Are transatlantics profitable?

[caribbeanboy]

My ship just completed a Transatlantic Repo Cruise.

Despite nearly giving the cabins away, were only about 75% full. We are fully booked for every other cruise this year.

 

The passengers onboard were older and very frugal.

They spent nearly nothing onboard for the 6 night crossing.

They also ate about 50% more than we normally feed a full ship.

The majority of the passengers took the auto-tips off, claiming that they couldnt't afford to tip. The service staff made next to nothing.

Did we make any profit? Not a chance.

Did we pay for the fuel to move the ship from A to B? Just barely.

 

Are you talking about Royal Caribbean? b/c only when you have anytime dining you have to prepay the gratuities.

 

They can't afford to tip, but they can take a TA cruise...

[coloradogreycat]

Wow - reading about these TA cruises really makes me want to try one! (Although I would never, EVER stiff the staff on their tips. That's absolutely shameful! :mad:)

 

You could save a small fortune on air fare if you could manage to do a pair of back-to-back TA cruises. Wonder if that's even possible? Since they're primarily for repositioning, I'm sure you'd have to switch cruiselines or even ports to do that. Is it even possible? :confused:

[gkm]

You could save a small fortune on air fare if you could manage to do a pair of back-to-back TA cruises. Wonder if that's even possible? Since they're primarily for repositioning, I'm sure you'd have to switch cruiselines or even ports to do that. Is it even possible? :confused:

 

We did this last year. We did the crossing on Azamara Quest from Miami to Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy, got off of that ship and boarded the Legend of the Seas for an eastern Mediterranean cruise. We were gone for 36 days! It was fabulous!

 

Garry

[negc]

I won't pretend to know what the break even point is on a TA or for any other cruise for that matter. However, as someone mentioned, any revenue is better than no revenue and since they have to move the ship from one region to another, better to sail with a ship with as many passengers as possible than to sail it empty. While the demographic on most TAs probably skews higher than on shorter cruises, we have always found a good mix of ages onboard. We did TAs when our kids were grown and I was still working and did not find it too difficult to take two weeks vacation and now that I am retired, we continue to enjoy them. It is dangerous to generalize about people, their lifestyles and their spending habits. Not all retired folks are on a limited income and some may even have more discretionary funds available to them than they did when they were working, and not all working stiffs throw caution to the wind when it comes to spending on their vacations.

Rather than concern myself with the question of how they can offer such low prices, I have decided to take advantage of those prices and enjoy what the cruise lines offer.

[bigtoeswim'n]

Hi gkm: Wow that is fantastic. Is it crude/nosey of me to ask what you paid fot that b2b? Balconey or what? Did you spend a few days in Rome? or smack get back on the ship? I have a small library of cruise line cataloges, so, I'll look into Amaza line (misspelled). This b2b gives me something to look forward to when DH and I retire... sounds wonderful. Did you do any excursions or just walk around ports?? Did the cost of airfare jack up the price or do you live in the area??? I live sort of close to Miami, that is why I'm so excited about this.. well, if you have time, please yak... bye

[Dick in Falls Church]

You could save a small fortune on air fare if you could manage to do a pair of back-to-back TA cruises. Wonder if that's even possible? Since they're primarily for repositioning, I'm sure you'd have to switch cruiselines or even ports to do that. Is it even possible? :confused:

 

Pretty hard to do, unless (for example) you plan to spend to spend the summer in Europe. We did meet a couple who do just that. Have also met Brits who spend the winter in Florida.

 

Another option is to line up the cruises you want, then get a round trip air that matches the cruises.

[The Big Booper]

If you search carefully you can find reasonably inexpensive open jaw flights.

 

On our Nov 2009 TA on the Nav, we found a one stop on Aer Lingus JFK-Dub-Malaga for $250 pp plus $60 taxes for $310 each. This is a Thursday overnight getting in Friday at 11 AM, which gives us 3 days in Malaga before the ship sails Mon afternoon.

 

We also used Aer Lingus on the 2008 TA from London JFK-Dub-Heath. for a similar fare.

 

From what I see, Miami not so great; it might pay to hop up to JFK on JetBlue and then on to Europe.

[MISSYLOU]

We are booked on our third TA on Voyager in November. Not only is the pricing great but so are the ports and the TA cruise enables us to do the previous weeks med cruise to ports we have never been to.

 

Now these TA's don't always insure that you will have great weather but you will see several ports and have a lot of sea days which most frequent cruisers love.

 

We are retired so we have the time for a TA but we are not heavy drinkers and at our age most of the "stuff" on the ship in the gift shops is just stuff I am not interested in. We might spend more money for a shore excursion than we would buying stuff on the ship. We also do not have unlimited means so a TA really fits our needs.

 

Pricing (so far) for 14 day TA, balcony cabin is right at $64 per day per person. Would be nice if it comes down but we are okay with this price. The previous weeks Don't know where else we could go for that kind of money and have a room, a nice ride, beautiful view and all of our meals.

 

PS We would never stiff our service staff on a cruise.

[MISSYLOU]

Forgot to mention regarding pricing of TA's being significantly different for different ships. I too have noticed this and can only assume that the older the ship the cheaper the price.

[The Big Booper]

Forgot to mention regarding pricing of TA's being significantly different for different ships. I too have noticed this and can only assume that the older the ship the cheaper the price.

 

Not quite. The Indy was brand new in 2008. But it would be interesting for someone to compare the pricing on all the TAs in a particular time frame.

[Rocky Sosua]

For what it's worth, my travel agent says that the cruiselines aspire to cover their costs on repo cruises and they generally do, in a marginal way.

They count on the passengers spending enough money onboard, due to the long stretches at sea.

In short, it's not a money making proposition but it serves their purpose, of getting the ship to it's new location at no cost to them.

:) Of course, that's pretty much what you all have been saying. :)