Wild Prices Swings - Baltic 2014

[RickT]

I had booked a 12 Baltic Cruise on the Connie for August and got a decent deal on an oceanview cabin (including 1,2,3 and additional $300 shipboard credit from Celebrity) and will pay approx $2,000 Canadian. Since February I have seen the price steadily increase to as high as $3,400 Canadian (same price as Verandah's) only to see if drop back down to $2,000 today.

 

I understand the whole issue of supply and demand but have no idea what logic there is in price swings like that. Other sailings of the Connie (July/Aug) appear to be doing the same thing.

 

I'm OK as I'm still happy with the rate I got but to see a $1,400 price drop prior to final payment has to get some people who booked at the higher price worked up.

[Biker19]

Folks worried about the Ukraine situation are cancelling cruises? For the closer in sailings prices decreases make sense since it's past final payment.

[mcrcruiser]

For the very reasons you posted I wait until after final payment to book my cruises with few exceptions:D .I have a web site (can not list it here due to CC rules) where I can go into their statistics column (stats) & put in my cruise line of choice ,the type of cabin & the number of days & wala I see all the different types of cabin prices . Then I can place my curser over a price & get the history of what happened over time to that cabin pricing :p.

 

A very excellent & provocative web site for cruise pricing:D:p

[baljaffray]

I booked Baltic on Eclipse last October for this June, there are 3 of us and the prices were very expensive, so I booked an inside having never cruised in one before. My thoughts were it is port intensive, and the cabins were not any smaller than an ocean view. I got no perks, but my online TA gave us half priced gratuities. I watched the prices on the Celebrity site all the time, and last month upgraded to an obstructed balcony with classic drink package for 2 for an extra £ 560. As we would spend approx £300 on drinks/coffee, I am very happy.

There are fab deals on this cruise, but as we are a family of 3, there are no cabins left.

When there are only 2 of us, I will be booking lots of last minute deals!

[jelayne]

Our Baltic has increased $1500+ since we booked. Those of us who booked with a TA have final payment due in the next few days so we will see what happens.

 

We are doing a B2B and booked early to secure the same cabin on both and because air fare from the US in the summer can be very expensive when booking late.

[scdreamer]

We had to rebook this cruise, switching from August to June, because of a new grandchild arriving in late summer. When we re-booked in January, our June sailing fare was significantly higher than the initial fare had been for August - for a lower category (now partially obstructed) veranda cabin.

 

Just before final payment was due, I saw that the fares had decreased quite a bit - called our TA and we were able to upgrade to a concierge level and even get a $1400 reduction! We were also able to keep our 1-2-3 perks. :)

 

Since then, we've watched the fares go all over the place - checked with our TA about upgrading again to a suite, and we could have done it for only a couple hundred dollars, but we would have had to forego the perk - so we decided to stay put. :rolleyes:

 

I don't know how they set the fares, it seems as if they are up and down with no rhyme or reason, but I'm sure Celebrity has their reasons. Not sure if perhaps the unrest in Ukraine has anything to do with this particular itinerary ...

Edited April 23, 2014 by scdreamer

[mcrcruiser]

Celebrity likes to confuse people with their pricing policies /see saw pricing :rolleyes:

 

For that very reason ,when we book a Celebrity cruise we vie for after final payment last minute prices;) .BTW not to fret about airline prices ,TIP:book with Choice air & the air prices are always the same early or late booking .:D

[upwarduk]

Folks worried about the Ukraine situation are cancelling cruises? For the closer in sailings prices decreases make sense since it's past final payment.

 

The Ukraine is NOT on the Baltic Sea.

[Redtravel]

Russia is the cause of the problems in the Ukraine. The Baltic cruises stop in St. petersburg,Russia. I would not support Russia. I would not take any cruise that stops in Russia. I am wondering why Celebrity has not changed their cruises to skip Russian ports. There is a notice on their website stating that they are closely monitoring the situation in the Ukraine.

[Kevnzworld]

It's called dynamic pricing. They use a computer algorithm that measures occupancy , days to sail as well as other metrics.

After final payment it's the Wild West , anything goes if there are available cabins

[Lastdance]

I do not support or agree with V. Putin. He is the cause of the Ukrainian conflict. That being said, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities are filled with people who are just trying to make an honest living, as many in Ukraine. It is a very reckless and volatile situation. I am glad that the Baltic States are protecting their interests, as Tallin is in Estonia on the Baltic Sea. Ukraine(Crimea) is on the Black Sea. It is truly an unfair situation for many people who have been put in this situation that is no fault of their own!

 

I canceled my cruise last year and booked the Adriatic. Then, I rebooked the 14 day Scandinavia and Russia for this year, since I got a super deal onboard. Time will tell!

Edited April 23, 2014 by Lastdance

[RickT]

It's called dynamic pricing. They use a computer algorithm that measures occupancy , days to sail as well as other metrics.

After final payment it's the Wild West , anything goes if there are available cabins

 

Agree however to see wild swings a month in advance of final payment date when the 1,2,3 is still on doesn't make a lot of sense. I'm used to seeing price changes in the hundreds of dollars, not 50-75% increases and then drops.

 

After final payment date you are right, all bets are off.