Are New England/Canada cruises more expensive than Caribbean?

[jorapp]

DH and I are considering a 7 night New England/Canada cruise for autumn 2012.

 

I've looked at several dates on RCI's website, but the prices keep coming up way more expensive than a caribbean cruise of the same length.

 

Do they really cost more? If so, why?

 

Thanks

[coasterwiggs]

They are considerably more than a Caribbean cruise. The cruising season for Canada/New England is much shorter, and there is far less competition in this region. They can't really charge whatever they want in the Caribbean because of the multitude of cruise lines and cruise ships there.

[negc]

It is called "supply and demand". The reasons cited above coupled with higher port charges imposed by the ports in the Northeast and Eastern Canada, create the conditions which cause the lines to charge more for the relatively short cruise season and limited number of ships doing these routes. We did the Jewel of the Seas NE/Canada cruise in October and were very happy to have done so. Weather was still relatively mild and foliage was better than I had expected given the lateness of the season. As long as they can fill their ships at current prices don't expect them to drop.

[jorapp]

Thanks for the insight, posters.

 

Would it be a good idea to watch these prices and hope for a last minute price drop? Does anyone know if price drops are common for New England/Canada cruises?

 

I know there is lots of time until autumn 2012, but I'm just trying to understand the "market" and good shopping techniques. We are a bit bored with Caribbean and were hoping for something a bit different, but still in the western hemisphere.

[CapMike04530]

One reason might be port charges and related costs are likely higher than in Caribbean destinations. Soon environmental regulations will require the use of more costly fuel to meet air emission standards in the Northeast USA & Canada.

[DianeMMHH]

We cruised with Celebrity to NE/Canada. We love Royal Caribbean but we liked the itinerary on the Celebrity Summit. We took the 14-day cruise on September 26th which called at NE and Canadian ports. We called at Quebec City for an overnight. It was peak leaf foliage and the weather was quite warm....about 70+ degrees in Quebec. We enjoyed it tremendously.

[denamo]

I'm sure the time of year we cruised made all the difference for this venue since we went in June. We got a great deal and it was a nine day cruise. That could also be the reason. Be sure it is a seven day vs a nine day. With my job, there is no way we could go during peak foliage season. We loved it because it was still very cool compared to the summer weather in deep south Texas. :)

[knittinggirl]

We took the Canada/New England cruise RT Boston a couple years ago. The Cruise itself was higher, and airfare was steep. Also, factor in at least one hotel reservation a day early and the cost adds up. We also had four shore excursion days instead of three. But it was worth it. It's on our list for future cruises, and an excellent way to escape the heat in the south. At this point, we're paying for a pre-cruise night on all cruises. With airplane trips, it's good to have an extra day in case things get weird with the airports, and we're over day's travel from the nearest port.

[RareBird]

Yup, more expensive than Caribbean by at least 30-50%.

[Beach4me]

When should I expect to see the 2012 itineraries & rates released by RCCL? I'm ready to book! :p

 

(By the way OP, I've done this itinerary twice - it's been 6 or 7 years since my last C/NE voyage and I can't wait to do it again in 2012. It is a really enjoyable trip. Like you, I've had enough of the Caribbean. I think my cruising will focus on C/NE and Alaska in the future.)

[negc]

When should I expect to see the 2012 itineraries & rates released by RCCL? I'm ready to book! :p

 

(By the way OP, I've done this itinerary twice - it's been 6 or 7 years since my last C/NE voyage and I can't wait to do it again in 2012. It is a really enjoyable trip. Like you, I've had enough of the Caribbean. I think my cruising will focus on C/NE and Alaska in the future.)

 

Itineraries are traditionally released in March or April, so I would expect that this information will be available to you around that time next Spring.:)

[Cheryl H]

I don't recall any price drops on ours back in 2008. We were originally booked for a 5 night one, but it was cancelled and RCCL moved us to a 7 night. (Jewel of the Seas). It was a great cruise and great itinerary. Our pics from it are below. That one, and a repositioning cruise up the west coast have been our favorite cruises so far. We may never go back to the caribbean, although I'd love to go to Keywest just one more time.

 

Next up for us is Alaska. Can't wait.

 

Have fun planning your trip!!

[knittinggirl]

You can get good deals depending on the week you travel. We picked the last week in September, because it was quite a bit cheaper than the first week in October. The drawback being the fall color hadn't peaked yet. Being late in the season, a handful of shops in Bar Harbor didn't have full inventories.

[deniuh]

Thanks for the insight, posters.

 

Would it be a good idea to watch these prices and hope for a last minute price drop? Does anyone know if price drops are common for New England/Canada cruises?

 

I know there is lots of time until autumn 2012, but I'm just trying to understand the "market" and good shopping techniques. We are a bit bored with Caribbean and were hoping for something a bit different, but still in the western hemisphere.

 

I am not sure if price drops are common for RCCL but we did Princess this year and waited until a few months before. Price was about $550 pp without taxes etc.... I would wait if you have the flexibility. It's even cheaper when the kids are back in school. Good luck!!

[Havingfun2010]

Different locations have different "peaks" and the Autumn is a peak time for Canada. So prices will go up. However, a Canada cruise is not always more money. I went on one in June, which was much lower than out of Florida, because we were visiting family near NYC. Northern schools are still in school, and the weather is still cold. (off-peak)

[buckirj1]

Keep watching prices, especially in August and September. This past season, both the Explorer and Enchantment NE/Canada itineraries offered reduced pricing and great solo supplements for sailings in October. Pricing for JOS didn't move much, unfortunately.

[reallyitsmema]

Jewel had good residency rates and senior rates for the sailings on either side of the member's cruise which was the 10/9/10 sailing.:cool: Member cruise was basically sold out so no discounts to be had, unfortunately. We still had fun and would love to go again next fall.