El Cheapo Cruises Thread

[tobytoby]

21 hours ago, lyndarra said:

Thanks for the advice. Being single is new territory for me so I may have to ease into it. I take things a day at a time ATM.

There is a roll call already.

Glad to be of help.

You may also consider arranging an independant group tour of Genoa pre- cruise. 

We have met some very lovely people this way. A group of ten or less has always worked well for us😉

 

[aussiebossyboots]

I occasionally like to read this topic, but noticed that there has been little activity lately.

 

Is everyone cruising? or there are no good deals?

 

Cheers,

[woodyren]

47 minutes ago, aussiebossyboots said:

I occasionally like to read this topic, but noticed that there has been little activity lately.

 

Is everyone cruising? or there are no good deals?

 

Cheers,

Been busy cruising with limited internet lol. 

 

Booked Radiance OTS 15 nights Sept 4 2020 from Vancouver to Tokyo. Inside gty were $951 AUD. 

 

We booked OV gty for $1170 pp. 

 

This sort of links up with Voyager 17 nights Hong Kong to Sydney which leaves on Oct 5th. Balconies were around $2200 or so. 

 

Booking both would allow for two long cruises and a few weeks land travel in Japan China area in between with only a flight to Vancouver and short connecting flights and even train travel within China whike in Asia. 

[aussiebossyboots]

That's a great holiday.  Can't wait for Hubby to stop teaching so we can go outside of school holidays.  Jealous!

 

We are paying lots to go in July to the South Pacific - first time for us by ship and then in January to Papua New Guinea.  Staying relatively local this year due to family commitments.

 

Hope everyone is enjoying their cruising.

[Kazzygirl]

1 hour ago, woodyren said:

Been busy cruising with limited internet lol. 

 

Booked Radiance OTS 15 nights Sept 4 2020 from Vancouver to Tokyo. Inside gty were $951 AUD. 

 

We booked OV gty for $1170 pp. 

 

This sort of links up with Voyager 17 nights Hong Kong to Sydney which leaves on Oct 5th. Balconies were around $2200 or so. 

 

Booking both would allow for two long cruises and a few weeks land travel in Japan China area in between with only a flight to Vancouver and short connecting flights and even train travel within China whike in Asia. 

Oh that looks fantastic...I am going to have a look at that too ! LOL. Being solo often the cost is explosive though

 

[woodyren]

44 minutes ago, Kazzygirl said:

Oh that looks fantastic...I am going to have a look at that too ! LOL. Being solo often the cost is explosive though

 

A friend booked Radiance 15 nights solo inside for around $1500 through one of the Aussie ta's. 

[GUT2407]

2 hours ago, woodyren said:

A friend booked Radiance 15 nights solo inside for around $1500 through one of the Aussie ta's. 

Radiance has had some great prices lately, we recently swapped 11 days on Solstice for 11 days on Radiance and saved over $1K, only a week difference in timing, in fact Radiance is “more” in school holidays than Solstice was.

[cheznandy]

4 hours ago, woodyren said:

Been busy cruising with limited internet lol. 

 

Booked Radiance OTS 15 nights Sept 4 2020 from Vancouver to Tokyo. Inside gty were $951 AUD. 

 

We booked OV gty for $1170 pp. 

 

This sort of links up with Voyager 17 nights Hong Kong to Sydney which leaves on Oct 5th. Balconies were around $2200 or so. 

 

Booking both would allow for two long cruises and a few weeks land travel in Japan China area in between with only a flight to Vancouver and short connecting flights and even train travel within China whike in Asia. 

That looks an amazing holiday, we did Beijing to Vancouver back in 2013, such a great route, through Japan, Alaska then Canada. Sooo Jealous!!

[Chiliburn]

If anyone what’s to splurge?

we booked 3 grand suites between friends on serenade of the seas to Tasmania 12 of December 2020 $1600 each for 5 nights.

 That’s a bit over $300 a day each,Grand suites are up about $400-$550 a day.

First class,free booze,concierge,free ship tours,lunch with the captain—-big cabin.

[Fletch1]

2 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

If anyone what’s to splurge?

we booked 3 grand suites between friends on serenade of the seas to Tasmania 12 of December 2020 $1600 each for 5 nights.

 That’s a bit over $300 a day each,Grand suites are up about $400-$550 a day.

First class,free booze,concierge,free ship tours,lunch with the captain—-big cabin.

Well done...good value for money there. 

[GUT2407]

13 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

If anyone what’s to splurge?

we booked 3 grand suites between friends on serenade of the seas to Tasmania 12 of December 2020 $1600 each for 5 nights.

 That’s a bit over $300 a day each,Grand suites are up about $400-$550 a day.

First class,free booze,concierge,free ship tours,lunch with the captain—-big cabin.

Deal.

[MicCanberra]

16 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

If anyone what’s to splurge?

we booked 3 grand suites between friends on serenade of the seas to Tasmania 12 of December 2020 $1600 each for 5 nights.

 That’s a bit over $300 a day each,Grand suites are up about $400-$550 a day.

First class,free booze,concierge,free ship tours,lunch with the captain—-big cabin.

Nice.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Explorer Dream , Sydney to Auckland 8 Dec 2019 - $699 twin ,OV

[SinbadThePorter]

20 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said:

Explorer Dream , Sydney to Auckland 8 Dec 2019 - $699 twin ,OV

 

Plus $20/day grats.

[MMDown Under]

That is expensive daily charge for gratuities. 

 

On 4/23/2019 at 12:55 PM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Plus $20/day grats.

 

[boeckli]

On 4/25/2019 at 1:21 PM, MMDown Under said:

That is expensive daily charge for gratuities. 

 

 

 

It's about the same as what HAL charges (US$ 14.50)

[Iainmac]

On 4/23/2019 at 2:55 PM, SinbadThePorter said:

 

Plus $20/day grats.

I mentioned this a couple of months ago when Dream Cruises started advertising. The grats. are in Aussie dollars and when converted to NZ dollars the cost is another $300 for a seven day cruise and they are compulsory.  Their cruises are only seven days so only suit people living near Auckland and Sydney.  By the time you add domestic air fares to the trans Tasman fare it is not such a cheap deal.

The various cruise lines have been putting out their 20/21 schedules.  Every possible cruise that interests me has worked out at nz$400 per day for a twin interior and nz$500 plus for balconies.  Interesting that they all say it is a "sale".  With added airfares I'm finding cruises are getting more expensive and think I'll have to wait until further down the track and hope for real sale prices.  I suppose other retirees are finding the same that costs are going up at a much faster rate than their otherwise fixed income so they won't be able to cruise so often.

Iain

[Kazzygirl]

16 hours ago, Iainmac said:

I mentioned this a couple of months ago when Dream Cruises started advertising. The grats. are in Aussie dollars and when converted to NZ dollars the cost is another $300 for a seven day cruise and they are compulsory.  Their cruises are only seven days so only suit people living near Auckland and Sydney.  By the time you add domestic air fares to the trans Tasman fare it is not such a cheap deal.

The various cruise lines have been putting out their 20/21 schedules.  Every possible cruise that interests me has worked out at nz$400 per day for a twin interior and nz$500 plus for balconies.  Interesting that they all say it is a "sale".  With added airfares I'm finding cruises are getting more expensive and think I'll have to wait until further down the track and hope for real sale prices.  I suppose other retirees are finding the same that costs are going up at a much faster rate than their otherwise fixed income so they won't be able to cruise so often.

Iain

 

I agree re price increases. I was not sure if it was because we are in Oz. I know for the Us and European markets they seem to have always paid less even despite the currency exchange rate. 5 years ago there were often great bargains but I have not found anything for the last 2 years .Looking at next year its just as grim. As a solo traveler cruises are slugging a much heftier single supplement. I have seen some that are actually 100% more than the combined twin price which is ridiculous.

[Chiliburn]

If you are looking for a good price now isn’t a good time from my experience but things are constantly changing .

I find December is the best .

[SinbadThePorter]

I find the best time for looking is between when the Alaska ships come back and Christmas. The cruise lines don't seem to get serious about their pricing until then.

 

Solo cruises without the single supplement have become rarer than hen's teeth. I don't know about anybody else, but I didn't see any last cruise season. The closest I could see were a couple of Maasdam cruises through the islands and even those only had a single supplement of about 50%.

[Kazzygirl]

1 hour ago, SinbadThePorter said:

I find the best time for looking is between when the Alaska ships come back and Christmas. The cruise lines don't seem to get serious about their pricing until then.

 

Solo cruises without the single supplement have become rarer than hen's teeth. I don't know about anybody else, but I didn't see any last cruise season. The closest I could see were a couple of Maasdam cruises through the islands and even those only had a single supplement of about 50%.

So what dates do the Alaskan ships come back ? is it Octoberish? So between then and Christmas you think is the best time to grab a bargain for 2020 is that correct ?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

1 hour ago, Kazzygirl said:

So what dates do the Alaskan ships come back ? is it Octoberish? So between then and Christmas you think is the best time to grab a bargain for 2020 is that correct ?

 

When they come back they sometimes offer Hawaii to Australia if you don’t want to do too many sea days and save a few bob.

[SinbadThePorter]

3 hours ago, Kazzygirl said:

So what dates do the Alaskan ships come back ? is it Octoberish? So between then and Christmas you think is the best time to grab a bargain for 2020 is that correct ?

 

Yes. The Australian cruise season is generally held to start around the first week of October when the Alaska (and sometimes Asia) ships start arriving back here.

 

As the cruises get closer to their respective sail away dates the prices tend to get keener. More cruises means more price competition (in theory).

 

There are some local ships cruising in winter, but they are mainly just P&O and Carnival from Sydney and Brisbane to New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Edited May 1, 2019 by SinbadThePorter

[Aus Traveller]

P&O have a four-day sale ending tomorrow (Sunday). For the 7-night cruise on Pacific Dawn to Noumea, Lifou and Port Vila on 21st September, oceanview cabins are $714 pp. A few TA's have a similar price and probably a booking direct with P&O would be the same.

Edited May 4, 2019 by Aus Traveller

[MicCanberra]

Sometimes a sale is not so much a sale as a way of attracting attention to cabins that just haven't sold yet.