Wow, Alaska 2021 prices have sky rocketed

[whitshel]

Have a June 2021 Alaska cruise on the Quantum booked so I regularly check the prices.  I just checked the other day and prices have remained the same for quite some time now, balconies had ranged from $1100 to $1400 per person.  I just checked and balconies on all ships are running over 2k per person minimum now. 

 

Is this a sign that Alaska will be cancelled and they are trying to prevent L & S to 2022?  Even Celebrity with All Inclusive is only running $1400 to $1600.

 

Time will tell I guess, but they sure don't want any other 2021 Alaska bookings.

Edited November 30, 2020 by whitshel

[Crazy planning mom]

I have a sailing on the Radiance in June and was wondering the same.

[twangster]

Alaska excursion pricing is way up over past years.  It's almost like they lost billions from a shutdown and are trying to make up for it.  

[Biker19]

49 minutes ago, whitshel said:

Is this a sign that Alaska will be cancelled and they are trying to prevent L & S to 2022?

Maybe they want to limit further bookings because they want to limit capacity.

[sfaaa]

Balconies are in great demand because of COVID and potential quarantine concerns. Interior prices remain quite reasonable.

[twangster]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Maybe they want to limit further bookings because they want to limit capacity.

 

Seems like a terrible marketing plan.  Much simpler to take cabins out of inventory to limit capacity. 

 

Raising prices to curtail bookings is a disastrous marketing approach - you turn off potential new customers who forever perceive RCI is priced much higher than anyone else. 

 

Of course this is Royal so maybe...

[firefly333]

Prices for 2022 jumped way up too, so I'll wait for 2023 to be released and know to jump faster. Not willing to pay the prices I see

[Ashland]

56 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Prices for 2022 jumped way up too, so I'll wait for 2023 to be released and know to jump faster. Not willing to pay the prices I see

I think the price I'm seeing for Sept 2022 isn't bad at all ..Serenade JS, GS & OS...but will also wait for 2023.

[drsel]

4 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Prices for 2022 jumped way up too, so I'll wait for 2023 to be released and know to jump faster. Not willing to pay the prices I see

Yes, you should not pay exorbitant prices.

wait for last minute price drops.

[jean87510]

They were reasonable back in October for 2021 even up to veterans day and Im glad I booked then for the Radiance southbound in May using FCC.  I was able to get my excursions booked with FCC/OBC.  This is my 1st Alaska cruise and I am stunned at the cost of some of the excursions that dont require helicopters.  My husband and I are Healthcare and we are ASSUMING we are high on the list for vaccine distribution next month.  We already have rental cars also booked in the ports just in case restrictions are lifted for those with vaccine proof.  We would rather use our OBC for decadent things onboard like unlimited dining, spa stuff, and even gift shops!

Edited November 30, 2020 by jean87510

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

My husband and I are Healthcare and we are ASSUMING we are high on the list for vaccine distribution next month. 

That may not matter much to RCI  - I hope you have back up plans if that sailing is cancelled (and it may not be under RCI's control).

[A&L_Ont]

7 hours ago, whitshel said:

Have a June 2021 Alaska cruise on the Quantum booked so I regularly check the prices.  I just checked the other day and prices have remained the same for quite some time now, balconies had ranged from $1100 to $1400 per person.  I just checked and balconies on all ships are running over 2k per person minimum now. 

 

Is this a sign that Alaska will be cancelled and they are trying to prevent L & S to 2022?  Even Celebrity with All Inclusive is only running $1400 to $1600.

 

Time will tell I guess, but they sure don't want any other 2021 Alaska bookings.

 

37 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That may not matter much to RCI  - I hope you have back up plans if that sailing is cancelled (and it may not be under RCI's control).

I believe you are both onto something. My thoughts are the Canadian border will still be closed to cruise guests next summer because Canadians are not supposed to be “fully” vaccinated until the end of 2021.  Perhaps RC is realizing the same thing and is pricing Alaska out of the market.  I’m speculating that any tourists will also not be welcome until the end of 2021 as well. 

[reallyitsmema]

41 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

I believe you are both onto something. My thoughts are the Canadian border will still be closed to cruise guests next summer because Canadians are not supposed to be “fully” vaccinated until the end of 2021.  Perhaps RC is realizing the same thing and is pricing Alaska out of the market.  I’m speculating that any tourists will also not be welcome until the end of 2021 as well. 

 

I agree with you.  I just wish Canada would make the announcement before final payment for Alaska 2021 cruises start to come due.  Lift and Shift is not an option at this point as that is only on cruises sailing through April 2022.  

[bouhunter]

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

They were reasonable back in October for 2021 even up to veterans day and Im glad I booked then for the Radiance southbound in May using FCC.  I was able to get my excursions booked with FCC/OBC.  This is my 1st Alaska cruise and I am stunned at the cost of some of the excursions that dont require helicopters.  My husband and I are Healthcare and we are ASSUMING we are high on the list for vaccine distribution next month.  We already have rental cars also booked in the ports just in case restrictions are lifted for those with vaccine proof.  We would rather use our OBC for decadent things onboard like unlimited dining, spa stuff, and even gift shops!

May 2021 Alaska cruise?   Better start planning on how to use the refunds and FCC's.

[firefly333]

5 hours ago, Ashland said:

I think the price I'm seeing for Sept 2022 isn't bad at all ..Serenade JS, GS & OS...but will also wait for 2023.

When prices first came out a solo cabin on quantum was around 639 plus fees. Next time I looked was like 1639, 1k more, they wanted more for a solo cabin than a inside. 

 

2023 when they first come out I know to jump the first day if the price is low. 

 

Already booked sept 2022, but prices didnt look that great to me to alaska after seeing 600ish. 

 

Been before, so no rush. Catch it next go round. ..or I'll wait for a last minute., I've seen a lot better in the past, but maybe was princess. Prices for 2022 nothing great to me to alaska.

[irishgal432]

14 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I agree with you.  I just wish Canada would make the announcement before final payment for Alaska 2021 cruises start to come due.  Lift and Shift is not an option at this point as that is only on cruises sailing through April 2022.  

I agree and am hoping that they will extend the l/s for the Alaska season. When the 2022 cruises were released it was reported that some people were able to lift and shift to 2022.  Rc realized their coding error and it changed. Early bird certainly got the worm. 

[jean87510]

15 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

May 2021 Alaska cruise?   Better start planning on how to use the refunds and FCC's.

We shall see.  And if not, Ill move it to the following year.  No worries.

[bouhunter]

Just now, jean87510 said:

We shall see.  And if not, Ill move it to the following year.  No worries.

I do hope it sails, that would be good news on so many fronts.

[jean87510]

Just now, bouhunter said:

I do hope it sails, that would be good news on so many fronts.

Since 6 months ago let alone 2 months we weren't even sure if we would even have 3-4 vaccines almost ready to go, I hope the end of the long road is finally appearing. For the sake of these areas and industries that have a large stake in tourism.  Plus all other businesses around the world that were crippled by this pandemic.  I for one never want to go through this again!!

 

[hallux]

8 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Maybe they want to limit further bookings because they want to limit capacity.

Might I suggest that they are raising prices BECAUSE bookings need to be limited?  Fewer people on board means that fixed costs are spread over fewer passengers which means that those passengers pay a higher per-person price.

 

RCI can't very well keep prices as they were - investors expect to see profits and debtors expect repayment, the only way to accomplish that is to increase revenue by increasing prices.

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, hallux said:

Might I suggest that they are raising prices BECAUSE bookings need to be limited?  Fewer people on board means that fixed costs are spread over fewer passengers which means that those passengers pay a higher per-person price.

 

RCI can't very well keep prices as they were - investors expect to see profits and debtors expect repayment, the only way to accomplish that is to increase revenue by increasing prices.

It’s a fine line between raising prices to maximize revenue and raising them too high so that no one books because they have raised them too much. I would say they have crossed that line with some of their pricing.  

Edited November 30, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[LuCruise]

Same thing happened with my Freedom cruise in August, which is a 5 night Bermuda cruise.  I fear that the price skyrocketed as it could be one that they are going to cancel.

[reallyitsmema]

2 hours ago, irishgal432 said:

I agree and am hoping that they will extend the l/s for the Alaska season. When the 2022 cruises were released it was reported that some people were able to lift and shift to 2022.  Rc realized their coding error and it changed. Early bird certainly got the worm. 

 

I tried but it said my reservation wasn't eligible.  I am hoping for an extension of L&S too as the price for my cabin for the 2022 season is double what we paid for May 2021.  Only way I am going to get a sky loft in 2022 is with L&S.

[molly361]

It's not just Alaska.  The least expensive 4 night balcony cabin out of PC in April is $860.  Insides start at $650

[reallyitsmema]

That is high for a 4 night too.  We are just going to hold out and see what happens in the next few months.  We have until early February for final payment.  We will have a better idea then about how the early cruises are going.  I have to read more about FCC as ours expire end of 2021, not April 2022, since we cancelled early.  If you apply them to a cruise and then cancel, I need to understand what that does to the expiration date.