2011 Price Increase

[lauriebird]

I have been looking at the 2011 Alaska cruise season and have noticed that the prices for the same itinerary of the 2010 cruise has gone up quite a bit. Is there a reason for this?

My example is the "Glacier Discovery on the Zuiderdam"

[LindaKE]

I don't know the reason, but our PCC suggested that the 2011 prices might come down.

[Kween Karen]

I have been expecting for quite some time that prices will go up. Everything else is going up. I have already booked my 2011 so I am locked in for that one......guess I should keep booking way into the future!! Oh wait............they aren't available that far into the future!

[Krazy Kruizers]

2011 prices up!! Oh yes they are.

 

We were looking at a cruise for March in 2011 -- if we book it, it will be $4000 more than the one we had to cancel for March 2010.

[sail7seas]

I agree. The prices are high.

[DutchByAssociation]

I have been looking at the 2011 Alaska cruise season and have noticed that the prices for the same itinerary of the 2010 cruise has gone up quite a bit. Is there a reason for this?

My example is the "Glacier Discovery on the Zuiderdam"

 

So, you're comparing something that will sail in just a couple months with something well over a year out and seeing differences in prices?

 

There's your answer :)

[pms4104]

If I recall correctly, all lines including HAL are pulling at least one ship from Alaska ... so, it would stand to reason that with reduced capacity prices might migrate upwards.

[cruie4ever]

If I recall correctly, all lines including HAL are pulling at least one ship from Alaska ... so, it would stand to reason that with reduced capacity prices might migrate upwards.

 

Actually there are less people cruising to Alaska this years season .See the news on cruise critic about the State rebating a good portion of that $50 head tax that was imposed by Alaska's legislature in 2006 .The rebate should be immediate around April 18th .In that article they are concerned about the # of pax that will be visiting .

 

BTW, all the cruise lines are starting high but as the cruise date gets closer & they don't have a full ship the prices spiral down.

[sail7seas]

So, you're comparing something that will sail in just a couple months with something well over a year out and seeing differences in prices?

 

There's your answer :)

 

 

DBA... For us, we book the same cruise, the same ship, the same cabin year after year for our Canada/New England cruises so, naturally, I compare from year to year the price for the exact thing. We haven't yet sailed our 2010 Canada/NE Maasdam cruise but have already booked for 2010.

 

Clearly we think it worth the price or we wouldn't book and pay it but as a consumer, it would be odd we didn't compare. Your point certainly is valid that pricing has to increase for a cruise more than a year away as cost of everything is going up. HAL pays more for food, fuel, towels, and everything else just like all of us do. If they pay more, we have to pay more if we want the same standard. I'd rather pay more and get our wonderful cruise experience than have constant cut backs that diminish what we are offered.

 

I pay more each week when I got to the grocery market; so does HAL.

[franksandy]

Look at the same cruise 20 years ago....your paying less...not getting more but paying less.

I can't believe how inexpensive cruise have become.

[sail7seas]

....

[sail7seas]

Look at the same cruise 20 years ago....your paying less...not getting more but paying less.

I can't believe how inexpensive cruise have become.

 

Not for suites. We are not paying less.

I understand..... if we think the prices too high, it's simple. Don't book a Suite. Obviously we agree to the pricing if that is what we book.

[Typhoon1]

Don't be surprised to see a fuel surcharge as oil continues to climb.

[mtnest]

Have just returned from a fantastic Christmas cruise on Ruby Princess. Was hoping that I could book same cruise next Christmas but so far the cost for the same balcony stateroom is almost double what I paid. Will wait and check weekly to see if price comes down. Would hate to not go, as we had a great time-This cruise has to rank as possibly the best seven day cruise we have ever taken. Christmas theme the entire week was terrific. Although most of our cruise are 10-14 days, we felt that 7 days at Christmas was just about right.

[terigo]

For those who like to book way in advance and get exactly the cabin they want, the price is higher.

 

For those willing to wait a bit, about 4 months before a sailing, the prices tend to drop dramatically with flash sales, and special promotions to fill whatever space remains...

 

Luckily, we couldn't care less whether we have an exact cabin, or even a precise sailing date (if one date is better than another) and are willing to take guarantees in categories we are willing to accept if we get no upgrade (which has never happened, in 35 years of cruising). We never pay high rates, and have the fun of wondering where our cabin will eventually be.

 

Others do not find that bit of a gamble to be fun, and they must pay for the privilege of preciseness.

[Himself]

the 2011 cars are more expensive than the 2000 models.

[Richie2pies]

Why not book, choose the cabin you want, and cancel if the price doesn't come down?

[Karennella]

Surely the exchange rate is a factor, even though the cruise is within the US. Currently the US dollar is lower against our Aussie dollar than anytime since 1983; I assume it would be similar compared to many other currencies. Some of Carnival's contacts for food, labour, fuel etc may be in currencies other than US dollars.

[Karennella]

Sorry, contracts, not contacts!!

[tcook052]

Some of Carnival's contacts for food, labour, fuel etc may be in currencies other than US dollars.

 

Not on an Alaska cruise, sorry.

 

MHO is 2009 & 2010 were a buyers market for Alaska cruises for all cruise lines and, so far, 2011 it's swung to more of a sellers market. There might be some deals but not as deep or as wide a choice as past years so would recommend booking early.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree -- book now if you don't want to be disappointed in the future if there is a cruise that interests you.

 

Some people may get a good deal -- some won't.

 

If you don't like the deal -- you can always cancel before final payment without any penalities.

[Randyk47]

I agree -- book now if you don't want to be disappointed in the future if there is a cruise that interests you.

 

Some people may get a good deal -- some won't.

 

If you don't like the deal -- you can always cancel before final payment without any penalities.

 

Exactly! Actually I don't pay much attention to the prices for future cruises, especially those that are a year or more out. No telling what's going to happen to the economy or vacations trends or whatever over the next several months. I look at the price increases right now and figure the cruise lines are testing the waters so to speak. If the demand is there then they can keep the prices up, if the demand fails to materialize you'll see prices come down. We're actually considering trying one of the smaller upscale lines in late 2011 or 2012 and the ones we're researching are actually offering fairly significant discounts from previous years. As long as I don't have to tie up too much money in a deposit I don't mind booking a future cruise and holding on to see what happens. Interestingly we've never had a cruise go down in price in the categories we typically book and over the years those prices have actually increased significantly in comparison to other categories on the same ship and itinerary. We'll see.....

[Krazy Kruizers]

Same here -- our cruises never go down in price either in our category -- everything just goes up.

[Kay240]

For the past few years we have been booking cruises, with very good prices, more than a year in advance. We pay the $100pp FC deposit and "lock in" a worst case scenario. If prices go down (before final payment), our TA gets a lower rate for us and we SMILE; if it goes up (like our SY Nieuw Amsterdam TA), we also SMILE!:D

Another comment about cruise prices: Costs (projected and actual) are certainly a big factor in determining prices, but another factor is the cruiseline's past experience with the particular time of year vs the number of passengers cruising.

We cruised New England/ Canada RT Boston early August 2008 in our first inside cabin. This was an "extra" cruise for us; an interesting way to visit our daughter who had just moved to New England with her new husband. That 7 day cruise was @$1279 plus tax, which we consider to be "expensive" when compared to the 13 day Fort Lauderdale /Montreal we will be cruising on at the end of this April, in a outside G Guarantee for @ $200pp less.

My advice is to check prices every week or so.

[Karennella]

Fair enough, I would only be guessing about Carnival's contracts, but all our family working overseas are adversely affected by the US dollar dropping . Our HAL cruise next September is much cheaper for us than the one we did in 2009 so it is good for us anyway.