European / Caribbean cruise prices?

[samtesla]

I was checking European cruise prices (Princess & others) for fun and noticed a significant price difference between, say, Carribeans and Scandinavia. I realize the labor and other costs involved, and the Euro vs dollar difference, but still, we're talking serious megadollars for a week. Any quick explanations?

 

I looked at, say, Eastern Caribbeans versus Greek Islands versus British Islands and the cost differential for a balcony went from, say, $1000 to $1400 to $2000 in that order, same time of the year, similar level of cruise ship. Not to mention some super-luxury cruise lines...

 

Having grown up in these parts of the planet I can see some of the costs (Hotels there are a lot more expensive than in the US, and there are far fewer of them, labor is much more expensive, etc) but I would have thunk that a cruise ship addresses these (helps equalize the prices). Also, the desirability would be in question, shucks, it'd be cheaper to fly to Miami from London and cruise than to do a cruise there...

 

Any cruise economists out there?

[spongerob]

Supply, demand, and competition. Alaska is a much more competitive summer cruise market, you might want to do some comparisons there.