Pricing on Cunard

[calikak]

Now that our sailing on QM2 next November has been canceled, I am currently trying to decide which sailing we should book instead. So, in considering which cruise to book, I am wondering about what is considered a good price on either a cruise or a crossing on Cunard. Usually I decide if a cruise is a good value based on the per diem price. The best deals I've seen in surfing the net have been about $150 per night for a balcony cabin on a Caribbean sailing, but much higher for all other sailings (including crossings), more in the $200-300 range. We were considering booking the Canada/New England sailing on QM2 next fall, but I haven't been able to find it any cheaper than $300 per person per night for a balcony cabin.

 

So, without anyone recommending their travel agent so this thread has to be pulled, I would appreciate any comments about what you Cunard experts consider to be a "fair", "good," or "screaming" deals on Cunard sailings. Thanks in advance for your input!

[ocngypz]

Canada/New England cruises command the highest per diems and are always sell outs. Not really any bargains there.

 

I would expect on a 10 night Caribbean to pay around $250-300 for Princess

Around $180 for A bl, $150 or so for B unobstructed. I'm including port, tax and fuel.

 

Honestly, this far out, there aren't any promotional pricing schemes on the sailings you're looking at. Just EBS, and a slight discount for past pax in some categories. A regional rates will be the promotional rates.

 

Last rates to fill up a ship .. and typically for guarantees.. are Flash. Least expensve this season, D8 inside without tax $999.

[emileg]

You are correct Beth. Caribbean sailings are usually less expensive, probably because of the competition. On the crossings there in no competition. European cruises are much higher probably now than they used to be because of the devaluation of the US dollar. South American cruises seem to be least expensive on a per diem basis. The Argentine peso seems to be pegged at 3 to the dollar and everything in Argentina seems to cost about 1/3 of what it would cost in the US.

 

To get the best prices, make sure you are on all the email and mailing lists of the cruise lines you wish to travel on. There are also websites that list flash promotions. Check them daily. Cunard sent us a past passenger promotion in the mail for the January 3 sailing of the QM2 for $130 per person per day for an obstructed balcony on Deck 8. We immediately called our TA at home who was able to get us the very last cabin available on that promotion.

[K.sailaway]

In the UK we can only dream of these rates.:(

 

K.

[guernseyguy]

In the UK we can only dream of these rates.:(

 

K.

 

No - we get those rates - just with a £ sign.....not a $ one........:mad:

[pnhmrk]

No - we get those rates - just with a £ sign.....not a $ one........:mad:

 

If anyone's interested drop me an email and I can point you in the right direction to get the $ sign put back!

[K.sailaway]

No - we get those rates - just with a £ sign.....not a $ one........:mad:

 

That's just about right.:p I understand that problems can arise even if we in the UK find a US booking agent prepared to take our reservation.

 

Malcolm - I'm sure that you've really bottomed this one out before going ahead. I'd be interested in knowing your route to magic fares once you're back - or perhaps meet you in Sydney?

 

K.

[calikak]

I don't understand why they charge you all in the UK so much more...unless it's because it includes airfare? Otherwise it sounds to me like you all are being ripped off. Especially with the dollar being so weak.

 

So, on other cruise lines I have sailed on, for the Caribbean it seems like there are generally better deals if you book less than 90 days out, and generally there are no concerns about availability, since the Caribbean market is oversaturated with ships. Is this also true on Cunard, or are we already looking at the best possible prices for next winter with the potential of a cruise selling out? We no longer have our hearts set on a particular sailing, because the one we wanted to go on was already cancelled, so we have some flexibility and could probably wait for the best possible deal, but if we're already looking at the best possible deal, I suppose there's no reason to wait?

[K.sailaway]

I don't understand why they charge you all in the UK so much more...unless it's because it includes airfare? Otherwise it sounds to me like you all are being ripped off. Especially with the dollar being so weak.

 

It applies to any voyage, with or without any air included, such as Southampton-Southampton. I have copies of the USA brochures and it's true that our fares in GBP are very near yours in US$. As you say, we're being ripped off.

 

K.

[calikak]

It applies to any voyage, with or without any air included, such as Southampton-Southampton. I have copies of the USA brochures and it's true that our fares in GBP are very near yours in US$. As you say, we're being ripped off.

 

K.

 

That stinks. You'd think at least the European cruise lines like Cunard wouldn't be ripping you all off (not that it's OK that US cruise lines do it either).

[rrunner]

You are correct Beth. Caribbean sailings are usually less expensive, probably because of the competition. On the crossings there in no competition. European cruises are much higher probably now than they used to be because of the devaluation of the US dollar. South American cruises seem to be least expensive on a per diem basis. The Argentine peso seems to be pegged at 3 to the dollar and everything in Argentina seems to cost about 1/3 of what it would cost in the US.

 

To get the best prices, make sure you are on all the email and mailing lists of the cruise lines you wish to travel on. There are also websites that list flash promotions. Check them daily. Cunard sent us a past passenger promotion in the mail for the January 3 sailing of the QM2 for $130 per person per day for an obstructed balcony on Deck 8. We immediately called our TA at home who was able to get us the very last cabin available on that promotion.

I was always told it was the docking fees charged to the shipping company that decide the price of a cruise. The New England cruise was expensive compared to our coming Caribbean trip - the islands charge less . The crossings are less also. Does anyone know how much it does cost for a ship to spend a day in port.

[calikak]

I was always told it was the docking fees charged to the shipping company that decide the price of a cruise. The New England cruise was expensive compared to our coming Caribbean trip - the islands charge less . The crossings are less also. Does anyone know how much it does cost for a ship to spend a day in port.

 

It depends on the port. I think here in Seattle it's $20 per person per day. I only know this because we're doing an NCL cruise next spring and for our son, they don't charge a cruise fare, only the port fees and taxes.

 

I think the docking fees are part of what drives the fare, but I think market forces also drive the fares. Caribbean pricing has been pretty weak over the past couple of years, from what I've read (I'm certainly no expert or insider, though), and European pricing has been through the roof. We did a British Isles cruise back in 2005, but were priced out of the European cruise market in 2006, so we did a Tahiti/Hawaii cruise instead. It cost $1000 less per person for the same number or nights, so it really was a no-brainer.

[travel-to-go]

Notice they no longer call it "port fees" or Port charges. There is profit built into it.

In my old computer, I looked into it. I had a bunch of websites (port authorities and port fees) bookmarked, in addition to a maritime law firm that sued over the subject, which is probably why you no longer hear it referred to as port charges.

 

 

Karie

[Casshew]

Now that our sailing on QM2 next November has been canceled, I am currently trying to decide which sailing we should book instead.

 

Why did Cunard cancel your voyage?? are there any others canceled, I'm booked in August.

[calikak]

Why did Cunard cancel your voyage?? are there any others canceled, I'm booked in August.

 

You're fine, don't worry! QM2 is going into dry dock for a few weeks in late October/early November, and our voyage was one of the ones that got cancelled. There's a thread about it around here somewhere...oh, here it is:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=668943

[Casshew]

Oh, okay... :) Thanks! sorry your cruise was canceled :(

[Rocky123]

I hope while in drydock they redesign the lido...

[Teresa Price]

Hi guys,

we use an American TA, pay in $s and with a good discount. Not all will sell Cunard to the UK. These people we used earlier this year to book HAL - a great cruise at a great price. No problems - the tickets were sent to us well in advance we just sorted out the air travel.

Cheers Teresa

[Namvet4]

 

Last rates to fill up a ship .. and typically for guarantees.. are Flash. Least expensve this season, D8 inside without tax $999.

 

ocngypz... Can you explain what is meant by "flash rates" ?

Thanks in adavnce for the answer...

[Dorchester]

I don't understand why they charge you all in the UK so much more...

 

 

Whilst discussing this very point with a fellow passenger on board QE2 yesterday, he told me that when he asked this question at the Cruise Office on board he was told "It's because the Americans spend more whilst they are on the ship".

 

Whilst this statement may well be true, I cannot believe that warrants Cunard charging nearly doubling the price of a particular cruise when they sell it to a UK citizen as opposed to a US citizen.

 

Surely this cannot be a valid reason?:confused:

 

Regards,

David

[sealegs9]

Canada/New England cruises command the highest per diems and are always sell outs. Not really any bargains there.

 

I would expect on a 10 night Caribbean to pay around $250-300 for Princess

Around $180 for A bl, $150 or so for B unobstructed. I'm including port, tax and fuel.

 

Honestly, this far out, there aren't any promotional pricing schemes on the sailings you're looking at. Just EBS, and a slight discount for past pax in some categories. A regional rates will be the promotional rates.

 

Last rates to fill up a ship .. and typically for guarantees.. are Flash. Least expensve this season, D8 inside without tax $999.

 

Thanks for the info, ocngypz. We are waiting to book the July 2 '08 6 night to Canada/New England. We hoped the prices would drop. Were on the 7/2 4 nighter to Princess Cays last summer and our per diem was about $275 for a balcony -B3 later upgraded to an A2. We thought we could snag an obstructed B5 (actually 2- one for our sons) at about $200-$225 per diem. Prices have not dropped -only for the 4-5 night Princess Cays itin. So- should we wait until April/May to see if prices drop like last year -since short 6 night cruise - or book now, knowing Cunard will not lower price once final payment is made (nor upgrade)? It's our 30th anniversary and DS's college grad gift. Any help is appreciated.

[K.sailaway]

Whilst discussing this very point with a fellow passenger on board QE2 yesterday, he told me that when he asked this question at the Cruise Office on board he was told "It's because the Americans spend more whilst they are on the ship".

 

Whilst this statement may well be true, are we really to believe that warrants Cunard charging nearly doubling the price of a particular cruise when they sell it to a UK citizen as opposed to a US citizen.

 

Surely this cannot be a valid reason?:confused:

 

Regards,

David

 

That's an interesting explanation. On that basis are we really to believe that the average US passenger on our nine week QE2 voyage earlier this year spent onboard some US$30,000 more per person than we did. Or did they?:D

 

K.