New Itineraries OVERPRICED????

[Esahuma]

And royal said 2016 was a year of no last minute discount. Can't wait to see how this will end :-0

 

They will then sail with a lot of empty cabins!

 

It's a business. They will price whatever the market will bear. If you find them too expensive and move to a different "cheaper" line, so be it. It appears someone else will pay the higher price. Has anyone sailed on a ship that isn't essentially full? I haven't. I'm sure Royal Caribbean will lower prices as necessary. In the meantime, I doubt anyone will get a letter asking why you have switched cruise lines.

I'm curious, exactly what is "fair pricing?" If you compare the cost of a cruise in 1998 (the first year I cruised) using an inflation calculator, you'll find that cruising is extremely cheaper than it was then.

For me, I haven't found another line that will deliver the product I like for a price low enough to switch. I've done Celebrity, Carnival, NCL, and Princess. Still prefer Royal Caribbean. But, that may change.

 

YES - we have sailed on ships not full - BTW - you can go to cruise fish dot com to find out what percentage of a ship is empty to date and guess what - many of the RCL ship are lacking!

[Esahuma]

Jane, over the past couple of weeks, lots of friends have said to me, "Oh, we are on Cruise X. Book it!" And they are all WAY too expensive. And then I looked at some of them again today......and they are even MORE expensive!

 

Either Esahuma is right, and Richard Fain needs his head examined, or the public is going to pay these prices and you and I are staying at home!

 

:eek:

 

I realize that we can take fewer cruises and pay more BUT....these prices are too high - when new cruisers start comparing to other lines...they will pick the least expensive!

 

Yes. The prices are too high Audri. We have 2 cruises that were booked prior to the BOGHO. We have one that we booked onboard, (for September) that is reasonable, but we will have to move or cancel it, because we found out our FL friends can't sail with us that week.

 

With the large price increases...I'm not sure that there is anything for us to move it to.

 

The new itineraries (so far) don't seem to have sailings that are reasonably priced, either.

 

Agreed Patti - we are not going to pay higher prices to cruise to islands that we have been to over and over again -

 

We will travel to Europe and do those cruises or do less cruising and more land trips!

[Esahuma]

We are booked on the 8 day Canada/ New England Oct 1, 2015 in a GS. The price for the 9 day Oct 2016 is $872.00 per person HIGHER!!!!!:(

 

Hope this helps!

 

Exactly - highway robbery! I understand that all business need to make $$ but this is ridiculous!

[Esahuma]

The price for adventure June 2016 is $2856.02. It claims the price per person is $1831 before the Bogo. This is for d1 balcony. We are on the same exact cruise this June 2015 and we took the same one in 2014. The price was $979pp in 2014 and our 2015 price is $999 pp. Total w taxes is $2107. Do I believe in inflation? Yes. But a $700 increase in one year? No thanks. We will look for a better offer or wait to see if the prices come down. Saying that the price per person to cruise out of San Juan is $1831 per person is a joke. I don't even think a first time cruiser would believe that nonsense.

 

We did the April 2014 TA on Legend -16 days - with excellent Ports - Azures - Ireland - France - Belgium - Amsterday - Copenhagen -in a JS for only $2800 for two of us -

 

This year the price for same TA only 15 days without BOGO was $10,250 - GO FIGURE -

[Esahuma]

Not even remotely correct.

 

There wasn't a deal last year in July when I booked my 2016 cruise. There wasn't a deal in February when I looked this year. The deals are not constant, but you have to be diligent. There have been multiple other times throughout the year where I checked and there was no 'deal' pricing and prices were low. If you don't believe me, that's on you, not me.

 

Like many other 'loyal to Royal' fans - I keep a watch on the cruise prices DAILY - being my own travel agent is part of my day -

 

There have not been great deals for over a year now - and Royal has so over inflated their prices that IF they do go down - they will have to give everyone that is booked at a higher price the decrease - SO where does that benefit them?

 

They have the right as a business to do as they please - but as a D+ C&A member - I also have the right to take my business elsewhere

[Debde]

NCL is giving great deals and promotions so its a great time to try another line. I jumped on that train in a hurry so at least I can see what NCL is all about.

Also-lots of great land based vacations out there too. Lots of AI's are also giving great deals.

[Duke Mazer]

What a shame! Looking through 3 pages looks like Royal is going to lose a lot of it's bread and butter customers. It's just odd for them to take such big price jumps in one shot and also hike drink prices. If they are leading the pack and other lines follow suit then bad for us good for the industry. If not it's going to be bad for RCL. They may be trying to appeal to new cruisers but even people that don't know what last years prices and still do comparison shopping. Look at the prices for similar cruises and competition is cheaper. NCL in really giving them a run for their money. Real shame

[CarpeCerevisi]

Pricing can be so strange at times. I was looking at the Canada / New England cruises on Anthem for September 2016 sailing as a solo. When I looked at balcony cabins the studio with balcony, the ones without a single supplement, were more expensive than most standard balconies with a single supplement included. When I include my 150% maximum single supplement the price for a full sized balcony cabin is a around $1000 less than the studio! They advertise the studios to be perfect for singles but then jack up the prices. Do they figure people can't do arithmetic? And before anyone asks, there were no special rates involved and the single rate was he same as two people together, i.e. 200% with supplement.

[Brandywine_101]

I posted this somewhere else, but it's relevant here too. I was shocked at how much lower NCL was than RCL.

 

Norwegian has a promo stated as the following:

3rd & 4th Guest Sail » 50% Off

Choose one:

Free Beverage Package » when booking an oceanview, balcony or mini-suite

Free Dining Package » when booking an oceanview, balcony or mini-suite)

Free Gratuities » when booking an oceanview, balcony or mini-suite)

Up to $300 Onboard Credit » All staterooms ($25 inside up to $300 suite) Per cabin, not per guest.

Haven/Suites » Get all offers (beverage, dinning, gratutities, $300 obc)

 

 

 

Haven and Suites automatically get all amenities. If you pick a Haven or any Suite you do not need to apply a promo code.

 

Insides and Studios automatically get onboard credit and are not eligible for Prepaid Gratuities, the Beverage Packages, or the Dining packages.

Oceanviews, Balconies, Spa Staterooms, and Mini-Suites get to choose any one of the above offers! The choice is yours.

 

I made a mock booking for 7 night western Caribbean for a mini-suite, mid-ship. Total $2400 ($400 deposit). Includes beverage pkg, dinning pkg, paid gratuities and $200 obc. WOW. Now THAT is a helluva good deal... almost too good to pass up.

[dplusd]

The new "promotion" did not motivate me to book anything with Royal! It did make me replace one planned vacation with a driving trip to National Parks and made me look again at Princess (which we also enjoy) and NCL (which we will probably try next).

 

I just don't perceive the Royal brand to be sufficiently better than Princess or Celebrity to justify their higher costs. And their higher drink prices and increased gratuity is just the icing on the cake to drive me elsewhere!

 

Even though I have a decent Jr Suite rate on the Oasis this holiday, I may just replace it with a Princess or NCL cruise to register my displeasure with Royal. I love the pizza and Trident Grill on Princess and on NCL I can wear shorts to dinner...humm. Lots of good options out there!

Edited March 12, 2015 by dplusd
sp

[Brandywine_101]

Right now the US dollar is very strong against the Euro, the yen and Canadian & Australian dollars, so I'd say that's not it.

 

RCI is going after first time cruisers who don't know what prices used to be or what you used to get for your cruising dollar, yen or Euro. Those of us who know better haven't been their target market for a couple of years now.

Well hopefully those of "other" first time cruiser will find this lovely site BEFORE they book. I'm so grateful that I found it before my maiden voyage. You guys helped me a ton! And now I'm getting to know what a good deal "really" looks like (and what it doesn't).

[Brandywine_101]

I agree that Royal Caribbean may be looking for a different target market, but I believe this will come back to haunt them. They also think Asia is going to be their cash crop - demanding higher prices than the Caribbean market. Unfortunately, I also believe that Asia may be hot initially, but pricing will not hold and end in disappointment. They have given downward guidance in their last two quarterly reports - maybe sand bagging for a surprise... I don't know?

 

I am going to use an example of a Hotel/Casino in Atlantic City that opened only a few years ago. Some of you may be familiar with the Revel casino. They built a massive, beautiful hotel/casino. It was the Quantum/Anthem of Atlantic City. People couldn't wait for it to open. They also came to market with a "Our brand is better" kind of attitude. They claimed right from the start that they were not going to offer the loyalty rewards that other local casinos offered their regulars. They did not discount rooms - they tried demanding the highest price/room in AC. The entire complex was 100% smoke free - not that I'm a smoker, but it is a casino, right? I liked the non-smoking part, but it was almost like a slap in the face to the local patrons - kind of like a "we're too good for you" attitude. They said they were not going to cater to the companies that brought in bus loads of people to spend money in their casino.

 

Like anything new and glamorous, it attracted people at first, but that diminished quickly. Only a year into business, financial problems started to surface. They tried to change their business model to improve their business. They began to allow smoking in certain areas, they started to discount rooms to loyal patrons that spent real money in their casino. In their last year of business, they were giving away free rooms to anyone with a credit card in desperation. Unfortunately, this failed to stimulate business - because their "Our brand is better" attitude left a bad taste in the mouths of the "regulars" to the AC casino market. It was too late.

 

You see, in any business, there are customers that are the "bread and butter" to the bottom line. These are the customers that return regularly and continue to give business to the brand. They are the customers that ensure the companies have enough cash flow to pay their employees, the electric and fuel bills, keep their lights on to say... These are the Cruise Critic members to the cruise industry !

 

Yes, RC is correct in trying to attract new customers - let's call them "The icing on the cake" customers. These are the customers that will improve the bottom line and make shareholders happy.

 

Royal Caribbean is losing it's bread and butter customers. Will it hurt them in the long run? I think it will...

 

This is all my opinion.

 

- Doc

Another lovely narrative. I agree 125%! I remember fondly the Revel. I stayed there a few times, and it's as you said... or was... very high-brow. It didn't last very long because AC is not Vegas. AC is for the "working man". The salt of the earth types... or the bread and butter - as you put it. Think blue hair ladies in spandex with a cigarette hanging from their mouths. It's not Ivana Trump in an evening gown with champagne! I love AC, even more than Vegas... perhaps for that reason, you can actually "be yourself" in AC. Anyway, just wanted to say you are probably right with RCL heading in the wrong direction. I'm sorry I waited so long to join the cruising society. And I hope RCL does turn things around and opens up 2016 for those affordable, last minute cruises I was looking forward to taking! Ugh.

[north29]

Travel/cruising is at an all time high, the cruise lines can get what they want. Maybe NCL would be a good choice for many, but most times you get what you pay for.

Having said that, I do believe RC is over priced right now, at least for my needs, and travel experiences. If only Holland America with theirs unique cruises would give me a drink package and I do not drink much, I would love to do some special itineraries with them, Especially with some of the discounted prices I have seen.

[John&LaLa]

2015 Liberty New England & Bermuda inside L 14 days $3000.

 

2016 Anthem New England & Bermuda inside L 14 days $4200.

 

Same time frame.

 

New ship vs old ship for an add'l $85 per day. Not entirely outrageous

[Brandywine_101]

It's a business. They will price whatever the market will bear. If you find them too expensive and move to a different "cheaper" line, so be it. It appears someone else will pay the higher price. Has anyone sailed on a ship that isn't essentially full? I haven't. I'm sure Royal Caribbean will lower prices as necessary. In the meantime, I doubt anyone will get a letter asking why you have switched cruise lines.

I'm curious, exactly what is "fair pricing?" If you compare the cost of a cruise in 1998 (the first year I cruised) using an inflation calculator, you'll find that cruising is extremely cheaper than it was then.

For me, I haven't found another line that will deliver the product I like for a price low enough to switch. I've done Celebrity, Carnival, NCL, and Princess. Still prefer Royal Caribbean. But, that may change.

It's a business, but clearly they need their customers in order to stay afloat - sota speak. I've only cruised once, and it was lovely and I like RCL's product, but if I can get a comparable product at a significantly lower rate from another carrier, wouldn't I be foolish not to take advantage? The fact that I won't get a letter from RCL asking why I've stopped cruising with them is a proving my point. Here's an example: I recently switched banks because I didn't like how my direct deposits were being handled. I have several things coming and going from several accounts, and I depend on the bank to do their part and keep up. I received an email from the bank asking WHY I switch stating... "we noticed you no longer get direct deposits" (I didn't close the account just stopped the deposits) and the email was asking me to either call or email them so they can try to "win" me back. I haven't called yet, but the point is, if you're being "loyal" to a company and they appreciate it, they SHOULD respond when you stop using their services/products. They should want to find out what they did wrong and see if there is room to improve. There are so many cruise lines offering comparable products, RCL would be a fool not to notice they're "bread and butter" as one person called us, going elsewhere. That's my take on it.

[cocacola86]

Do you find Celebrity overpriced?

[Flafun888]

We've already made the switch.... Did a 7 night on the Norwegian Breakaway a couple of weeks ago and Loved it ! Prices were considerably less than RC and it included their Ultimate Beverage Package for free - and cabin price was not inflated to cover cost of package.

 

One of the best cruises we've ever taken, and we've done over 25 with Royal Caribbean.

 

Doc Rick: could you tell me if there were lots of really wild/unruly kids when you sailed NCL? I keep considering that line and this thread is convincing me even more...but I heard from two different people that sailed them and warned me to avoid them at all costs. They said their sailing had tons of little kids and teens that practically take over the ship....huge crowds not managed well. (And both these people are fairly low-key/easygoing...not the type to complain about everything.)

 

I'd actually like to give NCL a try - and certainly have nothing against kids in general. Lively and all ages is good! Just don't want it to extremes...where there's tons of kids screaming, crying, etc. Thinking maybe the whole "3rd and 4th person sail free" attracts more families?

[Midwestgal]

I'm glad I booked 14 months out as my cruise is up almost $400.00:eek:

[Merion_Mom]

Doc Rick: could you tell me if there were lots of really wild/unruly kids when you sailed NCL? I keep considering that line and this thread is convincing me even more...but I heard from two different people that sailed them and warned me to avoid them at all costs. They said their sailing had tons of little kids and teens that practically take over the ship....huge crowds not managed well. (And both these people are fairly low-key/easygoing...not the type to complain about everything.)

 

I'd actually like to give NCL a try - and certainly have nothing against kids in general. Lively and all ages is good! Just don't want it to extremes...where there's tons of kids screaming, crying, etc. Thinking maybe the whole "3rd and 4th person sail free" attracts more families?

 

THAT is a function of timing, not NCL vs RC. Don't cruise during school vacations if you want to avoid kids. That's winter breaks, summer vacation, and the very wide season known as "spring break".

[cocacola86]

Do the prices go up because of the sail and drop down in price after?

[Clarea]

Do the prices go up because of the sail and drop down in price after?

Unfortunately, the sale has not ended since May 2014. The name changes a bit, and some of the perks, but it's largely the same.

[gaylemh]

Pricing can be so strange at times. I was looking at the Canada / New England cruises on Anthem for September 2016 sailing as a solo. When I looked at balcony cabins the studio with balcony, the ones without a single supplement, were more expensive than most standard balconies with a single supplement included. When I include my 150% maximum single supplement the price for a full sized balcony cabin is a around $1000 less than the studio! They advertise the studios to be perfect for singles but then jack up the prices. Do they figure people can't do arithmetic? And before anyone asks, there were no special rates involved and the single rate was he same as two people together, i.e. 200% with supplement.

 

I would check again in a few days. The same thing happened when the Quantum first released their bookings. The prices were showing for 2, and weren't adjusted for one. If you are interested, the 10/20/16 9 night to the Caribbean has studios for $1250-$1400 depending on your balcony discount. About $1000 less than a regular balcony.

[gaylemh]

They will then sail with a lot of empty cabins!

 

 

 

YES - we have sailed on ships not full - BTW - you can go to cruise fish dot com to find out what percentage of a ship is empty to date and guess what - many of the RCL ship are lacking!

 

That website show the % of different cabin categories available, not the % of empty cabins. So even if only 1 cabin out of 200 of a category is available it will be included in the %.

[lesnpatty]

I just checked on the price of my 11 day Southern Caribbean booking. We booked D1 Aft 9256 :) last May for $2839, including taxes and gratuities. The price has gone up to $3974, that is an increase of 40%. I am so glad we booked the day they released the itinerary, not only for the price but for such a coveted balcony. There is no way I would pay $3974 for this cruise though, I would be checking out Princess instead.

[Tagsalong]

In December Richard says to Wall Street "Bookings look good and I feel we will not have to do last minute fare reductions to fill our ships". He then whispers into Adam's ear "Make It Happen".

 

In January Richard says to Wall Street "We will double our earnings in 2015". He then whispers into Adam's ear "Make It Happen".

 

Adam has his Executive Team Meetings and says "Make It Happen".

 

Michael Bailey must now "Make It Happen". Lisa Lutoff Perlo must now "Make It Happen". (Don't know the Key Players in Pullman Tours, TUI, Azamara and Croisières de France)

 

Only time will tell whether they are successful.

 

In the mean time DW and I will be booking a lot more MSC, Princess and NCL since they fit our budget constraints.

 

My quotes do not mean that I was the fly-on-the-wall and know, for sure, what was precisely said by the co-conspirators.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Tagsalong