What has happened to the Disney company

I fill the Disney Cruise line is way over priced $6000.00 for a family of 4 inside, $7500 to $8500 with a window. We have done Disney Europefor less then this. We Love Disney very much, but we can do so much more with our money. Just add on $2000 more to buy stuff and have fun, your looking at $10000 to $11000 cruise. We could take 2, 7 day Carnivel or Royal Caribbean from Texas or Florida. Better yet lets tread the family 7 day cruise from Rome or Barcelona with 4 days on land, money better spent. Think about this as you give 65th largest compamy in the USA your money and don't forget that the Steve Jobs family is the largest stock holder in the Walt Disney Company. Don't get me wrong we can pay it but why, a fool and his money are soon parted.

I fill the Disney Cruise line is way over priced $6000.00 for a family of 4 inside, $7500 to $8500 with a window. We have done Disney Europefor less then this. We Love Disney very much, but we can do so much more with our money. Just add on $2000 more to buy stuff and have fun, your looking at $10000 to $11000 cruise. We could take 2, 7 day Carnivel or Royal Caribbean from Texas or Florida. Better yet lets tread the family 7 day cruise from Rome or Barcelona with 4 days on land, money better spent. Think about this as you give 65th largest compamy in the USA your money and don't forget that the Steve Jobs family is the largest stock holder in the Walt Disney Company. Don't get me wrong we can pay it but why, a fool and his money are soon parted.

..............................to each their own..........................................................;)

I fill the Disney Cruise line is way over priced $6000.00 for a family of 4 inside, $7500 to $8500 with a window. We have done Disney Europefor less then this. We Love Disney very much, but we can do so much more with our money. Just add on $2000 more to buy stuff and have fun, your looking at $10000 to $11000 cruise. We could take 2, 7 day Carnivel or Royal Caribbean from Texas or Florida. Better yet lets tread the family 7 day cruise from Rome or Barcelona with 4 days on land, money better spent. Think about this as you give 65th largest compamy in the USA your money and don't forget that the Steve Jobs family is the largest stock holder in the Walt Disney Company. Don't get me wrong we can pay it but why, a fool and his money are soon parted.

Do not go on a cruise during the summer school breaks, Christmas, New Year, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Easter holidays, and the bank holiday weekends.

People buy Iphones and Ipads even though they cost an arm and a limb ;)

YOU SHOULD BE FINE IF YOU AVOID ALL THE ABOVE DAYS .:D:D:D

There are sail dates that cost much less.

YOU SHOULD BE FINE IF YOU AVOID ALL THE ABOVE DAYS .:D:D:D

Better yet, just avoid any day that ends with the letter "Y".

:rolleyes:

Better yet, just avoid any day that ends with the letter "Y".

 

:rolleyes:

Love this one.

I would like to say thank you to those that got it, and to those that didn't you have more money to burn then I do.

Thanks

They charge as much as the market will bear. Disney can charge more because they have a higher demand and a limited supply for their product. If they get it wrong and charge too much or too less then they will fail to maximize their profits and fail in their fiduciary duty to the owners of the company, their shareholders.

It's how businesses work, all of them.

If the concept of maximizing profits bothers you, simply sail on one of those non-profit corporation owned cruise ships.

They charge as much as the market will bear. Disney can charge more because they have a higher demand and a limited supply for their product. If they get it wrong and charge too much or too less then they will fail to maximize their profits and fail in their fiduciary duty to the owners of the company, their shareholders.

It's how businesses work, all of them.

If the concept of maximizing profits bothers you, simply sail on one of those non-profit corporation owned cruise ships.

...or go to Washington, pay off a couple politicians, and the get an "investment" of our federal dollars guised as a "loan" that we borrow from China....easy as Rube Goldberg........;):D

Disney provides a 'unique' experience just like its major shareholder Steve Job's Apple provides a 'unique' product.

None of the competitors can match Disney even though they may have bigger and more numerous cruise ships.

Supply and demand. Disney has four ships. Royal and Carnival have lots of ships. So Disney charges more for their ships; knowing they will fill up. Like Gary mentioned, the price of any cruise line will go up dramatically over holidays. I took my family of ten on Freedom of the Seas in December. We cruised Dec4th-11. The following week was considered the holiday season and the price of cabins went up 500 bucks each. You do the math, or avoid holidays. All cruise lines know families will cruise in the summer when kids get out of schoo. Check out what Disney charges for a cruise the first week of May verses the first week of june.

If the concept of maximizing profits bothers you, simply sail on one of those non-profit corporation owned cruise ships.

You mean, like this one?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/world/asia/north-korea-seeks-to-lure-tourists-to-holiday-cruises.html?pagewanted=all

You mean, like this one?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/world/asia/north-korea-seeks-to-lure-tourists-to-holiday-cruises.html?pagewanted=all

Why hasn't Cruise Critic send an editor to review this cruise line? Maybe offer them double-time.

My favorite part:

It really is all about when you go. My son and I will be on the Magic for 8 nights in a balcony room (semi-obstructed cat. 5 for the cat. 7 price) in February for just under $2800. A family of four could go in February, also for 8 nights, in a cat. 5c for $4400 and change. An inside would only be $3400. Seems awfully reasonable to me. But if you insist on going only when kids are out of school or during holiday times, then you're going to pay a premium. As others said, supply and demand -- and it's hardly exclusive to Disney Cruise Line.

-gina-

I agree, it all depends on when you go. My family of 4 is going 8nts in January 2013 for 3700 for ocean view, not including OBC. That's way less expensive than 8 nights at the parks when you add in room and board!

It really is all about when you go. My son and I will be on the Magic for 8 nights in a balcony room (semi-obstructed cat. 5 for the cat. 7 price) in February for just under $2800. A family of four could go in February, also for 8 nights, in a cat. 5c for $4400 and change. An inside would only be $3400. Seems awfully reasonable to me. But if you insist on going only when kids are out of school or during holiday times, then you're going to pay a premium. As others said, supply and demand -- and it's hardly exclusive to Disney Cruise Line.

 

 

-gina-

Agreed. I think it is just that for DCL's prices during peak season such as summer or Christmas, they are much higher than the other lines - maybe like 150% or 200% or even more - as compared to the price difference during off season which maybe about the same or at most just 10 to 20% higher. I do think that, as DCL will have all 4 ships all concentrated in the Caribbean/Bahamas market in winter/spring 2013 season, and kind of "competing" among themselves, it will not be a surprise to see more reasonable price.

We love Disney. We love to sail Disney. We have sailed other lines, but we prefer Disney.

The added service, the feeling like we are the MOST important people that this crew has ever seen, the magic that we feel just looking at the ship, walking around the ship, it's something you can't put a price on.

I am a single mom, and take my son (yes, I pay full adult fare) and we enjoy every minute of our adventure from start to finish.

But of course, we sail off season, and we only sail Disney every three years (depending on how much $$ we have).

Good advice on the board here about when to sail, it helps alot to sail off season!

:)

I certainly agree with your concept. When we went on a Carnival Cruise and paid half the price of Disney they treated us like royalty(seperate check in line, one of the top cabins on the ship). But nothing beats Disney for over all for food and service. You can keep Nassau. I'll stay on the ship except for a quick trip for a Cuban cigar. And Castaway Cay sure is beautiful.

I can tell you "What has happened to WDC" They are making money and they are pricing cruises based on demand. Now there is a good old American concept... Supply & Demand! As a consumer you can spend your dollars wherever you want. For me, its Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line from now on. I have tried the rest and I stick with the best!

I feel the same way.... sort of.

I just got back from a 7 night Spring Break cruise for our family of 3 and it was $3K. We did inside stateroom to save money. I priced other cruise lines and it would have been about $500 cheaper.

So all these folks who claim that Disney is "twice as much" as other lines are not comparing apples to apples.

We are booked on the Fantasy for NYE 2013 and again, to sail another line is about $500-700 less.

I do feel that Disney is starting to outprice themselves but as long as people are willing to pay and their ships are full, why drop the price? That is not very smart business IMHO..... it's simple economics, supply and demand. With only 4 ships and a max capacity of just over 13,000 people at a time, they can easily fill those ships at whatever price they charge.

Is it really any different than charging $90/day at WDW while other amusement parks are about $60/day?

I totally get what the OP is saying, but sadly, I don't see DCL dropping prices unless they find they are having a problem filling ships....

I look at DCL pricing from a slightly different perspective. For all major cruiselines, the product they are selling is the cruise. For DCL, the overall Disney experience and the entertainment that comes along with it is the main product. The cruise itself is a means to deliver the product. There are obviously a lot of overlaps, and this may not apply to everyone but at least that's how I see it. Because the product is somewhat different, it makes some sense that the pricing follows its own pattern so to speak.

This maybe just another "excuse" for us to cruise more DCL if we can ;)

I look at DCL pricing from a slightly different perspective. For all major cruiselines, the product they are selling is the cruise. For DCL, the overall Disney experience and the entertainment that comes along with it is the main product. The cruise itself is a means to deliver the product. There are obviously a lot of overlaps, and this may not apply to everyone but at least that's how I see it. Because the product is somewhat different, it makes some sense that the pricing follows its own pattern so to speak.

 

This maybe just another "excuse" for us to cruise more DCL if we can ;)

I agree with you.

All other cruise ships are just a floating hotels.

A Disney cruise ship is a floating WDW.

You pay more for the Disney experience.

To put it another way

One goes on a cruise with DCL to have the unique Disney experience. Otherwise you would have cruised with any of the other cheaper "big ship" rivals :)

To tell all of you the truth I don't ever think of us going on a cruise by taking the kids out of school. We always go on vacation at Christmas, spring break, early or late summer. that is one of the big reasons why I find them to be so much more.

As for those of you who gave great ideas to save money on DCL, thank you. Those of you that were just not very nice at all, what you did was show what type of people you are, sorry.

I am a business owner in the entertainment business, I have worked on red carpet events, movies and other events, with the Walt Disney Company, ESPN, Buena Vista movies and Pixar. They are all great companies and I enjoyed what I did with them very much.

This post was not about what DCL offers or does well, it was about the Walt Disney company. They have forgot what Walt stood for giving entertainment to the world not just the ones that can afford it. That is what this was all about.

Oh I can say that DCL does it well. but they are not the best over all, that would be someone like Regent Seven Seas check them out if you wish to see the best.

See you next time we are on DCL maybe in the Med this time.

I fill the Disney Cruise line is way over priced

Having just returned from a cruise on the Dream I am in complete agreement. I'm going to be posting a more detailed post comparing Disney to other cruise lines at some point this week.

We like to cruise on different lines to see what they all have to offer so I feel like I can make some relevant comparisons and in my opinion they are indeed way overpriced. I look forward to the spirited debate/flaming some of the Disney fanatics will be sure to offer.

To tell all of you the truth I don't ever think of us going on a cruise by taking the kids out of school. We always go on vacation at Christmas, spring break, early or late summer. that is one of the big reasons why I find them to be so much more.

 

As for those of you who gave great ideas to save money on DCL, thank you. Those of you that were just not very nice at all, what you did was show what type of people you are, sorry.

 

I am a business owner in the entertainment business, I have worked on red carpet events, movies and other events, with the Walt Disney Company, ESPN, Buena Vista movies and Pixar. They are all great companies and I enjoyed what I did with them very much.

 

This post was not about what DCL offers or does well, it was about the Walt Disney company. They have forgot what Walt stood for giving entertainment to the world not just the ones that can afford it. That is what this was all about.

 

Oh I can say that DCL does it well. but they are not the best over all, that would be someone like Regent Seven Seas check them out if you wish to see the best.

 

See you next time we are on DCL maybe in the Med this time.

I don't think anyone's saying they are "the best", I think DCL just offers something different, something unique with a premium.

Maybe you are true that "they" have forgot what Walt stood for giving entertainment to the world not just the ones that can affort it.

Two observations though:

I have seen DCL cruise price do adjust down. It happened. Dec 2012 Panama Canal being one, and I have read that they offered those IGT/OGT/VGT price for the Med cruise last June. I am seeing a lot more IGT/OGT/VGT now for the 7-day Fantasy cruise. Their initial high-price strategy may work most of the time (more so for shorter cruise), but for longer cruise, when supply-demand kicks in, and if they have to sell the cruise, they don't really have a choice but to adjust the price without jeopardizing the quality of the product and the brand.

DCL sent the Dream to do the shorter Bahamas cruise instead of the Caribbean cruiselast year. I liked it. Because DCL's per diem is higher than other mainstream lines, a shorter cruise is more affordable for more people who want to experience Disney (and Castaway Cay) on a cruiseship.

Now if I can convince DW to do Holland America again on a 20-day cruise then it is a different story. :) What's "best" to me is not what's "best" to her, unfortunately. ;)

I can tell you "What has happened to WDC" They are making money and they are pricing cruises based on demand. Now there is a good old American concept... Supply & Demand! As a consumer you can spend your dollars wherever you want. For me, its Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line from now on. I have tried the rest and I stick with the best!

Friend100

Here is the quote, that they are the best. I did thinking there was more but just one, sorry about that I'll double check next time.