Is it me or are these prices out of control

[LadyShiva]

I've been bouncing back and forth between NCL and RCI. NCL has better cabins, RCI has Coke machines. ;)

I have a Grand Suite to Alaska in June, 2015 -> $6200 (I call that a bit high)
2 bedroom suite on NCL, same time frame, also to Alaska -> $18,000+

That is not an extra 0 on that NCL cruise. That same NCL room cost us around $5000 for a Halloween cruise to the Bahamas. The NCL Alaska cruises [U]had[/U] been ~$7200 for that Alaskan cruise.

I'm wondering if they're running auctions to get the highest bidder nowadays!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

[quote name='Stateroom_Sailor']Come on people, RCL has every right to raise their prices since they booked so many extra cabins with the BOGOHO sale. If prices went back to normal, every ship would be sell out weeks or months in advance. If prices are too high, they'll drop. I wouldn't necessarily reward that, but you can either wait for the next sale, book and hope the price drops, wait for last minute deals, or choose a different cruise line. It's honestly kind of fun to jump around. ;)[/QUOTE]

Where can i find the figures to back your statement that they booked so many extra cabins during the BOGOHO sales to back your statement?

I didn't think the cruise lines released figures like that?

[quote name='OTownNick']It is ALL about supply and demand. Also, we all got spoiled for a while with LOW prices and great deals. You ever think prices are now back to where they SHOULD be? [COLOR="Red"]The economy has picked up,[/COLOR] more ppl can afford to take vacations now, and they are discovering that cruises are STILL way cheaper and better then the traditional vacations.

Also, people are willing to pay a little more for even more amenities that the newer ships have.

Bottom line- RCL is a publically traded company and here to make money. It's been great for shareholders like me. However, like any other place I shop I still try to shop wisely and take advantage of sales. Now we have to be more savvy than ever.

Price manipulations of RCL are NOTHING compared to the airlines. They are ridiculous. I'm checking one flight for future travel to London and the price on BA went from $1199 to $1660 in 3 days![/QUOTE]

I wish i could agree with you on that statement but it sure isn't true in my neck of the woods. Of course if you listen to the media everythings rosey in regards to the economy.

People here still getting laid off and raises frozen.

[quote name='negc']And it is likely that you will find similar situations with whatever other line you look at. They all charge whatever they believe their market will bear and if that is less than what RCI is charging it is most likely because they don't believe that their clients will pay those prices. None are operating as charitable or non-profit organizations and are seeking to obtain the most revenue that they can and to fill as many cabins as possible. As the economy continues to improve and more and more people are no longer putting off booking a cruise, expect higher prices to become the norm. [/quote]

While i haven't done a wide sampling of future cruises as i just keep checking for the time period i am cruising in November and i can tell you most cruise lines are cutting their prices pretty drastically while RCI continues to raise theirs.

I am thinking they will keep raising them and catch all the fish they can with the high prices and then when final payment date passes the bottom will drop out. Of course i am just speculating on this and time will tell.

Bill

[Iluvcruising2]

Asia is a booming market for the cruise industry.

I just heard from a relative who was booked on the Voyager of the Seas for a short cruise sailing out of Singapore in Nov 2014. They booked a couple of month ago and were naturally excited as this would be a retrofitted Voyager.

Last week, they got a call from RCI. They have been shifted from the Voyager to the Mariner and given some OBC to compensate.

Why?

The Voyager has now been chartered for that sailing out of Singapore. The entire ship was taken off public booking. Edited August 3, 2014 by Iluvcruising2

[Stateroom_Sailor]

[quote name='S.S.Oceanlover']Where can i find the figures to back your statement that they booked so many extra cabins during the BOGOHO sales to back your statement?

I didn't think the cruise lines released figures like that?[/quote]

I don't believe I referenced any figures did I? Why would you ask for something that you don't think exists anyways? You can try their 2nd or 3rd quarter statement, and take yourself an economics 101 course. Next time you see people lined up for a sale, you'll have your "ah-ha" moment early. ;)

[Paulette3028]

[quote name='Cruise Junky']But only a small percentage of North Americans cruise. Where do you think the larger percentage of North Americans vacation? Land trips. When it came to paying $1,500 per person for an 7 day cruise vs $1500 for 9 nights in Hawaii for us the choice was a no brainier (our air is the same). All I'm saying is cruise lines aren't just battling each other, they're also battling land trips.[/QUOTE]

Now lets just make sure in the case you have mentioned that it is an 'apples to apples comparison'. As you say the cost of airfare would be the same for you.....but did your $1500 nine night stay in Hawaii include all your food and provide entertainment options each evening?

[geocruiser]

[quote name='Coralc']The quality of their cruises has really dropped. Bottom line, they are trying to attract new cruisers. The frequency of our cruise vacations have really declined with Royal Caribbean...but we still haven't quite found the perfect place or option for other vacation venues. :D[/QUOTE]

You are so right about drop in quality of a cruise. Nor just RCCL but others too. I started cruising mid 1970's a lot of changes since then. Most change not good, some changes very good.
As for price I might wait until closer to sailing. I also sail Princess and got this in a E-mail from them the other day. It is only a part of the E-mail.

CARIBBEAN | 7 days roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Caribbean Princess® – 2014: Sep 6, 13; Oct 4, 11



FARES FROM INTERIOR OCEANVIEW BALCONY MINI-SUITE
LAUNCH† $649 $849 $999 SOLD OUT
NOW* $349 $549 $599

* Fares are based on red departure date(s). Fares for other dates may vary. Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses of up to $100 are additional and subject to change.

A balcony for a week for $599!

[negc]

[quote name='S.S.Oceanlover']



I wish i could agree with you on that statement but it sure isn't true in my neck of the woods. Of course if you listen to the media everythings rosey in regards to the economy.

People here still getting laid off and raises frozen.



While i haven't done a wide sampling of future cruises as i just keep checking for the time period i am cruising in November and i can tell you most cruise lines are cutting their prices pretty drastically while RCI continues to raise theirs.

I am thinking they will keep raising them and catch all the fish they can with the high prices and then when final payment date passes the bottom will drop out. Of course i am just speculating on this and time will tell.

Bill[/QUOTE]

I think that I said "improving" not 'improved'. Certainly many parts of the country are doing better than others. If the media is painting a rosy picture, I believe that enough people will believe it and be more willing to part with their money to take that long deferred cruise vacation. If RCI catches enough "fish" with their high prices, they may not need to worry about the bottom dropping out since they will have already filled their ships. My question would be 'why aren't the other lines also catching those "fish" instead of settling for lower revenues?
As you say we are both speculating and time will tell but I remain a bit more optimistic than you, even though believing that higher prices are going to be the norm might not seem to fit the description of "optimistic" for anyone but the cruise line executives.

[chermilo]

[quote name='Iluvcruising2']Asia is a booming market for the cruise industry.

I just heard from a relative who was booked on the Voyager of the Seas for a short cruise sailing out of Singapore in Nov 2014. They booked a couple of month ago and were naturally excited as this would be a retrofitted Voyager.

Last week, they got a call from RCI. They have been shifted from the Voyager to the Mariner and given some OBC to compensate.

Why?

The Voyager has now been chartered for that sailing out of Singapore. The entire ship was taken off public booking.[/QUOTE]


That is very true about Asia. They book the entire ship and I heard that the passengers bring CASH on board to settle their bills and the LOVE the onboard shops and spend big bucks in there.

[Cruise Junky]

[quote name='Paulette3028']Now lets just make sure in the case you have mentioned that it is an 'apples to apples comparison'. As you say the cost of airfare would be the same for you.....but did your $1500 nine night stay in Hawaii include all your food and provide entertainment options each evening?[/QUOTE]

No, but I don't do the shows anyway. Were in a condo with a costco close by. My booze is a lot cheaper :) we do Hawaii a lot. I'd estimate we'll spend another $500 in eating and drinking which is probably a bit under what we'd spend on a cruise as our onboard spend usually hits around $100 a day

[S.S.Oceanlover]

[quote name='negc'][COLOR="Red"]I think that I said "improving" not 'improved'. Certainly many parts of the country are doing better than others[/COLOR]. If the media is painting a rosy picture, I believe that enough people will believe it and be more willing to part with their money to take that long deferred cruise vacation. If RCI catches enough "fish" with their high prices, they may not need to worry about the bottom dropping out since they will have already filled their ships. My question would be 'why aren't the other lines also catching those "fish" instead of settling for lower revenues?
As you say we are both speculating and time will tell but I remain a bit more optimistic than you, even though believing that higher prices are going to be the norm might not seem to fit the description of "optimistic" for anyone but the cruise line executives.[/QUOTE]

fair enough on the improving economy.

Yes you do sound more optimistic than I. Until the first BOGOHO sale the prices were in line with what that had been charging for years. Magically with the exception of a few cruises the prices doubled in May and are still up there.

Probably a lot of RCI cruisers are in a better situation money wise than I because I sure couldn't afford the cruises i have booked now at the prices they are now asking.

As for why the other cruise lines are catching these fish and are slashing prices, I guess the public perceives RCI a great value even at the much higher prices.

Bill

[Ocean Boy]

[quote name='negc']I think that I said "improving" not 'improved'. Certainly many parts of the country are doing better than others. [COLOR="Red"]If the media is painting a rosy picture, I believe that enough people will believe it and be more willing to part with their money to take that long deferred cruise vacation.[/COLOR] If RCI catches enough "fish" with their high prices, they may not need to worry about the bottom dropping out since they will have already filled their ships. My question would be 'why aren't the other lines also catching those "fish" instead of settling for lower revenues?
As you say we are both speculating and time will tell but I remain a bit more optimistic than you, even though believing that higher prices are going to be the norm might not seem to fit the description of "optimistic" for anyone but the cruise line executives.[/QUOTE]

If people make their decisions based on the media painting rosy pictures rather than the balance in their check books then they have some very big issues.

[MichaelCMTX]

[quote name='S.S.Oceanlover']. Of course if you listen to the media everythings rosey in regards to the economy.

People here still getting laid off and raises frozen.
[/QUOTE]
Just because it's raining in your neighborhood doesn't mean the sun's not out elsewhere.

[quote name='LadyShiva']I have a Grand Suite to Alaska in June, 2015 -> $6200 (I call that a bit high) 2 bedroom suite on NCL, same time frame, also to Alaska -> $18,000+
[/QUOTE]
:eek: I called the $6200 a bit high 'til I saw that $18K price tag. Holy sheepspit. You should get to steer the ship for a while for $18,000.

[Paulette3028]

[quote name='Cruise Junky']No, but I don't do the shows anyway. Were in a condo with a costco close by. My booze is a lot cheaper :) we do Hawaii a lot. I'd estimate we'll spend another $500 in eating and drinking which is probably a bit under what we'd spend on a cruise as our onboard spend usually hits around $100 a day[/QUOTE]

It isn't the same type of vacation if I have to care about having a Costco close by. I like staying in hotels, and being served breakfast, lunch and dinner...but that is just me. If traveling like that is what you want...that is fine....that isn't for everyone. I am on vacation....not on a trip to be 'making breakfast in the kitchen of a condo instead of my kitchen at home' -- but that is not me.

So it isn't an apples to apples comparison.

[Cruise Junky]

[quote name='Paulette3028']It isn't the same type of vacation if I have to care about having a Costco close by. I like staying in hotels, and being served breakfast, lunch and dinner...but that is just me. If traveling like that is what you want...that is fine....that isn't for everyone. I am on vacation....not on a trip to be 'making breakfast in the kitchen of a condo instead of my kitchen at home' -- but that is not me.

So it isn't an apples to apples comparison.[/QUOTE]

I never said it was an apples to apples comparison. But it is an alternative. And it's 2 extra days at half the price alternative.

[woodyren]

A post a little earlier hit the nail on the head. All these so called specials make things a lot more difficult to track on a price tracking website. We are booked on Quantum because the price was right when we booked with none of this BOGOHO BS. I had plans to book some more cruises with RCCL in the next few years but the value is not good at present with Celebrity prices at similar or lower cost with the added value of the drinks pkg.


Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[Maraprince]

Royal likes to play the game of how high can they raise prices and still get people to book. We had this situation a year ago. Prices started out at a reasonable level for a balcony; then after several months, prices dropped a little. Then it leveled off. As the sail date grew nearer, prices started to rise and rise and rise to where it was around $3,000 per person!:eek:

It held at the high end for almost a month and then right after final payment, they dropped the rates but not down to the level before the big increases.

If you can be flexible and don't need to fly, book after final payment since that is when large amounts of unsold cabins that were reserved by TA suddenly become available to the general public. You will find categories that were sold out for months all of a sudden have loads of cabins available.

MARAPRINCE

[PTAngel]

I was looking up cruises last night for sailing in 2016 & it looks like BOGOHO is good until Sept 15 for sailings into 2016. I'm looking into taking a granddaughter (27) for her first cruise. She is a doctor living in Manhattan so I was thinking of a ship out of NJ. I know I got the cruising bug with my first trip in March & I already have 2 booked. If my DH doesn't want to go, I find someone who does. Is there an antidote for this illness?

[Maraprince]

What ship is sailing out of NJ in 2016?

If the price is good, book it. You have plenty of time to change the booking if you decide on some other date.

MARAPRINCE

[Ourusualbeach]

[quote name='Maraprince']What ship is sailing out of NJ in 2016?

If the price is good, book it. You have plenty of time to change the booking if you decide on some other date.

MARAPRINCE[/QUOTE]

Anthem has been announced up until April of 2016 and is expected to continue beyond that.

[mommabean]

[quote name='Carl and Ellie']Yes they do! One of the things use can use points for is discounted or free cruises ;)[/QUOTE]

I sure don't see any sign of these free cruises on the Marriott website. But the Marriott benefits I find that I really like are the constant free nights with no black out period, upgrades almost every stay, and free breakfast, dinner, and internet. The service is generally top notch and friendly, too.

By the time we qualified for some of the great RCI perks of the past, such as free upgrades, they stopped giving them for the most part. And they sure made our one free cruise very difficult to book - rediculously so.

Gina

[Clarea]

[quote name='mommabean']I sure don't see any sign of these free cruises on the Marriott website. But the Marriott benefits I find that I really like are the constant free nights with no black out period, upgrades almost every stay, and free breakfast, dinner, and internet. The service is generally top notch and friendly, too.

By the time we qualified for some of the great RCI perks of the past, such as free upgrades, they stopped giving them for the most part. And they sure made our one free cruise very difficult to book - rediculously so.

Gina[/quote]
Gina, I looked at using Marriott points for a credit on a cruise some time ago, and it is possible. However, my recollection was that the value was much lower than using the points for a hotel room.

[The Mister]

[quote name='LadyShiva']I've been bouncing back and forth between NCL and RCI. NCL has better cabins, RCI has Coke machines. ;)

I have a Grand Suite to Alaska in June, 2015 -> $6200 (I call that a bit high)
2 bedroom suite on NCL, same time frame, also to Alaska -> $18,000+

That is not an extra 0 on that NCL cruise. That same NCL room cost us around $5000 for a Halloween cruise to the Bahamas. The NCL Alaska cruises [U]had[/U] been ~$7200 for that Alaskan cruise.

I'm wondering if they're running auctions to get the highest bidder nowadays![/quote]
Yikes!

It's the opposite trend here in Texas.
* Our OV cabin on the NCL Jewel this November has a total base price of $960. (Booked during one of NCL's KSF promos. Also, not a big deal, but we're getting $30 OBC as well.)
* Equivalent sailing on the Navigator OTS shows OVs starting at $1,980, and that's with the current KSF promo. And I don't see any OBC.

Nearly equivalent itinerary, but on Norwegian we get to explore a brand new port! Also, with that extra $1,000 I'll feel a lot more comfortable letting my wife spend a little more on board (and in port). :)

We *WANT* to try RCL - the Navigator looks like a great ship, after all, but this year it's obvious that we made the right decision.

Also, for a more equivalent ship, I'd probably look at the Carnival Magic. (Wasn't in the cards this time, but will be considered for next year.) Edited August 5, 2014 by The Mister

[mommabean]

[quote name='clarea']Gina, I looked at using Marriott points for a credit on a cruise some time ago, and it is possible. However, my recollection was that the value was much lower than using the points for a hotel room.[/QUOTE]

As with airlines, I suspected the points wouldn't be as valuable for anything other than for their main purpose. I just can't find any link or mention of cruise redemtion or any other type of vacation redemption. I could find redemption for items but with the points it takes for a $500 room you could buy the item with cash for under $100. I'll stick with room redemption for my points - and the perks that still come with the free rooms.

Gina

[kborth]

[quote name='tlund']I was looking at pricing a future cruise. I just can't believe the prices. I know that the prices were a bit higher during the BOGOHO promotion, but now that the promo is over, the prices are still way out there. A 7 day on the Adventure for $1700 pp. That's just crazy. I was looking at January or February. I know it is high season but we've cruised at that time in the past and haven't had to pay these prices. We are booked on the Independence for next October. Booked at around $900 pp. Now the price is at over $1200 pp and that is hurricane season.

Any insight as to why this is happening? Is this what we have to expect in the future? If so, might have to consider land based vacations. Bummer.[/QUOTE]

We transferred to Celebrity for the last cruise and have another TA booked for the spring. Prices were lower for the Med and we liked them. Also ships are lovely and I thought that the cabins were ver nice,got nice Select perks as we were Platinum on Royal.

[Clarea]

[quote name='mommabean']As with airlines, I suspected the points wouldn't be as valuable for anything other than for their main purpose. I just can't find any link or mention of cruise redemtion or any other type of vacation redemption. I could find redemption for items but with the points it takes for a $500 room you could buy the item with cash for under $100. I'll stick with room redemption for my points - and the perks that still come with the free rooms.

Gina[/quote]
Try the Cruises link on this page:

[url]http://www.marriott.com/rewards/use-points.mi[/url]