WOW @ this price increase!

[Tapi]

Ok, I know that normally prices go up as we get closer to sailing, and that the rates we saw in 2009 are becoming a distant memory, but I was surprised at how much they're going up!

 

I booked a 7 night cruise for October 2010 a few months ago. Out of curiosity, I checked prices again today. They have gone up by more than 60% and the cruise is still more than 7 months away.

 

My reason for posting is to alert those "holding off" for a lower price before they book their cruise.

 

If I had held off to book my cruise, I would be paying more than $1,000 extra today! :eek:

[hvyhttr21]

Ok, I know that normally prices go up as we get closer to sailing, and that the rates we saw in 2009 are becoming a distant memory, but I was surprised at how much they're going up!

 

I booked a 7 night cruise for October 2010 a few months ago. Out of curiosity, I checked prices again today. They have gone up by more than 60% and the cruise is still more than 7 months away.

 

My reason for posting is to alert those "holding off" for a lower price before they book their cruise.

 

If I had waited to book my cruise, I would'be been paying more than $1,000 extra! :eek:

 

I think you will see the price of that cruise start dropping again towards the middle of the summer. Carnival is trying to scare people into buying at the current rates. Why else would the announce prices are going to go up? They just want people to purchase now, feeling as though they have to hurry. Carnival's marketing department is full of genius's...this announcement was a great idea...

[Nunu]

Our end of August cruise just went down from when I booked it a couple months ago.

[halos]

I'm not sure that it's just a scare tactic.

The ships are filling up and the cruise lines (especially Carnival) have kept rates so low for the past couple years that I think we all may be a bit spoiled. It is sad, but it's reality....I think the awesome prices we have seen the past few years are going to be a thing of the past. (UNLESS of course, the ships stop filling up, in which case you may have to search for a sporadic great deal...kinda like what I used to have to do 5-6 years ago)

[Brizzygirl]

Ok, I know that normally prices go up as we get closer to sailing, and that the rates we saw in 2009 are becoming a distant memory, but I was surprised at how much they're going up!

 

I booked a 7 night cruise for October 2010 a few months ago. Out of curiosity, I checked prices again today. They have gone up by more than 60% and the cruise is still more than 7 months away.

 

My reason for posting is to alert those "holding off" for a lower price before they book their cruise.

 

If I had held off to book my cruise, I would be paying more than $1,000 extra today! :eek:

My October cruise has also gone up and they've eliminated Past Guest rates which I booked under. Instead of $289pp, today I would have to pay $399pp! I can't see the price going down that much over the next few months.

[Cruiser1547228475]

Ok, I know that normally prices go up as we get closer to sailing, and that the rates we saw in 2009 are becoming a distant memory, but I was surprised at how much they're going up!

 

I booked a 7 night cruise for October 2010 a few months ago. Out of curiosity, I checked prices again today. They have gone up by more than 60% and the cruise is still more than 7 months away.

 

My reason for posting is to alert those "holding off" for a lower price before they book their cruise.

 

If I had held off to book my cruise, I would be paying more than $1,000 extra today! :eek:

 

 

Yea :rolleyes:, people do this and you will fall right into Carnivals hands .

 

Either book ES and watch like a hawk for price drops , or wait till the last week of the cruise .

 

Sure you may never get the price your looking for but there are plenty of other cruises to be found.

[Vanessa L]

There has also been speculation that the prices are increasing not because sales are so good (though I suspect they are on par), but because fuel has gone up again. Rather than reinstitute the fuel surcharge in the cluster you-know-what way they have in the past, they are simply raising prices to cover it. I see that NCL has followed suit and suspect others will as well.

[hvyhttr21]

I'm not sure that it's just a scare tactic.

The ships are filling up and the cruise lines (especially Carnival) have kept rates so low for the past couple years that I think we all may be a bit spoiled. It is sad, but it's reality....I think the awesome prices we have seen the past few years are going to be a thing of the past. (UNLESS of course, the ships stop filling up, in which case you may have to search for a sporadic great deal...kinda like what I used to have to do 5-6 years ago)

 

But, there is no reason to announce a price increase, except to instill panic...

 

I hear what you are saying, but by announcing a price hike before it happens, they are allowing more people to purchase at the lower price, thus giving money away. Carnival does not give money away.

[DocF]

Look at what you would have paid for a cruise same date, same itinerary, in 2007. That will become the actual selling price after March 22. In other words, the cut prices to fill the ship are going away. This is account excellent business on all cruise lines this year. The pricing reflects market demand.

 

Doc

[David-n-Rita]

I think you will see the price of that cruise start dropping again towards the middle of the summer. Carnival is trying to scare people into buying at the current rates. Why else would the announce prices are going to go up? They just want people to purchase now, feeling as though they have to hurry. Carnival's marketing department is full of genius's...this announcement was a great idea...

 

........plus they can then give you all those refunds and make you real happy..the discounts come in shipboard credit which you might not have spent except now it's there....do the math.........

 

Old price $1000....they give you a $100 "discount" close to cruising in ship board credit =$900 (+ $100 cr), plus what you put on your S & S ?? $50 YOU HAVE NOW PAID $1050 and you are pretty happy because it is less than you thought.

 

New price is $1800.....they give you a $900 "discount" close to cruising in ship board credit = $900 (+ $900 cr), no need to add anything to you S & S account because you have alot of credit to use that is already paid for so....you buy more booze, play more BINGO, buy more pictures and stuff from the gift shop (it's already paid for so it sort of like "free") You are so happy with the reduction in price and the shipboard credit that you fail to notice you spent $1800 anyway

 

...due to the shipboard credit you go home with no outstanding bills and think you got a great deal!!!

 

Everyone is happy and Carnival made $750 more on you that you would not have spent the old way.

[elcuchio24]

For sure. If you are looking for a "last minute deal" good luck. Prices are only increasing. I have booked 8 months plus the last 3 times and the price has never dipped below what I payed, usually climbing pretty steadily upward!

[halos]

But, there is no reason to announce a price increase, except to instill panic...

.

 

LOL!! If you allow yourself to panic, then that is on you.

 

I would hope that most people wouldn't book just to book now....Personally, I will wait until I'm ready and search until I find a cruise that works for me. If it's higher, I guess I'll have to deal with that but I won't allow anyone to make me panic.

The same thing is going on with the passports...people who swore they didn't want them are all racing to get them now because the cost is going up.

 

Prices always go up eventually.

 

 

Maybe Carnival isn't trying to cause panic...juts maybe they are being honest...'Yo, we're gonna have to raise rates. The days of getting off paying $50-$100 pp/pd for a cruise are going bye-bye.'

 

I don't really believe they could possibly keep rates THAT low for that long any more. They have cut back as much as possible...people are noticing the cutbacks now and starting to get turned off. They can't cut back anymore. Something had to give.

 

Fuel costs are going up again...they haven't implemented the fuel surcharge. The ones who complained that they wanted the cost of the fuel added by a higher fare instead of an additional charge are very likely just getting what they wanted.....

Be careful what you wish for.

 

This isn't a scare tactic...people think everything is a conspiracy.

[jetskier]

We had one cruise on NCL in 2007 go from $1100 pp when we booked all the way up to $5500pp a month before we sailed.

 

Basically the way I look at it, Carnival did this as a way to get people to go ahead and book. Apparently it worked as they are reporting record bookings for this time period. It also gives the company an influx of money to hold and collect interest on for a longer period of time as people booked further out than normal to lock in the lower rates.

 

Dave

[Vanessa L]

Last year I booked 2 cruises using ES. Both went up from my original price. This year, another 2 booked using ES. One came down $20pp after I booked and is holding steady there. The other has gone up $60pp. I think that most will go up, which is why I am thankful that we have schedules that permit ES booking.

 

While I think the tactic is interesting, if I was interested in booking a cruise I'd WANT to know that the prices were going up, not maybe, but guaranteed. That way, I can decide if I want to go ahead and book rather than research a price and come back after 3/22 only to find it's gone up a bunch. It is typical for SOME cruises to increase in price occasionally, but not the across the board increases we are about to see. Personally, I'm glad they're letting people know.

[Raven Days]

I know they are raising prices because they have a huge demand right now and so since demand drives supply, they up the price...BUT...that doesnt always work. If the price gets too high, then the demand drops and they have ships they cant fill and then the price will drop. Most times its better for the cruise company and the consumer to leave the price alone or raise it a bit, but not so much that they impact a consumers decision to buy from them or to fly, get a hotel room, pay for food, entertainment, ect. For most of us (me included) cruising is a convience. You get to see different places and only have to unpack once!

 

Hopefully the prices wont increase too drastically and this is just a well thought out sales ploy to get more people to book early rather then the fact that are actually raising prices long term.

[Vanessa L]

We had one cruise on NCL in 2007 go from $1100 pp when we booked all the way up to $5500pp a month before we sailed.

 

 

Dave

 

Holy cow!!!! :eek: Now THAT'S a price hike!!!

[GAMOM4]

I booked our cruise months ago - it is for the 21st of August - I was hoping like last year it would just keep going down - but I check the prices daily and it has went up right now it is $60.00 more than the day I booked. Maybe since of one of you said your cruise went down for the end of August mine will also. Of course, this year I booked a Guarantee Oceanview Room - so that may make it so there won't be any price reductions. I usually choose the room number that I want - but decided to take a chance this year.

[halos]

Holy cow!!!! :eek: Now THAT'S a price hike!!!

 

 

When they first release an itinerary on a relo cruise, the price seems to be rock bottom...and then people start booking like crazy and the price goes up to what it should.

 

That rate Dave gave was for a 15 day/balcony cabin...I was fortunate enough to get in at that rate as well, actually a bunch of us were. And we all sat back and watched the rate climb every day and thanked heaven we saw it when we did.

It was almost like cruising for free for us...we had (what was then) as great NCL Mastercard and got even more money off that cruise.

Dang, that was awesome :D

[going2cruz]

But, there is no reason to announce a price increase, except to instill panic...

 

I hear what you are saying, but by announcing a price hike before it happens, they are allowing more people to purchase at the lower price, thus giving money away. Carnival does not give money away.

 

 

Exactly, spring cruises have been indicative of summer cruise business and this years spring break cruises have never been so cheap.

[keishashadow]

As with all sales, it's standard to set prices high. Those unaware/unconcerned with cost issues will purchase, then company discounts product as needed until sales quotas are reached. I assume the business model applies to mainstream cruise lines. Who doesn't like to think they've jumped on the next, best limited-time sale (when it's just an inflated base price, slashed back to the norm:rolleyes:)?

 

Many here make it a priority to vacation:), yet i've read so many accounts of people (those who you'd consider to be very 'well-off') again this year postponing or cancelling travel plans entirely to build their 'nest egg' due to uncertainly of the economy.

[Vanessa L]

When they first release an itinerary on a relo cruise, the price seems to be rock bottom...and then people start booking like crazy and the price goes up to what it should.

 

That rate Dave gave was for a 15 day/balcony cabin...I was fortunate enough to get in at that rate as well, actually a bunch of us were. And we all sat back and watched the rate climb every day and thanked heaven we saw it when we did.

It was almost like cruising for free for us...we had (what was then) as great NCL Mastercard and got even more money off that cruise.

Dang, that was awesome :D

 

That is insane!! I know y'all were lovin' it!!!

[Tapi]

Either book ES and watch like a hawk for price drops , or wait till the last week of the cruise .

 

Sure you may never get the price your looking for but there are plenty of other cruises to be found.

 

For this particular cruise, we needed a specific departure port, itinerary, and sailing date. That's why we booked almost a year in advance to ensure that we would get what we wanted.

 

I do agree that the "price increase announcement" is probably a marketing tactic (which from what I read, seems to be working), but the price increase that Carnival is planning is around 5%, not the 60% that I've seen on my particular cruise.

 

I also agree with what someone else wrote (that these prices will probably come back down again), but in my specific cruise, I doubt that they will come down $1120 which is how much more I'd be paying for our reservation if I'd booked today.

[halos]

That is insane!! I know y'all were lovin' it!!!

 

We were...and the cruise was awesome. We had such a great time :)

[halos]

I have to say that what is bothering me a hell of a lot more than a cruise rate increase, is the cost of flying lately!!!! :eek:

HOLY CRAP!

 

Flights that used to be reasonable for us have been totally outrageous.

 

I don't mind paying what is fair for a cruise...and a rate increase to me would be pretty fair. But there is nothing fair about what I pay to fly...and on top of an outrageous fare, they get me for luggage.

 

I HATE FLYING.

[MCC retired]

As a former TA with 17 years of selling cruises , I can agree with those saying this announcement by Carnival of "rate increases" , book now , is

just a marketing scare tatic.

It will be back to normal "promo" business after the increase, guaranteed!