berylde Posted January 18, 2016 Author #26 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Update: We have decided not to take the RCL cruise. $5,656 too high. We should have made reservations a year ago. Thxs for all your responses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casna Posted January 18, 2016 #27 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Depending on the week with MSC you will get kids sail free and a true balcony bogo. You won't even break $2k. I love royal but not 5k plus for a balcony love royal Agreed! Have family that has sailed Msc several times and loves it. About ready to make the switch. We are diamond plus with RC but less and less impressed with food or service and with rates going through the roof. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKid Posted January 18, 2016 #28 Share Posted January 18, 2016 It definitely pays to book early. My wife and I joined Crown & Anchor club while on our last trip to Alaska and booked our April 17 trip on the Allure while on it. They do typically have sales close in to the sailing date if you're not choosy about itineraries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKid Posted January 18, 2016 #29 Share Posted January 18, 2016 As mentioned above, MSC is offering the absolute lowest price of all because they are currently offering a (real) 2 for 1 balcony offer as well as a (real) Kids Sail Free promotion, sailing on a beautiful and relatively new ship. We couldn't pass it up since the total cost of our cruise for a family of FOUR is equivalent to the cost of ONE passenger on Royal for the same week! Please post after you get back back from your MSC cruise and let us know how it compares to Royal Caribbean. I just went and looked at the MSC website, they look awful tempting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted January 18, 2016 #30 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Update:We have decided not to take the RCL cruise. $5,656 too high. We should have made reservations a year ago. Take a look at prices when the 2017-2018 itineraries come out in two months - for a 2017 summer sailing, that is likely to be the best price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Mazer Posted January 18, 2016 #31 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Price out NCL. they have have a lot of Kids sail free sales. Makes a big difference. Bottom line prices are going up and unless you find a great deal all inclusives are cheaper. Escpecially when you factor in higher drink and restaurant prices. No imagine you have had to pay 40% on top of that price! Yup that's us Canadians, not going to see as many of us on these ships with these prices going forward. Wished I could have booked 2017/18 last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaK Posted January 18, 2016 #32 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Have you tried to price a different ship? How about Allure? It leaves on a Sunday instead of Saturday, and will be doing the opposite itinerary that week, but it is essentially the same ship. How about Freedom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKid Posted January 18, 2016 #33 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) Now imagine you have had to pay 40% on top of that price! Yup that's us Canadians, not going to see as many of us on these ships with these prices going forward. Wished I could have booked 2017/18 last year I feel for my neighbors to the north. And it's not just the price of vacations affected by the Loonie taking a dive, I read where groceries are getting expensive too. I will say that it does make Canada a lot more attractive to Americans for vacations. It made our trip to PEI a bit less expensive last summer. We may just head north again this year. Edited January 18, 2016 by IndyKid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Mazer Posted January 18, 2016 #34 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I feel for my neighbors to the north. And it's not just the price of vacations affected by the Loonie taking a dive, I read where groceries are getting expensive too. I will say that it does make Canada a lot more attractive to Americans for vacations. It made our trip to PEI a bit less expensive last summer. We may just head north again this year. Please come and visit! With the way the loonie is going. You can get some real value up here for or friends from the south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCF_Knight Posted January 18, 2016 #35 Share Posted January 18, 2016 As others have stated, Summer is obviously high demand time because kids are all out of school. You are also looking at the most in demand class of ship for Royal Caribbean which they can charge a price premium for due to the demand. It is also the lowest supply time of year when looking for Caribbean sailings as a lot of ships that are here in the Winter time are off to Alaska or Europe in the Summer. All of that high demand and low supply adds up to sky high prices from mid-June to mid-August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKid Posted January 18, 2016 #36 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Please come and visit! With the way the loonie is going. You can get some real value up here for or friends from the south. Seriously looking at it. Have done the Atlantic provinces (PEI, NS and NB), so might go out west, maybe to the Rockies. Looked at rail trips but even at the current exchange rate they are pricey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadaRob Posted January 18, 2016 #37 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Seriously looking at it. Have done the Atlantic provinces (PEI, NS and NB), so might go out west, maybe to the Rockies. Looked at rail trips but even at the current exchange rate they are pricey! Fly into Edmonton-see the mall, do a dude ranch, go go Calgary see the greatest outdoor show on earth and take off to the mountains! Flights would be cheap at .65 on the dollar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OTownNick Posted January 18, 2016 #38 Share Posted January 18, 2016 My wife and I have been comparing cruise prices and an all inclusive vacations the all inclusive is by far cheaper with airfare included in the price transportation from airport all your food and drinks all watersports, trips into town bonfires on the beach and so much more for less money:eek: Out of curiosity I checked Sandals in Exuma and for 2 people it was $5,100 for 7 days, including airfare. It didn't include all drinks, just beer or wine with meals. I still think a cruise is a better value. As everyone says, book early for best prices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goneclear Posted January 18, 2016 #39 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Pricing cabins for 2 of our families in June on the Oasis. One family consists of Mom & Dad and 2 children under 12. According to RCL website, inside and OV cabins unavailable. So, the price for a superior balcony for the 4 of them is $5,656 for 7 days. The other family has 3 children. I didn't even try for a quote. I am in shock at these prices But, would like to know if I am naive. Is $ 5,656, the amount an average family would spend on a week's vacation? (doesn't include their airfare, either) If you must sail Oasis or Allure these are the kind of prices you will get unless booking very early and not for peak periods. We were having the same problem and decided to look away from Oasis and snagged a Grand Suite on Navigator .O.S eight night for just over $4,000 inclusive of gratuities. So we landed up with a much better state room with suite benefits and an extra night while saving over $1,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COMBOY Posted January 18, 2016 #40 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Pricing cabins for 2 of our families in June on the Oasis. One family consists of Mom & Dad and 2 children under 12. According to RCL website, inside and OV cabins unavailable. So, the price for a superior balcony for the 4 of them is $5,656 for 7 days. The other family has 3 children. I didn't even try for a quote. I am in shock at these prices But, would like to know if I am naive. Is $ 5,656, the amount an average family would spend on a week's vacation? (doesn't include their airfare, either) ....and that doesn't include any on your on board expenses either. It really comes down to what your travel budget is. So you have to factor in cruise, air, transfers, shorex, bar, casino, etc. If it exceeds your travel budget then you have to look at cheaper options like going "off season" or going on another cruise line or even land trip. None of know what you can afford. Since you are "shocked" by those prices then you pretty much answered your own question. Summer is peak season since kids are out of school so cruise lines jack up the prices. Since inside and outside are already sold out then demand is pretty high so RCI feels they can command those prices for balcony cabins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goneclear Posted January 18, 2016 #41 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Out of curiosity I checked Sandals in Exuma and for 2 people it was $5,100 for 7 days, including airfare. It didn't include all drinks, just beer or wine with meals. I still think a cruise is a better value. As everyone says, book early for best prices Is this new to Sandals? I have vacationed at several Sandals in Jamaica and St Lucia at least 6 times and all alcohol was always included. Some suites even have a full bar set up in them with large bottles of Rum, Scotch, Vodka, Gin etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Tapi Posted January 18, 2016 #42 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Out of curiosity I checked Sandals in Exuma and for 2 people it was $5,100 for 7 days, including airfare. It didn't include all drinks, just beer or wine with meals. I still think a cruise is a better value. Just like with cruise lines, not all inclusives are the same. When people rave about how cheap some all inclusive packages are, I check. Half the time, the resorts are questionable, 3 stars or less, air transportation is on a dubious charter airline, and the included food and drinks rival what may be found at a local cafeteria or all you can eat restaurant back home. Not where I'd like to spend my vacation money but hey, some people are easier to please than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trojan3000 Posted January 18, 2016 #43 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Book in the UK it will cost you $4129 2 adults 2 kids in a D3 with gratuties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egh170 Posted January 18, 2016 #44 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Not unreasonable for four people. $5656.00 divided by 4 comes to $1414.00 pp. Not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sg4crzn Posted January 21, 2016 #45 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I would check Carnival Magic. I love that ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted January 21, 2016 #46 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Book in the UK it will cost you $4129 2 adults 2 kids in a D3 with gratuties One of the few times it's cheaper to book outside of the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuCruise Posted January 21, 2016 #47 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Prices have gone up a lot in a year. We booked last December for an inside Promenade (for 2 adults and 2 kids as well) and paid a decent price. Jumping up to outside was about $400 more and then even more for balcony (ocean, central park or balcony) However, within a year the price has increased by $1100 for our stateroom and some of the outside ones even more. (For us, the dollar may have an effect). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjrice1 Posted January 21, 2016 #48 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Thank goodness for the cost of oil being cheaper too... RCCL has gone up a lot and the cut backs too. Check out other cruise lines too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjrice1 Posted January 21, 2016 #49 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Booked it in Nov for Feb 2017 Super Bowl Sunday cruise.. So it was nice... tell me please I would check Carnival Magic. I love that ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scootch Posted January 23, 2016 #50 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I took our price x4 and it did equal around the price you were quoted. Price/person, tax, gratuities, insurance, possibly airfare....it adds up. We look at our cruise as 3-4 vacations in one...depending on how many ports. If you take a hotel at the beach, add in meals/snacks, transportation, entertainment, etc... for a family, it could end up being more money.... and less fun! We usually book 4 months in advance and sometimes we have had limited choice for location of our ocean view balcony. Best of luck to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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