Thanks ever so much Celebrity...

[RLM77]

...for announcing the winter 2009-2010 sailings but not opening all of them for bookings. Could this have anything, anything at all, to do with the fact that the fuel surcharge goes up for all bookings reserved after today??

We would now have to pay an additional $84.00 for the 14-night Connie cruise that we were considering. Multiply that by 950 cabins and it's not surprising they held some of the sailing dates back. Doesn't make me any happier though.

Well, we have freedom of choice in the good old USA, and I think I'll exercise that right by choosing a non-RCCL line for our March/April 2010 cruise.

Sorry for the rant. I had to vent.:o

Rich

[rebeccalouise]

I really don't understand how you can expect companies to predict the future. None of us has the faintest idea of what gas prices will be this time next year. In fact, I suspect that we are going to see many changes worldwide. Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the cruise lines can and will add fuel charges down the road. The cruise lines have to make a profit or will go under.

 

I think we are coming to the end of an era.

[TRadle]

If you are sailing in 2010 you will pay a fuel surcharge wherever you go. :rolleyes:

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We booked a December 2009 cruise on Sunday on the Equinox. Although we did not see a cruise on the Connie that we wanted to do, there were cruises open for booking on that ship.

[Jeano222]

Rebeccalouise, I couldn't agree more. I am becoming increasingly concerned that we may not be able to cruise as much as we have in the past for a variety of reasons. Gas/oil prices, increased food and utility costs, increase in taxes, higher airfares, hotels and cruisefares. All these factors eventually add up to making it harder to swing cruises, or any vacations for that matter. The one thing I question is that when the economic bubble does burst, will it then revert back to the way it was post 9/11 when they have all of these big ship and not having enough cabins sold? It seems there is a very thin line between charging more, more, more, until people are priced out.

[rebeccalouise]

I am doing Europe this summer with my seven year old. My older son is studying this summer in the south of Spain. I am glad my kids have been able to see the world- while we can still afford to.

 

Next year is anyone's guess. Europe is probably out of the question with the declining dollar. Don't want to get political but considering we went to war with an oil rich country- seems like we should be getting some return on the investment- ie. cheaper oil, no?

[Drew B]

Don't want to get political but considering we went to war with an oil rich country- seems like we should be getting some return on the investment- ie. cheaper oil, no?

 

 

If only we had just annexed a couple of their oil fields to compensate for our troubles...

[bobbyleduck]

If economic laws, and the laws of supply and demand hold, then the number of people cruising will decrease as prices increase. We are at the beginning of a world-wide recession, which will further reduce the number of people traveling. Because most of us have to fly to where the cruise ships are, and the cost of flying is beginning to increase rather rapidly, there will be a continued reduction in the number of people vacationing very far from home. All of this will be very nice for the wealthy, because they won't have all of us middle-class people invading the leisure-travel industry. It's hard to travel for fun when you're having to spend all of your discretionary funds just trying to make ends meet.

 

I'm certainly glad that I got to cruise twice last year, because the travel industry, in conjunction with energy speculators, are making it increasingly less likely that I'll find a deal (for a cruise and the necessary airfare to get to the cruiseport) that is good enough to entice me to leave the beautiful state of Oregon.

 

Happy cruising to all who can afford to cruise!

 

Bob

[Drew B]

I agree. And I think fuel supplements from the cruise lines themselves will be the least of our concerns. Airfare is about to become DISASTROUSLY high, I'm thinking.

[jerseygirl3]

I have zilch understanding of economics, but if the economy continues to turn downward and fewer people are vacationing, wouldn't we see more bargains as the cruiselines try to fill the ships?

[Casshew]

If 84bucks makes or breaks a cruise, I think you should stay home :rolleyes:

[Drew B]

I have zilch understanding of economics, but if the economy continues to turn downward and fewer people are vacationing, wouldn't we see more bargains as the cruiselines try to fill the ships?

 

Yes, but there is a breaking point. The airlines, though, are closer to that breaking point. I think that we'll see fewer people flying, but also, major airlines folding. That will keep the supply in line with the demand, and prices will not come down. If this turn lasts too long, cruise lines could fail as well, which would bring down the supply and drive up the cost as well. I hope that would not happen...

[Bob & Sandy]

Hey, five years ago, it took $1.62 Canadian to buy $1 US.

Now, they're at par. It is cheaper for us, living in Calgary,

in $C to cruise than it was five years ago ... :D

[bobbyleduck]

Oh, I was so hoping to see the fearless come out to play. I never even mentioned $84, and I wasn't about to get into the other parts of supply and demand, but because you insist.

 

1. Fuel to run the ship isn't the only cost that is increasing. Remember: That little thing called airfare! There are the eventual cost of food increases. You have noticed that the price of food has been increasing. Either the ships will have to reduce the quality of food, the amount of food, or increase the cost.

 

2. Back to airfare. Not only are airfares increasing, but now we will have to pay for luggage we used to get for free. If we choose to reduce our luggage, then we will have to pay the cruiseline to do our laundry. Supply and demand being what it is, this will cause that cost to increase.

 

3. Regarding reduced demand. There is a certain segment of the population that has more money than it knows what to do with (I'm not one of those) and they will pay even more if they don't have to deal with as many people.

 

4. Less people means less expenses. If you increase the price by 10 percent and reduce the passengers by the same 10 percent, as a result, then you will keep receiving the same amount of money, but you'll decrease certain costs. And believe me, the people who are lost are the ones who don't pay extra for soft drinks, alcohol, specialty restaurants and the like, so no extra $$$ are lost in the bargain.

 

I could go on and on, but what fun is it to play if you don't get to respond.

 

Happy cruising to all who can afford to cruise!

 

Bob

[chessbriar]

First off Rich every itinerary they have announced has been open for booking. It may not be on the website, but TAs have been able to book and if you call customer service they can book you.

 

Second off, as you say you will not book X due to the fuel surcharge, I'd love to know which line you are going to switch to. They all have the surcharge.

[shabal57]

Oh, I was so hoping to see the fearless come out to play. I never even mentioned $84, and I wasn't about to get into the other parts of supply and demand, but because you insist.

 

Just to clarify, it was the original OP that mentioned the $84. So it was not you who casshew was referring to.

 

Just to add my 2 cents... Our country as well as the rest of the world is facing an economic crisis. I find it funny that people are attacking the cruiselines. Everything from eggs, bread, gas and yes vacations are going to cost more. It's not a good thing but it is a fact. If anyone had ever told me that I would be paying over $50 to fill up my gas tank I would have laughed in their faces.

 

That being said, if you are spending thousand of dollars on a cruise a fuel surcharge of $84 would not stop me from going. That fee is probably going to be the least of your increased fees.

[denb]

Well' date=' we have freedom of choice in the good old USA, and I think I'll exercise that right by choosing a non-RCCL line for our March/April 2010 cruise.[/font']

Interesting..... I didn't know RCCL was the only cruise line that used fuel to power their ships!?!? I'm sure you're correct in assuming that no other line will raise prices to cover increased overhead.

[terrydtx]

Interesting..... I didn't know RCCL was the only cruise line that used fuel to power their ships!?!? I'm sure you're correct in assuming that no other line will raise prices to cover increased overhead.

 

Well said and unless you cruise in a row boat you will not avoid fuel surcharges in the future. I stayed at a major hotel chain in San Francisco recently and was charged a $15 per night energy surcharge so almost no travel options may be around that will not try to pass on some kind of energy surcharge, but I will not stay home and sulk about it, cruising is still the most affordable vacation option out there.:D

[jeffreytg]

O

4. Less people means less expenses. If you increase the price by 10 percent and reduce the passengers by the same 10 percent, as a result, then you will keep receiving the same amount of money, but you'll decrease certain costs. And believe me, the people who are lost are the ones who don't pay extra for soft drinks, alcohol, specialty restaurants and the like, so no extra $$$ are lost in the bargain.

 

Bob

 

People only affect variable costs such as food but not fixed costs such as wages, depreciation, insurance, maintenance, and SG&A. Fuel is somewhat variable by the number of passengers only due to weight- but I am guessing that when we are talking about a 90,000 ton plus ship that per passenger fuel consumption is in the .00001 area.

[emjsea]

Another $84 for a 14 night cruise is hardly something to complain about considering the astronomical rise in the cost of fuel.

[bobbyleduck]

jeffreytg said: "but not fixed costs such as wages"

 

Ah, but wages would likely decrease, because the cruiseline would need less staff to handle the decrease in passengers. Also, the lost passengers would probably be those less likely to tip as much, so even less revenue is lost. We all know that a good deal of the staff income is paid by passenger gratuities.

 

Understand, none of what I said is an attack on Celebrity or the cruise industry. Far from it! We are at the beginning stage of a world-wide recession and the travel and leisure industries have just picked the wrong time to start increasing cost offsets related to energy. As others have mentioned, that includes airlines, hotels, amusement parks, ski resorts and any other leisure related industry, including cruises.

 

For those of us who have to make choices, that may mean taking a "local" vacation, or adding something to our daily lives (such as a large, flat-screen television, or a hot tub). It may even mean staying home and just going to the movies, or visiting a local spa (where you can get a massage for 1/3 the price aboard ship). We might even improve our own cooking abilities and prepare our favorite meal out, at home instead.

 

But, for those of you with unlimited income, and those who don't have to make choices.

 

Happy cruising to all who can afford to cruise!

 

Bob

[ISABELLA]

Cruiselines are betting their profits on Europeans to cruise more where Dollar is weak and Euro is strong. That is why there are more ships will be deployed in Europe longer and year round than ever before. And sales of European cruises are up, because Americans prepay for the cruises in US $$ and it is still very good value for travel in Europe. For other parts of the world - if the booking will slow down - people will cruise from their home ports, like they did after 9/11 to avoid flying or high cost of flying. Or cruiseline will become very creative........

[Azulann]

I totally agree with Bob. We are in a recession and I dont see it ending anytime soon. I will be going on my first cruise in Sept . For me it is a trip of a lifetime. I will be spending money (lots of it) on this vacation. In the future my vacation and travel plans will be scaled back. I still want to travel outside of USA but instead of one trip a year, it will become one trip every two or three years hopefully. It is not the travel industry's fault but bad economic times for their industry.

[nycglitter]

Is this thread seriously due to $84? I mean, I am all for watching for bargains, etc. But if you are cruising, would $84 seriously be a deal breaker? If it is, then there are clearly other issues.

[bobbyleduck]

Is this thread seriously due to $84? I mean, I am all for watching for bargains, etc. But if you are cruising, would $84 seriously be a deal breaker? If it is, then there are clearly other issues.

 

It's OK if you didn't read all of the posts, but the thread has moved on from the $84, and is encompassing the wide-spread increase in the cost of leisure travel. It is focusing on the more than seven increases in the cost of air travel (just this year alone), and the reduction in the number of pieces of luggage allowed on said flights. There is the increased cost of energy charges being tacked on by certain hotels, not to mention extra charges for just about everything else once you step into said hotels. There is the added cost that $3.60 - $4.00 a gallon gasoline brings to the table, not to mention what it does to a budget on a daily basis. Don't even get me started on the increase in food prices, which are reflected in what the cruiselines are able to serve if they don't increase the price of the cruise, not to mention what you'll pay in restaurants if you choose to do some other type of vacation.

 

No, this thread is no longer just about $84. That is what got it started, but it has morphed into a thread about inflation and recession, and the effects each is and will be having on those of us whose preferred method of vacationing is cruising.

 

Happy cruising to all who can afford to cruise!

 

Bob