How Much Did Cruises Cost "Back In The Day"?

[Blk Cherry Mojito]

Hello All,

 

We didn't start cruising until 2009 (and that was because I booked a cruise THEN told DH we were going and I couldn't cancel) :p

 

I just paid almost $2000 for an INTERIOR on the Breeze for next spring, that made me wonder how much a cruise would have cost me on The Mardi Gras or The Carnivale etc.?

[patticake1961]

I don't have an invoice for my cruise on the Tropicale in 1996, but I do have one from my cruise on the Sensation in 1999.

 

I/we paid $1903 for a seven night cruise for the Sept. 12, 1999 Western Caribbean sailing...... it was for three adults, in an OV cabin, NO insurance, and all taxes included.

 

Last year we paid $2166 for the Sept 11th sailing on the Valor, Eastern Caribbean..... three adults, in a BALCONY cabin, WITH insurance, and taxes included!

 

IMO the prices have not changed much over the years, but the quality and service has.

[HImom]

If the $$ price hasn't changed over the years, than the actual price with inflation has actually decreased. This is probably why you may see some decreases in quality and service.

 

It is similar for airfares. When I bought airplane tickets decades ago between HI & CA, they were often about $500 round-trip. I still pay about that price or sometimes even less for such plane tickets now. It surprises me that they can continue to get us 2500 miles for less than they did decades ago. Yes, we have no complimentary food and have to pay extra for checking luggage, but still it is mostly pretty low cost. Of course, if you fly during busy times, you pay a premium--I just paid over $800 to buy a r/t ticket for my D CA to HI, that was high but it was partly because it was so last minute & peak season (summer in HI).

[DOTTE]

We sailed on the Carnivale in 1986 and paid $1390. And that was for an interior cabin obviously because there wasn't any balconies on the ship.

[ManyMore]

In 1991 I paid $1000 a person for a one week cruise to the Mexican Riviara in an inside cabin. The most I have paid since I think is $700 and have paid as little $300 so as far as for me the price dropped.

[missygirl]

In 1991 we paid $1650 for an inside and that was with airfare.

 

We went on a 10-night inside for $599 a few years ago and as low as a outside for $169 for 5-nights. a few years ago.

[DaveRRT]

Tropicale quad inside me wife 2 kids, 7 day from Tampa, 11/19/95. First cruise Grand Caymen, Coz, didnt make it too rough to tender, New Orleans and back to Tampa 2 sea days in there. 2554dollars, had a blast. doing a Pride this Nov we have and aft balc and kids have a obst view balc, for a few hundred more . Bon voyage list a few examples Asti $16 Dom $109 Char $23 tux $65 Robe 39

[jdvmd]

$1,800 for my husband, daughter and myself in 1996, September hurricane season. Inside guarantee on the Inspiration, seven nights. Got a price of $1,300 for this October, inside guarantee on 2-3 Carnival ships just yesterday for seven- and eight-nighters. If anything, I am getting better prices.

[MrPete]

I don't go back to those old ships, but my first cruise for an outside on the upper deck of the Jubilee, with air, was $1400 PP.

[SkyMaster]

I've been cruisin' for a long, long time, but I don't remember what I paid way back in the early '70's. I do remember that in the past I always figured that anything less than $100 per person, per day was a pretty good deal. Having said that, the least expensive cruise I've ever taken was aboard the "Premier Seabreeze", just before Premier went bankrupt. I paid $79 for a seven day cruise, inside cabin. (It was a GREAT cruise, with lots of sea food, and most of the entertainment was the waiters, and bus boys, but it was totally enjoyable.) Just a few weeks later the ship was seized, and the passengers put off at the island they were visiting at the time. Ship was "scuttled" enroute from Florida to New York. :eek:

 

"SKY"

[Chip1]

One thing to keep in mind with comparing rates from now versus the early 1990's is that the rates up until at least the end of 1994 included airfare from a lot of cities. If you did not need the airfare the rates were $250.00 less.

[mousey]

I took my first cruise in 1967 with a girlfriend (we were both 19) and it cost us $160 a piece. The name of the ship was the Jamaica Queen and it was a 5-day cruise to Jamaica out of Miami. I don't remember the name of the cruise line but I do know that it was the beginning of my cruise addiction. :D I'm 65 and still cruising! As a matter of fact, I'll be cruising again on July 29th on the Pride!:D

[Jana60]

Hello All,

 

We didn't start cruising until 2009 (and that was because I booked a cruise THEN told DH we were going and I couldn't cancel) :p

 

I just paid almost $2000 for an INTERIOR on the Breeze for next spring, that made me wonder how much a cruise would have cost me on The Mardi Gras or The Carnivale etc.?

 

The Cruise prices have not increased and other than the loss of the band on the deck, I think the quality has increased. We paid $420 per person for a 4 night cruise in Oct 1999. On that cruise, my first with Carnival, they did not have robes in the rooms, or the Comedy club, and they had less Karaoke (I love to sing!!) and the ships were smaller and more crowded. They also did not police the bars as well and there were young people vomiting in the halls because they managed to get alcohol underage. I haven't seen that occur since then. Carnival continues to have lobster in the main dining room and has improved their entertainment options although maybe not in a "classical" direction. If you want a 3 peice string group to play classical music for you before dinner and ball room dancing after dinner you probably need to go on Hal or Celebrity but if you want a cruise thats fun for those who are young or at least young at heart Carnival is the best. Airfare however is MUCH higher. I paid $174 per person for air fare from OKC to LAX in 2002 and today it would cost you 3 times that amount.

[jkneern]

In 1992 we paid $299pp including flight for 4 nights on the mardi gras. We sailed from port canaveral to Freeport and Nassau. Oh and yes it was a very small inside cabin. Anyone who remembers this ship I'm sure will agree with me on the size of the cabins. This was my 1st cruise and in 4 days will be on my 17th with carnival. Just love cruising!

[deborahjo]

Carnivale-1978 with airfare $1900 for one person. Carnival choose my roommate for me. This was 2 weeks before christmas.

[Shipbound]

The Cruise prices have not increased and other than the loss of the band on the deck, I think the quality has increased. We paid $420 per person for a 4 night cruise in Oct 1999. On that cruise, my first with Carnival, they did not have robes in the rooms, or the Comedy club, and they had less Karaoke (I love to sing!!) and the ships were smaller and more crowded. They also did not police the bars as well and there were young people vomiting in the halls because they managed to get alcohol underage. I haven't seen that occur since then. Carnival continues to have lobster in the main dining room and has improved their entertainment options although maybe not in a "classical" direction. If you want a 3 peice string group to play classical music for you before dinner and ball room dancing after dinner you probably need to go on Hal or Celebrity but if you want a cruise thats fun for those who are young or at least young at heart Carnival is the best. Airfare however is MUCH higher. I paid $174 per person for air fare from OKC to LAX in 2002 and today it would cost you 3 times that amount.

 

I started cruising in 1992 I really do not remember the cost of the cruise, airfare was cheaper back then. But the cost of all drinks on the ships back in the 1990's were a lot less

than they are now and there was a four man calyspo band on the lido deck.

[funinthesun1964]

I took my first cruise in 1967 with a girlfriend (we were both 19) and it cost us $160 a piece. The name of the ship was the Jamaica Queen and it was a 5-day cruise to Jamaica out of Miami. I don't remember the name of the cruise line but I do know that it was the beginning of my cruise addiction. :D I'm 65 and still cruising! As a matter of fact, I'll be cruising again on July 29th on the Pride!:D

 

I know this is off-topic, but when I saw the year 1967 I just had to say this. I love the music, the cars, the whole atmosphere of the late 60's. Just this morning I was watching you tube videos of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, The Monkees, and Paul Revere and the Raiders.. Friends sometimes say I was born ten years too late!

 

I also tried to find videos and photos of cruises those years - I found one from the 60's but thats it..by chance do you have any photos of that cruise that you could scan and post here?

[rferr]

Went on the Festivale first cruise in 1994 for a ocean view it was around 2000 dollars! And people say we lost alot of amenities but i think its better now personally and the ships are nicer and cheaper. I am going on the Victory on the same itinerary as the Festivale this month, almost 18 years later to the day and it was 2500 for me, wife and daughter!

[CJinFLA00]

We were on Carnival Carnivale in April 1993 for a 3 day cruise to Nassau. We had a port hole room with twin beds. I think we paid $199 per person. I also think we stayed the night in Nassau. Wish I could find our pictures.

[CRUZBUDS]

Fare prices have stayed about the same --- 1987 - Tropicale outside cabin $784 each for seven day. We still have the tickets and all the paperwork. You can get a balcony for that now.

 

The amenities have vastly improved, but so have on board prices. Drinks used to be cheap and on Carnival for a couple of dollars more than the duty free price you could buy what you wanted from the on board store and enjoy it in your cabin. Photos were just a couple of dollars and so forth.

 

It was always a great deal and it still is :)

[halos]

If the $$ price hasn't changed over the years, than the actual price with inflation has actually decreased. This is probably why you may see some decreases in quality and service.

 

 

I agree.

1991, $1100 PP for an interior cabin (7 day sailing on Celebration).

[Sandpiper10]

When we sailed for 7 nights on the Victory is 2003, we paid $2300 for an OV for 2 people. That price didn't include the airfair.

we are now sailing 7 nights on the Pride in 2013 for 4 people with a premium balcony for $2390....no flights.

the last 2 trips were 5 nights OV and with flights to Miami for a family of 4 was $2400. The cruise alone was $1390

 

Now trying to figure out why in the heck our 1st cruise was so expensive!

[grozas]

About $1200 with cruise line airfare for an inside on the Norway in 1983

[GROUCHPUSS]

Fare prices have stayed about the same --- 1987 - Tropicale outside cabin $784 each for seven day. We still have the tickets and all the paperwork. You can get a balcony for that now.

 

The amenities have vastly improved, but so have on board prices. Drinks used to be cheap and on Carnival for a couple of dollars more than the duty free price you could buy what you wanted from the on board store and enjoy it in your cabin. Photos were just a couple of dollars and so forth.

 

It was always a great deal and it still is :)

 

You should post the old doc's, most don't do not even remember doing the true doc dance when you would get your doc's in the mail! Just black out the personal stuff.

 

My 1st cruise was on the Celebration in 1987 and we paid $1200.00 for an ocean view cabin on the Riviera Deck.

[MarkRosenthal]

I paid $1,400 in 1989 for the Celebration for an outside room, much less now but service and quality have all been reduced as we all know. Somehow there must be a happy middle ground.