Higher Prices with all the promos??

[triptolemus]

That's what I've been screaming for weeks... and I suppose some (many) of the prices are higher.

 

But I just booked a 7 day Mex Riv on the Jewel for the SAME exact price I paid last year for a 7 Day on the Star, with only SUITEOBC as the promo... this go around, it's CHOSDBG, of course.

 

I guess there are some deals to be had even with the free, free, free promos. I mean, when you're paying the same price as last year on a better ship with all 4 freebies... that's a deal, right?

 

Anyway, stoked... :)

[GrabMyWrist]

When ya going? We'll be on that cruise in October, booked under the all inclusive offer. Got a steal on a 2 bedroom suite for the four of us.

[mommyto2girls]

We booked for slightly less than our last cruise with all the promos this time. So it was actually much cheaper.

[triptolemus]

We would purchase the UBP this time as we did last time (every time!)... so we're already $900 cheaper than last year out of the gate. DSC and UDP and $225 in SHOREX credit is a bonus.

 

We're going April 24, 2016 -- a week or two after spring break...double checked this! A year away, but a 2 day San Francisco to Vancouver on Princess and a 7 day Alaska Glacier Bay on the Pearl are in between...

 

Frankly, I was shocked to see our SF suite on the Jewel sporting the same $1749 that we paid last year on the Star for an SF. I'm not giving Del Feeio a pass just yet, but seems that things aren't all bad, either.

 

As an aside, the wife thinks I'm crazy, but selling her is getting easier each time -- this pitch took less than 4 minutes. :D

Edited April 9, 2015 by triptolemus

[SuiteCruiser]

A few weeks ago I booked a two bedroom suite on the Epic at a price higher than I'd ever seen them. When I booked, it was two weeks out and there were still 15 2 bedroom suites available and the price didn't budge. Eventually they upsold them all and the Haven was full.

 

The other issue was the 50% off the 3rd to 6th was charged at $500 pp, which is clearly at LEAST twice the normal prices (I have never seen $1000 pp for 3-5), especially considering that they only qualify for the UDP and a soda package.

 

Not very happy with that "deal" but happy to hear that someone is getting a deal out of this!

 

I should mention that the first week of January I scored a 2 Bedroom Haven to myself on Epic for a very good deal, less 20% thanks to CAS and got the UBP and UDP for free, but it still stung to pay more than full price for 5 adults a couple of months later.

Edited April 9, 2015 by SuiteCruiser

[spirit rev]

Just changed our suite booking for January in Hawaii. Sure, we lost the 10% OBC we got when we booked but... now we've saved a bundle and have all the freebies. What's not to like?

[herdingdogmom]

I discovered there are some deals out there this week. Our South America cruise price was jacked up 45% when the promo packages started. This week, the fares dropped dramatically (40% lower than the rate we booked a year ago) and now include the promo packages. There aren't many suites on the Sun, so we stayed with our same mini, saved $3,000 and now have UBP on a 14 day cruise. I am so thrilled.

[HeidiHo]

When I originally booked my Epic cruise for this May, the offer was the 10% back in the form of an OBC. The OBC was for just over $300.00. It kept dropping in price though and eventually, our cabin dropped by $900.00 and by then they were offering the UBP, UDP or OBC. It's a Europe cruise so we got to pick 2. So I got the $900.00 price drop, lost the just over $300.00 OBC but gained the UBP and UDP so I'd say we got a great deal. The prices have gone up again some but not a whole lot (about $200.00 for our category). It doesn't matter anymore because I am within final payment but I do keep checking just in case we could upgrade for not a whole lot of money.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

we have an aft face balcony we booked at $1079 thinking it would go down after the sale ended.

 

Silly me the sale didn't end and the price is now up to $1199pp for the beginning of February.

 

That's an insane price. If this is an ongoing sale like RCI's that never ends and the price doesn't drop I am going to seriously consider cancelling.

 

Bill

[LrgPizza]

Our Escape booking for May 2016 is almost the same price as our Getaway cruise in May 2014 for the same cabin category the same week. Since we bought UBP last time and get it free this time, we will be saving a lot. You won't hear me complain about rates.

[luvtheships]

That's what I've been screaming for weeks... and I suppose some (many) of the prices are higher.

 

But I just booked a 7 day Mex Riv on the Jewel for the SAME exact price I paid last year for a 7 Day on the Star, with only SUITEOBC as the promo... this go around, it's CHOSDBG, of course.

 

I guess there are some deals to be had even with the free, free, free promos. I mean, when you're paying the same price as last year on a better ship with all 4 freebies... that's a deal, right?

 

Anyway, stoked... :)

 

I just hit an awesome deal on the gem for jan 2016 for 3 in an inside

 

Booked immediately and couldn't care less about the promos at my price!!!!

 

In total less than $600 each for 10 days plus TA and Ncl obc of $75 in total

 

Still hoping to snag a deal on the ba though like the one we got for jan 2015.

 

Will jump immediately on it as the ba is our preference over the gem. But either works for us although the ba has better ports and us 2 days longer which we love

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[watchdiva]

Our suite on the Panama Canal cruise November 2016 dropped almost $1250 PP! Yup...you read it right. Called my PCC last Friday and was able to rebook. Saved so much that we added a 10 day Alaska cruise for May 2016!! There are deals out there.....just keep checking your booked cruises or check for new sailings and when you see it, jump on it!

[luvtheships]

Just a little more info.... Especially to Ncl who reads these boards..

 

This family books NCL based on Price....Dates....Itin....with some obc thrown in lol

 

 

 

In no particular order btw....so free stuff isn't swaying us to book

 

Fwiw I want to book ba to Bermuda this June and I check your site 3x a day ..... But notice I haven't booked it due to price!!!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[NUPDCOP]

Been tracking prices (yea color coded spread sheet - I know, way too much time on my hands) from the time we booked about 4 months ago and have not seen a price drip/drop once.....okay well they did re-categorize the ocean view guarantee with the obstructed view - so we currently have the obstructed view for the guarantee price, but that's it.

 

Now don't get me wrong, we do have the OBC (I smuggle my own whiskey on board) but we have no interest in the restaurants, we don't do excursions (when we do we book them on the land because it's way cheaper), I've covered the liquor thing, not taking the kids so 3rd/4th sail free I don't care about, etc.

 

We keep choosing NCL because we have yet to have had a bad experience...but I would really like to see some type of price drop vs trying to figure out what next things they are going to offer as a promotion. Still happy with the price we paid... as things can not stay the same for ever (price wise that is) but hard to sail with an obstructed view when we had a balcony the last time for the same price.

[CruisinMaterial]

I was really hoping for the WAVE promotion to end. The prices have been really elevated between the categories all these sale items are on and the interiors. Before the interior and ocean view would be off by maybe $150 to $200 and now it's MUCH higher on some sailings. What's the point if you're paying for the promotion you're getting your base cruise fare?

 

The shore excursion credit and this promotion running through May have really not helped me book with NCL for the voyage I planned in 2016. :(

[buckirj1]

Pricing for the cruise I've been looking at has held pretty steady throughout the promo period, but it's still too high. We'll see what happens after final payment. Actually, there was a $20 increase a few weeks ago, which maps pretty closely to the DelRio interview where he said he wanted an extra $50 per couple. $20 for a solo cruiser sounds about right.

[neilsak]

Man, you guys use more acronyms here than the company I work for, which is heavy on acronyms. Hope I can keep up below. Now, first off, I am a lattitude member, done several NCL cruises before, BUT, up until recently (this year), the only "promo" I was aware of was the OBC (woohoo got that one right). The OBC would vary from year to year, sometimes $75, sometimes $150, this year was had the most, $310. FYI, we usually stay in a MS (Mini-Suite in case this acronym has not been used yet :-)).

 

This year was the first time we saw more promos available, UBP, UDP, and damn, what was the acronym for excurions, I forget now :-(. We just took the OBC as we could not decide if we would want to drink more, eat more, or decide so early on an excursion (and eventually change our minds).

 

Now they are also offering gratuities as well, but I did not see any mention of OBC anymore.

 

So on to my questions:

 

1) The PROMO has the word OR between the various options, meaning pick 1. Do you mean to tell me that some of you actually landed 2 or more of these promos on your same booking? How, was the agent just feeling generous that day ?

 

2) If the OBC is not showing as a PROMO anymore in the list, can you or have you actually gotten an OBC on top of a PROMO choice ?? To me, that would be amazing if NCL would give me the same $300+ OBC like this year, and toss in one of the PROMOS.

 

3) I guess this is a personal choice, but what PROMO do you feel makes you come out ahead financially? Tough question though, the alcoholics will answer UBP (where as I occasionally have a glass of wine with my meal). The adventurers will say excursion for sure. The chefs/restaurant go-ers will say UDP (even though we enjoy the free dining room from time to time). Tough choice, but curious as to your decision making around this.

 

Neil

[LrgPizza]

1) The PROMO has the word OR between the various options, meaning pick 1. Do you mean to tell me that some of you actually landed 2 or more of these promos on your same booking? How, was the agent just feeling generous that day ?

 

Neil

Those in suites got all the choices, and on European sailings they got to choose 2. Edited April 9, 2015 by LrgPizza

[warriorking]

My price has pretty much stayed the same for my March 2016 cruise after its first price drop, I have however seen the free promos dropped from two to one, so I am sticking with my current deal...

[buckirj1]

Man, you guys use more acronyms here than the company I work for, which is heavy on acronyms...

...I guess this is a personal choice, but what PROMO do you feel makes you come out ahead financially? Tough question though, the alcoholics will answer UBP (where as I occasionally have a glass of wine with my meal). The adventurers will say excursion for sure. The chefs/restaurant go-ers will say UDP (even though we enjoy the free dining room from time to time). Tough choice, but curious as to your decision making around this.

 

Neil

 

I know what you mean about the acronyms, but to answer your question, none of the promos have value to me. What could be a good value to a family of cruisers is rarely a value to a solo cruiser. It really comes down to the individual, and how s/he/they like to cruise. I wouldn't use the services offered by the current "promos" anyway, so none of them mean much to me. If I can introduce one more acronym to the mix, YMMV (your mileage may vary).

 

I don't drink alcohol, so an unlimited beverage plan means nothing. I'll buy the occasional soda during the cruise, but that's all. I'm looking forward to trying Moderno as a special treat, but I rarely eat in a specialty restaurant, and certainly wouldn't do so more than once per cruise. So an unlimited dining plan means little. I plan most of my own shore excursions, and only occasionally take advantage of the ship-sponsored ones, no more than one or two per cruise. So the shore-ex "promo" means nothing. I think the last "promo" is "free" stateroom gratuities. I pay them without complaint anyway; NCL doesn't need to blow smoke up my butt by trying to convince me they're "free."

 

Cruiselines hate people like me, who spend so little onboard. I'm exactly the type DelRio wants to chase away. He might get his wish.

[clcjdn]

Just a little more info.... Especially to Ncl who reads these boards..

 

This family books NCL based on Price....Dates....Itin....with some obc thrown in lol

 

 

 

In no particular order btw....so free stuff isn't swaying us to book

 

Fwiw I want to book ba to Bermuda this June and I check your site 3x a day ..... But notice I haven't booked it due to price!!!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

We booked the BA to Bermuda in June a while back at the beginning of February when the promos first started. We were able to get UBP and KSF, but the price has increases dramatically since then. You may have missed your window on this one.....for families, I think the key is to grab it while it is KSF instead of when it moves to KS50% as that shows additional bookings and likelihood of price drops all but disappear.

[mpcaruth]

I booked our January 2016 Getaway cruise in February during the KSF promo at an amazing deal:

 

Quad BX (by the way, we have already been assigned a cabin), $125 OBC ($75 from NCL and $50 from TA), and UBP (2 adults UBP and 2 children's soda packages) for a total (inc. fees and taxes) of $2052 for all 4 of us. Today, the price has gone up $400, which is still a good deal. Low price, our first balcony, UBP, AND the new Getaway!

Edited April 9, 2015 by mpcaruth

[neilsak]

Curious, what is the age limit for KSF ?? Got a 9YR going onto 10 for next cruise. Now with a KSF+UBP promo, do you still get an OBC as well ?? I don't know why, but I have always had it, and would feel like I am gambling on giving up the hard cash (credit on account) vs taking something I may or may not make good use of, enough to cover the value of the previous OBC's offered.

[NUPDCOP]

I know what you mean about the acronyms, but to answer your question, none of the promos have value to me. What could be a good value to a family of cruisers is rarely a value to a solo cruiser. It really comes down to the individual, and how s/he/they like to cruise. I wouldn't use the services offered by the current "promos" anyway, so none of them mean much to me. If I can introduce one more acronym to the mix, YMMV (your mileage may vary).

 

I don't drink alcohol, so an unlimited beverage plan means nothing. I'll buy the occasional soda during the cruise, but that's all. I'm looking forward to trying Moderno as a special treat, but I rarely eat in a specialty restaurant, and certainly wouldn't do so more than once per cruise. So an unlimited dining plan means little. I plan most of my own shore excursions, and only occasionally take advantage of the ship-sponsored ones, no more than one or two per cruise. So the shore-ex "promo" means nothing. I think the last "promo" is "free" stateroom gratuities. I pay them without complaint anyway; NCL doesn't need to blow smoke up my butt by trying to convince me they're "free."

 

Cruiselines hate people like me, who spend so little onboard. I'm exactly the type DelRio wants to chase away. He might get his wish.

 

We are in the same boat as you - we save for at least a year in advance to pay for things...and we still don't do any of the extras on board. We like to travel and reconnect for our marriage - because of my job I work shifts and come home seeing and having dealt with things I wish no one would have to deal with (child abuse, deaths, domestics, assaults etc) I still do tip my steward for doing a great job and having that smile on his face.

 

:mad:The wave promotion should really end. The more it continues the more NCL is starting to look like SPIRIT Airlines.....pay this for that for this:mad:.

 

Promotions should be short term......4 months isn't short term, really hate to see what promotion will be starting in May because I'm trying to figure out if they will offer free coffee at the coffee bar or free sunscreen on the private islands:eek:.

[maywell]

Cruiselines hate people like me, who spend so little onboard. I'm exactly the type DelRio wants to chase away. He might get his wish.

 

 

Cruielines hate couples and families that don't want to spend money more than they do a soloer - they just have to deal with one person (that paid the fare for whatever amount it was, which is usually double-occupancy /twice the fare) that's not spending instead of a couple or a group that in their eyes is 'freeloading' even more.

 

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk