new pricing structure= full ships

[bones774]

anyone who sailed recently, do you have any insight as to having the ships sailing full or empty cabins since the new higher prices? anybody sailed solo and seen any effect?  Pricing really hurts the solo crowd.

[4774Papa]

NCL has pushed us to book with Celebrity and Royal that allow booking early with NO perks.

[PistolPete13]

I'm always eyeballing last minute trips leaving NYC on their website.  For the last two months or so, I've noticed that most of the cruises disappear from the site weeks before the sailing date.  I assume that means the ship is full.

 

 

[bones774]

2 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

NCL has pushed us to book with Celebrity and Royal that allow booking early with NO perks.

same here!

[bones774]

43 minutes ago, PistolPete13 said:

I'm always eyeballing last minute trips leaving NYC on their website.  For the last two months or so, I've noticed that most of the cruises disappear from the site weeks before the sailing date.  I assume that means the ship is full.

 

 

Hi Pete, followed your Bliss blog, great job.

No, they are not full at that time, again it's the pricing strategy. They want you to believe the ship is sold out and you missed the boat(lol) but usually 2 days before sailing there are sales and usually solo premium is waived(even though waived, prices are much higher than before). Did you participate in solo group? I know you're a rookie, solos would've provided you with some insight, some of the solo travelers are very NCL savvy.

Edited January 24, 2020 by bones774

[lixogab]

NYC looks to be pretty special market: not much competition, high demand bc a lot of high income people living in the area. 

[bones774]

1 hour ago, lixogab said:

NYC looks to be pretty special market: not much competition, high demand bc a lot of high income people living in the area. 

Filling a big ship like the Bliss for a 14 day cruise outta a cold winter port, not so easy. You need the right demographic, older, retirees, with $$$ (retirees are $$$ conservative if no good deal)and the urge get up and go. People don't wanna cruise for those few days in/out of freezing temps, go to Florida and cruise. 

[Zippeedee]

Take a look at the 21 day Bliss Panama Canal from NYC in April. The price has dropped so many times it wasn't worth using my NCL credit card points for an upgrade. The solo supplement is now waived for balconies, which are almost the same price as studios and insides. The pricing makes no sense to me.  I'm hoping the ship won't be full. Much nicer cruising without crushing crowds.

[tallnthensome]

8 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

NCL has pushed us to book with Celebrity and Royal that allow booking early with NO perks.

We are leaving NCL for Celebrity for 2022. Way better deals and perks there amazingly enough compared to NCL new and even lousier pricing . I can (and am) sail a balcony for four on the new Apex for four people, premium drink packages, $300 OBC, unlimited WiFi for two, and free grats for two for less than NCL’s similar offerings  now .....

[Budget Queen]

For solo sailing deals- a great deal of flexibility is required.   Meaning multiple days and ships.  Looking for a deal out of one port isn’t very flexible.   

 

I most always late book and have been very successful and haven’t paid a double supplement yet. 😀🤩.  (2019-  22 cruises).   

[fshagan]

I'm looking at a 5 day out of Los Angeles on April 19 that has extremely low prices; $249 per night for a balcony. So the deals are out there.

[bones774]

1 hour ago, fshagan said:

I'm looking at a 5 day out of Los Angeles on April 19 that has extremely low prices; $249 per night for a balcony. So the deals are out there.

In my book, that's pretty high priced. $1250 for a 5 day cruise, is that before port and tax fees?

[tumblew467]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:51 AM, bones774 said:

Hi Pete, followed your Bliss blog, great job.

No, they are not full at that time, again it's the pricing strategy. They want you to believe the ship is sold out and you missed the boat(lol) but usually 2 days before sailing there are sales and usually solo premium is waived(even though waived, prices are much higher than before). Did you participate in solo group? I know you're a rookie, solos would've provided you with some insight, some of the solo travelers are very NCL savvy.

 Do those cruises show up on NCL site 2 days before a sailing? or do you just call and ask a NCL rep to look and see what is  available? Thanks

[bones774]

usually show up on website but I always call also. they also appear on the unmentionable online sites.

[ray98]

On 1/24/2020 at 10:51 AM, bones774 said:

Hi Pete, followed your Bliss blog, great job.

No, they are not full at that time, again it's the pricing strategy. They want you to believe the ship is sold out and you missed the boat(lol) but usually 2 days before sailing there are sales and usually solo premium is waived(even though waived, prices are much higher than before). 

 

Which is easily explained by last minute clearances of leftover cabins from hold backs, cancellations and the like.  Just because a select few become available does not mean normal inventory was not exhausted at the time it disappears from the website.

[bones774]

6 minutes ago, ray98 said:

 

Which is easily explained by last minute clearances of leftover cabins from hold backs, cancellations and the like.  Just because a select few become available does not mean normal inventory was not exhausted at the time it disappears from the website.

This is true but when the cabins become avail that AM you can then see I/s, o/v and balcs and sometimes plus more all avail. Been sailing with NCL for years and the ships for the most part never sell out that far in advance and usually not sold out until very last week with bargain passages.

[fshagan]

16 hours ago, bones774 said:

In my book, that's pretty high priced. $1250 for a 5 day cruise, is that before port and tax fees?

 

Wow, I really screwed that up. It was $369 per person for the five days, with all perks (if you want them).  Total price for the cruise, without beverage or dining package, but with shorex credit, internet and the TA picking up the DSC  was $1124.66, including port taxes and fees.

 

It's up to $419 per person now for a mid-ship balcony. But still a pretty good deal.

 

 

[bones774]

21 minutes ago, fshagan said:

 

Wow, I really screwed that up. It was $369 per person for the five days, with all perks (if you want them).  Total price for the cruise, without beverage or dining package, but with shorex credit, internet and the TA picking up the DSC  was $1124.66, including port taxes and fees.

 

It's up to $419 per person now for a mid-ship balcony. But still a pretty good deal.

 

 

That's a lot better, but can you get the $369 w/o add ons, I think you can do better on your own excursions and wait for ports to do internet.

[Farts]

On 1/24/2020 at 4:05 PM, tallnthensome said:

We are leaving NCL for Celebrity for 2022. Way better deals and perks there amazingly enough compared to NCL new and even lousier pricing . I can (and am) sail a balcony for four on the new Apex for four people, premium drink packages, $300 OBC, unlimited WiFi for two, and free grats for two for less than NCL’s similar offerings  now .....

that's ridiculous.  

[mking8288]

I am looking forward to see how NCL's RateGain optimize cruise fares & bookings with the growing pandemic fear on the coronavirus in the coming weeks. 😲 🙄

 

Expecting no-shows and cancellations to snowball until public health authorities around the globe get ahead of the curve balls & wild pitches. It's nothing like norovirus. 😷

 

Old-timers, remember cruising in the SARS days back in 2003 ... we surely do.  

Edited January 26, 2020 by mking8288

[NickCanadian]

Spoke to NCL corporate worker, selling out ship is no longer the #1 priority. It’s ensuring each room is sold at profit. Those who used to get dirt cheap last minute cruises don’t spend any money on board. It’s like those business class seats that some airlines like air canada will leave empty rather than dumping them onto the market at cheap prices which devalues the business class product. Some airlines will do anything to fill every single seat, all depend on managements direction which with the recent ceo change has obviously changed. 
 

a business teacher once said would you rather sell 4 beers at .99 cents or 1 beer at 3.99 if you are a business? 

[4774Papa]

12 hours ago, NickCanadian said:

Spoke to NCL corporate worker, selling out ship is no longer the #1 priority. It’s ensuring each room is sold at profit. Those who used to get dirt cheap last minute cruises don’t spend any money on board. It’s like those business class seats that some airlines like air canada will leave empty rather than dumping them onto the market at cheap prices which devalues the business class product. Some airlines will do anything to fill every single seat, all depend on managements direction which with the recent ceo change has obviously changed. 
 

a business teacher once said would you rather sell 4 beers at .99 cents or 1 beer at 3.99 if you are a business? 

Yes, I can see that strategy.  Still, imagine an air line that bundles  seats with unlimited $9 champagne (not really) for double the original cost of the seat.  That is NCL.

[April42749]

12 hours ago, NickCanadian said:

Spoke to NCL corporate worker, selling out ship is no longer the #1 priority. It’s ensuring each room is sold at profit. Those who used to get dirt cheap last minute cruises don’t spend any money on board. It’s like those business class seats that some airlines like air canada will leave empty rather than dumping them onto the market at cheap prices which devalues the business class product. Some airlines will do anything to fill every single seat, all depend on managements direction which with the recent ceo change has obviously changed. 
 

a business teacher once said would you rather sell 4 beers at .99 cents or 1 beer at 3.99 if you are a business? 

This is what I've been saying since "the rate hike".....that they are phasing out "the bottom feeders" and concentrating on the "better quality customers".   This is business school 101.  And by phasing out "the bottom feeders" everyone else has a better experience (less crowds...less cabins per steward etc).

They know exactly how much each customer spends per trip...and how much those $299/week cabins bring in.

My 3/1Bliss balcony went from $496 to $909!  

 

Edited to add:

The differential between the "sail-away" rates and the other rates has declined.  For me, now it would make no sense to get a "sail-away" rate.  In "the old days" the difference was $hundreds/pp.

Edited January 27, 2020 by April42749

[Trimone]

When discounting becomes a policy, the companies go south, who’s going to spend top dollar, when you’re neighbours are celebrating at the Haven Bar boosting how little they paid...  

[NickCanadian]

3 minutes ago, Trimone said:

When discounting becomes a policy, the companies go south, who’s going to spend top dollar, when you’re neighbours are celebrating at the Haven Bar boosting how little they paid...  

 

I think NCL might be the first mass market cruise line to adopt this pricing strategy. Time will tell if it will work. As a shareholder, I hope it does. Prior to this, the mantra was always leave port full no matter the cost. Im sure Del Rio will discuss this on the next call.

 

Unfortunately, I am the 'bottom feeder' who only buys inside staterooms, doesn't drink or eat in specialty restaurants and arranges my own port tours. As such, I spend zero on the ship. With the increased prices, I wont be sailing on NCL anymore even with shareholder OBC.

 

As a very frequent traveler for work, Air Canada will not under any circumstances allow anyone other than a business class ticket holder, or the absolute top of the line loyalty program card holder sit in the business class seats. Economy will be jammed and the six front business class seats will remain empty on the Embrarer regional jet used on the route I take multiple times per week. The economy seats sell from 100-200 and the business class seats are 600-900. They have the data to show that its profitable to leave them empty rather than devalue the product.