NCL Prices have gotten out of hand!!!

[expectthebest]

Hello Cruisers,

It’s been 3 1/2 years since we last cruised on NCL.. and boy have these prices gone sky high!! I know all things must go up in price… but a club balcony out of San Juan next March for $8100 for my wife and I along with our 2 children…is insane… it’s not even a suite or the “Haven” then we add airfare out of Philly and it tops out at just over 11k…. Not a typo… $11,000 Dollars… was hoping to book a club balcony and then upgrade  to the Haven with a little luck.. but now.. I think this cruise is off the table… Am I the only one who thinks these prices have made cruising out of reach for most families??

 

Thanks for listening,

 

[fastpitchdad]

15 minutes ago, expectthebest said:

Hello Cruisers,

It’s been 3 1/2 years since we last cruised on NCL.. and boy have these prices gone sky high!! I know all things must go up in price… but a club balcony out of San Juan next March for $8100 for my wife and I along with our 2 children…is insane… it’s not even a suite or the “Haven” then we add airfare out of Philly and it tops out at just over 11k…. Not a typo… $11,000 Dollars… was hoping to book a club balcony and then upgrade  to the Haven with a little luck.. but now.. I think this cruise is off the table… Am I the only one who thinks these prices have made cruising out of reach for most families??

 

Thanks for listening,

 

 

Maybe check another itinerary? We are in the Haven for 10 days Lisbon to Rome for ~$8500 for two of us all in. 

[expectthebest]

1 minute ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

Maybe check another itinerary? We are in the Haven for 10 days Lisbon to Rome for ~$8500 for two of us all in. 

That is a great price… I didn’t check how full the ship is.. or who the officers are that are on the ship so that may affect the price a bit as well

[sansroof]

Yeah that seems like a wildly high fare.  We are paying less than half of that for a club balcony on a 11 day cruise in Europe.  Is this on one of the new ships?

[Two Wheels Only]

Perhaps a different departure port, different ship, different date, different itinerary, etc. could make a difference.  

 

Booking NCL's newest ship during roughly Spring Break time with flights is going to be expensive. 

[expectthebest]

4 minutes ago, sansroof said:

Yeah that seems like a wildly high fare.  We are paying less than half of that for a club balcony on a 11 day cruise in Europe.  Is this on one of the new ships?

Yes… it’s the viva I think… so that will make a huge difference now that you think about it

[sansroof]

Oh yeah.  When we were deciding on our fall trip we looked at the Viva and since it's brand new it was $$$$.

[expectthebest]

Just now, sansroof said:

Oh yeah.  When we were deciding on our fall trip we looked at the Viva and since it's brand new it was $$$$.

I agree.. last ship we were on was breakaway out of NYC and was a good deal so that what I had in my mind…

[sansroof]

Keep looking around!  We are on the Getaway and it was more than reasonable pricing.

[complawyer]

im looking to book the ncl dawn on a back to back next oct. venice to athens/ athens to tel aviv  a club balcony suite for both legs (10 days each) is slightly over $10,000, not bad for 20 days (imho)

 

but to be fair, i do get a 10% military discount

[wolft927]

Booking a new ship prices will always be super high! Also march is Spring break for some areas. We just got off the Joy 2 weeks ago (Haven aft) and just booked the Escape for January. We booked the Haven 2 bedroom and are sailing with another couple. A Balcony was $3500 for two people and was able to get the 2 bedroom Haven for $9k all in for the 4 of us which is a good deal. 

[floodcasso2]

NCL has been steadily moving itself upmarket since just before the pandemic.   They don't want to compete with Royal and Carnival anymore.   It seems they want to be the somewhat more family oriented alternative to things like Princess and Celebrity.   The prices and the new ships are definitely reflecting that too.

[MeHeartCruising]

Supply = Demand.  They aren't sailing the ships empty.  People are buying.

[razor7_us]

I would ditch the Club balcony and opt for a mid ship balcony and use BWI as an airport and fly Southwest round trip

[ashank1m]

Its like buying a car, more options and dealer fees.  NCL port fee/taxes are higher than others in same port and same itinaries.  Then you add gratuities for drinks about $150 per person on 7 days and dining package, about $20 per person.  Then add Daily gratuities of $20 a day per person (compare to $14.5 for Carnival/MSC and $18 for RCL), I think Suites get bumped to $25 a day.

[PaperSniper4]

22 hours ago, complawyer said:

im looking to book the ncl dawn on a back to back next oct. venice to athens/ athens to tel aviv  a club balcony suite for both legs (10 days each) is slightly over $10,000, not bad for 20 days (imho)

 

but to be fair, i do get a 10% military discount

You're getting a military discount? Is it a special cruise that offers that? I'm retired military and cruise NCL about ever other March, but I've gotten a military OBC like many other cruise lines, nor a special 10% military rate as far as I know.

 

 We sail NCL out of New Orleans since we can drive to that port.

 

 Doug

[complawyer]

doug, im glad you responded.  ncl offers a 10% military discount to current armed forces, all vets and their families, im a vietnam vet, and ws discharged over 50 years ago and my discount is currently good. by the way, it's any ncl ship, any cruise any time. 

 

hope this helps.

[RD64]

Nobody is forcing you to sail with NCL. If their price points do not match yours:

 

1) An alternate cruise line

 

2) An all inclusive vacation

 

3) a staycation

NCL does not owe you a cheap cruise.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

1 hour ago, PaperSniper4 said:

You're getting a military discount? Is it a special cruise that offers that? I'm retired military and cruise NCL about ever other March, but I've gotten a military OBC like many other cruise lines, nor a special 10% military rate as far as I know.

Go to NCLs website and you will find the area to apply for your veterans discount.  Takes five minutes.  All online, no faxing a DD214.  Easy peasy and it stays in you account so it will show up on any cruise you look at.

[dexddd]

They are crazy.  Even old Star asking $50,000 for 11 days northern Europe in a GV.  Other suites also crazy high.

 

No demand here with voodoo economic pricing.

[PaperSniper4]

13 hours ago, complawyer said:

doug, im glad you responded.  ncl offers a 10% military discount to current armed forces, all vets and their families, im a vietnam vet, and ws discharged over 50 years ago and my discount is currently good. by the way, it's any ncl ship, any cruise any time. 

 

hope this helps.

Dang, I've sailed with NCL a lot as I said earlier, and if I've even gotten a military discount it was transparent to me. I will check with my TA who booked those NCL cruises, including the one coming up next March. He may have gotten a military rate for me and just didn't mention it.

 

 Doug

[G-DawgMN]

7 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Dang, I've sailed with NCL a lot as I said earlier, and if I've even gotten a military discount it was transparent to me. I will check with my TA who booked those NCL cruises, including the one coming up next March. He may have gotten a military rate for me and just didn't mention it.

 

 Doug

 

 It's something they rolled out a few months ago. Once you're enrolled it will show up on your account.

 

 

[PaperSniper4]

11 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Go to NCLs website and you will find the area to apply for your veterans discount.  Takes five minutes.  All online, no faxing a DD214.  Easy peasy and it stays in you account so it will show up on any cruise you look at.

I must be blind. I just  went to NCL.com and could not find anything to do with a veteran's discount. I looked under My Account and tried the Help button. I wish all cruise lines would use the same method for determining military history. I've used ID.me and the one that HAL uses, I forget its name. Plus whatever Princess uses, which is the one I use the most often.

 

If you can send me a link to where that veteran's section is it would be appreciated!

 

 Doug

[G-DawgMN]

On 4/23/2023 at 6:12 PM, expectthebest said:

Hello Cruisers,

It’s been 3 1/2 years since we last cruised on NCL.. and boy have these prices gone sky high!! I know all things must go up in price… but a club balcony out of San Juan next March for $8100 for my wife and I along with our 2 children…is insane… it’s not even a suite or the “Haven” then we add airfare out of Philly and it tops out at just over 11k…. Not a typo… $11,000 Dollars… was hoping to book a club balcony and then upgrade  to the Haven with a little luck.. but now.. I think this cruise is off the table… Am I the only one who thinks these prices have made cruising out of reach for most families??

 

Thanks for listening,

 

 

 

 I think it depends on the cruise, if you shop right it's still pretty affordable. We're booked on the Breakaway for a 7 day out of New Orleans. We went frugal and did an inside room, but for $2100.00 the two of get to cruise. This far included the drink package, dining (1), airfare, one way transfer, pre-paid gratuities, and $50.00 OBC from the travel agent. I think that's a pretty good deal.

 

 

[PaperSniper4]

1 minute ago, KSSS2013 said:

 

 It's something they rolled out a few months ago. Once you're enrolled it will show up on your account.

 

 

Ah, if it's recent that would explain a lot. I went to NCL.com to try to do whatever to get credit for my military service, but I could find nothing there.

 

Doug