Group rates/pre-contruction prices?

[lysolqn]

When we first started cruising in the early 80's, it was common for travel agencies and/or consortiums of which agencies were a part to pre-purchase blocks of cabins on various ships and offer those cabins to their customers at a group rate discount. Some agencies also purchased blocks of cabins at a discount on as-yet-unbuilt ships and passed along those pre-construction prices to their customers.

 

Admittedly, there's a lot of discounting going on these days but it seems to be strictly controlled by the cruise lines which have discouraged if not completely eliminated agency discounting (ostensibly to level the playing field between small agencies and their much larger competitors - but I wonder); but it's been many years since I've come across an agency offering either group or pre-construction pricing. For the most part, when I call our agent to inquire about fares and availability, she has to contact the cruise line directly to see what's available and at what price. On occasions when I've called other agencies to comparison shop a cruise, it appears that they too check directly with the cruise line. Just curious, but is it fair to assume that individuals booking a cruise can no longer avail themselves of group and/or pre-construction discounts?

[nps001]

I would say the norm for "construction" ships is the prices are not discounted but the opposite. There seems to be a demand for booking the newest ships and cruise lines are charging a premium for this. I know this is the case with Oasis of the Seas and certainly was with Solstice.

[lysolqn]

I would say the norm for "construction" ships is the prices are not discounted but the opposite. There seems to be a demand for booking the newest ships and cruise lines are charging a premium for this. I know this is the case with Oasis of the Seas and certainly was with Solstice.

 

Agreed, but I'm curious to know if agencies/consortiums are still able to book group space on ships and/or book blocks of space at pre-constructions prices and pass those discounts on to their customers. I suspect not, but I'm hoping someone in the know will answer that question definitively. If those discounts still exist, I'd sure like to know where to find them - even though cruise line discounting of late is nothing to sneeze at.

[nps001]

Solstice was ahead of schedule and a consortium chartered the entire ship. I went on that cruise and let me tell you, it wasn't discounted. We paid over $2,000 for a 2 night cruise to nowhere.

 

There is so much demand that there is no reason to discount. People (like me) are willing to pay high prices to be the first to experience a ship.

 

On a similar note, TA agencies have to have parity pricing with X. In other words, you can't find a lower price that is advertised publicly than you would through X. You can get OBC but they can't actually discount regular cruise fares. I would say the exceptions to this are charters and blocks of rooms.