Pricing...rhymes and reasons or computer science to scrambling?

[maxxedout2]

Wow. I tried to study/chart (make sense of) prices for cabins for 2.

With several RCI NOS cruises done and several future NOS cruises

already booked, here's a preliminary fictional summary.

 

If YOU OWNED a FICTIONAL cruise ship you would have many pricing

factors to consider starting with the general economy, but including,

maybe:

 

1. Calendar/Holidays. Schools out, prices up. Cheapest around Thanksgiving, first

couple weeks of December, mid January. Holidays can triple. Offer extended sailings

near peak holidays to include them, and raise prices. Toss in an exotic port or two.

 

2. Get those early deposits. As OWNER you might want to get as many

early deposits as possible, It makes the availability of remaining cabins

appear as the ship is near full. Promotions with 1/2 deposits work.

 

3. At times, say six months before, as CFO, you run 'deals' because you

know the majority of folks wait for deals and some people just refuse to

commit money sooner for whatever reason.

 

3a. Final payment or not. Big Day, planning wise. Many get deposit refunds

and TA's return unsold stuff. Time for your bean counting computer to

revisit this cruise.

 

4. Your business dept. knows most families who fly to ports

must book at least 3-4 weeks before cruising or the prices of flights

sky rocket to the troposphere. So time to zero in on drive-to-port,

last minute cruisers who have been waiting for bargains.

 

5. All your bean counters original plans taper off at about 3-4 weeks

before since serious folks have paid in full. People who fly-in (most anyway)

have bought cruise/flights/hotels/insurance. They're solid.

 

6. Now comes the 'scrambling' and 'hot deals'. Around the last month,

if ships not sold out (not holiday peak times), the pencil sharpeners get

a work out, your sales force hits the phones... heavy... dredging up

contacts from email lists, courtesy holds that expire and C&A promos.

 

Such scrambling can mean great short term Tuesday deals for cruisers

because of 'state resident, seniors, veterans, police, fireman discounts,

etc'. Also dropping the 'solo' price by cutting the 'supplemental' brings a

few bookings for solo people that waited just for this.

 

7. OK, so... good job, your ship is booked....whoa, it's not!

Offer telephone upgrades directly or using TA's.

Time to offer last cabins to your cruise employees who have

applied for them...OK, now your ship is full.

 

8. Not done squeezing the cash cow though.

Push for excursion and wine package sales.

 

9. If all else fails, institute a fuel surcharge.

 

10. As OWNER, do everything in your power to never use #9 (above).

 

 

...anyway....this is all FICTION, of course, or is it?

 

*does not apply to sell outs.

*may not apply to suites.

*your mileage will vary.

*no assembly required.

*on your land or ours.

*plus tax and fees.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

We can't wait for our Navigator cruises.

 

:cool::cool:

[TEXASMUNK]

this is all done, every day, every week, for every ship....those guys must be tired, they need a cruise!