Balmoral booking for September 2023 cruise to America!

[PrincessPete]

I feel a bit of an intruder to this site never having sailed with Fred Olsen so hope my presence will be excused!

I do know Fred's ships very well though, having done numerous day visits on all of them to assist with a lot of writing I do for journals, online etc.

I was really surprised  today to receive a flyer through the post for a 34 night Balmoral cruise in September 2023, yes 2023.

Lovely itinerary, including going to New York and sailing up the Hudson River.

I can't remember ever receiving anything about a cruise so far in advance of this sailing which is three years and two months from now!

I guess the travel agent (think three letters and they advertise a lot in newspapers) sent it to me because I was booked with them for a cruise with CMV next year and Fred is a logical alternative.

However, Fred's prices are quite high and certainly £11,499 each for a balcony on this cruise is outside our budget.

I also have to say that sadly Fred's ships are out of bounds for us anyway at the moment until they change their policy of allowing smoking on balconies. But that's another story and I don't wish to upset anybody on here by dwelling on that!

Medical reasons make it impossible to sit on a balcony with smoke adjacent and we do love time on the balcony.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has plans to book on that cruise but it's just SO far ahead. Great itinerary and I do like the Balmoral - although she will be 35 years old by the time of the cruise in question. Kind regards Peter

[tring]

Not our scene at all, especially as there are not many days in N. American ports and the Azores and La Coruna could easily be visited on a shorter cruise from the UK and figure a lot on other itineraries.  We are booked on Aurora for Sept 2021 with a far better itinerary (more port days) and in a balcony cabin for the price of the cheapest inside cabin there.  Admittedly four less days on the ship, but that is not much for the difference.  That is if Aurora still exists of course.

 

For some reason Fred does seem to plan, and indeed sell, cruises like this - possibly to people who are perhaps not that mobile and able to go ashore, but I could be wrong on that.  I would be happy to bet the price will go down much nearer to the time mind, but cabins left may not be that well placed, so would need to be careful what grade you booked at that time. 

[Britboys]

Launch prices on two just released cruises are bonkers imho.

A 10 night itinerary from Malta to Southampton via the Feria Dr Abril in Seville  in April 2022 starts at £169 pppn in the cheapest inside twin, £199 pppn for the cheapest outside twin and £274 pn for an inside single.

The USA & Canada cruise you mention is £155 pppn for the cheapest inside twin, £185 pppn in the cheapest outside and a whopping £282 pn for a single inside!

[Coravel]

They are crazy prices.  So glad we've let our cancelled  Black Sea cruise to ride over until 2022 at the same price. 

 

[Dermotsgirl]

My husband got an email from Fred about this cruise. 
 

Who knows what the situation will be like in three months time, let alone three years. 
 

It’s too expensive for us, but even in normal times I wouldn’t book 3 years in advance. 

[PrincessPete]

I can only agree with the comments above about the prices on this cruise. Adding to Britboys calculations, a balcony works out at £338 per person per night!

I appreciate that Fred is having to allow for prices on a cruise that is over three years hence but they do still seem excessive to me.

We did a 28 night Bermuda and Caribbean cruise last year on Oriana where our deluxe balcony worked out at £185 per night.

Finally, as Dermotsgirl said, who knows what circumstances we will be living in three months hence let alone three years?

I assume it is not possible to get insurance so far ahead but at Fred's prices even the deposit is an amount I would want protected by insurance.

 

[gillme]

But it’s nice to dream!!