Sold Out Princess Cruises the New Norm?

[mtnesterz]

5 hours ago, CruisinFinsUp said:

I'm wondering if Princess is doing any last minute sales, possibly for regional close to port residents (mostly Florida is what I've been monitoring)  thus selling out whatever is remaining... Good for those folks getting a cruise, but frustrating for us as there really are no last minute options available anymore!     

Yes, there are! Though not on Princess. You may or may not be aware that HAL has a standby program if you can travel with a couple days notice. Uses several ports of embarkation but Montreal is closest for you. In our case a similar situation, just need to get to San Diego from Los Angeles. If interested:

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/cruise-deals/standby-program

Edited April 3 by mtnesterz

[Coral]

I think it is related to having fewer ships than before COVID. Plus, people are vacationing again. Just think if they hadn't sold off several of the ship's - there would be more ship's going to more places!

[Coral]

5 hours ago, karatemom2 said:

I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the cabins they may reserve or set aside for travel agents to sell? We are taking a Norwegian Fjords cruise this summer that seems to be very popular - a great itinerary. It has appeared to be virtually sold out for months with almost no cabin availability, but when I checked again this week just out of curiosity, quite a few cabins that had not been showing as available before were suddenly open.

 

We are now within 90 days of the cruise, so I'm just wondering if by a certain time a travel agent has not sold them they revert back to Princess. Or maybe it is people who cancel at 90 days for a refund?

 

It's a mystery to me - but ships do indeed seem to be sailing at or near capacity these days.

I doubt it is related to travel agents. If a ship fills up, they pull travel agent space. They don't let agents sit on it for very long if they think they can sell the cabins.

 

This itinerary is always pretty full as they only do a few Norwegian Fiord trips per year. I know when I went in 2018, I got a move over offer to September. They were doing the cruise I was on in June and September and that was it.

[MelbTone]

Yes, booked on a short Diamond cruise out of Adelaide (South Australia) next December. Got the last cabin, not the one I would have chosen if I'd had a choice.

[Arizona Wildcat]

58 minutes ago, Coral said:

I doubt it is related to travel agents. If a ship fills up, they pull travel agent space. They don't let agents sit on it for very long if they think they can sell the cabins.

 

This itinerary is always pretty full as they only do a few Norwegian Fiord trips per year. I know when I went in 2018, I got a move over offer to September. They were doing the cruise I was on in June and September and that was it.

More than about 60 days out TAs can still sell out of their group block.  X days before the cruise, unsold cabins revert to the cruiseline (where I worked it was close to final payment date).

You also have individuals reserving rooms on multiple cruises and with refundable deposits you really do not know until final.payment date how many cabins are not booked 

Coral, with Norway reducing port calls; space there will be 100% full for the future.  No TA group space that I ever saw. 

Edited April 4 by Arizona Wildcat

[Luckybee]

4 hours ago, Projunior said:

When the cabins aren't selling count on the Princess Players Club to fill up the ship by giving them away to casino denizens.

And alot may have to do with "new" casino promotions being offered.

I have never been on a Princess ship before now but my home casino recently had promos through Princess for "free" cruises. I recieved a free suite up to 12 days which allowed me to book an aft penthouse for a 10 day Caribbean cruise.  I know others who got the same thing and there were ALOT of people who got a "free" cabin( lol.... including my secretary who plays pennies/nickels only and has no interest in taking a cruise even this one ). Port fees and taxes were extra and of course plus/premium not included .

This is just one (albeit large) casino and there are many other casinos doing the same thing. I could be wrong but I would think that has a big effect on filling ships.

[Coral]

39 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

More than about 60 days out TAs can still sell out of their group block.  X days before the cruise, unsold cabins revert to the cruiseline (where I worked it was close to final payment date).

 

If a cruise is popular and sells out, Princess will pull the group space. So I doubt sold out notifications are related to TAs holding group space. 

 

My agent had group space on my Norway cruise.

Edited April 4 by Coral

[MacMadame]

 

6 hours ago, dockman said:

Add in more new ships designed to appeal to a wider variety of age groups that bring in more younger cruisers and expanded demographics. 

Princess has started heavy advertising on my local Alt Rock radio station which appeals mostly to the 18-34 demographic. They seem to actively be going after a younger demographic.

[karatemom2]

27 minutes ago, MacMadame said:

 

Princess has started heavy advertising on my local Alt Rock radio station which appeals mostly to the 18-34 demographic. They seem to actively be going after a younger demographic.

This is the age range into which my kids fall. Neither they or most of their friends can afford a cruise. It’s everything they can do to afford their rent. The only reason my daughter and her new hubby got a cruise for their honeymoon was because Mom and Dad were footing the bill. 
 

Princess can advertise to that demographic all they like, but it may be many years before they reap any benefit. They would be smarter to stick with at least a 40 plus demographic or advertise to us Gen X and Boomers encouraging us to bring our adult kids on cruises. Many are living at home anyway. 

[SCX22]

9 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

Princess can advertise to that demographic all they like, but it may be many years before they reap any benefit. They would be smarter to stick with at least a 40 plus demographic or advertise to us Gen X and Boomers encouraging us to bring our adult kids on cruises. Many are living at home anyway

It's because the Princess experience doesn't appeal to most Millennials.  All in all, Princess ships feel like floating retirement homes.   The overwhelming sentiment of Princess' current demographic is that they don't want to cruise with kids.   Millennials can scrape up enough money for an experience if they really wanted to do it.  Millennials cruise on RCCL and Disney, and their fares are even higher than Princess.

[dockman]

4 hours ago, memoak said:

You say casino denizens like it is a bad thing. By the way the offers are going backwards. Instead of getting free balconies and $1,000 per person free play we now see $250-$400 and sometime only free insides. The line wants us on board because they know if we hit something big we will celebrate at speciality restaurants and buy jewelry 

not sure what you may or may not spend in a speciality restaurant or jewelry store has much to do with a casino offer....

[Projunior]

5 hours ago, memoak said:

You say casino denizens like it is a bad thing.

I have no earthly idea where you came up with that take, but rest assured, it's 100% wrong.

[Teechur]

The 14-day Asia cruise (4 sea days) that we wanted sold out nearly two years in advance. I keep hoping some cabins open up on it so we can jump ship from our backup choice, a 12-day Asia cruise (6 sea days) that we have booked.

[startedwithamouse]

2 hours ago, MacMadame said:

 

Princess has started heavy advertising on my local Alt Rock radio station which appeals mostly to the 18-34 demographic. They seem to actively be going after a younger demographic.

Maybe it's cheap advertising?

 

We haven't listened to anything other than Sirrus, Spotify or Pandora in years.

[DrSea]

7 hours ago, Gail & Dan said:

Sailed With Celebrity Lots Never had a nonrefundable deposit personally do not recall extra cost for that ? Celebrity also bills for the MDR Food like prime rib etc ! 

Wait wait wait....X charges for prime rib?! In the MDR?

[memoak]

2 hours ago, dockman said:

not sure what you may or may not spend in a speciality restaurant or jewelry store has much to do with a casino offer....

When we win big we spend big

[Mark_K]

8 hours ago, DrSea said:

Wait wait wait....X charges for prime rib?! In the MDR?

I don’t think so.  They do (or did, I’m not sure) have two premium items on their MDR menus which you were charged for - A Lobster Tail and a Filet Mignon.

[dockman]

20 hours ago, memoak said:

When we win big we spend big

i am under the impression that the jewelry stores onboard are a lease so cruise line collects the rent or maybe they also get a percent of the sales? 

 

Like the vast majority of casino gamblers I rarely win big....in my experience it is a rare person that ultimately leaves a casino with more $$ than when they arrived and will ultimately plow it back into more gambling.  But good luck to you

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, dockman said:

i am under the impression that the jewelry stores onboard are a lease so cruise line collects the rent or maybe they also get a percent of the sales? 

 

Like the vast majority of casino gamblers I rarely win big....in my experience it is a rare person that ultimately leaves a casino with more $$ than when they arrived and will ultimately plow it back into more gambling.  But good luck to you

Well every year we seem to have to declare casino winnings to the IRS

[dockman]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

Well every year we seem to have to declare casino winnings to the IRS

Wow congratulations on that....what is the secret to beating the odds?

[Ken the cruiser]

On 4/3/2024 at 4:01 PM, Mark_K said:

Celebrity charges more for a cabin with a refundable deposit.  Unless there’s a sale or a TA special the nonrefundable deposit starts at $500/pp.

And just for the record, the fare for a Celebrity cruise is now 20% more if you book it with a refundable deposit rather than a nonrefundable one, regardless of cabin category. 

[memoak]

5 minutes ago, dockman said:

Wow congratulations on that....what is the secret to beating the odds?

Just luck I didn’t say I made money but when I book a free cabin spend $3,000 days more in the casino and win $2,000 I consider that a good cruise 

[weregoingcruising]

9 hours ago, dockman said:

i am under the impression that the jewelry stores onboard are a lease so cruise line collects the rent or maybe they also get a percent of the sales? 

 

Like the vast majority of casino gamblers I rarely win big....in my experience it is a rare person that ultimately leaves a casino with more $$ than when they arrived and will ultimately plow it back into more gambling.  But good luck to you

The vast majority should say their going losing instead of gambling.🎰😩

[MacMadame]

On 4/3/2024 at 9:03 PM, startedwithamouse said:

Maybe it's cheap advertising?

Could be. Also, just because they have most in the 18-34 range, doesn't mean they don't have a good amount in their 40s, enough to be worth it.

 

Plus, now that I think about it, when they came back after a few years of a format change during the pandemic, they came back as "we're back!" but they play a LOT more classic alternative and stuff popular a few years ago than they used to. So maybe they are changing to match their aging listeners rather than keeping after that younger demographic?

 

I'm not in their target demographics either way. I just thought it was interesting especially since all these ships are sailing at 100% capacity. Why advertise at all? I guess Princess knows something we don't know.

[memoak]

Here in the PNW they are marketing a raffle with Pendleton. I got a mailer from Pendleton yesterday