When did Princess become so expensive?

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

Not sure which category of mini you booked so I just picked one. You got a deal but that cruise started at $6,300 for a mini. This is an MF.

 

CreatedUpdate

$ 6,348 2015‑12‑032016‑05‑03

$ 7,348 2016‑05‑032016‑05‑17

$ 6,348 2016‑05‑242016‑09‑05

$ 5,949 2016‑09‑062016‑09‑08

$ 5,549 2016‑09‑082016‑09‑13

$ 5,949 2016‑09‑152016‑09‑21

$ 5,849 2016‑09‑212016‑11‑30

$ 6,348 2016‑12‑012016‑12‑01

$ 5,849 2016‑12‑022016‑12‑05

$ 3,649 2016‑12‑062017‑02‑21

$ 3,699 2017‑03‑032017‑04‑21

$ 6,348 2017‑04‑212017‑04‑21

$ 3,749 2017‑04‑222017‑07‑12

$ 3,749 2017‑07‑132017‑08‑26

 

My fare was actually $3649. But, I got that fare on January 15th. Final payment date was June 26th. I don't see a lower fare after final payment date. Maybe I'm missing something.

[Cruise Junky]

My fare was actually $3649. But, I got that fare on January 15th. Final payment date was June 26th. I don't see a lower fare after final payment date. Maybe I'm missing something.

 

You're not missing anything. When I said there had been a major price drop I was looking at balconies, not minis. And you probably weren't paying official princess prices anyway as agents are still allowed to discount.

[easyboy]

Cruises in general, not just Princess, seem to be up this year. But you can still find great bargains, and we find them on Princess as well as other lines. Last year we sailed in a balcony on the Regal for $549--early Dec., so off season.

 

This year we have an around the horn cruise booked; price actually went down $500pp for a balcony cabin, for a few days only. We were able to rebook at that price .Now it is $700 more and almost sold out, if not sold out by now. Our balcony on the 14 day cruise is slightlyunder $100pp per day.

 

It takes some diligence and sometimes luck, but bargains are still out there, maybe just not as many as before.

We may have had different itineraries but we have observed price movements and have benefited from significant price drops as well.

[Lucky TGO]

I realize that the prices for all things go up, but it seems that Princess cruises have really skyrocketed in the last few years. I really like Princess and have been on 4 of its ships and Id like to go back...but its become very pricey. I used to be able to get balcony rooms for around or even under $1000 pp for 7 days, now they seem to start at $1500. What's changed I wonder? Its a shame.

 

It happened as soon as I started cruising with princess. :rolleyes:

Tony

[RRFan]

Holland has actually been forced to lower some prices because of the lack of bookings. Princess and Celebrity now are competing with each other.

 

 

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We're elite on PCL, but have started doing more HAL because we can find better prices (often free gratuities) plus we think service and food, especially buffet, is superior on HAL. Also we find the smaller ships to have way shorter lines for everything (waiting lines on Princess has gotten ridiculous). Unfortunately, loyalty benefits on PCL are still much better than HAL.

 

 

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[BritinSoCal]

As has been pointed out - with a little bit of savvy shopping - you can get a room, full-board and more entertainment than you can shake a stick at for between $100 - $150 pp/pn. Hate to break it to you, but that really isn't expensive. Visit New York, San Francisco or any major European city and you can be easily looking at around $200 - $300 pn for a room...

[caribill]

In 2012 we took the 28-day Hawaii/Tahiti cruise in a full suite and the fare was $9,098.

In 2017 we are taking the same cruise again in a full suite and the fare is $11,459.

That is only a $472 per year increase in fare over that 5 year period.

Considering how the economy has improved, I don't think that is unreasonable.

 

And during those five years, the cost of fuel. one of the major expenses, has come down by about a third.

[caribill]

One reason fares are up is that Princess has sent ships which used to serve North America elsewhere in the world. To Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.

 

There are only three Princess ships in the Caribbean in winter now.

 

And there was only one ship in the Mediterranean this past summer.

 

Definitely a case of supply and demand.

 

Carnival Corp (which owns Princess) has stated that they try to increase demand at a rate greater than increasing capacity, a strategy that leads to higher pricing.

[caribill]

CCL Corp (which owns Princess) says their major competition is not other cruise lines but is land vacations.

 

As long as cruising continues to be a better value than a land vacation, prices can be increased.

[GUT2407]

I have noted some increases, but will say this

 

2004 we did a cruise to Tasmania from Sydney. (guarantee balcony)

 

Last year did the same itinerary. (Mid ship balcony)

 

2016 price was all but identical to 2004.

 

Over the same time my hourly rate has more than doubled, so in real terms the price has halved. Plus 2004 no OBC, last year about $700.

[Aulanis]

My theory would have to be that the prices are increased to cover the included perks

ONLY available to US cruisers.

In the UK and AUS we have the increase prices but the perks given in the US are not included - see new 3for free promotion out Sept 5.

[Cruise Junky]

CCL Corp (which owns Princess) says their major competition is not other cruise lines but is land vacations.

 

As long as cruising continues to be a better value than a land vacation, prices can be increased.

 

But it's certainly not a better value if you know what you're doing. I have a Greek villa booked with private pool for $1,500 a week, it sleeps 4, a Great Barrier Reef guest house with Private Pool for $1,300 a week. If they're comparing an all inclusive then they might be correct but my land trips are a fraction of the cost of cruising.

[Kamloops50]

But it's certainly not a better value if you know what you're doing. I have a Greek villa booked with private pool for $1,500 a week, it sleeps 4, a Great Barrier Reef guest house with Private Pool for $1,300 a week. If they're comparing an all inclusive then they might be correct but my land trips are a fraction of the cost of cruising.

 

 

 

Not everyone can afford to fly to Greece for week and fend for them selfs. When we go on holidays . We want to relax , be pampered and just relax without worrying about anything. The prices are they in US dollars. If so the Greek villa is about $2100 CDN for the week. Add another $2500 per person airfare . That works out to $7100 CDN for one week. I can fly to LA and cruise to Hawaii for that cost .

 

 

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[floridalover5623]

But it's certainly not a better value if you know what you're doing. I have a Greek villa booked with private pool for $1,500 a week, it sleeps 4, a Great Barrier Reef guest house with Private Pool for $1,300 a week. If they're comparing an all inclusive then they might be correct but my land trips are a fraction of the cost of cruising.

For us, living within driving distance of the port, cruising is still cheaper.

[Cruise Junky]

Not everyone can afford to fly to Greece for week and fend for them selfs. When we go on holidays . We want to relax , be pampered and just relax without worrying about anything. The prices are they in US dollars. If so the Greek villa is about $2100 CDN for the week. Add another $2500 per person airfare . That works out to $7100 CDN for one week. I can fly to LA and cruise to Hawaii for that cost .

 

 

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My prices are in Canadian. Your airfare quote is ridiculous. We did it last year in a Starwood luxury collection hotel & Marriott which had a plunge pool and hot tub on the approx 300 sq ft deck. I believe that hotel was € 199 a night. We paid less than $900 cdn pp to fly to London and then about $300 to fly to Crete. Food is crazy inexpensive. I'm also talking about comparing like regions, ie a Greek island stay with a Greek island cruise not a cruise to Hawaii.

Edited August 26, 2017 by Cruise Junky

[Cruise Junky]

For us, living within driving distance of the port, cruising is still cheaper.

 

For Florida I can see that but we're certainly not interested in sailing the Caribbean over and over again.

[floridalover5623]

For Florida I can see that but we're certainly not interested in sailing the Caribbean over and over again.

We go on cruises for the ship, not for the destinations.

[Cruise Junky]

We go on cruises for the ship, not for the destinations.

 

Then you don't fit the demographic that we're talking about. Trying to lure vacationers from land trips to cruises

[lilant]

In 2012 we took the 28-day Hawaii/Tahiti cruise in a full suite and the fare was $9,098.

 

In 2017 we are taking the same cruise again in a full suite and the fare is $11,459.

 

That is only a $472 per year increase in fare over that 5 year period.

 

Considering how the economy has improved, I don't think that is unreasonable.

 

Also, Princess has added 3 new big and expensive ships to its fleet that must be paid for.

 

 

 

Ok all of you 1%ers.

 

nukesubsailor is taking a $11,459 cruise !!!

And the other poster recommends you use "surplus cash from assets". While the OP is struggling to pay $1,500. Do you think your post really relate?

 

 

 

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[cardiffman]

That's incredible! One should always use surplus cash generated from assets to pay for ALL vacations, including cruises.

Never use your hard earned money!

 

Intriguing... But so much depends on your definitions. I may meet this criterion or I might not. I won't go into details of my own sitch but I would ask, which of these meet your criterion?

1. (I think I know this one) Delaying a cruise only so long as it takes to get the amount owed on the credit card low enough that the card won't hit the limit during the vacation.
   
2. Diverting a set amount from the checking account to a savings account every paycheck, and going on vacation when there is enough in the savings account
   
3. Buying stocks/bonds/real estate and redeeming the capital gain (aka selling at a profit) on these to pay for vacation
   
4. Buying stocks/bonds/real estate and using the passive earnings (dividends from stocks, interest on bonds, rents on real estate) to pay for vacations
   
5. Buying a house on credit, paying off the mortgage instead of rolling it over, and using one's otherwise thrifty ways to pay for vacations
   
6. Some people don't believe that buying a house is wise. So this alternative would be the same as the one above, but rewritten for the wise renter.
   

Of course neither of us are engaging in this discussion in order to pass judgement on the behavior of others. But some of us like or need to optimize our spending, and in that vein it is valuable to discuss and politely debate the finer points.

[drsel]

Intriguing... But so much depends on your definitions. I may meet this criterion or I might not. I won't go into details of my own sitch but I would ask, which of these meet your criterion?

1. (I think I know this one) Delaying a cruise only so long as it takes to get the amount owed on the credit card low enough that the card won't hit the limit during the vacation.
   
2. Diverting a set amount from the checking account to a savings account every paycheck, and going on vacation when there is enough in the savings account
   
3. Buying stocks/bonds/real estate and redeeming the capital gain (aka selling at a profit) on these to pay for vacation
   
4. Buying stocks/bonds/real estate and using the passive earnings (dividends from stocks, interest on bonds, rents on real estate) to pay for vacations
   
5. Buying a house on credit, paying off the mortgage instead of rolling it over, and using one's otherwise thrifty ways to pay for vacations
   
6. Some people don't believe that buying a house is wise. So this alternative would be the same as the one above, but rewritten for the wise renter.
   

Of course neither of us are engaging in this discussion in order to pass judgement on the behavior of others. But some of us like or need to optimize our spending, and in that vein it is valuable to discuss and politely debate the finer points.

Paying for a cruise using passive earnings would be ideal.

Next best option is using only capital gains to pay for the cruise

[umuva]

If we went by drsel's advice, the travel and leisure industry would be devastated as millions who vacation do it either from credit cards or hard earnings.

Edited August 26, 2017 by umuva

[Aulanis]

What I fine strange is reports like "Seventy-eight percent of full-time workers said they live paycheck to paycheck, up from 75 percent last year"

Are these people just sailing with using a credit card?

If so, it's sad. :(

 

What gives you the idea they can afford a cruise? or any vacation at all!

[drsel]

Don't worry, the cruise lines are making more profits than all of us put together.

Borrowing money (credit card debt) to pay for a cruise is foolhardy and can lead tov a debt trap.

One should enjoy financial freedom first, then plan any vacation

[Roz]

So saving money from my paycheck and depositing it in a savings acct. designated for travel is wrong. Who knew? ;)

 

Roz