Sail of the Year pricing increase?

[Vineyard View]

We have a few itineraries we are considering for next year. I have a few screenshots of sailings during Spring 2025 from February. I just looked online at several. Prices have gone up for the same cabin categories. Was there a price increase on March 1st?  Three examples

14 day Spains Southern Coast….4/9/25 sail date….V2 $8,074….now is $8,414

14 days Jewels of the British Isles…5/31/25 sail date…V2 $8,244….now is $8,924

10 day Tyrrhenian Treasures….5/7/25 sail date…V2 $5,694…..now $5,984

‘Sail of the Year’ looks to be not what it was. I did not hear of a price increase, but possibly I missed it. 

 

[PrincessTraveller]

I have noticed the same. 

 

Been looking at a few AUS/NZ and S. Asia itineraries and within a matter of days I noticed as much as a 10% increase.  Some days the increase was only a few hundred dollars.  Have not seen pricing decrease, but may have missed that day 😟.  As I have been researching since mid-January, I can say the pricing fluctuations started to occur before March 1.  I too started taking as I thought I was losing my mind.  Wasn't me.

[Corony]

Generally pricing will fluctuate based on remaining cabin availability even if it’s within a certain sale promotion. 

[Vineyard View]

Some of the fluctuations are fairly large. The pricing is up from last year on identical itineraries, but I did not realize how much it fluctuates within a ‘specific sale’ timeframe. Thank you for sharing that piece Corony 

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, PrincessTraveller said:

I have noticed the same. 

 

Been looking at a few AUS/NZ and S. Asia itineraries and within a matter of days I noticed as much as a 10% increase.  Some days the increase was only a few hundred dollars.  Have not seen pricing decrease, but may have missed that day 😟.  As I have been researching since mid-January, I can say the pricing fluctuations started to occur before March 1.  I too started taking as I thought I was losing my mind.  Wasn't me.

I thought it was me as well, and that is why I also took screenshots! Ha!

[PrincessTraveller]

It has made entertaining this next cruise on Seabourn very challenging as the price differential within a couple days was quite drastic.  I researched and then reviewed with my better half.  When I went to book a couple days later, price has jumped enough for us to consider alternatives.  The same itinerary has increased even more in the past week.

[Sunprince]

I had been considering a few 21+ day itineraries for the Oct/Nov 2024 timeframe and noticed prices went up on March 1 by approx 10%.  So I think it was a broader price increase vs surge pricing due to limited availability for certain cruises.  I’m unsure why Seabourn sent an email on March 1 to extend the sale, only to implement a price increase on the same day?? At current price levels, it appears not to be any sale. 

[Vineyard View]

3 hours ago, Sunprince said:

I had been considering a few 21+ day itineraries for the Oct/Nov 2024 timeframe and noticed prices went up on March 1 by approx 10%.  So I think it was a broader price increase vs surge pricing due to limited availability for certain cruises.  I’m unsure why Seabourn sent an email on March 1 to extend the sale, only to implement a price increase on the same day?? At current price levels, it appears not to be any sale. 

I would agree with you. Every itinerary I looked at was higher priced. I think we will hold for another “sale of the year” type of sale. I didn’t think this one was all that enticing to begin with, and now even less so. Hopefully I don’t regret this decision. 

[purpleally]

Our cruise went up $1000 right after we booked

[Vineyard View]

I have continued to look, and they continue to be higher. I sure hope a future ‘sale’ provides something better than this current one has at this point. 

[Robisan]

"Sail of the Year" has been going on since January and the offers have been, shall we say, evolving. In late January we were looking at the 11-day late March crossing from Miami to Canary Islands cruise on Quest, had the pricing nailed down and decided over the weekend to book it. Contacted the TA on Monday and soon found out that the previous day SB had revised the offer on the cruise, adding $500/pp OBC - and had increased the fare price by $600/pp! The new OBC was promoted as a limited time "sale" offer. Needless to say, we declined their offer to pay $1,200 for $1,000 of OBC and too clever by half Seabourn lost a booking.

[Vineyard View]

I think that when they ‘extended’ the sale, they also changed the sale prices, rather than change the name of the sale, and making it clear it was a different offering. If they had actually ended it when it was advertised to end, it may have been a smarter play because then different offerings would have been expected - good or bad. People don’t always book right away, but they often do keep track of what they are Interested in including the pricing. 

[alexandria]

On 3/6/2024 at 11:04 PM, Corony said:

Generally pricing will fluctuate based on remaining cabin availability even if it’s within a certain sale promotion. 

Exactly.  It is the same as any other travel option out there.  Prices on airline tickets can change multiple times in a single day for the same seat on the same flight.  Hotel prices vary from day to day.  Cruise lines do the same.  It is basic revenue management.  And because many cruise ships are sailing with full or nearly full capacity now, cruise lines are more apt to adjust pricing upwards as bookings occur (and probably even more so on luxury lines where passengers are likely not as price-sensitive) to maximize revenue.  And don't forget that food and fuel costs have both been rising which is significant considering the food and fuel requirements for any cruise ship, even the smaller luxury line vessels.  The revenue to cover those increasing expenses has to come from somewhere and on all-inclusive lines like Seabourn, it comes from increased cruise fares.  Mainstream lines have relied more upon increased pricing for onboard purchases (primarily drinks/drink packages and specialty dining) to generate additional revenue.

 

I recommend that travelers research their travel options and book when the pricing and availability meets their desires and their budget.  If you delay, you may miss out on pricing that is currently offered.  And if the pricing then in effect when you are ready to book has increased and is no longer within the range you'd like to pay, then you can wait and see if prices drop (which does happen from time to time) or look at other options.  Remember to consider overall travel pricing when deciding whether that particular journey provides the value you expect.  If the cruise fare increases by $500pp but the airfare drops by $750pp at the same time, don't fail to see the forest for the trees and miss out on the $250pp overall savings!

 

Fair winds and following seas!  🛳️

 

[Vineyard View]

I do believe that pricing can fluctuate based on available cabins….I particularly see is with the airlines. I would only add that since after March 1, there are 4 itineraries I have been looking at and the price increases have remained the same on the Verandah suites during several searches. 
I also agree that when the pricing meets expectations, it is the time to book. Unfortunately, that isn’t always possible. For various reasons. One that can occur is medical, and until post surgery time is far enough out that one could travel, it invalidates travel insurance if you book until that point. But I do agree that under most circumstances it makes sense when the price is agreeable, book it. 

[robertmartha]

Just checked out their latest promotion (since the previous one expired yesterday) and the sailing we were looking at increased $1000 for the cabin... the new promotion is a 2 category upgrade but the price for the same category yesterday vs today is now $1,000 more for the cabin.

 

I snoozed and lost 😔

[Robisan]

The whole cruising sales models and pricing gimmicks are such an antiquated racket. The worst part is the virtual requirement to pay a +/-10% commission surcharge to TAs (less what you can claw back from the TA in discounts, rebates, OBC, etc.). If you book direct with the cruise line they just pocket the unpaid TA commission and flat out refuse to credit any portion of the unpaid commission back the purchaser.

[Vineyard View]

Wow. I just looked at the newest sale. Of the four itineraries we are looking at, and that I have pricing on from early February, I found the following increases per person for entry level Verandah vs current entry level. Granted, there is a two category upgrade for the same price, however we had planned on a V2, which was approx $200/pp more than V1. 

Three are 14 day itineraries. They increased from lowest of $1,415/pp up to $1,925/pp
The 10 day itinerary increased $1,275pp 
 

Pretty bummed we weren’t able to book (medical) during Jan/Feb. sure hoping that the pendulum swings a bit further back. 

[PrincessTraveller]

The continued SB increases opened the door for us to consider other lines.  Not so much an issue of cost (although it is something we consider when planning all our trips) but rather the question and impression it has left in our minds of what seemed to be daily prices increases, and not just by a couple hundred dollars.  Although we really enjoy SB, TA highly encouraged us to consider Regent.  Hadn't planned to but broke down.  Glad we did.  Found a very enticing price on itinerary of interest.  

[Sunprince]

The price increases are now dramatic…two examples:

Oct 26/24 on Soujourn (21 days) - Before, approx $7500 for V1 and now $12900. 

Nov 9/24 Ovation crossing (21 days) - Before, approx $6300 for V1 and now $10,700.

 

It is now “a sale beyond” reason.  Seabourn, please don’t try to pass off a price increase as a so called “sale”. Just be honest like some cruise lines do and say “ prices will increase on xxx date”. 

Edited March 13 by Sunprince

[Vineyard View]

37 minutes ago, PrincessTraveller said:

The continued SB increases opened the door for us to consider other lines.  Not so much an issue of cost (although it is something we consider when planning all our trips) but rather the question and impression it has left in our minds of what seemed to be daily prices increases, and not just by a couple hundred dollars.  Although we really enjoy SB, TA highly encouraged us to consider Regent.  Hadn't planned to but broke down.  Glad we did.  Found a very enticing price on itinerary of interest.  

I have looked at Regent (& SS).   Since we don’t really engage with ship excursions, the cost of those in the price structure  impacts the price pp/pdwas and seemed significant for us. For those who do use ship excursions I can see where it would be attractive. Maybe I need to look more often.  I have heard good things about them, so hope you enjoy. 
SB price increases in past few weeks when they ‘extended’ the New Years sale were bad enough. This latest round is extreme. I can only hope that it is an epic fail. As Sunprince said, it’s clearly a price increase, and nothing resembling a sale. 

Edited March 13 by Vineyard View

[robertmartha]

Thanks all - I am glad I am not the only one who had sticker shock when I looked at pricing today.

The current two category upgrade sale is in effect till 4/30.....so time will tell.

 

Bob

[skybluewaters]

On 3/13/2024 at 3:48 PM, Sunprince said:

The price increases are now dramatic…two examples:

Oct 26/24 on Soujourn (21 days) - Before, approx $7500 for V1 and now $12900. 

Nov 9/24 Ovation crossing (21 days) - Before, approx $6300 for V1 and now $10,700

 

Regarding the 21-day Sojourn cruise, I just checked and a V1 (with a complimentary upgrade to a V3) is now $13,399.  That's ~ $500 more since yesterday, assuming we both are correct.

 

Are you sure about the $7500 price before the sale?  That seems awfully low for a Med cruise, even in October/November.

[Vineyard View]

52 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

Regarding the 21-day Sojourn cruise, I just checked and a V1 (with a complimentary upgrade to a V3) is now $13,399.  That's ~ $500 more since yesterday, assuming we both are correct.

 

Are you sure about the $7500 price before the sale?  That seems awfully low for a Med cruise, even in October/November.

Is that $500/pp?  If so, that is extremely low vs the four I am looking at in increases. One is British Isles (largest increase), and the other three are Mediterranean. My dates are Apr/May 2025. 

[skybluewaters]

17 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Is that $500/pp?  If so, that is extremely low vs the four I am looking at in increases. One is British Isles (largest increase), and the other three are Mediterranean. My dates are Apr/May 2025. 

 

Apparently, that ~ $500/pp increase is just since yesterday. There was a much larger mark up which occurred prior (see @Sunprince's comment #19 above).

[Vineyard View]

2 hours ago, skybluewaters said:

 

Apparently, that ~ $500/pp increase is just since yesterday. There was a much larger mark up which occurred prior (see @Sunprince's comment #19 above).

Yes. It’s a steep increase. Seems to be widespread. Started with the extended New Year Sail price increases, then with this new promotion it is severe. The compounded amount is more than difficult to justify.