Has the cost of cruising increased over the past 5 years?

[cmp03]

Last Carnival Cruise I went on was almost 5 years ago. If I remember right, we are paying the exact same price we paid 5 years ago. It seems like the price of cruising has stayed consistent (on the other lines we have gone on also) over the past few years.

 

Is this what others have noticed also?

 

(All the post complaining about the food and certain services going down hill got me thinking about this. The price of everything around us had risen in the past 5 years (some items significantly) so it makes me realize that the cruise companies would have to cut somewhere to keep the price the same.)

[H82seaUgo]

yes, but it's now all on your sail and sign card.

 

you want the good food? it's up here now, for a charge.

 

you want some good coffee? it's over here, for a charge.

 

you want some good sweets? it's down there, for a charge.

 

you want to tip entertainment, guest services, and hotel staff so we can give them a raise, and not increase your fare. it's right here, buried in your service tips.

 

you want to use the spa on this new ship? sure, let me swipe your card.

 

you want to buy a drink that costs $1. sign here, and we'll charge you $8.

 

you want to smoke on your balcony and drink bon voyage liquor. let us increase the price by 100%.

[golfadj]

I think the overall cost to us is about the same.

[Doug910]

yes, but it's now all on your sail and sign card.

 

you want the good food? it's up here now, for a charge.

**......Sorry, disagree! The food is good in the MDR. Want that food and service upgraded? It's your choice to pay more.

 

you want some good coffee? it's over here, for a charge.

**......Sorry, Disagree! Coffee is just fine on the Lido Deck. Want a Skinny Latte with a shot of Vanilla? It's your choice to pay more.

 

you want some good sweets? it's down there, for a charge.

**......Sorry, Disagree! Chocolates on the pillows, still there. Chocolate buffet, still there. Want to buy some M&M's or jelly beans? It's your choice to pay more.

 

you want to tip entertainment, guest services, and hotel staff so we can give them a raise, and not increase your fare. it's right here, buried in your service tips.

...OK, I'll give ya this one. Extra daily tip for the entertainment/guest services staff don't sit well with me either. But I'm not going to squirm for a buck and a half a day.

 

you want to use the spa on this new ship? sure, let me swipe your card.

**......Sorry, disagree! I don't use the spa services, so I'm glad they don't include it in with the base fare. If you want to pamper yourself during your cruise, it's your choice to pay more.

 

you want to buy a drink that costs $1. sign here, and we'll charge you $8.

**......What it costs Carnival to serve me a drink is not relevant to me. I have no problem with them making a profit. It's my choice to buy a drink or not. The cost (closer to $6) is what I'd expect to pay at any resort.

 

you want to smoke on your balcony and dring bon voyage liquor. let us increase the price by 100%.

**......Again, Carnival (or any other cruise line or resort) is entitled to make a profit. If it's me, I just tack on the price of a bottle from Bon Voyage to the bottom line of my cruise. If I am going to drink, I just assume my cruise will be $40/$50/$60 higher.

 

**......Nope, not a cheerleader. And I DO spend a lot of money on board. Just hate to see people who do not truely se the efforts of the cruise line try to save us a little money. While it's true that there are DEFINITELY some things missing and downgrades (food/MDR service/midnight buffets) IMHO, cruising is still a great vacation value. If I want to partake in the extras, it's my choice.

[Aplmac]

Last Carnival Cruise I went on was almost 5 years ago.

If I remember right, we are paying the exact same price we paid 5 years ago.

It seems like the price of cruising has stayed consistent (on the other lines we have gone on also) over the past few years.

I'm assuming you refer to the numeric Dollar-figure.

 

Your 2012 Dollar and your 2007 Dollar are not the same value however.

Thereby implying that your same-numeric-Dollar-figure cruise

is actually costing you less in 2012, than it did five years ago!

 

 

On the other hand, I enquired a few days ago

about taking the same 7-night GLORY cruise (out of Manhattan) we took last year, out to the Canadian Maritimes

I was quoted a figure amounting to $100 more. So the cost of that cruise has risen by $100, in a year.

.

[Aplmac]

yes, but it's now all on your sail and sign card.

 

you want the good food? it's up here now, for a charge.

 

you want some good coffee? it's over here, for a charge.

 

you want some good sweets? it's down there, for a charge.

 

you want to tip entertainment, guest services, and hotel staff so we can give them a raise, and not increase your fare.

it's right here, buried in your service tips.

 

you want to use the spa on this new ship? sure, let me swipe your card.

 

you want to buy a drink that costs $1. sign here, and we'll charge you $8.

 

you want to smoke on your balcony and drink bon voyage liquor. let us increase the price by 100%.

No-one wants to pay the Fuel Surcharge. :D

 

We all kicked up a big stink back then. Remember?

 

Did you really think Carnival Corp. was going to "absorb" it?

We The Cruisers pay for the fuel -directly(Fuel Surcharge) --or indirectly (nickel & diming as per your list above)! :)

 

That's the only way to run a Corporation of big ships profitably.

You pay your way....one way or the other!

.

[pcvtmom]

The 2 cruises I've booked this year, if figured into a cost per day, are actually cheaper than the ones we took back in 1998-2002. I realize that some things have changed slightly, but they weren't "crucial" to our cruise vacation, anyway! Carnival still seems to be the best bang for our bucks!

[Aplmac]

I realize that some things have changed slightly, but they weren't "crucial" to our cruise vacation, anyway!

Carnival still seems to be the best bang for our bucks!

Best Bang? -Oh definitely!

.

[kruisecat]

**......Nope, not a cheerleader. And I DO spend a lot of money on board. Just hate to see people who do not truely se the efforts of the cruise line try to save us a little money. While it's true that there are DEFINITELY some things missing and downgrades (food/MDR service/midnight buffets) IMHO, cruising is still a great vacation value. If I want to partake in the extras, it's my choice.

 

 

I couldn't agree with you more!! We're heading out on a 5 day cruise one week from today (woo hoo! :D) and the rate we paid was so ridiculously cheap I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it! I know I'll have additional costs when I get there and I'm fine with that. If I went to Orlando (live in Tampa) for those same 5 nights the hotel alone would be more than what we will be paying for lodging, perfectly acceptable food, transportation to 2 different countries and entertainment. I'm not sure what else people really want these days :o

 

The cruise industry has done an excellent job at affording most everyone the opportunity to continue to cruise during hard economic times. Those with more $$$ are more than welcome to spend it and those with less $ can still get a vacation that includes many of the extras you do not get at a hotel.

 

And for the record I am also not a cheerleader. This will be my 3rd Carnival cruise. I've done 3 Celebrity and a RCCL and picked this upcoming cruise because the price was right and we live 30 minutes from the port.

[katiel53]

I don't think the price of cruising has increased. Having said that, there have been many a cut back. The price of drinks has increased a lot, food quality has decreased.

 

I have already gotten into trouble on another thread about food, but food is different depending on what one has at home and what one expects. I know the cruise lines need to make money and by keeping the prices low, something has to give.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[gelo7]

It's been about the same to me for 30 years.

[RTRMom]

Actually I Just did a mock booking for our first cruise 8 years ago and it's basically the same now. And on our first cruise, the conquest was only a couple years old.

[patticake1961]

I just went and dug out a photo album from my Sept. 1999 cruise because I had the paperwork with prices in there and this is what I found.......

 

Sept. 12, 1999 sailing on the Sensation Oceanview cabin for 3 adults $1903 (NO insurance)

 

 

And this is the information from my most recent cruise......

 

Sept. 11, 2011 sailing on the Valor balcony cabin for 3 adults $2166 (including insurance) Subtract the insurance it's $1919

 

Twelve years later, sixteen dollars more and a BALCONY to boot! :D

[conchead]

I couldn't agree with you more!! We're heading out on a 5 day cruise one week from today (woo hoo! :D) and the rate we paid was so ridiculously cheap I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it! I know I'll have additional costs when I get there and I'm fine with that. If I went to Orlando (live in Tampa) for those same 5 nights the hotel alone would be more than what we will be paying for lodging, perfectly acceptable food, transportation to 2 different countries and entertainment. I'm not sure what else people really want these days :o

 

The cruise industry has done an excellent job at affording most everyone the opportunity to continue to cruise during hard economic times. Those with more $$$ are more than welcome to spend it and those with less $ can still get a vacation that includes many of the extras you do not get at a hotel.

 

And for the record I am also not a cheerleader. This will be my 3rd Carnival cruise. I've done 3 Celebrity and a RCCL and picked this upcoming cruise because the price was right and we live 30 minutes from the port.

 

Well, some just are not happy at all unless they are complaining, insulting others, and calling some liars or puppets.

[rferr]

We are going on the Victory to the Southern Caribbean this July. My first cruise was on the Festivale, a long gone Carnival ship, on the same route,leaving out of San Juan 17 years ago. I would have to look for those paper tickets which I still have somewhere but by my memory I am paying the same now for the Victory that I paid for the Festivale and the Festivale did not have balconies that I recall. I remember doing a bridge tour and talking to the first officer who told me it had been converted from a cargo ship I believe. So I am paying about the same 17 years later on a much nicer ship with a much nicer cabin. And that is after 17 years of inflation. I don't really remember the food being as good as everyone pretends it was then either. It was ok then but nothing to write home about. I thought about another type of vacation to the Caribbean but when you factor everything in cruising is still the best deal going by a long shot.

[vivavegas]

Dollar for dollar, I'd say the cost is about the same.:)

[Frank12]

I think the cost is about the same, but the food and service is not quite what it used to be.

[designgirl]

I have not been an a cruise, yet. We are planning our first for next year. But I have to say that cruises are not the only ones cutting back on food quality and service.

We have dramatically cut back on the amount we eat out now because usually I can cook a better tasting meal at home and the service is not what it used to be.

 

It seems to be the standard now.

[dclark]

How about a bigger span of time? We sailed on the Elation back in '99, OV for four for $2600. We then did the 8 day (yeah, I know, one day longer cruise) Freedom the same time of year last summer for $3600 for an inside, obviously, on a per day basis, the Freedom last summer cost more, don't know how that would work out on the cost of inflation index as that wouldn't be relevent.

Elation had assigned seating in mdr for all meals, not just dinner, three guest entertainers (only got one on Freedom), lots of higher quality food items than the cheerleaders like to ignore or forget (like president butter, quality beef, fresh oj, prime rib in the lido deck, etc), cheaper drinks, rum swizzle parties, formal night cocktails, better service, etc.

It is really naive to think that these cutbacks were done out of CCL generosity to keep prices low- they were NOT! They were done to improve profits. Prices are set to what the market will bear. CCL cabin prices are usually (but not always) the lowest because that is what the market thinks of CCL- it is a low quality cruise and the price reflects that. If the market thought better, the cabin prices would average higher. Yeah, hard as is it is to believe for some, replacing professional entertainers with passenger acts, and dumping more expensive food items with ham, mac n cheese, meatloaf and fried chicken doesn't exactly class the ship experience up.

Back in the day, CCL was a great cruise. With all the cutbacks, they are just a cheap way of going from island to island. Going to the theater to see a good professional entertainer has been replaced with watching a movie on the lido deck, the four piece band at the pool has been replaced with a guy putting on mp3 recordings.

[Tapi]

Twelve years later, sixteen dollars more and a BALCONY to boot! :D

 

Same here!

 

Our measly oceanview cabin on the Riviera deck aboard the Tropicale in 1994 was MORE than our balcony cabin on the Upper deck aboard the Dream in 2011!

 

(And that's not even adjusting for inflation!)

[dadof2boys]

I would say the prices are a rising. I just looked at booking a West Coast 4 night which we have done many times over Spring Break and typically we can grab an Inside for about $1,100 for our family of four. However, went to book the same 4 night (Catalina and Ensenada) and for an Inside it was $1570! Thats nuts to me. We just were on the Spirit in a Balcony for 5 nights over Sring Break for a total of $1730 which included Cabo San Lucas (somewhere you would actually want to visit).

 

Yet, I think the reason is really due to the fact that Carnival really has cornered the market out here as they are the only ones left. Plus they are moving the Splendor which has 40% more capacity than the Miracle (replacement) and also moving the Spirit to Australia. All that to say less cabins, high demand week, equals high prices.

 

Now we are looking at just flying over to the East Coast and putting the extra cash towards flights.

[mjmiller]

Our honeymoon cruise, an interior closet on a tiny old Norwegian ship, was significantly more than we're paying this time. I think that since we took our first Carnival cruise in 2000, prices have remained relatively steady for the same: cabin type, timeframe, Caribbean itineraries.

 

And yes, there have been cutbacks. But if they didn't cut back on expenses, they'd have to raise prices. I think Carnival has done a great job on keeping prices low, while still providing a good product. It is definitely great bang for the buck!

[starfish216]

I looked back at what I paid in 2002 for a 7 day cruise (August mid-ship balcony on Empress deck) and it was actually more than what I am paying for an 8 day cruise (May mid-ship balcony on Empress deck).

 

Everything effects the price of your cabin from time of year sailing to if the ship is newer.

 

But overall I still feel prices have not gone up much. Some things may have been cut back but Carnival still gives you good bang for your buck. Let's just say I never went hungry or got bored on a cruise.

[pe4all]

Everything effects the price of your cabin from time of year sailing to if the ship is newer.

But overall I still feel prices have not gone up much. Some things may have been cut back but Carnival still gives you good bang for your buck. Let's just say I never went hungry or got bored on a cruise.

Totally agree with this! Add to that the itinerary you sail- some ports charge more than others, which factors into the end cost, as does the fuel used to get to further ports. Comparing apples to apples, I think our cruise prices have stayed pretty much the same over the years for the times. Our flight prices however - well, that is a different story!:p

[cmp03]

Thanks for everyone's comments.

 

Living in FL, I can drive to 5 different ports in a few hours so its easy to search around for the 'cheapest' cruise since there are many options.

 

I understand people complaining about service/food/entertainment going down but when you pay less it has to be expected (IMO). We are paying $237 per night for our next cruise (including gratuities) - we would pay more then that for a hotel and meals easily on land (and that's a basic hotel with fast food - add in sit down meals (even at denny's) and its only going to be going up). Plus the cruise provides free childcare if we want to have a quite dinner, lol.