Are prices inflated due to gift card promo?

[wvufan]

We bought a $500 gift card thinking that the $500 match was a great deal.

 

Now, not so sure. We already had a couple cruises booked for this year so looked at cruises for 2014. I am sure many others also had in mind cruises late this year or next year. Anyway, as a cruise has to be selected before the end of the month, I have been looking at options. When I checked out canal cruises, I was shocked to see that a westbound one for this April 1st starts at $1199 but that the one for Mar 30 next year starts at $1799-a $600 difference!

 

I am beginning to think that the people who set the prices have a limited range of net profits that they expect to get out of each cruise, and that all these various programs end up amounting to about the same thing. For example, the gift card promo basically gave me the equivalent of $500 obc. I normally could have gotten $300 in obc from other programs, so it is theoretically an additional $200. BUT, it seems they have been raising the prices to the extent that I really haven't gained anything by biting on the gift card program.

 

We love Celebrity (27 credits) but with all the confusion, multiple pricing programs incluiding happy hours which seem to magically know which cruises I already booked, etc., I am beginning to feel more like a victim than a valued customer.

 

I wish they would simplify the whole thing so that booking a cruise felt a lot better than buying a used car.

 

Happy Sails to You

 

OOOEEE :D:D Bob and Phyl

[Iamcruzin]

I purchased the $500 gift card as well. I knew what cruise I wanted and was waiting for some friends to confirm that they wanted to go. While I was waiting for an answer from them this promo came out. I purchased the GC and booked the cruise I had my eye on. A few days later the price of the room I booked had gone up $50pp which I expected to happen. I think the real culprit of the inflated prices is the 123go promotion. As soon as that was offered my same room category went up $100pp and the reason being was probably to discourage passengers who were already booked on a cruise from canceling and rebooking so they could receive the new promo.

[MicCanberra]

It is always the way that the prices go up before you can take real advantage after buying agift card. Or you need to cancel and rebook to take advantage of a sale.:D

[biker1972]

The cruiselines are using programing very much like what the airlines use. They are constantly adjusting price based on supply, demand and yields. My next 2 cruises for my particular cabins have gone up in price $700 and $1300 pp. Ships are sailing at close to 100% capacity. Choose a popular ship and itinerary and you will pay more. The marketing that they use has driven interest and increased bookings and therefore prices have gone up. If the reverse were happening,(fewer bookings) there would be a drop in prices and other incentives to push interest. I am sure that the cost of the incentives works into the yields, but the earlier they can get the ships filled less likely they will have to make major price reductions to aquire passengers.

[Alg63]

The old adage .. You get nothing for nothing and very little for a penny.

[fishycomics]

look for the best deals and watch for the price change.

[richsea]

Hi Bob! Hope you have a great cruise!

I would think that the reason for any price increase is only due to the normal price changes which occur due demand for certain sailings, kind of like the luck of the draw. I had been watching prices for a number of cruises for early 2014 and wondered if they would change once I heard of the promotions & they did not change as a result of the sales.

I agree that it can get tricky finding the best value for a cruise, but I try to remember that if I was satisfied with the deal I got when I booked, then I'm good to go. I love to point out to my wife when a cruise I booked goes up in price & how much money we saved; & when the price goes down, I kind of keep it to myself!:rolleyes:

You win some & you lose some!

[happy cruzer]

I purchased the $500 gift card as well. I knew what cruise I wanted and was waiting for some friends to confirm that they wanted to go. While I was waiting for an answer from them this promo came out. I purchased the GC and booked the cruise I had my eye on. A few days later the price of the room I booked had gone up $50pp which I expected to happen. I think the real culprit of the inflated prices is the 123go promotion. As soon as that was offered my same room category went up $100pp and the reason being was probably to discourage passengers who were already booked on a cruise from canceling and rebooking so they could receive the new promo.

 

I noticed the same timing in a price increase, i.e. right after the 123 promo. I am glad I had already booked.

 

But those prices may go down again after the promo if the ships are not full enough. It's anyones' guess

[City_Woman]

I noticed the same timing in a price increase, i.e. right after the 123 promo. I am glad I had already booked.

 

But those prices may go down again after the promo if the ships are not full enough. It's anyones' guess

 

I rarely see prices go down any more.

 

Up. Up. Up.

 

Judy

[Iamcruzin]

The cruiselines are using programing very much like what the airlines use. They are constantly adjusting price based on supply, demand and yields.

 

As a matter of fact the price of my flight to port had dropped prior booking and to the promotion and went back up just after the gift card promo then went up more after the 123go promo. My timing was great for booking this cruise. I booked the flight and cruise just under the wire. The Cruise Gods must have been watching over me.

[Denny01]

My guess is no, prices aren't inflated before for a specific promo. There are so many varying promos and special sales. Last month was a promo of up to a $1,000 for European cruises, now the 123 promo this month. Then there are the price reductions for vets (military, not animal Drs!) and so on.

 

The company gives general price drops to entice us, or to increase sales on slow-moving cruises. As to the original price many of us pay, could be up some but I don't think it is set due to a specific price drop or promo.

 

And the promos do work. We are going to Paris in Sept for a week w friends. When the European promo was offered last month, I looked at cruises after our Paris stay and found the Black Sea cruise. Always wanted to spend some time in Istanbul and the Black Sea would be fantastic. We booked it. I would not have done that without the promo.

 

Den

[MicCanberra]

The promos do what they are supposed to - entice people to spend up and sign on to the cruise and filling the ship. A ship will sail half full but prefers to be full, they make more money that way.:D

[gimletgal]

I purchased the $500 gift card as well. I knew what cruise I wanted and was waiting for some friends to confirm that they wanted to go. While I was waiting for an answer from them this promo came out. I purchased the GC and booked the cruise I had my eye on. A few days later the price of the room I booked had gone up $50pp which I expected to happen. I think the real culprit of the inflated prices is the 123go promotion. As soon as that was offered my same room category went up $100pp and the reason being was probably to discourage passengers who were already booked on a cruise from canceling and rebooking so they could receive the new promo.

 

I had the same experience. Price went up 4 days after I booked with the $500 gift card - just enough so that if I rebooked (and lost the $500) I would pay the same price for my cruise if I purchased the beverage package on my own. I would rather pay less for the cruise and buy my own drinks. No complaints here. I am very happy with the price I paid and I can't drink that much over 15 nights anyway! :D I do believe Celebrity knows what they are doing. (If they could only apply that "knowledge" to their web site!!!)