Carnival's "Rising Rates" - I booked the Solstice!!

[swans]

March 12-13, 2011(4 people)

 

Balcony Category 1A

Celebrity Solstice

Approximate Total Price:

$4,652.40

 

Balcony Category 8G, Panorama Deck

Carnival Dream

Approximate Total Price:

$3,702.04

[firefly333]

Yep - I'd bet that Carnival sees a much lower % of cancellations with the ES fare. It does not (typically) work well for us, as we book cabins (categories) which are not plentiful in number to begin with. When the last one books up, there are no longer rates to compare with...

 

Tom

 

I think if it werent for all the ES fares, prices in the gulf would be dropping because of the oil spill, but most of us arent going to pay $100 to switch.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

March 12-13, 2011(4 people)

 

Balcony Category 1A

Celebrity Solstice

Approximate Total Price:

$4,652.40

 

Balcony Category 8G, Panorama Deck

Carnival Dream

Approximate Total Price:

$3,702.04

 

I am sure all sailings are different. Mine was not an attempt to show that it's always going to be better with one over another - but it pays to check all the options.

 

Having now sailed on the Solstice, I can honestly say (in my opinion only) that I would gladly pay more to enjoy the Solstice than the Dream. There is no way to make an apples to apples comparison!

 

Tom

[dan40]

I am not going to BITE on their marketing practices ("warnings" of upcoming rate increases for summer)!!

 

... interestingly enough, I just booked the Solstice YESTERDAY - I looked briefly at the Dream and it was $600 MORE for a balcony for my 18yo son and 3 of his friends! I would have booked them in an interior, but there are not many of them on the Solstice, and they were long gone. Also, the 3rd and 4th person rate for the Dream that week shows as $559. On the Solstice 3rd and 4th are $399... thus, they could sail the Solstice in a BALCONY for about the same as an INTERIOR on the Dream. Has the world gone topsy turvy?! :eek:

 

5/29/10 Carnival Dream:

Interior (4 People): $3095 (185 sq. ft.)

8A Balcony (4) ... : $3685 (185 sq. ft. + 35 sq. ft. balcony) ..... $3545 for a Cove

 

5/30/10 Celebrity Solstice:

Interior --- N/A -- Sold Out

Balcony (4 people): $3072 (194 sq. ft. + 54 sq. ft. balcony)

 

Some part of the Carnival "VALUE" concept is missing to me here! I will admit, having sailed both lines a few times - I prefer the food on Carnival, and their entertainment (shows/music/comedians) are usually good.

 

On our two previous Dream sailings, there were definitely times where the ship felt quite crowded. I sense that this will not be the case on the Solstice:

Dream = 128,000 tons, 3464 (double occupancy guests) - MAX of 4,631!

Solstice= 122,00 tons, 2850 (double occupancy guests) - MAX of ? (I can tell you it is less than 4,600 !!) ;)

 

BTW - Celebrity got my business because they were SMART enough to send me a list of a dozen sailings which I could choose from for 2010 and only pay fees/taxes in a Concierge Class balcony cabin thanks to their Blue Chip Club (Casino) -- as a result they get my business for the additional cabin as well. ;) As nice as the Casino Marketing people are at Carnival, they are hamstrung due to current corporate policies -- severely limiting what they can offer "players".

 

It was difficult picking from this (below) list, but I already had the week of Memorial day off... so.. !

------------------

5/3/10- Celebrity Eclipse (new ship)- 4 night U.K.cruise- port- South Hampton, England

 

-5/30/10- Celebrity Solstice (new ship)- 7 night Caribbean cruise- port- Ft. Lauderdale

 

-6/6/10- Celebrity Solstice (new ship)- 7 night Caribbean cruise- port- Ft. Lauderdale

 

-6/6/10- Celebrity Summit- 7 night Bermuda cruise- port- Bayonne, N.J.

 

-7/18/10- Celebrity Solstice (new ship)- 7 night Caribbean cruise- port- Ft. Lauderdale

 

-8/8/10- Celebrity Solstice (new ship)- 7 night Caribbean cruise- port- Ft. Lauderdale

 

-8/15/10- Celebrity Summit- 7 night New England and Canada cruise- port- Bayonne, N.J.

 

-9/18/10- Celebrity Constellation- 7 night Western European cruise- port- Barcelona

 

-10/18/10- Celebrity Equinox (new ship)- 13 night Holy Land cruise- port- Rome

 

-10/24/10- Celebrity Solstice (new ship)- 7 night Caribbean cruise- port- Ft. Lauderdale

 

-11/17/10- Celebrity Eclipse (new ship)- 3 night Bahamas cruise - port- Miami, FL

 

-12/26/10- Celebrity Solstice (new ship)- 7 night

“New Year” Caribbean cruise- port- Ft. Lauderdale

-------------------

 

In all fairness, I see that the 5/29/10 Dream sailing is offering a new fare: "Pack & Go - Last Minute Specials" where you can book guarantees for Interiors ($2705), and balcony ($3072) cabins. The drawback there is you must "risk" being assigned to a less than desirable cabin location. That is an entirely different topic - which I won't go into!

 

Tom

 

Tom,

You're a businessman. If your restaurant has a waiting line outside all the time and the restaurant across the street is never more than half full, which one will be cutting prices?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Tom,

You're a businessman. If your restaurant has a waiting line outside all the time and the restaurant across the street is never more than half full, which one will be cutting prices?

 

... or improving quality...

 

:)

 

Tom

[dan40]

... or improving quality...

 

:)

 

Tom

 

Shouldn't that be a constant?? If they aren't doing that, and haven't been doing that. Cutting prices will just accelerate the closing.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Shouldn't that be a constant?? If they aren't doing that, and haven't been doing that. Cutting prices will just accelerate the closing.

 

Fortunately, I will just sit back on the sidelines and pick and choose!

 

Tom

[2thesea]

we have sailed on most cruise lines and if weren't for the fact that flying is not an option for us and we stick to the Northeast or as far south at Pt Canaveral I too would be booking elsewhere. OH and the fact that our kids travel with us and the entertainment on Celebrity is not geared for the 20 somethings.

 

Carnival IMO is going to lose a lot of their faithful cruisers with all of their changes in pricing and their rules. Early Saver being one......how many people have issues with getting the "price drops"? For goodness sake Carnival KNOWS when a price was posted and WHEN it was removed. Making the passenger "prove" and or the need to send a screen shot it going too far to get the credit that you are due.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

.... OH and the fact that our kids travel with us and the entertainment on Celebrity is not geared for the 20 somethings.

 

...

 

That is the one thing that they need to continue to work on. When the ship is having dance contests to 50's music, they are behind the curve. Granted, the demographic on board could have supported a 40's dance group as well. Over time, those people will no longer be able to cruise - and the target group MUST change!

 

Tom