HMC Villas are listed as $999.99 now?!?!

[Pellaz]

17 hours ago, audcc77 said:

Price-chicken.  😂

 

My guess is that since cruising is becoming more expensive these days, some people will trot over from Royal, NCL, etc., and that $700 price tag won’t seem so bad as they’re spending less on their voyage.   Someone will pony up that cost.  

After seeing the inflated prices for excursions on my last Royal cruise (in February), and also the higher onboard prices for drink packages and specialty dining, you could well be right.  That cabana price tag might not seem too outlandish if they're used to, say, a one-stop snorkeling excursion being priced at $129.   On Carnival, that has been the price charged for, say, snuba.   Then, too, there's been a fair amount of griping over on the Royal board about their cabana price increases at CocoCay.  

[balcony bound]

We leave this weekend and out of curiosity I checked villa/cabana availability.  We reserved a cabana at HMC at the previous pricing and both the cabanas and villas are sold out, I'm guessing also at previous pricing.  The cabanas at Amber cove, which also went way up in price, are still showing available at higher prices.  Definitely not normal to see that within hours of embarkation.

[mz-s]

19 minutes ago, balcony bound said:

We leave this weekend and out of curiosity I checked villa/cabana availability.  We reserved a cabana at HMC at the previous pricing and both the cabanas and villas are sold out, I'm guessing also at previous pricing.  The cabanas at Amber cove, which also went way up in price, are still showing available at higher prices.  Definitely not normal to see that within hours of embarkation.

 

I wonder if they're better off by selling fewer cabanas/villas at higher prices, or selling them all at lower prices. I guess it depends on how many they're actually selling.

[missholly24]

5 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

I wonder if they're better off by selling fewer cabanas/villas at higher prices, or selling them all at lower prices. I guess it depends on how many they're actually selling.

Yes agree. They are not sold out yet. Cabanas have over 10. Villas still at 2 left. 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I wonder if they'll start using dynamic pricing for the cabanas/villas to maximize revenue.  I can imagine people willing to pay more for AC and shade in the heat of July than the cooler winter months. 

 

In terms of maximizing revenue of the cabanas: if they sell only 10 at $700, that's $7000. 

They sold out at $450. What that the price before the increases? Times 15 is $6750

 

FTTF should see dynamic pricing.  For our upcoming Horizon sailing, FTTF has been sold out at $130 for months.  But, for our upcoming Glory cruise, it's still available.  And, Glory has a tender port (Belize), Horizon does not, making FTTF more valuable for the Glory trip.  If it were to go on sale, we would get it for Glory, but not at $130. We have a FH suite for Horizon, so no need for FTTF. 

 

Bottom line, they could have charged more for FTTF for Horizon and still sellout, but it seems to be overpriced for Glory.

[cruzeluver]

If there are folks dumb enough to pay it, then Carnival should be smart enough to charge it. If no one books at the higher prices, then the prices come down.

[Cinnamon2]

I just booked a Beach Villa at Half Moon Cay for a cruise that's over 15 months away!  Booking Villas used to not be possible until 9 or 10 months before sailing.   They still seem to sell out fast, even add $999.  Just a FYI if anyone wants to book one.

[wemjam]

1 hour ago, Cinnamon2 said:

I just booked a Beach Villa at Half Moon Cay for a cruise that's over 15 months away!  Booking Villas used to not be possible until 9 or 10 months before sailing.   They still seem to sell out fast, even add $999.  Just a FYI if anyone wants to book one.

There is a whole thread on this new cost going (and the dramatic increase).   I personally always booked my cabana as soon as I booked my cruise if going to HMC because I wanted to make sure they didn't sell out (which usually happened).  If they were not available at the time I booked, I diligently watched until they became available and booked asap.

 

It remains to be seen what will happen now at such higher prices.  They may find they don't fill them the way they used to and they may still be available on board ship... only time will tell.

[Cinnamon2]

4 hours ago, Cinnamon2 said:

I just booked a Beach Villa at Half Moon Cay for a cruise that's over 15 months away!  Booking Villas used to not be possible until 9 or 10 months before sailing.   They still seem to sell out fast, even at $999.  Just a FYI if anyone wants to book one.

My point is - the Villas are available over 15 months ahead of cruise instead of 9 months ahead as in the past.  I booked our cruise Wednesday night, on Thursday evening I noticed the Villas were available, consulted with family and booked a Villa on Friday morning.  By Friday evening the Villas were sold out.  My original post was a warning to look for the Villa as soon as you book and not wait until closer like you could do in the past.  So I guess the 999 price is not a deterrent.   

[mz-s]

If they're still selling out at a grand each especially this far out from the cruise, they need to raise the price again...

[KmomChicago]

On 4/10/2023 at 6:40 AM, jerseyjjs said:

I paid $275 for a HMC cabana in March 2019.  They want $699 for the same thing for my May sailing.  Lol. Ok

 

WOW. I am very glad we rented one for $399 in December 2021, and even then it felt like a splurge / bucket list experience; greatly enjoyed but as a one and done at that price. And that was the CHRISTMAS cruise, and NOT very long ago.

[KmomChicago]

On 4/11/2023 at 1:07 PM, staceyglow said:

Absolutely.  And everything in the world of business is indeed about maximum ethical/legal profit, especially if you are talking about publicly traded companies.

 

My guess is that the people who hold Carnival stock that has tanked since they bought it think Carnival should charge as much as they can get for cabanas and villas and cruises.

 

 

We are lucky cruise base prices have not risen more yet. I have read articles in the past several months discussing just this, that the cruise lines are not just looking at their cost per sailing to set pricing, but rather looking at comparable products like all-inclusive resorts and finding they have underpriced the cruise vacations.  

 

We all know that some sailings do not fill up, so underpriced takes on a different meaning if demand is not there. But it seems like instead of raising the fares drastically across the board, they are indeed looking at the discretionary add-ons to determine where they can increase revenue in a way that makes sense. 

 

I agree with you that the villas are luxury items and entirely unnecessary add-ons so the internet whining is irrelevant. Simply don't buy the add-on if you don't want to, and BTW there is a guy over here who will. And we don't have enough of them for everyone anyway so it doesn't matter what 95% of the people would pay, because they won't get one at any price anyhow.

 

The cruise line is doing nothing wrong by adjusting to the price point where they equalize supply and demand.  All the port stop gets you is a completely free day on a beautiful tropical beach with use of a free beach chair and use of your free ship beach towel. They never promised anything more than that and that has not changed in decades. 

[mz-s]

20 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

 

WOW. I am very glad we rented one for $399 in December 2021, and even then it felt like a splurge / bucket list experience; greatly enjoyed but as a one and done at that price. And that was the CHRISTMAS cruise, and NOT very long ago.

 

Yeah these cabanas and villas are not for me. I can just stay in my cabin on the ship if I want a private space, lol. Just not my cup of tea! Each to their own.

[BlerkOne]

15 minutes ago, KmomChicago said:

We are lucky cruise base prices have not risen more yet.

 

I think Carnival has raised prices on everything other than perhaps the $100 casino rates. Overdue for those to increase as well.

[KmomChicago]

On 4/23/2023 at 9:28 PM, LUVMYGSDOG said:

I am not going to rent a cabana at that price because I don’t feel it is worth $700.  I don’t really care what anyone else does - that’s their business.  And I don’t care what brand purse/bag they carry either.  I’m a simple Dooney & Bourke girl myself.😀

 

Kim

 

I like the handbag perspective as it is really similar, the notion that people need certain fancy things and experiences, when they really simply do not actually need them at all.  Like cruises. Cruises are luxury experiences and we are incredibly fortunate to ever take them. 

 

My husband gave me a nice large tan Michael Kors bag which I would never have bought for myself because he decided I should have one good looking purse, and my other 2 purses are a small black leather Aigner and a medium black leather Stone Mountain, both of which have a slightly broken in look and both of which my stepmom brought to my last garage sale priced at $5!!  Major win as new leather bags are a lot more than they used to be and now "visibly used" purses have become a trend. Happy happy trend for me. 

[KmomChicago]

By the way it seemed earlier there was discussion about whether the villa and cabana prices were different for Holland American sailings but looks like they are at the same point. 

https://cruiseradio.net/included-half-moon-cay-cabanas-villas/

[Thenagers]

On 4/29/2023 at 12:44 PM, Cinnamon2 said:

My point is - the Villas are available over 15 months ahead of cruise instead of 9 months ahead as in the past.  I booked our cruise Wednesday night, on Thursday evening I noticed the Villas were available, consulted with family and booked a Villa on Friday morning.  By Friday evening the Villas were sold out.  My original post was a warning to look for the Villa as soon as you book and not wait until closer like you could do in the past.  So I guess the 999 price is not a deterrent.   

I have an easier time with the $999 for the villa. They don’t check the number of people ever so it is great to split between multiple families unlike the cabanas whcich are much smaller (4 people)and less amenities like hot tub and private bath. We had a group of 16 and never paid extra. It really isn’t an issue except for the extra sodas and fins? We easily rotated the snorkeling equipment/floats and the kids don’t drink soda. I locked in the cabana in the 400s but definitely wouldn’t for 699. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by Thenagers

[BlerkOne]

22 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

By the way it seemed earlier there was discussion about whether the villa and cabana prices were different for Holland American sailings but looks like they are at the same point. 

https://cruiseradio.net/included-half-moon-cay-cabanas-villas/

There were out of sync. Perhaps the memo finally got to Holland.

[momof3cruisers]

On 4/29/2023 at 5:13 PM, KmomChicago said:

By the way it seemed earlier there was discussion about whether the villa and cabana prices were different for Holland American sailings but looks like they are at the same point. 

https://cruiseradio.net/included-half-moon-cay-cabanas-villas/

That says the services are they same for Holland and Carnival, but you used to have a butler who brought your food etc when you sailed there on Holland. Anyone know for sure if that has changed? (This was several years ago.)

[wemjam]

5 hours ago, momof3cruisers said:

That says the services are they same for Holland and Carnival, but you used to have a butler who brought your food etc when you sailed there on Holland. Anyone know for sure if that has changed? (This was several years ago.)

Not sure about Holland, but I have cruised Carnival to HMC for a lot of years and always get the cabana.  Other than the set up of food and beverages, and checking in once to see if everything is OK, we have never had food brought to us.  Servers walk around offering booze, but food was ALWAYS served in the Pavilion and was buffet style and you got your own.

 

I am not sure how Holland would do this at HMC either?  I would assume they would do the same thing with the buffet set up as there are no other restaurants. 

 

It isn't like at Amber Cove or Grand Turk where they have a restaurant that offers choices you pay for and you can order off a menu and they will bring it to you.

[hard_eight]

3 hours ago, wemjam said:

Not sure about Holland, but I have cruised Carnival to HMC for a lot of years and always get the cabana.  Other than the set up of food and beverages, and checking in once to see if everything is OK, we have never had food brought to us.  Servers walk around offering booze, but food was ALWAYS served in the Pavilion and was buffet style and you got your own.

 

I am not sure how Holland would do this at HMC either?  I would assume they would do the same thing with the buffet set up as there are no other restaurants. 

 

It isn't like at Amber Cove or Grand Turk where they have a restaurant that offers choices you pay for and you can order off a menu and they will bring it to you.

100% correct. You'll see someone when you get there, that handled the initial setup of the food and cooler. They may come back to see if you need anything. And they'll start hanging around waiting for you to leave so they can clean up.

 

All external food is get it yourself.

[wemjam]

So, this could be back firing on them already.  I was curious so I looked, we cruise in 18 days and there are still Cabanas and Villas available at the $699, $999 rate.

 

They always sold out way before this in the past at the lower rates.  If you didn't snag one at least a month or two out (or more), they were all sold out.

[KmomChicago]

31 minutes ago, wemjam said:

So, this could be back firing on them already.  I was curious so I looked, we cruise in 18 days and there are still Cabanas and Villas available at the $699, $999 rate.

 

They always sold out way before this in the past at the lower rates.  If you didn't snag one at least a month or two out (or more), they were all sold out.

 

I don't know so just adding a gut feeling here - I am guessing that shore excursion desk people have reported that they could have sold those cabanas several times over onboard the ship during most sailings, and that people - i.e. blue cards and less experienced HMC visitors - often decide they would like them long after they (traditionally) had sold out. 

 

I think they will be willing to let this ride a while before deciding if it backfires. 

[momof3cruisers]

3 hours ago, hard_eight said:

100% correct. You'll see someone when you get there, that handled the initial setup of the food and cooler. They may come back to see if you need anything. And they'll start hanging around waiting for you to leave so they can clean up.

 

All external food is get it yourself.

I know that about Carnival. In the past we’ve always gotten a cabana. (Although that isn’t happening at these prices!) However, my sisters rented a cabana while sailing with Holland America. They did not have to go to the buffet. They had a butler type person assigned to them who checked in regularly throughout the day, brought food beyond the provided snacks etc. I guess I’ll have to ask on the Holland board if they still do that. 

[hard_eight]

22 minutes ago, momof3cruisers said:

I know that about Carnival. In the past we’ve always gotten a cabana. (Although that isn’t happening at these prices!) However, my sisters rented a cabana while sailing with Holland America. They did not have to go to the buffet. They had a butler type person assigned to them who checked in regularly throughout the day, brought food beyond the provided snacks etc. I guess I’ll have to ask on the Holland board if they still do that. 

For $699 they had better! 🤣