Finally forcing me to re-think

[Hoopster95]

Very sad day for me.... After about a week of painfully figuring out and analyzing all my options, I have decided to walk away from an RCCL option for the first time in a few years.

 

Today is the end of a big "wave" sail for the online TA I've used the past couple of years. I have been studying and planning a bucket list/milestone Brazil-Argentina cruise since last year to take place in 2017 during Carnivale. The price? For the cheapest oceanview cabin forward on deck 2... = $6600USD. :eek: But of course to offset that massive price with RCCL's pricing strategy, they're "giving me for free" a drink package. They say this is worth $1372, but only pays for $8 drinks (more than half are over $8), and being on shore 10 out of 14 days I would never get the use of this plus free grats and a $75 OBC. Crazy expensive...

 

The kicker is the Canadian dollar. Total cost $6600USD = $8,646 Canadian my cost :eek::eek::mad::mad:

Again, I repeat for me $8,646 for the cheapest most forward deck 2 oceanview cabin, 14 days, on the refurbished but older Infinity (Vision Class sized)

 

For the above same Canadian money I can do a full land tour of Rio, Buenos Aries, Iguazu Falls & Uruguay with all flights/hotel included over same 14 days... P L U S I can fly to Peru and do a 7 day Machu Pichu tour with all flights/hotels/tours included also. All for the same money... and this would be 21 days, not 14. Is my decision here not a no-brainer? RCCL has finally broken me to look at land vacations, and especially other cruise lines now also if I wish to get my cruise fix. I'm a huge RCCL fan and woud've loved to pull a "SuperMario" or "Merion_Mom" some day and sail a ton on Royal when I get closer to retirement, but I'm sad that maybe the tipping point for me has possibly arrived much sooner than I ever thought. Anyone else feeling the same?

 

Solution for RCCL? Reduce the price of cruise by the $1372 drink package. I'll pay for drinks as I go, like I always do. Also offer a Canadian on par deal as was done a few years ago, at bare minimum an OBC, so that we'd spend that money with Royal (highly marked up profit centers like excursions, drinks, etc) rather than elsewhere. Btw, I just got emailed yesterday Canadian specials on par rates for several Princess cruises.

 

Thx for listening CC family.

[JimAOk1945]

Yes, I know that feeling. As much as we love cruising, we are beginning to consider other options. We will still cruise, just not as often as we had planned.

[39august]

How are you able to access cruise dates and prices for 2017, please? We in the US cannot see these.

[orville99]

2017 itineraries are not out yet. They've only released through April 2016:confused:

[setsail]

OK:rolleyes:

[biomedbob]

I feel your pain......

 

We had our #87th and #88th booked for this year. Dropped one of them as we got a much better deal on another line.

 

Stockholder credit is a joke. Haven't been able to use for several years. Value has more than doubled, but that wasn't the reason we bought it.

 

We'll still be doing good old Grandeur to Canada this year, but future is unclear.

 

Have to look at river cruises.

[39august]

Orville99: I know. That is why I asked the OP how she was able to look at a 2017 cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

2017 itineraries are not out yet. They've only released through April 2016:confused:

 

OP is talking about Celebrity Infinity, if I am reading their post correctly, and those itineraries are out for 2017.

 

This cruise I think.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/cruises/cruise-package-IN14F073?packageid=IN14F073&dest=SAMER&shipCode=IN&shipName=Celebrity-Infinity

Edited January 31, 2015 by reallyitsmema

[TxKroozer]

I too am scratching my head wondering how pricing is available on RCCL for 2017 when those schedules are not out yet, or maybe I am wrong. celebrity has release some 2017, but not many.

 

And to your point of balking for such a rate, we will still consider cruising is far better than most land options. There are exceptions which this poster, if Al, facts are correct has encountered, but for us, picking a Hawaii cruise on the Legend for 10 days at $792 per person before taxes and gratuities with simple $300 airfare for two to San Diego is far more economical than any 5 day stay in Hawaii with airfare. I say 5 days as 5 days of the 10 cruise is sailing over to Hawaii.

 

We are against the drink package being added into pricing, but there are still ways to get lower and reasonable fares.

 

As to the Stockholder benefit, we sold many yrs ago as they placed so many restrictions it became of no value to us. Glad to see the stick is up, but we aren't shareholders anymore.

[papaflamingo]

Did a cruise on Celebrity in Nov. Had a good time. But like Royal Caribbean better. Have done 4 Carnival cruises. Had a good time. But like Royal Caribbean better. Did one NCL cruise. Liked Royal Caribbean better. Did one Princess cruise. Like Royal Caribbean better. My advice, try another cruise line. It'll be fun, possibly cheaper, and you may prefer the whole experience better. Or you may realize, like me, you like Royal Caribbean better.

If you can do the South America tour for less, and that is what you want to do, then by all means do it. But "land vacations" and cruise vacations are different. It's really what people like best. I don't "fit" too well with the other cruise lines for various reasons. Some are too stodgy, some to crazy. For me, my wife, and my friends, Royal Caribbean offers what we look for when we cruise. I do "land vacations" sometimes, but don't like packing and unpacking and moving hotels every day. So I prefer to get on a cruise ship, unpack once, and pack once at the end. Have a "known quantity" when if comes to meals, and lodging. But that's my "likes."

As for the cost, in reality, I haven't found that Royal Caribbean is particularly more expensive than other cruise lines. It's just how the economy has become. People are doing well and spending money. So the cruise lines can fill the ships and still charge more. That's simply pure "capitalism."

[Bronx12]

Hoopster95, I am in Nova Scotia and I am wondering if you could post the link to Princess cruise lines Canadian at Par promo, I looked on their website and I couldn't find it. Thanks :)

[EmJakeBubbie]

I cruise because I love being on the sea and relaxing.

If I had a bucket list, as OP stated, I'd be doing a land-version, not ship. Different strokes for different folks, but, imho, a cruise is a cruise, no matter at which port it calls. everybody on the ship/everybody off. But, I do get the OP's point: way too much money for what is offered with the token of a drink package. imho, good call, OP.

[orville99]

Orville99: I know. That is why I asked the OP how she was able to look at a 2017 cruise.

 

According to the time stamp, you and I posted at exactly the same time.

[orville99]

OP is talking about Celebrity Infinity, if I am reading their post correctly, and those itineraries are out for 2017.

 

This cruise I think.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/cruises/cruise-package-IN14F073?packageid=IN14F073&dest=SAMER&shipCode=IN&shipName=Celebrity-Infinity

 

The OP never mentions Celebrity anywhere in his post. All references are to RCCL. And, he posted on the Royal Caribbean board, not the Celebrity board. Making that specific connection is an impressive feat of reading between the lines.;)

[reallyitsmema]

Very sad day for me.... After about a week of painfully figuring out and analyzing all my options, I have decided to walk away from an RCCL option for the first time in a few years.

 

Today is the end of a big "wave" sail for the online TA I've used the past couple of years. I have been studying and planning a bucket list/milestone Brazil-Argentina cruise since last year to take place in 2017 during Carnivale. The price? For the cheapest oceanview cabin forward on deck 2... = $6600USD. :eek: But of course to offset that massive price with RCCL's pricing strategy, they're "giving me for free" a drink package. They say this is worth $1372, but only pays for $8 drinks (more than half are over $8), and being on shore 10 out of 14 days I would never get the use of this plus free grats and a $75 OBC. Crazy expensive...

 

The kicker is the Canadian dollar. Total cost $6600USD = $8,646 Canadian my cost :eek::eek:

Again, I repeat for me $8,646 for the cheapest most forward deck 2 oceanview cabin, 14 days, on the refurbished but older Infinity (Vision Class sized)

 

For the above same Canadian money I can do a full land tour of Rio, Buenos Aries, Iguazu Falls & Uruguay with all flights/hotel included over same 14 days... P L U S I can fly to Peru and do a 7 day Machu Pichu tour with all flights/hotels/tours included also. All for the same money... and this would be 21 days, not 14. Is my decision here not a no-brainer? RCCL has finally broken me to look at land vacations, and especially other cruise lines now also if I wish to get my cruise fix. I'm a huge RCCL fan and woud've loved to pull a "SuperMario" or "Merion_Mom" some day and sail a ton on Royal when I get closer to retirement, but I'm sad that maybe the tipping point for me has possibly arrived much sooner than I ever thought. Anyone else feeling the same?

 

Solution for RCCL? Reduce the price of cruise by the $1372 drink package. I'll pay for drinks as I go, like I always do. Also offer a Canadian on par deal as was done a few years ago, at bare minimum an OBC, so that we'd spend that money with Royal (highly marked up profit centers like excursions, drinks, etc) rather than elsewhere. Btw, I just got emailed yesterday Canadian specials on par rates for several Princess cruises.

 

Thx for listening CC family.

 

The OP never mentions Celebrity anywhere in his post. All references are to RCCL. And, he posted on the Royal Caribbean board, not the Celebrity board. Making that specific connection is an impressive feat of reading between the lines.;)

 

Thanks, but he does say Infinity (I bolded it above).;)

 

I agree this should be on the Celebrity board.

[RDC1]

The OP never mentions Celebrity anywhere in his post. All references are to RCCL. And, he posted on the Royal Caribbean board, not the Celebrity board. Making that specific connection is an impressive feat of reading between the lines.;)

 

Not really since they did say

 

"Again, I repeat for me $8,646 for the cheapest most forward deck 2 oceanview cabin, 14 days, on the refurbished but older Infinity"

 

That would make it Celebrity.

[awhcruiser]

So why post it here?

[ttnc4me]

Did a cruise on Celebrity in Nov. Had a good time. But like Royal Caribbean better. Have done 4 Carnival cruises. Had a good time. But like Royal Caribbean better. Did one NCL cruise. Liked Royal Caribbean better. Did one Princess cruise. Like Royal Caribbean better. My advice, try another cruise line. It'll be fun, possibly cheaper, and you may prefer the whole experience better. Or you may realize, like me, you like Royal Caribbean better.

If you can do the South America tour for less, and that is what you want to do, then by all means do it. But "land vacations" and cruise vacations are different. It's really what people like best. I don't "fit" too well with the other cruise lines for various reasons. Some are too stodgy, some to crazy. For me, my wife, and my friends, Royal Caribbean offers what we look for when we cruise. I do "land vacations" sometimes, but don't like packing and unpacking and moving hotels every day. So I prefer to get on a cruise ship, unpack once, and pack once at the end. Have a "known quantity" when if comes to meals, and lodging. But that's my "likes."

As for the cost, in reality, I haven't found that Royal Caribbean is particularly more expensive than other cruise lines. It's just how the economy has become. People are doing well and spending money. So the cruise lines can fill the ships and still charge more. That's simply pure "capitalism."

 

I have found that the people that think Royal's prices are equivalent are those who have already spent tens of thousands on Royal to reach the status which provides significantly discounted rates. For those of us starting from scratch, Royal can be a good 20-30% higher than equivalent lines/itineraries.

[wassup4565]

Yep. Until you get those free drinks with Diamond, the puny savings from being loyal are not worth the loyalty. As Platinum now, the coupons I get are mostly useless to me - not stuff I would buy or services I would use, mostly.

 

So I'm looking around at other lines and other offers.

 

However, I would not go back to vacationing on land. The food and service in the AIs we stayed in were so inferior to what we have experienced on RCI, I just won't go back to that.

[Hoopster95]

The OP never mentions Celebrity anywhere in his post. All references are to RCCL. And, he posted on the Royal Caribbean board, not the Celebrity board. Making that specific connection is an impressive feat of reading between the lines.;)

 

"Royal Caribbean International, owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in Norway and based in Miami, Florida in the United States of America. As of May 2012, with 21 ships in service, it controls a 17 percent share of the world cruise market.[3] All ships under the Royal Caribbean International brand have had names ending in "of the Seas" since 1991. Sister brands owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. are Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Cruises, Pullmantur Cruises and CDF Croisières de France."

 

RCI = our beloved Royal ships

RCCL = the parent company that also owns X, Azamara, etc

 

I posted on this forum because I think I'm more known here (see my signature) and there's been ample talk from long time cruisers very recently (Clarea, Max's'mom. etc) that the do not have anything new booked either because of these pricing games. There was another thread a few months ago by well known Pinnacle mommabean and others seriously looking at other options too.

[Hoopster95]

Hoopster95, I am in Nova Scotia and I am wondering if you could post the link to Princess cruise lines Canadian at Par promo, I looked on their website and I couldn't find it. Thanks :)

 

Email subject line:

"Savings only for British Columbia residents"

Reference promo codes: RC-, campaign code: PE5MD027/427

 

The two Hawaii sailings from Vancouver were quoted in CA$ when I first got this email

 

http://www.princess.com/find/searchResults.do?trade=H&ship=RU,AP&port=LAX,YVR&date=0315,0415&utm_source=DM_YM&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=TACTICAL&utm_content=PE5MD027_427

 

These Mexico sailings still apply

 

http://www.princess.com/find/searchResults.do?trade=M&ship=KP,NP&port=LAX&date=0415&utm_source=DM_YM&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=TACTICAL&utm_content=PE5MD027_427

[John&LaLa]

The cruise is during Carnivale, of course it is going to be pricey. :banghead:

[Biker19]

The cruise is during Carnivale, of course it is going to be pricey. :banghead:

Not only that but most South American cruises,whether on RCI or X are more expensive per day than even European sailings. Financially, you don't even need to reach the OP's level of expense to realize that land vacations make more sense compared to cruising. RCI will charge whatever the market will bear. The 2016 version of that sailing is selling for the same price levels and is almost sold out. Even the somewhat routine around the horn (or Antarctic) 14 days sailings are $5K+ in an inside, so $6600 (for OV) for the somewhat unique sailing is not unusual.

[Paulxyz2004]

Very sad day for me.... After about a week of painfully figuring out and analyzing all my options, I have decided to walk away from an RCCL option for the first time in a few years.

 

Today is the end of a big "wave" sail for the online TA I've used the past couple of years. I have been studying and planning a bucket list/milestone Brazil-Argentina cruise since last year to take place in 2017 during Carnivale. The price? For the cheapest oceanview cabin forward on deck 2... = $6600USD. :eek: But of course to offset that massive price with RCCL's pricing strategy, they're "giving me for free" a drink package. They say this is worth $1372, but only pays for $8 drinks (more than half are over $8), and being on shore 10 out of 14 days I would never get the use of this plus free grats and a $75 OBC. Crazy expensive...

 

The kicker is the Canadian dollar. Total cost $6600USD = $8,646 Canadian my cost :eek::eek::mad::mad:

Again, I repeat for me $8,646 for the cheapest most forward deck 2 oceanview cabin, 14 days, on the refurbished but older Infinity (Vision Class sized)

 

For the above same Canadian money I can do a full land tour of Rio, Buenos Aries, Iguazu Falls & Uruguay with all flights/hotel included over same 14 days... P L U S I can fly to Peru and do a 7 day Machu Pichu tour with all flights/hotels/tours included also. All for the same money... and this would be 21 days, not 14. Is my decision here not a no-brainer? RCCL has finally broken me to look at land vacations, and especially other cruise lines now also if I wish to get my cruise fix. I'm a huge RCCL fan and woud've loved to pull a "SuperMario" or "Merion_Mom" some day and sail a ton on Royal when I get closer to retirement, but I'm sad that maybe the tipping point for me has possibly arrived much sooner than I ever thought. Anyone else feeling the same?

 

To me your decision would be a no-brainer, but obviously to you it isn´t.

To me it would be a decision if a cruise or a land based vacation is the best way for my needs. If I thought a land-based vacation would be the best bang for my buck and I would like to book this trip it wouldn´t be a sad day for me. I´m a big cruise fan and a big fan of RCI but I never look at it as a sad thing if I spend my vacation Dollars any other way. I also wouldn´t see this as a tipping Point. What´s the Problem with doing a land based trip and then return to cruising?

There´s also the Option you realize how much better you like either land based trips or god forbid another cruiseline:eek:.

Wouldn´t that be a win Situation and not a sad day?

 

 

Solution for RCCL? Reduce the price of cruise by the $1372 drink package. I'll pay for drinks as I go, like I always do. Also offer a Canadian on par deal as was done a few years ago, at bare minimum an OBC, so that we'd spend that money with Royal (highly marked up profit centers like excursions, drinks, etc) rather than elsewhere. Btw, I just got emailed yesterday Canadian specials on par rates for several Princess cruises.

 

Thx for listening CC family.

 

Honestly if RCCL or in fact Celebrity can sell the cruise at the given Price, why should they lower the Price? They should sell their product at the highest possible Price. If that Price is too steep for you in a way that you find another Option that fits your Needs or is maybe even better for the same or less - good for you and good for the cruiseline. Win-Win-situation.

 

As for the Exchange rate - if booking in USD is more favourable for you, simply find a US TA and book with them. It´s easy to do.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Paulxyz2004

[Starry Eyes]

I can understand that a lighter or non drinker might not find the recent Celebrity promo appealing, especially on port intensive itineraries. The answer, it seems to me, is see if baseline prices drop after the sale ends (or if sale is essentially renewed). One can also watch for fares that do not qualify for drink package and other perks (senior fares, resident fares, inside cabins). Why fuss the last day of a sale one supposedly dislikes? Just wait as see, perhaps?

 

Carnivale pricing....important point.

 

the cruise is in 2017. If the corporation knew where the USD vs CAD would be in 2017, they should be in the currency market, not selling cruises. I can imagine the frustration, but that comes anytime one plans a far off trip outside their home currency zone