Price Drops/suites

[garnet115]

I am watching the prices for my Feb 16 cruise religiously. The ship is nowhere near full, and I can see that prices are starting to drop for some categories. For example, as of this morning, my B1 aft balcony is $100 less per person than what I paid. I keep hoping that the prices on the remaining Haven cabins will come down - if they do, I would self-upgrade in a heartbeat (or if the upsell fairy is watching, please make me an offer I can't refuse!). My question is, do the Haven cabins ever see substantial price drops? Or do they just use them to upgrade/upsell existing passengers in order to free up lower priced cabins? There are still plenty of lower priced cabins open, so that doesn't seem necessary for NCL to ultimately sell out the ship. (In fact, for a holiday week cruise out of NYC, I am surprised how many cabins still remain available!)

 

I will be happy with my B1 if I can't upgrade - after all, that is why I booked it! But to find a suite that I can afford would be a phenomenal treat for me and my dd. Plus, I think all my time on CC reading about the suite life is feeding this fantasy of mine!

[time2cruise1]

If you were on almost any other ship I would say yes there could be major penthouse/Haven last minute price reductions. If you follow NCL's financial press releases you will see their plan is to hold premium pricing on the new ships (Breakaway, Getaway) That is the only way they will achieve the earnings goals.

 

The Getaway transatlantic is in 12 days and still the cheapest Haven suite is over $9000 and only 1000 cabins booked for the cruise. 1/2 capacity and no collapse of the Haven prices. Inside, Oceanview, and balcony cabins have all been reduced. Nobody on the roll call has heard from the Upsell Fairy yet.

Edited January 4, 2014 by time2cruise1

[garnet115]

Thanks for the info. I fail to see how a half full ship helps with the profit margin, but I guess that's why I am not on the travel/marketing business.

 

I am going to hold out hope. Just like when I buy powerball tickets... a girl can dream!

[Love my butler]

For the most part NCL offers upsells to already booked passengers before they reduce suite prices a whole lot. That almost always fills up the suites. For the Breakaway and Getaway the suite prices are even more solid. NCL will not devalue the suites on those ships this early in their lifetimes.

[garycarla]

Thanks for the info. I fail to see how a half full ship helps with the profit margin, but I guess that's why I am not on the travel/marketing business. ...

 

Half full does not help profit margins. The ship mentioned above is one of the first sailings and they are not usually full for other reasons - like getting the ship fully functioning.

 

At the same time, there is some marketing basics about doing big discounts and what it will eventually do to profit margins in the long run.

[time2cruise1]

Thanks for the info. I fail to see how a half full ship helps with the profit margin, but I guess that's why I am not on the travel/marketing business.

 

I am going to hold out hope. Just like when I buy powerball tickets... a girl can dream!

 

 

The important thing to hit profit targets is to protect the pricing long term. If they begin to drop prices last minute on the cruises then people like us will wait until last minute to book and slowly the pricing/ margin will spiral down. Not saying I agree but that seems to be their plan.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[david_sobe]

I was on Epic last year. About 45 days before sailing, the suite dropped $800. I had already paid in full so was not able to take advantage. But they did give me $45 more OBC. Keep checking but like someone said, the new ships may not have huge price drops.

[garnet115]

I was on Epic last year. About 45 days before sailing, the suite dropped $800. I had already paid in full so was not able to take advantage. But they did give me $45 more OBC. Keep checking but like someone said, the new ships may not have huge price drops.

 

Thanks. If it dropped $500 I would grab it, so I will keep checking.

[time2cruise1]

I was on Epic last year. About 45 days before sailing, the suite dropped $800. I had already paid in full so was not able to take advantage. But they did give me $45 more OBC. Keep checking but like someone said, the new ships may not have huge price drops.

 

 

That could happen. The S6 on the Getaway dropped $400 pp but that was 4 months ago.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim