Why is RCCL so much more expensive to Bermuda?

[indimini]

I'm not here to bash RCCL, it's just that I can't understand their pricing on Bermuda cruises vs. all of the competition (including Celebrity). A 5 day cruise from either Baltimore or New Jersey starts at around $190 per night, while HAL, X and NCL are all showing starting prices around $100 per night.

 

My wife and I would love to try RCCL and cruising out of Baltimore would be very convenient since we live less than an hour from the port, but it seems we would do better traveling to NY/NJ or even Boston for a longer, and less expensive cruise.

 

I just called RCCL and they are charging 1499 pp for a Junior suite with residency rate (advertised price on their website is 1799 pp). The sales agent said that there are something like 620 rooms on the Enchantment and "only" 180 are available! (this just over 30 days from sailing.) Does RCCL routinely sail at 2/3 capacity?

 

Anybody who is familiar with RCCL pricing, please enlighten me.

[Sue L]

supply and demand, if they can get the price and they are selling out.. they can command the higher prices. You can't compare the NCL ship and that is a 7day cruise not 5 night and many don't have the option for the longer cruise. There are very few options from the northeast.

 

Explorer is just about sold out for all their summer 5 night sailings.

[indimini]

But it's not almost sold out - RCCL themselves said they have 180 of 620 cabins still available. Seems to me that is hardly a sign of strong demand.

[cb at sea]

Bermuda is an expensive place....trickle down...and all that!

[BecciBoo]

Look at your port fees! I know the Bahamas are almost 3 times what the other islands are charging.

[Sue L]

But it's not almost sold out - RCCL themselves said they have 180 of 620 cabins still available. Seems to me that is hardly a sign of strong demand.

 

I was talking Explorer not Enchantment, and Explorer is just about sold out for the summer. As for your question they feel their brand is better and prices it accordingly. Just like cars, clothes, etc.

[snydermann]

Same reason a Rolex watch is $50,000.00 . . .

 

because it can be.

[DonnaK]

We found the same thing...the 9 night Explorer cruise was over $2000 more for our family of 4 compared to an equivalent 9 night on the Caribbean Princess. While RCI is our preferred cruiseline, Princess is "close enough" to make saving $2000 irresistible. RCI has priced itself out of our budget.

[NordicPrince]

DW and I first cruised to Bermuda in 1990 on the Nordic Prince from NY to St George and Hamilton.

 

We are repeat RCI customers and were slightly put off by their approach of charging more for a 5 night cruise than for a 7 night cruise from NY to Bermuda.

 

Plus due to their size Explorer and Celebrity Summit dock out in the Dockyard.

 

We cruise for the destination, not the ship as our destination. So we decided to take the plunge on a 7 day trip on HAL Veendam

which anchors off St. George for 1 day and docks 2.5 days in Hamilton.

 

And with special pricing this was actually less than RCI and Celebrity was charging!

 

The HAL MDR food was far superior and the entertainment featured five Broadway experienced professional singers. The Lido was better on

RCI but we were not on the ship and onshore for most of 3.5 days.

 

So although this may seem like blasphemy on the RCI board you do have an alternative to Bermuda - HAL. And for those leery of HAL's seniors only rep, we had a great mix of young families as HAL is running a 3rd/4th person in room sail free special.

 

RCI better wake up on this one.

 

And if you can take 5 days off in the middle of the week you can certainly take 5 during the week plus a Sunday and a Saturday.

[Bakincakes]

I won't pack my undies for less than a 7 day...5 days is just not enough...we've taken HAL and loved it...

[indimini]

Thanks for the comments and insights folks! Good to hear positive feedback on HAL. It is definitely one we are considering.

 

What I find really surprising is that RCI is priced higher than X (which RCI owns) when I'd always felt X was supposed to be the higher quality brand.

 

Maybe RCI is trying to spread the build costs of the Oasis and Allure across the fleet? It's fine for them to think they are a superior product but from reviews I read, there isn't that much difference between any of the major cruise lines so price becomes a pretty major factor in deciding who to cruise.

[marci22]

They price Explorer that way because they can get it. North Jersey/NYC area is a high income area and the ship always sells out for the past 4 years that I have been booking/watching prices. Enchantment discounts more but it is also a smaller ship.

 

That being said I have never paid the opening booking prices. I watch until the category I want goes on sale (usually only brieflly) and I book then, or I wait until after final when prices also tend to be cut.

 

I agree the prices for this ship are outrageous but they are filling the ship (and I am still going on it) so their strategy must work.

[negc]

DW and I first cruised to Bermuda in 1990 on the Nordic Prince from NY to St George and Hamilton.

 

We are repeat RCI customers and were slightly put off by their approach of charging more for a 5 night cruise than for a 7 night cruise from NY to Bermuda.

 

Plus due to their size Explorer and Celebrity Summit dock out in the Dockyard.

 

We cruise for the destination, not the ship as our destination. So we decided to take the plunge on a 7 day trip on HAL Veendam

which anchors off St. George for 1 day and docks 2.5 days in Hamilton.

 

And with special pricing this was actually less than RCI and Celebrity was charging!

 

The HAL MDR food was far superior and the entertainment featured five Broadway experienced professional singers. The Lido was better on

RCI but we were not on the ship and onshore for most of 3.5 days.

 

So although this may seem like blasphemy on the RCI board you do have an alternative to Bermuda - HAL. And for those leery of HAL's seniors only rep, we had a great mix of young families as HAL is running a 3rd/4th person in room sail free special.

 

RCI better wake up on this one.

 

And if you can take 5 days off in the middle of the week you can certainly take 5 during the week plus a Sunday and a Saturday.

 

Like it or not, it is what it is. I doubt that they are unaware of the situation you describe and if they are wrong you can expect to see them offer some last minute bargains. Supply and demand rules and since the Enchantment is sailing out of another port than NY, the line has less competition since many won't be willing to travel to NY even if the price is lower. We had a similar situation in Boston for several years when NCL had its oldest and least appealing ship sailing to Bermuda and it sailed full year after year. We have docked at King's Wharf for the past few years and find the area quite attractive and an easy stepping off point to get to beaches such as Horseshoe Bay and Elbow Beach (much closer than they are from St. George's) and Hamilton. The ferry to St. George's is a pleasant ride and IMHO, you can pretty much see what you need to there in an afternoon. It is a wonderful town but you are as remote from the rest of the island as you are at the Dockyard.

X may cost less at the moment because they are reentering the market after being absent for some time, but if you check prices carefully you will find situations where RCI is more expensive and others where they are cheaper. Again, supply and demand, and brand recognition all come into play and setting prices for a particular cruise is a much more complex situation than we may comprehend.:)

[vickiw0318]

We just switched our Enchantment booking to Bermuda to a one on the Veendam. We did it because of the length of time we'd be spending in Bermuda on the Veendam and the fact that we'd be docked in Hamilton. We did a cruise there on the Grandeur last summer and felt like we didn't get to spend enough time there.

 

Nordic Prince, if you are still out there, how was it on the formal nights? We've not been bringing the extra clothes these past few cruises and, of course, haven't been dining in the MDR. The HAL boards make it sound like you should be confined to quarters on formal nights if you don't want to "dress up".

[MrPete]

Carnival is offering 7 and 8 day cruises (off season, unfortunately) for $705 (IS) to $865 (balcony) (8 day higher) next year.

 

As Carnival starts to have more sailings to Bermuda, I'm sure the prices will start coming down.

 

AND, you get to sail down the Hudson.

[Knight17]

I'm booked on RCL 5 day to Bermuda on Explorer the 1st week of June 11', for outside cabin for 2 adults and 2 children. Celebrity and NCL are currently both about $ 500 - $ 600 higher for their 7 days the same week. I am monitoring prices of all three lines and if Celebrity or NCL prices come down close to RCL's price I will probably switch as I would prefer the extra day in Bermuda.

[lukes]

It may depend on the actual cruise, but I agreed with the orginal poster. Our Aug to Bermuda cruise is 1/3 more costly on Royal than NCL and for 2 nights less. They leave within 1 day of each, with NCL leaving from NYC and Royal leaving from NJ. I t was a no brainer for us. We booked NCL. We have sailed both lines in the past and love them both. Call us crazy, but money wise, the $$ are much better in my pocket.

[gerif]

They price Explorer that way because they can get it. North Jersey/NYC area is a high income area and the ship always sells out for the past 4 years that I have been booking/watching prices. Enchantment discounts more but it is also a smaller ship.

 

That being said I have never paid the opening booking prices. I watch until the category I want goes on sale (usually only brieflly) and I book then, or I wait until after final when prices also tend to be cut.

 

I agree the prices for this ship are outrageous but they are filling the ship (and I am still going on it) so their strategy must work.

 

ITA - we always wait until September when there are usually senior discounts to be had. DH has health issues that make flying difficult, so we love being able to drive 20 minutes to the port (also saving on airfare, hotel, meals). We've docked at Kings Wharf on several occasions and find that each year there is more available there to do. Have also docked in Hamilton and St. Georges (on the old Celebrity Zenith) - Hamilton no longer has the impressive stores it once had and you still have to take a bus to the beaches, the zoo, etc. St. Georges, as someone pointed out, can be seen in a few hours and the ferry ride is lovely. Also, we've encountered less than stellar weather at times, so it's nice to have a large ship with some amenities.

[Jumbiecruiser]

RCI better wake up on this one.

 

.

 

Why? If they can sell their cruises for the prices that they're asking then why should they lower it?:rolleyes: