Why is Celebrity increasing excursion prices in Bermuda?

[M&M cruiseaholics]

Is this something new or have I just missed another way for Celebrity to generate additional revenue?

 

Cruising to Bermuda late May. Pricing for ship excursions sky rocketing. Examples of pricing from a few months ago to now:

 

Dolphin Experience $175 increased to $299

Scenic South Shore Highlights $70 increased to $99

Aquarium and Crystal Caves $139 increase to $169

Bermuda Island by mini bus $96 increased to $139

 

You know that the tour vendors are not receiving the extra $. Celebrity is pocketing the difference. I understand that a price increase may be warranted for a few high demand excursions, but the increases are on every excursion offered.

 

What gives?

[cruisestitch]

"You know that the tour vendors are not receiving the extra $. Celebrity is pocketing the difference."

 

How do you know that?

Could there have been a massive increase in the insurance Bermuda requires of tour operartors? Could other costs such as fuel have increased?

 

If it was a "put the money in Celebrity's pocket" move, then why wouldn't all excursions all around the world have similarly increased?

[Lastdance]

Is this something new or have I just missed another way for Celebrity to generate additional revenue?

 

Cruising to Bermuda late May. Pricing for ship excursions sky rocketing. Examples of pricing from a few months ago to now:

 

Dolphin Experience $175 increased to $299

Scenic South Shore Highlights $70 increased to $99

Aquarium and Crystal Caves $139 increase to $169

Bermuda Island by mini bus $96 increased to $139

 

You know that the tour vendors are not receiving the extra $. Celebrity is pocketing the difference. I understand that a price increase may be warranted for a few high demand excursions, but the increases are on every excursion offered.

 

What gives?

 

The economy is good and people are willing to pay more. Celebrity is looking for that sweet spot where they can add revenue. Do a small private tour instead of Celebrity, as you have that option too. Join the roll call and see what is happening there, unless you already have done that. You have different choices and Celebrity has always been high priced on their own tours with large groups and busses...

[cherylroslyn]

The same thing jus happened on my Hawaii cruise for the end of this month. Its not just Bermuda. I think they want to encourage people to book early.

[argyllsock]

I share your pain...

 

But I think it may be a simple case of supply and demand. Have a look at what ships are in port the days that you are. We are heading to Bermuda late May with X (1950 pax) and have seen similar prices...but NCL Escape (4200) and HAL Veendam (1266 pax) are in port the same time -- all in there's over 7000 cruisers on the island! I'm guessing with that number of cruisers the tour operators are able to command more for their offerings.

 

Bermuda is probably one of the best ports to book your own tour outside of Celebrity. With three days in port you've got two days were you can be late getting back and not have to worry about the ship leaving without you!

 

Good luck with your excursions

[bookitdanno]

Went to the Dolphin Quest web site.

Seems there are Winter prices (November-April) and Summer Prices (May-October).

That seems to me to be where the increase is coming from. Not Celebrity.

 

Although Celebrity does make a convenient whipping boy.

 

https://dolphinquest.com/bermuda/

 

Check it out!

[HokiePoq]

When you walk off the ship at the Dockyard, there is a tour company located right on the walking bridge off the pier area. We had booked a tour online with them not knowing they were so conveniently located. They have many tours to choose from. We went on Hidden Gems of Bermuda which was fantastic.

[Charles4515]

Is this something new or have I just missed another way for Celebrity to generate additional revenue?

 

Cruising to Bermuda late May. Pricing for ship excursions sky rocketing. Examples of pricing from a few months ago to now:

 

Dolphin Experience $175 increased to $299

Scenic South Shore Highlights $70 increased to $99

Aquarium and Crystal Caves $139 increase to $169

Bermuda Island by mini bus $96 increased to $139

 

You know that the tour vendors are not receiving the extra $. Celebrity is pocketing the difference. I understand that a price increase may be warranted for a few high demand excursions, but the increases are on every excursion offered.

 

What gives?

 

Why would anyone book a ship's excursion in Bermuda.? The only reason would be to use OBC. You can do everything on you own or book excursions at the Island Tour Centre directly from vendors. MiniBus tours, check out Rickys Minibus tours. Bermuda Aquarium and Crystal Caves you can take the ferry to Hamilton and a public bus or take the ferry to Hamilton and a taxi. No need to spend $169.

[Charles4515]

When you walk off the ship at the Dockyard, there is a tour company located right on the walking bridge off the pier area. We had booked a tour online with them not knowing they were so conveniently located. They have many tours to choose from. We went on Hidden Gems of Bermuda which was fantastic.

 

That is the Island Tour Centre. Don't even have to wait to walk off. The tours can be booked in advance online.

 

https://www.islandtourcentre.com

[CaribbeanBound]

Also check out the Bermuda boards for other reliable non-ship excursions.

 

Here is a ton of information on Bermuda, from our past trip. The pricing is a little dated now but the information is still good. http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/bermuda.html

[wwcruisers]

I'd agree with the others. Bermuda is one place where over-priced/over-crowded ships' tours are NOT needed. Check out the Bermuda ports-of-call boards for private tours. Get yourself a good tour manuel (Moon's is excellent), or just check out the recommendations on TripAdvisor. On the pier, you can purchase bus/ferry passes, which will get you all over Bermuda. If there is someplace you need to go that's 'off the beaten path', there are lots of taxi's, too! :cool:

[msmayor]

I am one who often books ship excursions when we tour some islands, but Bermuda is one where I would never book through the ship.

 

We've been there twice now, and it is amazingly easy to move around on their bus system and visit all the sites economically and on your own time schedule.

[BEAV]

I share your pain...

 

But I think it may be a simple case of supply and demand. Have a look at what ships are in port the days that you are. We are heading to Bermuda late May with X (1950 pax) and have seen similar prices...but NCL Escape (4200) and HAL Veendam (1266 pax) are in port the same time -- all in there's over 7000 cruisers on the island! I'm guessing with that number of cruisers the tour operators are able to command more for their offerings.

 

Bermuda is probably one of the best ports to book your own tour outside of Celebrity. With three days in port you've got two days were you can be late getting back and not have to worry about the ship leaving without you!

 

Good luck with your excursions

 

I tend to agree with your "supply and demand" theory.

 

We're sailing Solstice later this month and a certain excursion on Kona I've been watching has gone from $169 to $189 to $229 (and is currently sold out for booking on the website). It's an excursion we've done before and enjoyed and we've contemplated booking again. But given the current price, we'll pass and still enjoy the memories from last time. It's not a big deal since we've done it before. But I can't help but think the price has risen as did demand for the tour, just as it does for stateroom inventory on any given sailing.

[Charles4515]

I tend to agree with your "supply and demand" theory.

 

 

 

I think the Dolphin Excursion is supply and demand but for the rest of the excursions it is cruise line greed. The Dolphin place in Bermuda is small. So small I think it is sad that wild dolphins are penned up there in such a small pen. So there is limited space and Dolphins for a high demand excursion because families want to take their children to see the cute animals who they think are smiling at them, who have to perform to get fed.

 

Most other excursions are not even necessary. Even for a historical tour you can take a Blue Flag taxi with a trained guide. To get to Horseshoe Bay there are minibus shuttles for $7 each way. The cruise line beach excursion puts passengers in the same minibus for three times the price. Most of the other excursions like snorkeling or glass bottom boats the passengers booked thru the cruise line will be on the same boats with people who booked independently but paying more than those who book independently. The ferries and public buses are clean and easy to use to get to a lot of places.

 

Many of those 7000 are used to Caribbean cruises and think that Bermuda is like the Caribbean or is the Caribbean, poor tropical islands where it is not that safe to venture far on your own. So they don’t know better, that they don’t need to book with Celebrity. It is not the Caribbean, it is not tropical, it is pretty safe, April and May are not beach weather and it is not poor. It is also expensive and that goes for tours and excursions booked independently. Independently will be cheaper than booking them with the cruise lines but it still will be more expensive than on most Caribbean islands for similarly types of excursions.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Charles4515

[waterbug123]

I think the Dolphin Excursion is supply and demand but for the rest of the excursions it is cruise line greed.

 

Greed? Because they can charge a higher price and customers will pay it? That's supply and demand at work.....increased demand = increased prices. Econ 101

[Charles4515]

Greed? Because they can charge a higher price and customers will pay it? That's supply and demand at work.....increased demand = increased prices. Econ 101

 

Typical cruise line apologist.....

Edited April 2, 2018 by Charles4515

[BEAV]

I knew a cruise line apologist would chime in.

 

So if someone disagrees, they're automatically labeled a cruise line apologist?

[Charles4515]

So if someone disagrees, they're automatically labeled a cruise line apologist?

 

 

Calling it for what it is. Just because a cruise line can get away with something does not make it right. With the cruise lines it is more like monopoly 101 than supply and demand. They have a captive audience to sell their excursions onboard. Charging two or three times as much as booking directly with a tour operator is greed.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Charles4515

[SargassoPirate]

Economics 101 - the basic law of the marketplace: charge what the traffic will bear.

 

While a cruise line is not a free market economy, there are alternatives to booking excursions with the cruise line. Our big box warehouse club's travel department offers tours with a "return to the ship" guarantee. We also ride the free shuttles into town and just enjoy walking around or following a walking tour map.

[srdancer]

We will be on Silhouette in Aug. for Ireland/Iceland cruise. We booked an excursion in Reykjiavik in Oct. for $129 pp. - was not on sale.

They announced a "sale" last month and it was listed for $219.

 

Don't know why, just glad I had already booked it!