few months to dive the way it did. It can do it again and just as fast.

[G'ma]

As a solo cruiser who requires a balcony, I can tell you there are still deals and bargains.You must be determined, must doggedly hunt the websites for fares and be prepared to book immediately if you find a fare within your budget.

 

While overall fares have gone up, I don't think the increases are out of line....and there will always be ships and sailings where the deals can be found......

 

I have no trouble at all finding my price.

[testifyoncruises]

This is a good thing because making more profit is important to both the shareholders and to the people who sell the product.

 

Charging more will reflect in higher onboard revenue. Not only have cruise prices been down but the amount that people spend on board has been down as well. This is a generality, but when you are charging a bare minimum you are getting a different class of client.

 

I was on a Celebrity Century cruise in January and had never seen so many mullets and tattoos on a Celebrity ship in my life. Yes it is a gross over-generalization and lots of people with mullets and tattoos have money. But when you charge less the type of client you get on board is different and far more frugal with their money. You can track the lowering of fares directly with the lowering of onboard spending.

 

So bring on the higher prices! For what you get, cruise lines are charging far too little for the experience.

[MrsPete]

I think the key words here are "prices starting at".

 

Personally, I've never booked one of these "starting at" prices. To get that super-low teaser price, you have to book something along the lines of an interior guarantee in the dead of winter.

 

It's kind of like car prices. Yes, they advertise a brand new car for [insert very low price here] but when you go to the lot and look at what you actually want, it's significantly higher.

[Maraprince]

I'd say that's a false expectation. The prices have increased as demand has.

 

 

Pick up any newspaper and you will see a lot is being made of the poor ecomony in Greece and other places in Europe. Bookings may be up for the short term due to new ships coming out, but it remains to be seen if the ships will fill up to the required capacity. If not, expect to see special promos for new bookings to fill the cabins. Just because a cruise price starts out higher doesn't mean it will not drop if enough cabins are not sold. The ecomony is still very fragile and anything can happened since a lot of people are still out of work and on limited budgets.

 

MARAPRINCE

[PrincesScuba]

This is a good thing because making more profit is important to both the shareholders and to the people who sell the product.

 

Charging more will reflect in higher onboard revenue. Not only have cruise prices been down but the amount that people spend on board has been down as well. This is a generality, but when you are charging a bare minimum you are getting a different class of client.

 

I was on a Celebrity Century cruise in January and had never seen so many mullets and tattoos on a Celebrity ship in my life. Yes it is a gross over-generalization and lots of people with mullets and tattoos have money. But when you charge less the type of client you get on board is different and far more frugal with their money. You can track the lowering of fares directly with the lowering of onboard spending.

 

So bring on the higher prices! For what you get, cruise lines are charging far too little for the experience.

 

You may get crucified on this board for your post, but *I* agree with you.

[Maraprince]

Read some of the postings in the benefits thread poll and you will find that someone posted about making full use of the CL and the free drinks as long as it continues and never eating in the MDR since it cuts into his/her free drink time. Another poster pointed out that once the free drinks stopped being served in the CL it empties out.

 

So, just paying a higher cruise rate does not guarantee big spending on board or passengers with better manners.

 

MARAPRINCE

[robmharper]

You may get crucified on this board for your post, but *I* agree with you.

 

 

put me on the cross as well. I completely agree. Charge more and lets get cruising back to what it once was - less drunken hoopla & fighting and more respectful, elegant but not over-the-top atmosphere.

 

On related note - prices will likely fall in the third/fourth quarter as the bookings for 2011 happen. A lot of people elected to pass up on a vacation in 2009 due to the economy. 2010 is the return to vacationing as people are hungry for it. 2011 will level out in my opinion and there will be more rooms to fill on the high seas

[Maraprince]

Just received an e-mail from RCI about special pricing....balcony cabins for outside prices...so discounts have started.

 

MARAPRINCE

[MrsPete]

Just received an e-mail from RCI about special pricing....balcony cabins for outside prices...so discounts have started.

 

MARAPRINCE

Royal Caribbean had an excellent balcony sale two weeks ago (E1 balconies for $899/person mid-summer), but it's over now.

[Cruising89143]

Read some of the postings in the benefits thread poll and you will find that someone posted about making full use of the CL and the free drinks as long as it continues and never eating in the MDR since it cuts into his/her free drink time. Another poster pointed out that once the free drinks stopped being served in the CL it empties out.

 

So, just paying a higher cruise rate does not guarantee big spending on board or passengers with better manners.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

Who says that those people paid a higher cruise rate? They could be Ethel and Homer who booked a $599.00 inside cabin and cruised enough to become Diamond Plus.

[bigeagle12]

I just booked our cruise last month and got the best price ever. I get 3 or 4 emails a day with cruise deals .. they are still out there and the best prices ever. Need to shop around and not just on the cruise line websites.

[testifyoncruises]

Carnival to raise prices as well!

 

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=80489.blog

 

This is so fantastic for the industry!!!

[Gonzo70]

Carnival to raise prices as well!

 

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=80489.blog

 

This is so fantastic for the industry!!!

 

Definitely fantastic for RCL stock today.