Sky prices are crazy in 2016

[david_sobe]

I have 4 nights to get to platinum on NCL. I am eager to book a 4 night cruise from Miami. I have sailed both the 3 night and 4 night on Sky. Love the ship. But WOW are the prices way high. This "free" alcohol is called "all inclusive" LOL.

 

Last time I booked a Sky balcony for 389 per person. During a non peak week in February the balcony is now $639 per person. That is the cheapest. It even goes higher :eek: This is ONLY 4 nights. It makes no sense to spend $1500 on a short cruise on a 1999 ship with basic entertainment that is only 4 nights. For only a few hundred more you can get an inside cabin on Escape 7 nights with top notch entertainment.

I wonder if NCL will succeed with these outrageous prices on the Sky. We here in Miami love to hop on a cruise ship for a 3 night or 4 night cruise. The value is just not there. As much as I want to be platinum, I am looking at other lines and vacations. Does NCL think they can charge Escape prices on the 1999 Sky?

:eek:

Edited October 19, 2015 by david_sobe

[Moby0215]

It's called supply and demand. If people pay it then why would they lower the price?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LMaxwell]

There are some cheap weeks on the Sky; you just have to hunt for them. But yeah, they've MORE than included the "all inclusive" alcohol in a lot of the new fares.

 

I just got off the ship last week, and we had the "free free" UBP and to book the same week, same cabin for 2016 would be almost DOUBLE the cost.

 

Shiny side of the coin; now insides are included with the promo so if you just want a booze cruise, you can still do it cheap.

[DGP1111]

. . . But yeah, they've MORE than included the "all inclusive" alcohol in a lot of the new fares.

 

To say the very least. ;)

 

.

[david_sobe]

There are some cheap weeks on the Sky; you just have to hunt for them. But yeah, they've MORE than included the "all inclusive" alcohol in a lot of the new fares.

 

I just got off the ship last week, and we had the "free free" UBP and to book the same week, same cabin for 2016 would be almost DOUBLE the cost.

 

Shiny side of the coin; now insides are included with the promo so if you just want a booze cruise, you can still do it cheap.

To just get off the ship and say 2016 doubles your cost makes my point exactly.

[jkneern]

Tried to book a3 or 4 day on the Sky today and your right "WOW"!! Have done this ship the last 3 years and yes prices have doubled at least. Will have to go back to Carnival for the short trips. The UBP is not that important and definitely not free.

[bobg529]

To just get off the ship and say 2016 doubles your cost makes my point exactly.

 

David I think that they are experimenting with going all inclusive. Mind you it won't really save anyone any money, it will just allow them to lock in a higher price point. If you ar not focused on having the UBP for free, maybe you would be better off on the Escape as you suggest. You could book a Studio and save on the single "supplement". I have to admit that I would never skip the UBP but that's me!:rolleyes:

[LMaxwell]

To just get off the ship and say 2016 doubles your cost makes my point exactly.

 

And a year or two ago, there were lots of 4 nighters for 119! So even when I paid double this year I felt like I was biting the bullet and the UBP made it worth it. Now it's double the double for next year! But that's the prices they are getting now.

 

I have seen some weeks with $199 prices on 4 nighters for insides and that will include the alcohol package and, don't quote me 100% accurate on this, I am pretty sure for the sky that they are only charging the normal DSC amount and not charging for the alcohol package gratuity as a separate lump. This remains to be seen, but it is my understanding it is being treated similarly to how promos early this year were "free free" (so to speak).

 

And how dare you go on about prices when you are in Miami! Some of us have to drive down from Palm Beach with gas at $2.06 a gallon and pay for parking! HARRRUMPH!

[LMaxwell]

Just looking at some "old prices" December 2013 had interiors on 4 nighters in December for $101 per person. Even Family Oceanview Large windows were only 129.

 

Royal Caribbean is moving a "better" ship to Miami for short runs and NCL will have Epic in Pt.Canaveral as well; so if Sky isn't selling you'll see prices drop after final payment time. I think you are right in your original assessment, people won't pay $1500 for 4 nights on the Sky

[WildcatRock]

We paid $479 pp for two people for our first ever Sky cruise in 50 days (in a B1). We feel we got a great deal. Went ahead and booked a suite (SE) on the Sky for 3/14 for 3 people and paid $3600. I thought that was high until we paid for our airfare from KC which cost us $2300. Obviously our price is higher as we're going over spring break. I guess my point is that yes, prices are higher but people are paying it. We're suite cruisers (except for this years Sky cruise) and the amount we're paying for our 2016 Sky cruise will be the 2nd most expensive cruise we've ever taken. And it's only a 5 day cruise. But...we paid the price so I guess NCL's strategy is working.

[LMaxwell]

We paid $479 pp for two people for our first ever Sky cruise in 50 days (in a B1). We feel we got a great deal. Went ahead and booked a suite (SE) on the Sky for 3/14 for 3 people and paid $3600. I thought that was high until we paid for our airfare from KC which cost us $2300. Obviously our price is higher as we're going over spring break. I guess my point is that yes, prices are higher but people are paying it. We're suite cruisers (except for this years Sky cruise) and the amount we're paying for our 2016 Sky cruise will be the 2nd most expensive cruise we've ever taken. And it's only a 5 day cruise. But...we paid the price so I guess NCL's strategy is working.

 

$2300 in airfare for 3 people for a 4 day cruise. :eek::eek: That's heart stopping to me

 

If airfare is that high I'd consider a longer cruise on a newer ship; may as well maximize that flight cost. 7 days or more. Trust me...Freeport and Nassau ain't worth it!

[WildcatRock]

$2300 in airfare for 3 people for a 4 day cruise. :eek::eek: That's heart stopping to me

 

If airfare is that high I'd consider a longer cruise on a newer ship; may as well maximize that flight cost. 7 days or more. Trust me...Freeport and Nassau ain't worth it!

 

Yup, thought about that - it's a cruise with our youngest kiddo during their college spring break. Looked at a longer cruise out of Miami, TX, Tampa, etc. Airfare sucked pretty much any where we went - thank you Kansas City International Airport! We may have been able to wait to book airfare but having never flown over spring break we didn't want to risk missing out on flights. Decided to go with the 4 day Sky out of Miami as we can have some fun in Miami the day before and thought we'd have a great time on the Sky. It's amazing - we've never cruised on the Sky before and have two cruises planned on her. And we're really looking forward to them!!

[aztekpm]

Noticed the exact same thing, was on the Sky in Sept and was thinking of booking one in late April/early May and it wasn't double what I paid for a balcony per person, but double per person for an inside, not even an oceanview! Booked with Carnival instead for a longer cruise and half the price. Even having to pay for alcohol, I'll come out ahead for a longer cruise and no Nassau or Freeport.

[cliffd64]

I have 4 nights to get to platinum on NCL. I am eager to book a 4 night cruise from Miami. I have sailed both the 3 night and 4 night on Sky. Love the ship. But WOW are the prices way high. This "free" alcohol is called "all inclusive" LOL.

 

Last time I booked a Sky balcony for 389 per person. During a non peak week in February the balcony is now $639 per person. That is the cheapest. It even goes higher :eek: This is ONLY 4 nights. It makes no sense to spend $1500 on a short cruise on a 1999 ship with basic entertainment that is only 4 nights. For only a few hundred more you can get an inside cabin on Escape 7 nights with top notch entertainment.

I wonder if NCL will succeed with these outrageous prices on the Sky. We here in Miami love to hop on a cruise ship for a 3 night or 4 night cruise. The value is just not there. As much as I want to be platinum, I am looking at other lines and vacations. Does NCL think they can charge Escape prices on the 1999 Sky?

:eek:

 

 

I will admit is seems that NCL is placing a premium on the week(s) you are selecting, but it seems like the pricing is more normal in true non-peak times like the late fall (first few weeks of December for instance). Let's admit it... February is peak season, the entire month. Some weeks (school vacation weeks) are more peak than others, but generally January thru April are considered the peak season for that market. I can still book a balcony for 399 per person on one of those December weeks if I would choose to. That equates to 100 dollars a day, which is a decent balcony price in my book.

 

I believe there are a few things at play here: These promos and the all inclusive program on the Sky are attracting a large number of new cruisers to NCL and in some cases, they are trying out the Sky as their first NCL trip. This is increasing demand in the busy seasons and driving prices upwards. Until people stop paying the current prices, they will stay higher on the busy weeks. If the ships are not booking because of the price, then they will come down. If you have the flexibility, I would wait to book until closer to travel time and see what happens to the price.

[dolita22]

My mom and I have both sailed the Sky before, but next June we're doing the 4-day sailing and bringing along 10 (yep, 10) first-time cruisers. The prices for 2016 are higher than what we've paid for past sailings on the Sky, but those sailings have also been in the off-season in September. With going in June, we expected higher prices. The first-time cruisers we're bringing have obviously never cruised before, nor looked at cruise pricing, and think the price we're paying for the cruise + drinks + food is a good deal. So, I guess some of it is also perspective. Another poster mentioned that the "all-inclusive" idea is attracting new NCL cruisers, and in our case, it's attracting new cruisers in general.