Does too low of a price have you worried?

[Karysa]

I just got an e-mail for a one day sail for $35 a day for last minute cruises. I didn't open it. Have no time for vacation and I'm sure the cost of the flight would make the deal less attractive. The first thought I had was.. How good could it be for $35 a day. I usually pay more than that for a decent dinner out. Anyone else turned off a little by such low prices?

[Nebr.cruiser]

No, it wouldn't worry me. I would pay attention to the cruise line, ship and itinerary, in case they didn't suit me, but the price I'd be very happy with. Can't live at home for $35.

 

We've been on a couple of cruises where we spent less than $50 pp per day in a balcony and had a great time.

[trish1c]

We sail NCL a lot & I really don't understand their latest "incentives". I have seen some dirt cheap cruise prices & now they are giving away a choice of unlimited specialty restaurants or unlimited drinks packages. When it was just the cheap cruise I figured they made money on the booze but now that the booze is included, it's not making sense.

[singlerail]

probably based on double occupancy...

also rooms that didnt sell, so they fill them for cheap, knowing you'll spend money onboard, at the casino, drinks, pictures, shore excursions, etc....

 

add in the airfare, and the port taxes etc... it starts adding up...

[Lerin]

No, if I lived closer to port I'd snag those deals.

 

They are just trying to fill cabins. There is a small catch. There are limited cabins available at that price and they are the most undesirable locations.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Chances are the cruise line needed to fill up the ship. If we lived near a cruise port, we would jump on a deal like that.

[BlueRiband]

I just got an e-mail for a one day sail for $35 a day for last minute cruises. I didn't open it. Have no time for vacation and I'm sure the cost of the flight would make the deal less attractive. The first thought I had was.. How good could it be for $35 a day. I usually pay more than that for a decent dinner out. Anyone else turned off a little by such low prices?

 

It sure does have me concerned. When a ship can only be filled at rock bottom prices the line has to cut costs by lowering the food budget, reducing time in port, and cutting on board speakers or entertainers. (Maybe this doesn't bother those who just want a cheap vacation.)

 

If an itinerary can only be sold at these prices the cruise line will look to deploy the ship elsewhere the following year. (Maybe this will bother those who enjoyed a rock bottom price last year but cannot find on this year.)

 

Case in point: Cunard used to offer a WB TA in mid-April at a very good price with flights included. Now the ship is on an extended world voyage and the first WB doesn't happen until later in May. (Maybe this does bother those who used to enjoy the cheap April boat ride.)

[geoherb]

We took two short cruises a few weeks ago. The 3-day one was less than $40 a day in cruise fare for a balcony cabin after taking into considering the $100 on-board credit per person. When they advertise $35 a day, it's usually without taxes and fees. The taxes on our cruise were $89 per person. Even then, we were able to sail in a nice balcony cabin for less than $70 a day. And then we had to add tips and parking. That brought us up to around $90 a day per person. (The tips, though, came out of the on-board credit, as did all of our drink purchases--no more than three per day per person.)

 

Our 4-day cruise was more per day--a base fare of $70 a day per person for a balcony, with taxes and fees added on to make it $95 a day. That's still a great price, especially considering that was a New Year's cruise.

[Karysa]

I just hope that the auto tips or service charges are kept in place. I can see some people being pretty ticked that they are paying $12 per day in service charges for a $35 a day vacation.:rolleyes:

[DirtyDawg]

I just got an e-mail for a one day sail for $35 a day for last minute cruises. I didn't open it. Have no time for vacation and I'm sure the cost of the flight would make the deal less attractive. The first thought I had was.. How good could it be for $35 a day. I usually pay more than that for a decent dinner out. Anyone else turned off a little by such low prices?

 

I feel the same way when I pull into the Gas Station these days. :eek:

 

There's gotta be something wrong about cheap(er) gas too. ;)

 

Stop worrying and enjoy it while it lasts.

[LOVINCRUIZIN]

DON'T BLAST ME....but....I did a 8/6 day B2B in December. The 6 day was short (obviously) and the price was low. The "quality" of the fellow passenger on the two cruises was vastly different. The people on the 6 day were rude, pushy, loud and expected the world. So, for me, I would rather pay more and take my chances that those that can afford to pay the higher price are a better class of people. Yes - I am stereotyping-but it is based upon my personal observance, and this is what works for me.

[Karysa]

I feel the same way when I pull into the Gas Station these days. :eek:

 

There's gotta be something wrong about cheap(er) gas too. ;)

 

Stop worrying and enjoy it while it lasts.

 

 

The Alberta Government is very worried that the low fuel prices will send that province in to a recession and the rest of Canada may follow.;)

[Karysa]

DON'T BLAST ME....but....I did a 8/6 day B2B in December. The 6 day was short (obviously) and the price was low. The "quality" of the fellow passenger on the two cruises was vastly different. The people on the 6 day were rude, pushy, loud and expected the world. So, for me, I would rather pay more and take my chances that those that can afford to pay the higher price are a better class of people. Yes - I am stereotyping-but it is based upon my personal observance, and this is what works for me.

 

I notice this with cruiselines that start out with the lowest prices as well. Seems to be more noticeable in the last 5 years actually.

[Flatbush Flyer]

DON'T BLAST ME....but....I did a 8/6 day B2B in December. The 6 day was short (obviously) and the price was low. The "quality" of the fellow passenger on the two cruises was vastly different. The people on the 6 day were rude, pushy, loud and expected the world. So, for me, I would rather pay more and take my chances that those that can afford to pay the higher price are a better class of people. Yes - I am stereotyping-but it is based upon my personal observance, and this is what works for me.

 

 

Sad but true. And I must admit that I chuckle in disbelief when folks post a boast about cheap prices only to turn around and complain in the next post about the bad to mediocre food, lousy bedding, incessant announcement, nickel/diming, etc.

 

 

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[LOVINCRUIZIN]

You're so right

[singlerail]

well I disagree, your getting on the same boat with the same people who paid $2500+ for a suite... your getting the same food, the same entertainment etc...

 

there just filling unsold rooms..

 

kinda like last minute deals on resort vacations, or airlines...

[Karysa]

well I disagree, your getting on the same boat with the same people who paid $2500+ for a suite... your getting the same food, the same entertainment etc...

 

there just filling unsold rooms..

 

kinda like last minute deals on resort vacations, or airlines...

 

I have a feeling that the $35 pp per day are not on sailings where people paid $2500 pp per 7 days for a suite. My feeling is the $35 pp per day are on ships that started their suites at much lower than $2500 pp per sailing. Otherwise :eek: that could make for some uncomfortable dinner conversations!:D

[Capt_BJ]

I'm retired and live minutes from a cruise port

 

Several times I've found these deals and taken advantage of them. The rooms were not 'in bad locations' and actually many different catagories are typically available from inside in the basement to balcony .... now the balc's were not as cheap as the basement insiders, but often you could get an oceanview for just a couple of dollars a day more than the inside ...

 

These are a DEAL for those of us who can go at the drop of the hat and not mess with plane tickets on top of the cruise.

 

I'll not comment on the sterotypes mentioned as 'filling up' these cruises .... what I DO see is a number of folks like me ... retired and living within a days drive . . .

 

After you've done Nassau a time or two the thrill is gone ... but a 3 or 4 nite cruise for $100 is a bunch of meals ... hopefully some entertainment .... and a day at sea often beats a day at home . . .

 

I'd NEVER ask someone on a cruise how much they paid .... nor would I ask the person sitting next to me on an airplane ... I try not to ask questions I don't really what to know the answer to!

Edited January 16, 2015 by Capt_BJ

[Karysa]

I'm retired and live minutes from a cruise port

 

Several times I've found these deals and taken advantage of them. The rooms were not 'in bad locations' and actually many different catagories are typically available from inside in the basement to balcony .... now the balc's were not as cheap as the basement insiders, but often you could get an oceanview for just a couple of dollars a day more than the inside ...

 

These are a DEAL for those of us who can go at the drop of the hat and not mess with plane tickets on top of the cruise.

 

I'll not comment on the sterotypes mentioned as 'filling up' these cruises .... what I DO see is a number of folks like me ... retired and living within a days drive . . .

 

After you've done Nassau a time or two the thrill is gone ... but a 3 or 4 nite cruise for $100 is a bunch of meals ... hopefully some entertainment .... and a day at sea often beats a day at home . . .

 

I'd NEVER ask someone on a cruise how much they paid .... nor would I ask the person sitting next to me on an airplane ... I try not to ask questions I don't really what to know the answer to!

 

 

But what if they found out that you booked very last minute and asked you? What would you say then?:D

[Capt_BJ]

But what if they found out that you booked very last minute and asked you? What would you say then?

 

Same thing I'll say now . . . .

[attilamom1217]

We grabbed a 'cheap cruise' for later this month. Got a residents' rate which was only available for a couple of days. We grabbed it when we first saw it. A day or two later, the price had gone up $150/person and now has gone up even more -- only two weeks before the cruise. That's right- $400 more per person since we booked and the cruise is in two weeks.!!!

 

The low prices are generally available for a short period of time and are designed to sell. Once x number of cabins have sold at the lower price, then the price goes back up and will continue to go up as cabins are sold.

[luddite]

There is a stand-up comedian who does a routine about the agency that advertises getting a four-star hotel at a one-star price.

His take is that you might wind up near a bunch of one-star people.

Think about it..........

[Karysa]

But what if they found out that you booked very last minute and asked you? What would you say then?

 

Same thing I'll say now . . . .

 

Where's the fun in that!:D

[BlueRiband]

An industry insider gave an explanation of what lower fares do to the cruise experience:

 

Originally Posted by BruceMuzz in June 2014:

 

Lower fares do indeed cheapen and also degrade the cruise experience and product - but in ways that many cruisers do not understand.

 

There are many specific itineraries that are marketed and sold at fares that are lower than average.

How do the cruise lines make any profit on these cruises?

We look at the biggest costs and cut them back.

#1 is fuel. If the passengers pay low average prices on a particular cruise, we shorten port times to allow for slower cruising with less fuel burned.

#2 is food. On notoriously inexpensive itineraries, we remove the costlier menu items and replace them with cheaper items. Halibut and prawns change to pasta and pizza. Does this cheapen or diminish your cruise experience? Perhaps.

 

There is also entertainment to consider. On less than premium itineraries and ships, we cut back on lecturers and pricier entertainers, preferring to sell their cabins to paying customers to cover the shortfall in revenues. Does this cheapen or degrade your cruise experience? Probably.

 

When we market cruises with deep discounts, we tend to see more passengers who really don't have very much money. They are only cruising because it is cheaper than staying home. But once they get onboard, they realize that many things they want and expect are not included in the fare. How do they manage to enjoy their cruise? They decline to tip the service staff. As soon as those tip removals are communicated to the staff, crew morale and service levels take a nose dive. Does this cheapen or degrade your cruise experience? There is a very good chance that it does.

 

Some itineraries are famous for very frugal passengers. A good example is a Mexican Riviera cruise out of San Diego. No matter the cruise line, passengers on these cruises spend an average $10 less per person per day than most other itineraries. $10 doesn't seem like very much - until you multiply it by a few thousand passengers, then multiply it again by 365 days per year. Suddenly you have Millions of dollars missing.

To cover the losses, we cheapen the menu, cut back on lecturers and entertainment, and shorten port times. Does this cheapen or diminish your cruise experience? Probably.

 

In Alaska this season, cruise lines are discounting heavily. We are selling nice cabins for $250 for 7 days in Alaska. Then we are trying to sell Helicopter tours for $500 per person. The people who bought a 7 day cruise for $250 are not going to spend twice as much for one tour. Very few people sign up for these great tours - so we are forced to cancel them because we cannot make the minimum numbers required by the tour operator. Does this cheapen or diminish your cruise experience? It does if you wanted to take one of those tours.

[Markanddonna]

I went on my first "really cheap cruise" on a cruiseline I said I would never travel on. It truly was an overall inferior experience with less entertainment and lower quality food. Little things like a DJ at the pool for sailaways rather than a live band, two lead singers rather than four for the main entertainment, etc. The entertainement was the worst I have ever seen on any cruise ship.

 

The biggest difference to me was the huge number of loyal past passengers who seemed to love this type of cruising: stuff yourself, try to get free/cheap cruises through lots of gambling (this casino was always packed) and little socializing among guests. I nicknamed it our "Cousin Eddie Cruise" (from the National Lampoon movies). I thought the staff was just fine and there was probably a lot of eye rolling amongst the staff. Really, a whole plate of bacon?