Fewer short Caribbean cruises next fall

[Vacationdreamer<><]

I haven't been on the Princess board for a bit as I've been planning our family NCL cruise (and WDW) trip. However, I began looking for a ladies-getaway-cruise next fall for my sister, mother, and myself. I am sad to see there are only TWO short fall cruises (a four day and a five day) on Princess next Oct and Nov. (By comparison there are still six showing up for this year in Oct and Nov, and Oct is a third over.)

 

I know asking about it won't make more choices appear... :rolleyes: but I wondered if anyone knows why there are fewer? Have ships moved to other locations? Are the shorter cruises less lucrative for PCI? Again - just inquiring. I haven't been over here. THANK YOU! :)

[skynight]

I haven't been on the Princess board for a bit as I've been planning our family NCL cruise (and WDW) trip. However' date=' I began looking for a ladies-getaway-cruise next fall for my sister, mother, and myself. I am sad to see there are only TWO short fall cruises (a four day and a five day) on Princess next Oct and Nov. (By comparison there are still six showing up for this year in Oct and Nov, and Oct is a third over.)

 

I know asking about it won't make more choices appear... :rolleyes: but I wondered if anyone knows why there are fewer? Have ships moved to other locations? Are the shorter cruises less lucrative for PCI? Again - just inquiring. I haven't been over here. THANK YOU! :)[/quote']

 

It's cost and revenue just as you would expect. Extra cost involved in docking at Port Everglades, less on board revenue/day especially on turn around days, depressed fares due to more competition.

[birdiebill]

The ten day Royal Princess Southern Caribbean for January 29 is nearly sold out. The seven day Royal Princess Eastern Caribbean for Feb 8 which immediately follows is wide open for stateroom selection. Even the seven day cruises are not filling up as fast.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

It's cost and revenue just as you would expect. Extra cost involved in docking at Port Everglades, less on board revenue/day especially on turn around days, depressed fares due to more competition.

 

 

 

The ten day Royal Princess Southern Caribbean for January 29 is nearly sold out. The seven day Royal Princess Eastern Caribbean for Feb 8 which immediately follows is wide open for stateroom selection. Even the seven day cruises are not filling up as fast.

 

 

Thank you, both.

Most of this fall's sailing show sold out in multiple categories.

Taking your answers together, do you think these were sold out late through sales?

[Nan_Sea]

[quote=

There really have not been any true sales. Not like in the past two years .

[baronessk]

I was really looking forward to celebrating my big 6-0 in April 2017 on a Princess cruise, Caribbean itinerary as I can drive to the port, and getting a whole LOT of friends and family to join me. Unfortunately, there is very little to choose from and I cannot expect others to spend a whole weeks vacation on my b-day. Very disappointing that if I want to fulfill this I will need to use Carnival, Norwegian, etc.

[Colo Cruiser]

Its all about marketing, going where the $$ are.

[caribill]

Princess tried to get a good piece of the 4 and five day market for cruises out of South Florida, but had a big problem luring customers away from, Carnival and RCI who have had those cruises for years.

 

One year they had to actually give the cruises away (get full credit for cruise cost (except taxes) if you booked a 7 day or longer cruise later in the year). That helped fill the cruises up fast. People who had never been in a full suite before booked a suite knowing they would get almost all of the cost back.

 

Obviously not a great way to make a profit.

[blindrid]

If anything, I've been disappointed without longer cruises from Nov-Dec as the cruise lines must not take into consideration of us employed folks needing to burn vacation time before end of year. Last year "X" for 11 days, this year, Princess 10 day, next year looks like all inclusive in MX.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Princess tried to get a good piece of the 4 and five day market for cruises out of South Florida, but had a big problem luring customers away from, Carnival and RCI who have had those cruises for years.

 

One year they had to actually give the cruises away (get full credit for cruise cost (except taxes) if you booked a 7 day or longer cruise later in the year). That helped fill the cruises up fast. People who had never been in a full suite before booked a suite knowing they would get almost all of the cost back.

 

Obviously not a great way to make a profit.

 

Princess did the same thing out of Los Angeles last year with 3 and 4-nighters. They were cut way back in # for this year, and farther still for next. Carnival does them year-round out of nearby Long Beach, so I guess Princess just couldn't compete profitably.

Edited October 15, 2015 by SoCal Cruiser78

[Vacationdreamer<><]

There really have not been any true sales. Not like in the past two years .

 

 

 

This is what makes this hard to understand. If the six from this year sold without the discounts, I would have guessed (erroneously, it seems) that that would be great motivation to have more. :confused:

 

One GOOD thing about what I see next fall: When I do searches on travel website for 4/5 day cruises across all lines, Princess is offering their two cruises on the Royal - a nice new ship! - whist similar cruises on Carnival and RCI are on much older ships. (I'm a bit hesitant to cruise Carnival to begin with, but with an older ship I'm even more so.)

[Vacationdreamer<><]

[quote name=

There really have not been any true sales. Not like in the past two years .[/quote]

 

Princess tried to get a good piece of the 4 and five day market for cruises out of South Florida, but had a big problem luring customers away from, Carnival and RCI who have had those cruises for years.

 

One year they had to actually give the cruises away (get full credit for cruise cost (except taxes) if you booked a 7 day or longer cruise later in the year). That helped fill the cruises up fast. People who had never been in a full suite before booked a suite knowing they would get almost all of the cost back.

 

Obviously not a great way to make a profit.

 

Wow. I'm - just - wow. :eek: I can't imagine having to twist my arm for Princess for an adult trip.

 

I've only done Princess once - a five-night last year to not-so-amazing ports. But I was wowed by the product. It was the first line I looked at when my sister and I started talking about doing a short cruise together next fall. I went so far as to look up the manufacture year of a few of the Carnival and RCI ships, but didn't look any farther into those ships. The sun decks, the movies all day by the pool, the 'Soda and More package', the MDR on CB were all so satisfying. I just don't want to go to another product.

[kendon]

While I'm not interested at all in the short Caribbean runs, the 7 day itineraries need to be more interesting for sure.

 

Sorry off topic, but thought I'd add my 2 cents on the Caribbean cruises.

[Nan_Sea]

Some new ports would be welcomed.

[Vacationdreamer<><]

I'm such a newbie, most ports are new to me. :) It's the CB that wooed me. I just loved the ship. [emoji173]

[baronessk]

Seems to me that they just moved the short cruises from FLL to the West Coast.

[karabear15]

Bummed too. Working in the public school district, I'm not able to take vacations whenever I see fit. I was looking today to see if there were any available for when we have long weekends, but nothing. Guess I have to stick to my week long trips...darn :p

[Vacationdreamer<><]

Seems to me that they just moved the short cruises from FLL to the West Coast.

 

 

Yeah. Where it isn't as warm & costs twice as much for me to fly. [emoji12]

[caribill]

Some new ports would be welcomed.

 

Just need to create some new islands within appropriate sailing time.

 

(Of course existing island Cuba may be possible in the not-to-far future.)