Look ahead, not liking cruise prices I see in the future.

[sandy toes]

Always can monitor price drops...it does drop as the newest ships come out and fill up leaving some of the nicer big ships with lots of cabins to fill. Use the price protection, call and get OBC or price adjustment. I have saved a lot that way. BUT I agree the price of future sailings is really percentage higher than I think I have seen in awhile. Not just Carnival but across the board. Shop around. I am beyond line loyal to now shopping for best deals and most time on the ocean!

[jdemps]

For us, the cruise prices are still less expensive than any other type of vacation we would take except using our timeshare properties. We usually do one cruise a year and at least one time share stay per year. Outside of that, the hotels we choose are usually 250+ per night and then it seems we spend another $300-$400 per day on food, booze, entertainment, taxis, etc. I only like the all inclusive resorts that are very premium with premium food and drinks so they cost a lot too. Cruises with cheers are still cheaper than a land vacation even when we book a vista or comparable suite for 7 days for us. The food isn't top quality by any stretch but we can always find something we like. I guess it all depends on your vacation style as to whether cruising is still a value. I think it's people like us that are driving up the price of cruises....lol

[tallnthensome]

I don't think comparing the Vista to Horizon is exactly comparable. When the new ships first come out, the prices tend to be reasonable (pre-bookings, before the ship is even out of dock) and then a steady increase in the first 6 months to a year. They are paying off a new ship and they know they can get people to pay crazy prices for something shiney and new.

I'm the OP. Why would in not be comparable? The Vista is brand spanking new and the Horizon is it's sister ship. I booked the Vista 8 months before it's first sailing. Like I said, looking to book the Horizon for 2019 before it's first sailing and it was $1500 more for the exact same cabin, same 8 days, same week as my Vista cruise next month. That's almost a 40% increase ...... I thought Vista was high, but Horizon is off the charts.

[bakersdozen12]

Three words for you: supply and demand. I wrote a research paper on the cruising industry in one of my classes for my master's a year or so ago. The cruising industry has increased in popularity significantly over the years, and is expected to continue to increase. Therefore, Carnival prices its cruises at what they believe will sell. The only thing that will make the prices come down is if the cruises don't sell as predicted.

 

 

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[moonvine]

I'm seriously considering jumping to MSC myself. I have a cove balcony booked on the Dream, but reading of all the changes that have happened since I last cruised, I am very leery.

[SNJCruisers]

I'm seriously considering jumping to MSC myself. I have a cove balcony booked on the Dream, but reading of all the changes that have happened since I last cruised, I am very leery.

Check this out. http://www.cruisecritic.com/advertorial/2017/msc/

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I look at the spike in pricing differently my DW shops at dept. stores and put things on layaway with 30 or less days to pay balance, cruises can be booked a year or two out so i stop drinking Starbucks coffee and have 12 to 24 months to pay it off that is how i can afford the 2 to 3 cruises a year i have booked

 

You must drink a lot of starbucks!:hot-beverage::eek:

 

Bill

[SNJCruisers]

You must drink a lot of starbucks!:hot-beverage::eek:

 

Bill

20 bucks per week over 50 weeks = 1,000.00

[S.S.Oceanlover]

20 bucks per week over 50 weeks = 1,000.00

 

pay off 2-3 cruises per year though?

 

Bill

[SNJCruisers]

I look at the spike in pricing differently my DW shops at dept. stores and put things on layaway with 30 or less days to pay balance, cruises can be booked a year or two out so i stop drinking Starbucks coffee and have 12 to 24 months to pay it off that is how i can afford the 2 to 3 cruises a year i have booked

 

pay off 2-3 cruises per year though?

 

Bill

Pick high end of 24 months and low end of 2 cruises and they have 2000.00. (20 x 100 weeks)

[gtalum]

I'm seriously considering jumping to MSC myself. I have a cove balcony booked on the Dream, but reading of all the changes that have happened since I last cruised, I am very leery.

 

You probably are aware already, but they will do a status match to your Carnival status.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

Have booked the Magic for three cruises (2016, 2017, 2018), each one a year in advance in a balcony on Deck 7. All 3 of these were book for $909 per person at Earlier Saver rate even though I did not, and do not, expect the price to drop. By the time it sailed in 2017, the price of the last few cabins in our cabin category were in the 1500 range. The one this year is a month away and is now priced at the $1500 range, and the one in 2018 is now about $400 more per person. In 2017 we went on 5 cruises, this year we will do 4, and we are currently looking for 3 more for 2018. I can honestly say that our booking strategy shows me that if you stay off the brand new ships, and book early saver at least a year out, we see that cruise fares have not increased for 3 years now. Strategy and planning have a significant impact on your pocket book in cruising as in all things.

[tidecat]

I'm sure it won't stay this way for long, but I've actually seen some sailings on Celebrity Edge (debuting next year) that are comparable in price to 7-day Carnival cruises, especially for balcony staterooms.

 

 

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[Keys2Heaven]

I always like to book cruises a year or even two ahead. I find the best prices are when booking early. I'm looking at 2019 cruises on Carnival. For comparison sake I did a mock booking on the new Horizon. I'm leaving on the Vista next month on the 8 day southern. I have my wife and two children in an Inside Cloud 9 Spa cabin. For the cruise, taxes, charges, grats, vacation protection, and airport transfer in was $3600. For an 8 day on the Horizon (vista's sister ship) in the exact same cabin and all the same charges it's $1500 more for 2019. I must say that is no small potatoes and quite a price jump. I find these high prices not only on CCL, but NCL and others. I'm beginning to think that come 2019 it may time to consider other vacation options. At some point the value of a cruise and what it brings may be no more in my opinion. Anyone else worried that they are going to get priced out in a year or two at this rate?

 

We booked our Vista cruise next month 2 years prior in April 2015. I looked at Horizon itineraries for April 2019 and for an almost identical cruise (same # ports but different locations, same Caribbean general location, same room category), there was an almost $1000 jump even booking 2 years ahead. Even my TA was stumped at the massive increase.

[telebax51]

You must drink a lot of starbucks!:hot-beverage::eek:

 

Bill

sorry not a starbucks drinker Maxwell house LOL someone will get what i'm saying stop ;p

[Wheels87]

It's the law of supply and demand at work. It's a new ship and everyone wants to sail on it. That's all.

 

Cheers!

[maggie0057]

We sailed on the Magic out of Port Canaveral in February and I booked that cruise in January 2016 balcony cabin midship deck 8. I booked a cruise for February 2019 a few weeks ago on the same ship but out of Miami same general location for our cabin and it was actually a couple hundred dollars cheaper.

 

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[easyboy]

It's the law of supply and demand at work. It's a new ship and everyone wants to sail on it. That's all.

Exactly!