Anyone bothered by the latest prices?

[f1jon]

Hi All,

 

We want to book the 18-day Hawaiian cruise, sailing in 2022, since our 2021 cruise was cancelled. The exact same ship and exact same cabin (VE) is $1,200 more. As much as we want to go (and use our cabin credits) we just can't. It's against our principles not to be taken advantage of.  What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Jon

Edited August 28, 2020 by f1jon

[Crazy For Cats]

30 minutes ago, f1jon said:

Hi All,

 

We want to book the 18-day Hawaiian cruise, sailing in 2022, since our 2021 cruise was cancelled. The exact same ship and exact same cabin (VE) is $1,200 more. As much as we want to go (and use our cabin credits) we just can't. It's against our principles not to be taken advantage of.  What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Jon

I’m thinking that prices will be inflated a bit to counter all of the FCC out there.  There will also be fewer ships sailing so that could raise some prices.  In the end I would expect market forces will lower prices after final payment date.

[Mary229]

Prices fluctuate all the time.  I am always sure to book a changeable fare so I can take advantage of price drops. If you book before the 30th many sailings are covered by the cancel for any reason with full refund up to 30 days in advance.   There isn’t much to lose right now barring a bankruptcy or if you can’t afford to park the money 

[f1jon]

The problem with a "cancel for any reason" fare is that they are way too expensive☹️

[SilvertoGold]

I know exactly what the OP is saying.  Trying to find something to book with FCCs and finding prices double of what we would expect.  

 

Given the worldwide situation, I do not think we can bet on price drops closer to final/after final, as was very usual in the past.  Maybe, maybe not. 

 

No one knows how many changes the cruise lines will make in their pricing schemes.  Market forces may indeed dictate lower prices, as usual, but I am thinking HAL will want all those FCC amounts back.

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, f1jon said:

The problem with a "cancel for any reason" fare is that they are way too expensive☹️

The fares are changeable.  If you get close and there is no price reduction then you leave.    Sometimes quitting a fare and re-upping on a new one works.    The reason I book immediately is to get the room I want then I pounce on any lower fares or better packages.  I have taken a lot of cruises and I don’t think I ever paid the original fare even though I booked early.   I also always have a pocket full of FCDs

Edited August 28, 2020 by Mary229

[SilvertoGold]

1 hour ago, f1jon said:

Hi All,

 

We want to book the 18-day Hawaiian cruise, sailing in 2022, since our 2021 cruise was cancelled. The exact same ship and exact same cabin (VE) is $1,200 more. As much as we want to go (and use our cabin credits) we just can't. It's against our principles not to be taken advantage of.  What are your thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Jon

 

Typical, the farther out, the higher the pricing.  This is normal, but your numbers are wild! 

 

HAL has a nice plan going with the "book-by" date for the FCC. Nothing for us to book anytime soon (some good pricing in January, but they likely will not sail). Farther out means HAL isn't doing price drops  because they don't need to fill the ships, yet, by dropping prices.

[kazu]

In the old days, when we booked early on certain cruises, we really did save.  amazing but true.

But let’s face facts.  My hairdresser’s rates have gone up since only one person can be in the chair (no waiting area while he does someone else’s hair).  Restaurants have gone up in price due to all the sanitation and limited seating.  Our country market has gone up due their costs to handle all this.

So, I am not totally surprised.  I suspect that the cruise lines are hoping to capitalize on people anxious to go and going “stir crazy”.

And, I suspect the current promo has beefed up prices big time as well as all the FCC’s out there.  

covid and it’s precautions have had an effect on prices IME.  

Everyone can decide what they are willing/want to pay.  

Myself?  I’m waiting.  I don’t know what’s going when so we’ll wait a bit and see how things develop.

 

Besides, I haven’t received any confirmation of an FCC yet which has to be used by Dec. 31st.  I have a feeling that’s money down the drain.

[KirkNC]

HAL has tens or hundreds of million of dollars outstanding in FCC.  One way to use them up is to jack up prices.  I think a lot of people expected this.

[boze9999]

Keep in mind.....if all cruise lines can only sell a percentage (ie: 60%) of their staterooms,  reserve another percentage for those who need isolation, and finally spread crew and staff into less compacted rooms....the bottom line....prices can't be what they were. I understand that and am willing to accept that as I want to cruise....

 

[Jammu2]

We looked at Hawaii on Celebrity for 2021 or 2022. Same thing. Crazy prices.

 

Maybe there is big demand for cruises that start and end in the US or Canada.

 

We booked a Vancouver to Vancouver Alaska on HAL priced what we thought was fair. I had expected to book more than one cruise by this point. I told my spouse to look for deals after final payment and not beat our heads against the wall.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Working in the industry, I'm seeing 2021 pricing up by 20-40% on average compared to similar cruise I booked for clients in 2020.  This is on ALL the cruise lines, not just HAL.  Early 2022 not much better.  Pricing was already higher in general for the 2021 sailings (that were available) before the pandemic hit.  Giving out FCC of 125%-200%  like tic-tacs to a 3 year old on a sugar binge isn't helping the situation any. 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

20 minutes ago, Jammu2 said:

We looked at Hawaii on Celebrity for 2021 or 2022. Same thing. Crazy prices.

 

Maybe there is big demand for cruises that start and end in the US or Canada.

 

We booked a Vancouver to Vancouver Alaska on HAL priced what we thought was fair. I had expected to book more than one cruise by this point. I told my spouse to look for deals after final payment and not beat our heads against the wall.

 

The "big demand" is coming more from the millions of displaced 2020 cruisers rebooking for 2021 than an actual increase in new bookings for 2021 vs 2020 or other years past

[DeeDee Groff]

My situation is running counter to what I'm reading here.

 

When I book, I am looking for specific cabin numbers, and if the cruises are B2B, I want to remain in the same cabin; no guarantees for me, and I am not interested in an upgrade.  I also am looking for the best price without any "goodies," and I will only book with a fully refundable deposit.

 

In March, I booked B2B on the Westerdam for next April and May for a total of 50 nights.  On Monday my TA called to tell me HAL had added an $800.  air credit for each cruise and also a $500. OBC for each.  I could keep them (and the price at which she booked me) or she would reprice; the reprice will save me $5,734.60.  Perhaps I'm not thinking clearly, but the air credits and the OBC's are worth a total of $2,600.00, so if I were to keep them I would still be paying $2,134.60 more for the two cruises!

[Sue from Canada]

I booked a 17 day cruise to Hawaii for Nov. 2021.  Previously I could never afford a lanai cabin as a solo passenger.  Well, I got one now😊 as the price was good..    Just hoping they don't sell the ship or any other situations that could cancel this cruise.

[DaveOKC]

Its called Supply and Demand - Econ 101.  First you have people wanting to get cruising again, add to it the people that have built up credits and mix in fewer ships at HAL = higher fares.

 

 

[Cruise Suzy]

We booked an Alaska cruise for July 2021 when the schedule was first announced. Prices for all categories are still the same. The prices for our February 2021 cruise to the Caribbean also haven't risen.  In fact, both now include the "Have It All" promo.

 

Guess it varies from cruise to cruise.

[ABoatNerd]

People have freedom to pay what they want for a product.

 

No chance of a cruise booking in my household with cruise prices up 30-40% for an unknown product with unknown reliability.

 

I am not interested in being hosed by the cruise industry.  The situation does not support me as a consumer.

[NCTribeFan]

This is why I have 8 cruises booked between Jan 2021 and Feb 2022.  I wanted to lock in what I felt were very reasonable fares.  I had replaced my cancelled Zaandam sailing with NA in Jan 2021.  Price was high but included the new perks and I had an FCC to use.  Luckily, I received a casino offer and re-booked that plus the following sailing.  Lost some perks but got others and $200 fare can't be beat!  The other sailings are on X, NCL and Carnival.  And I still have my FCC for HAL. 

 

I've been saying for months now that with so many ships being taken out of service, the possibility that ships will have to sail at reduced capacity, and the pent-up demand for replacement cruises, that prices were bound to be way up.

 

It's supply and demand, folks.  Supply has been reduced and demand is up.  At least for now.  Of course the cruiselines will price cruises at the highest prices they can get!  If people will book at those prices, then there's no incentive to reduce them.

[iancal]

It is a price for something in the future.  The price may go up or it may go down.  The cruise may not happen.

 

How can you be taken advantage of when the decision to buy a non essential product is completely in your domain?
 

We have primarily done late booking cruises for the past nine years.  If the price is not ‘right’ relative to other travel products we simply don’t buy.  
 

 

Edited August 29, 2020 by iancal

[Mosaic]

I would add that price aside---and I do not wish for low prices---service and features are certainly going to be at issue.  As I have traveled around the U.S. some, the quality is not up to par in many, many situations.  Poor food, SLOW service.  Few amenities---all for the same price!

[lazey1]

2 hours ago, iancal said:

It is a price for something in the future.  The price may go up or it may go down.  The cruise may not happen.

How can you be taken advantage of when the decision to buy a non essential product is completely in your domain?

I completely agree. No one is taking advantage of you by simply raising their price on a non essential product.

I normally book early, at least a year out. If the price goes down my travel agent takes care of getting the lower price for me. ( I am not in the travel industry and I have no idea how she does this.) Quite often the price has gone up and I am comfortably in the cabin of my choice at the price I felt was right.  
 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2020 by lazey1

[FlaMariner]

Anyone bothered by the latest prices?

 

I'm not bothered just grateful we went ahead and booked our October 2021 cruise when we did....I've watched the price only go up as the FCC's were distributed, other cruises cancelled, ships sold and the new Rotterdam delivery was delayed.....It's all about supply and demand......

 

.....and even though I am feeling good when the price on my booked cruise is only increasing, I understand that the price could just as easily drop.....not bothered by that either......"You pays your money and you takes you chances."

 

....I am bothered by not being able to cruise now, though.  LOL.

[bennybear]

12 hours ago, DeeDee Groff said:

My situation is running counter to what I'm reading here.

 

When I book, I am looking for specific cabin numbers, and if the cruises are B2B, I want to remain in the same cabin; no guarantees for me, and I am not interested in an upgrade.  I also am looking for the best price without any "goodies," and I will only book with a fully refundable deposit.

 

In March, I booked B2B on the Westerdam for next April and May for a total of 50 nights.  On Monday my TA called to tell me HAL had added an $800.  air credit for each cruise and also a $500. OBC for each.  I could keep them (and the price at which she booked me) or she would reprice; the reprice will save me $5,734.60.  Perhaps I'm not thinking clearly, but the air credits and the OBC's are worth a total of $2,600.00, so if I were to keep them I would still be paying $2,134.60 more for the two cruises!

 

Just confused by the math?  If the reprice saves 5734.60 how does it cost 2134.60?   Maybe I’m not reading it correctly?  

[Floridastorm]

There are two basic reasons that we will probably not cruise again for a very long time if ever:

 

* We are not interested in paying good money to travel on a hospital ship with draconian medical regulations.

 

* We are worried about losing our payment due to the very real possibility of bankruptcy for some of these lines.

 

Since the draconian regulations will probably remain in place long after this virus is history we will find other things to do with our time.