How long is a piece of string!

The QV has just announced a very nice price drop for her cruise to Iceland/Norway in June; sadly, however, it is still out of our price range. Anyone out there with a crystal ball who can tell me if the price will drop further?

I suspect I know the answer and it's one I won't like. Time to get the abacus out and do some sums if we want to do this trip I think :)

The QV has just announced a very nice price drop for her cruise to Iceland/Norway in June; sadly, however, it is still out of our price range. Anyone out there with a crystal ball who can tell me if the price will drop further?

 

I suspect I know the answer and it's one I won't like. Time to get the abacus out and do some sums if we want to do this trip I think :)

Out of interest, where did you see details of the price drop? I've just been looking at the Cunard site and the price on there for a BC Balcony is actually higher than I paid when I booked last year.

J

BC Balcony is showing at £2,499 for a Cunard Fare and £1,719 for a Saver Fare.

Since you cannot afford to sail at the current price it's a moot point and you will lose nothing by waiting. If you can go last minute, and don't care about stateroom type or location, you might get a bargain. Or maybe not. Pricing is dynamic and it all depends on how many respond to the current deal.

BC Balcony is showing at £2,499 for a Cunard Fare and £1,719 for a Saver Fare.

Yes, that's what I saw. I booked direct with Cunard on 9 Apr last year and paid £2,184pp for a BC on 6 Deck. I presume that part of the difference of £315 is accounted for by my past passenger discount but, even allowing for that, there doesn't seem to have been any significant drop in the fare.

J

Out of interest, where did you see details of the price drop? I've just been looking at the Cunard site and the price on there for a BC Balcony is actually higher than I paid when I booked last year.

 

J

dropped into my in-box last night from an on-line travel agent and the price for an inside cabin (compromise for being able to afford to cruise) is down nearly half on the brochure price to just under £1,000.

Price is fantastic and under normal circumstances we would grab it with both hands (and feet!), but we are committed to another holiday later in the year, a weekend in London (which is nearly as expensive as the cruise!) and one or two other things which are longstanding arrangements. I really need to win the lottery :D

dropped into my in-box last night from an on-line travel agent and the price for an inside cabin (compromise for being able to afford to cruise) is down nearly half on the brochure price to just under £1,000.

 

Price is fantastic and under normal circumstances we would grab it with both hands (and feet!), but we are committed to another holiday later in the year, a weekend in London (which is nearly as expensive as the cruise!) and one or two other things which are longstanding arrangements. I really need to win the lottery :D

That does look like a pretty good fare, especially when compared to fares for that voyage here in the U.S. I do see the £999 "Saver Fare" for an inside stateroom on Cunard's UK web site. On Cunard's U.S. web site, the lowest fare is $3,199 for an inside stateroom.

It looks like there is good availability for inside staterooms for that voyage, so I think you would be OK to wait some more before making a final decision. I don't normally follow fare reductions in the U.K. so I can't really offer an informed opinion as to the likelihood of any further fare reductions though.

Regards,

John.

A piece of string is as long as ever.

New price structure, same price slashing as in the Vantage / Getaway days only just departed.

And Cunard wants to move upmarket?

David.

David, I don't see the prices being slashed quite as far at this point. I looked at a voyage that's just come back onto the site, leaving in 2 days (fly out to Dubai tomorrow) and I felt the price was about £1,000 higher than the equivalent voyage last year. I would have expected a greater slash in the prices for people who have little more than 24 hours notice, especially when it's due to last-minute cancellations.

I loved the Getaway fares, and was sorry when they were stopped. I hope last-minute cuts will come back but I can't see it happening for the first few months of the new system.

From what I can see, our American friends often get excellent price offers some months before the cruise, giving them time to book flights and arrange holidays (if they are the lucky people to have access to the information). We in the UK don't get these early special offers. We relied on the last-minute offers if we wanted a deal to match the US ones. I hope there will still be some special deals for us.

I got an email from Cunard today "announcing the Spring sale"

...we've been doing a little spring cleaning of our own this month and from 18 April you can save up to 30% on 2014 cruises with Early Saver Fares.*

The sale will end on 27 April 2014.

* The Spring Sale applies to bookings made between 18 April - 27 April 2014 on selected cruises departing between 28 July and 23 December 2014 and is not combinable with any other promotional fares. 30% saving based on a Balcony Stateroom when comparing an Early Saver Fare with the Cunard Fare.

dropped into my in-box last night from an on-line travel agent and the price for an inside cabin (compromise for being able to afford to cruise) is down nearly half on the brochure price to just under £1,000.

 

Price is fantastic and under normal circumstances we would grab it with both hands (and feet!), but we are committed to another holiday later in the year, a weekend in London (which is nearly as expensive as the cruise!) and one or two other things which are longstanding arrangements. I really need to win the lottery

If the price has dropped to nearly half the brochure price, and you still cannot afford it on top of your other travel plans, it is unrealistic to keep watching. (A few weeks ago somebody in the "first timers" forum wanted a balcony for a rock bottom price and no single supplement. I'd like that too but I'm not going to keep watching because no way is that going to happen.)

If the price has dropped to nearly half the brochure price, and you still cannot afford it on top of your other travel plans, it is unrealistic to keep watching. (A few weeks ago somebody in the "first timers" forum wanted a balcony for a rock bottom price and no single supplement. I'd like that too but I'm not going to keep watching because no way is that going to happen.)

Absolutely true. I know I should stop looking, but human nature being what it is (combined with wishful thinking) I can't help myself :(

Absolutely true. I know I should stop looking, but human nature being what it is (combined with wishful thinking) I can't help myself :(

Keep wishing and looking Babs. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. All you've lost is a bit of your time, and you might gain your dream.

Looking at this (and similar) discussions it seems that certain groups of people will often miss good bargains.

Groups, such as teachers are not flexible with their vacation times and must (or should that be CAN) plan ahead.

Groups, such as retirees with very flexible schedules can take advantage of last-minute bargains.

Book early and lock in exactly what you want. Book late and perhaps snatch a great deal - or miss out.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The great cruise gamble.

:-)

I look at it that way. I am happy with the price I pay when I book.

Any price increases for the same cruise after I book I have a giggle.

Any price drops for the same cruise after I book I say $%$@@# for a minute or so, and then "Oh well, better luck next time"

...Groups, such as teachers are not flexible with their vacation times and must (or should that be CAN) plan ahead....

As do people with disabilities who are now required to book an adapted cabin. They don't have the luxury of waiting for the last minute bargains. Carpe diem or lose out on the adapted cabins and the cruise.

J

Looking at this (and similar) discussions it seems that certain groups of people will often miss good bargains.

Groups, such as teachers are not flexible with their vacation times and must (or should that be CAN) plan ahead.

Groups, such as retirees with very flexible schedules can take advantage of last-minute bargains.

Book early and lock in exactly what you want. Book late and perhaps snatch a great deal - or miss out.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

The great cruise gamble.

:-)

I look at it that way. I am happy with the price I pay when I book.

Any price increases for the same cruise after I book I have a giggle.

Any price drops for the same cruise after I book I say $%$@@# for a minute or so, and then "Oh well, better luck next time"

While teachers don't have the luxury of choosing their holidays, they do get four times the amount of time off a year that many other workers get.

It is possible to get good travel deals as a teacher. Airfare deals can be gained by booking at certain times, and some travel agencies do deals for young teachers. It is also possible to gain free entry to many historical/artistic attractions as an educator. Not to mention a teacher can claim back any visit to an attraction that is directly related to his or her subject area.

It's not all doom and gloom. But rigid holiday dates does making planning a cruise a little bit harder for teachers than for most people.

While teachers don't have the luxury of choosing their holidays, they do get four times the amount of time off a year that many other workers get.

 

It is possible to get good travel deals as a teacher. Airfare deals can be gained by booking at certain times, and some travel agencies do deals for young teachers. It is also possible to gain free entry to many historical/artistic attractions as an educator. Not to mention a teacher can claim back any visit to an attraction that is directly related to his or her subject area.

 

It's not all doom and gloom. But rigid holiday dates does making planning a cruise a little bit harder for teachers than for most people.

Hey that's a good idea to claim this for teachers! Never thought of that.

Will keep that in mind for my teacher wife next time. (At the moment we do not pay income tax where we live). :-)

And yes, I always give her a hard time that she only worls 186 days a year....

:)

A piece of string is as long as ever.

 

New price structure, same price slashing as in the Vantage / Getaway days only just departed.

 

And Cunard wants to move upmarket?

 

David.

Cunard are always doing this, we never booked early anymore, just wait to see nearer the time , the price just drops too silly money in the end, I dont think those high end days will ever come back, other lines are much better at it:) but those who think it can still dream

Cunard are always doing this, we never booked early anymore, just wait to see nearer the time , the price just drops too silly money in the end, I dont think those high end days will ever come back, other lines are much better at it:) but those who think it can still dream

I've learnt that booking later is better as well. My upcoming QE Med cruise was initially priced at $7,500 (single supplement). This went down to $6,129 (when I upgraded myself from deluxe inside to a balcony) and then fell again to $5,300. I was surprised when my TA said Cunard would match my fare with the fallen price.

Plus I got $150 onboard credit.

Given that I paid a premium last time and have paid a premium for Grills on QM2 I suppose it evens out.

No complaints. That said, sometimes not booking early means you don't get what you want. That's always the risk.

If you're not fussy you can always book flights and then wait for the cruise price to drop. The biggest thing for me living in Australia is having to secure flights early on to get a good price. So I have to lock the cruise part in reasonably early too.

I've learnt that booking later is better as well. My upcoming QE Med cruise was initially priced at $7,500 (single supplement). This went down to $6,129 (when I upgraded myself from deluxe inside to a balcony) and then fell again to $5,300. I was surprised when my TA said Cunard would match my fare with the fallen price.

 

Plus I got $150 onboard credit.

 

Given that I paid a premium last time and have paid a premium for Grills on QM2 I suppose it evens out.

 

No complaints. That said, sometimes not booking early means you don't get what you want. That's always the risk.

 

If you're not fussy you can always book flights and then wait for the cruise price to drop. The biggest thing for me living in Australia is having to secure flights early on to get a good price. So I have to lock the cruise part in reasonably early too.

Its hard if you have to book a date and flight, but you can book just the flights and sates and sit back and wait for the offers, often they drop so low you save by changing the booking anyway even if you lose the deposit,

In previous years Cunard has had some terrific Getaway fares on several routes, for example the Norway voyages and the Canaries. But I've kept an eye out for whenever there's been an Iceland cruise and they always seemed to fill up without heavy discounts, at least in the categories I was interested in.

Getaway fares are now gone. They've tried the massive con job with Vantage fares, which have now bit the dust to be replaced by The Cuard Fare.

Something tells me Cunard will move heaven and earth to avoid big discounts, on this voyage or any others. It doesn't stop me from watching closely though, just in case.

.

While teachers don't have the luxury of choosing their holidays, they do get four times the amount of time off a year that many other workers get.

Teacher-bashing again? :rolleyes:

Actually, I have had dual careers as a primary teacher and an editor. As an editor in Australia I worked flexi-time and had every second Friday off. When I returned to teaching I worked out that I had no more days off as a teacher than I'd had with the flexi-time arrangement, and I was working longer hours as a teacher. Primary teachers work hard! ;)

Teacher-bashing again? :rolleyes:

 

Actually, I have had dual careers as a primary teacher and an editor. As an editor in Australia I worked flexi-time and had every second Friday off. When I returned to teaching I worked out that I had no more days off as a teacher than I'd had with the flexi-time arrangement, and I was working longer hours as a teacher. Primary teachers work hard! ;)

Hardly teacher-bashing. Why would I bash my own profession? Well, there are a lot of teachers these days who need to be scrutinised, but that wasn't the purpose of my post.

As I pointed out, teachers' holiday time is generous compared to other sectors of the economy. I didn't say anything about not working hard. I was merely pointing out the time able to be taken to travel.

No teacher works every day of each holiday period. Plenty of teachers travel each holiday they get. It might not be big overseas trips, but they do travel - more than the average worker.

At least this is the case in my country where we are well paid. I understand teachers in the US and UK are not as well remunerated.

I apologise Austcruiser. I obviously misunderstood your post.

You are correct about UK teaching salaries compared with Australia. Then there's the conditions and the poor understanding of education and the bad behaviour ... It was a culture shock when I started teaching out here (Oxford) after Melbourne's Eastern suburbs.

I apologise Austcruiser. I obviously misunderstood your post.

 

You are correct about UK teaching salaries compared with Australia. Then there's the conditions and the poor understanding of education and the bad behaviour ... It was a culture shock when I started teaching out here (Oxford) after Melbourne's Eastern suburbs.

With public school teachers being paid six figure salaries now in Western Australia, there is certainly a lot of travelling happening. $90,000 a year salaries on the East coast also helps.

Cannot imagine how anyone would want to teach in the US, where salaries are between $25,000 and $40,000 a year (some states don't even pay the summer holiday period)! I even looked up UK salaries not so long ago and saw teachers, on average, earn 28,000 GBP (approx. $56,000) a year.

Unfortunately, teachers have to travel during peak periods, often meaning prices are higher. Planes are often filled with students and so are holiday resorts. Cruises in Australian waters are always full of children and teenagers. Even as far as the Caribbean, I encountered a family with teenagers studying their final years of schooling - I even got asked about homework!!! (as they were studying the same as what I was teaching my own classes)

I won't complain though. I've travelled extensively and am culturally richer for it. I think it helps me to do my job better (not including the relaxation time after very, very long term time weeks - as you also attest).

While I like to get a lower price on my cruise holidays (and airfares - I got quite a reduction during a sale this time by purchasing during the Oct/Nov travel expo season in Australia) I realise that I can't expect prices to get too low otherwise the quality of my Cunard experience would be compromised.

Happy to pay thousands rather than hundreds. You generally get what you pay for. If people want rock bottom cruise prices with Cunard then I'd argue they are looking at the wrong cruise line.