How can Mariner of the Seas demand such premium prices?

[Retiredmedic]

Looking to book a cruise with RCI for October of 2023. We live less than 30 minutes from the port of Galveston but are so tired of the same ports. So since we have to travel to get new ports figured we would try a different cruise line. Harmony has cruises for $710 pp Wonder for $731 and Mariner for $723. I'm sure Mariner is fine ship but when new ships are charging just $20 or so difference from a 20 year ship, it does not make sense to me.

[topnole]

1 minute ago, Retiredmedic said:

Looking to book a cruise with RCI for October of 2023. We live less than 30 minutes from the port of Galveston but are so tired of the same ports. So since we have to travel to get new ports figured we would try a different cruise line. Harmony has cruises for $710 pp Wonder for $731 and Mariner for $723. I'm sure Mariner is fine ship but when new ships are charging just $20 or so difference from a 20 year ship, it does not make sense to me.

Probably difference in timing.  From xxx doesn’t mean much.  You have to compare apples to apples meaning the same week and similar itineraries.  Plus, if the cheap cabins fill up for a ship then all that shows are the more expensive cabins.  Add to this supply and demand for whatever other reasons.  There could be a lot to explain what you are pointing out.  Sometimes prices are just odd even on the same ship.   I’ve recently seen balcony cabins much cheaper than inside cabins for a particular sailing.  Supply and demand can create weird prices as we all know in this economy.  

[Retiredmedic]

6 minutes ago, topnole said:

Probably difference in timing.  From xxx doesn’t mean much.  You have to compare apples to apples meaning the same week and similar itineraries.  Plus, if the cheap cabins fill up for a ship then all that shows are the more expensive cabins.  Add to this supply and demand for whatever other reasons.  There could be a lot to explain what you are pointing out.  Sometimes prices are just odd even on the same ship.   I’ve recently seen balcony cabins much cheaper than inside cabins for a particular sailing.  Supply and demand can create weird prices as we all know in this economy.  

They are pretty much the same week of October. As I said it seems odd that a 20 year old ship is within $20 of a brand new ship.

[topnole]

4 minutes ago, Retiredmedic said:

They are pretty much the same week of October. As I said it seems odd that a 20 year old ship is within $20 of a brand new ship.

Yeah.  Maybe a large group driving up demand.  Either way it is odd.  

[kruzerci]

You're also comparing a more exotic 8 day itinerary to the boring 7 days from Florida. That's not really apples to apples. 

[smplybcause]

Mariner is and older ship, but was recently amped. It's pretty much a slightly smaller Oasis class. It's basically only missing boardwalk and central Park. 

[time4u2go]

5 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

Mariner is and older ship, but was recently amped. It's pretty much a slightly smaller Oasis class. It's basically only missing boardwalk and central Park. 

Slightly smaller?  Oasis is about 225,000 tons.  Mariner is 140,000 tons.

[twangster]

One Mariner 8 night goes to the ABC Islands, the other Mariner 8 night goes to Bermuda.  Both are premium destinations.  

 

You can't compare that to a western caribbean Oasis class itinerary.  

 

7 night Alaska sailings on even older ships cost more money.  The destination matters.  

[patrioticgirl]

Supply and demand.... if I am not mistaken, only 2 ships can dock in Bermuda at any one time and the size of the ship allowed to visit Bermuda may be restricted.  Liberty, Mariner, and Vison, if I am not mistaken, are the only RCL ships scheduled to sail to Bermuda in Oct. '23.  All 3 are smaller/ similar in size vessels and they are sailing out of 3 different East Coast ports as the only Bermuda bound ship,  so the cruise line can pretty much dictate the price. Unfortunately, it's either sail on the older ships or don't sail to Bermuda at all. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by patrioticgirl

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, Retiredmedic said:

They are pretty much the same week of October. As I said it seems odd that a 20 year old ship is within $20 of a brand new ship.

But what's the itinerary?  Different ports charge different fees.  More nights = higher price.  

 

Looking forward to an 8 night Mariner in July.

[smplybcause]

6 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Slightly smaller?  Oasis is about 225,000 tons.  Mariner is 140,000 tons.

 

Meh my last royal ship was brilliance... so to me that's a lot smaller. At least comparing the public spaces. 

[topnole]

7 hours ago, smplybcause said:

 

Meh my last royal ship was brilliance... so to me that's a lot smaller. At least comparing the public spaces. 

85k ton difference between oasis and Mariner.   50k ton difference between Mariner and Brilliance. 

[firefly333]

My guess is itinerary. The smaller ships have more interesting ports. Just booked 11 day vision and I'm still thinking ouch. On a dollars per day shorter cruises even on top ships can be less per day. 

 

Sometimes it's a choice of smaller older ship with good ports or newer ships with same ole same ole boring ports.

[topnole]

14 hours ago, smplybcause said:

Mariner is and older ship, but was recently amped. It's pretty much a slightly smaller Oasis class. It's basically only missing boardwalk and central Park. 

More like Mariner is a slightly smaller version of Freedom.  Mariner to Oasis is  a quantum leap in pretty much everything.  The jump from Freedom class to Oasis class was by far the biggest jump ever made in the industry.  13 years latter and there still isn’t anything as big.  

[taglovestocruise]

50+ nights on Oasis Class.  We did a four night on Navigator last month. Navigator was beautiful and in tip top shape with a outstanding crew, but  WOW  what a small ship. 

[smplybcause]

8 hours ago, topnole said:

85k ton difference between oasis and Mariner.   50k ton difference between Mariner and Brilliance. 

 

And I'm not talking about tons. I'm talking about amenities on the ship. Brilliance doesn't have slides - Oasis and Mariner do. The other two have a flowrider while brilliance doesn't. They also have a promenade while brilliance doesn't. Both have an ice skating rink while... so you get the pattern?

 

The big difference between Oasis and Mariner is deck 6 & 8. Plus a crap ton of rooms and a more space in the venues they both have. It's a difference but besides the aquatheater deck 6 & 8 mostly just have space and shopping. 

[PTC DAWG]

23 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Slightly smaller?  Oasis is about 225,000 tons.  Mariner is 140,000 tons.

I’ve sailed both classes, much prefer the Mariner…

[topnole]

25 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

And I'm not talking about tons. I'm talking about amenities on the ship. Brilliance doesn't have slides - Oasis and Mariner do. The other two have a flowrider while brilliance doesn't. They also have a promenade while brilliance doesn't. Both have an ice skating rink while... so you get the pattern?

 

The big difference between Oasis and Mariner is deck 6 & 8. Plus a crap ton of rooms and a more space in the venues they both have. It's a difference but besides the aquatheater deck 6 & 8 mostly just have space and shopping. 

Well.  To me oasis class is vastly different than Mariner.  You say Central Park and the Boardwalk walk as if they aren’t much.  Those two areas are massive, one with an outdoor theater, carousel, restaurants, and the other lots of restaurants.  Not to mention the width of Oasis is so massive in comparison to all ships below in size.  
 

 Yes, Mariner has a promenade.  But it is extremely small compared to Oasis.  Haven’t been on Brilliance but they all have some version of an indoor area such as the Centrum.  So Mariner is missing a Centrum, but has the promenade as its gathering area.  
 

[topnole]

5 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

I’ve sailed both classes, much prefer the Mariner…

I’ve sailed hem both too.  They are night and day in my opinion.  I like them both.  

[smplybcause]

20 hours ago, topnole said:

Well.  To me oasis class is vastly different than Mariner.  You say Central Park and the Boardwalk walk as if they aren’t much.  Those two areas are massive, one with an outdoor theater, carousel, restaurants, and the other lots of restaurants.  Not to mention the width of Oasis is so massive in comparison to all ships below in size.  
 

 Yes, Mariner has a promenade.  But it is extremely small compared to Oasis.  Haven’t been on Brilliance but they all have some version of an indoor area such as the Centrum.  So Mariner is missing a Centrum, but has the promenade as its gathering area.  
 

 

Ok central park has chops and Giovanni - Mariner has chops and Jamie's just somewhere else on the ship. 

 

Besides the one night watching the aquatheater I didn't spend much time on boardwalk. Besides the carousel everything else has a charge and I'm not a kid so the carousel isn't a draw. 

 

I didn't say they were the same, just that the differences aren't as stark as with the other smaller ships. Decks 6 & 8 are almost entirely extra charge decks. Which those that throw a lot of money around on the ship will miss, but those that don't it's not as much of a loss. 

[topnole]

9 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

Ok central park has chops and Giovanni - Mariner has chops and Jamie's just somewhere else on the ship. 

 

Besides the one night watching the aquatheater I didn't spend much time on boardwalk. Besides the carousel everything else has a charge and I'm not a kid so the carousel isn't a draw. 

 

I didn't say they were the same, just that the differences aren't as stark as with the other smaller ships. Decks 6 & 8 are almost entirely extra charge decks. Which those that throw a lot of money around on the ship will miss, but those that don't it's not as much of a loss. 

Central Park is a fabulous space that is enjoyed by many regardless of the pay restaurants. Central Park cafe is complimentary and we eat there frequently.  The rising tide bar is one of a kind which leads to the promenade which is demonstrably bigger on oasis with natural lighting.  Natural lighting makes a big difference.  

 

Aqua theater is no small thing in terms of a difference and there are plenty of events there all week (Day shows, movies, trivia, etc).  Johnny Rockets (free for breakfast) and Sabor are both great places.  The dog house is complimentary.  They do great activities for the kids on the boardwalk during the week.  The carousel is also no small thing when you have young kids.  A zip line runs across the boardwalk all day.  
 

The look, feel, and features of these two ships are incredibly different.  Freedom class is very similar, but Oasis has no comparison.  I’ve never heard anyone suggest these ships are even close to similar.  
 

 

[smplybcause]

2 hours ago, topnole said:

Central Park is a fabulous space that is enjoyed by many regardless of the pay restaurants. Central Park cafe is complimentary and we eat there frequently.  The rising tide bar is one of a kind which leads to the promenade which is demonstrably bigger on oasis with natural lighting.  Natural lighting makes a big difference.  

 

Aqua theater is no small thing in terms of a difference and there are plenty of events there all week (Day shows, movies, trivia, etc).  Johnny Rockets (free for breakfast) and Sabor are both great places.  The dog house is complimentary.  They do great activities for the kids on the boardwalk during the week.  The carousel is also no small thing when you have young kids.  A zip line runs across the boardwalk all day.  
 

The look, feel, and features of these two ships are incredibly different.  Freedom class is very similar, but Oasis has no comparison.  I’ve never heard anyone suggest these ships are even close to similar.  
 

 

 

I mean if you list all the things both ships have I don't see how you can say they aren't similar. Exactly the same no, but they have a lot of similarities.