Price jump of $ 220 pp on 3 day SKY for 12/4/19 - is this normal?

First off - we've never booked a cruise this far out before...

saying that however, when I checked prices today - our balcony cabin was up $220 !

and barely any cabins booked in our aft location

I know, I know...It's Princess...

First off - we've never booked a cruise this far out before...

 

saying that however, when I checked prices today - our balcony cabin was up $220 !

 

and barely any cabins booked in our aft location

 

I know, I know...It's Princess...

You're absolutely right, it's Princess! I watch the prices daily on anywhere between 4-6 cruises and among OBC's, free gratuities, dining and fluctuating cabin prices, it is a shell game where Princess hopes the right price/combination will get you to bite.

Its dynamic pricing and they are trying to find the sweet spot. Prices will rise and fall as booking flows. Nothing sinister but a reality when booking engines can now closely monitor what is happening.

We have a 12 day cruise booked for late next year. It's now $600 per person more for the cabin we booked - which is the cheapest balcony. For a day it was $700 per person more but has now dropped back to "only" $600 per person more. Crazy.

Not unusual for prices to increase, even a year or two in advance. Supply and demand.

I find that prices increase a week or two before the next sale so that it looks like a good sale when it begins.

Don

Personally - I don't worry if a category moves up $200, you really need to look at the category above and below you. For example - did all mini suites go up or is it just your category? Sort of look at the whole picture.

Princess is notorious for having 1 category in a group (balconies or whatever) that is a lot more than over categories in that same group. And there is often 1 category that is very reasonably priced compared to the others.

It pays to be flexible and be willing to move to another category for cost savings.

First off - we've never booked a cruise this far out before...

 

saying that however, when I checked prices today - our balcony cabin was up $220 !

 

and barely any cabins booked in our aft location

 

I know, I know...It's Princess...

It is called "inventory control".

"...Its dynamic pricing and they are trying to find the sweet spot. Prices will rise and fall as booking flows. Nothing sinister but a reality when booking engines can now closely monitor what is happening... "

"... I watch the prices daily on anywhere between 4-6 cruises and among OBC's, free gratuities, dining and fluctuating cabin prices,..."

Interesting comments. Are there simple, automated ways to monitor multiple specific Princess cruises on a regular basis to watch for such changes? I know I can do it VERY manually via their website, but it tends to be a cumbersome process when monitoring multiple trips, especially when watching for changes in OBCs, etc.

First off - we've never booked a cruise this far out before...

 

 

 

saying that however, when I checked prices today - our balcony cabin was up $220 !

 

 

 

and barely any cabins booked in our aft location

 

 

 

I know, I know...It's Princess...

Well, the good news is, you booked with a much lower price. The better news is, you can still book at a much lower fare when prices go down. I love when I check and the fares are higher. It doesn’t affect my fare at all and I have a lower rate.

"...Its dynamic pricing and they are trying to find the sweet spot. Prices will rise and fall as booking flows. Nothing sinister but a reality when booking engines can now closely monitor what is happening... "

 

 

"... I watch the prices daily on anywhere between 4-6 cruises and among OBC's, free gratuities, dining and fluctuating cabin prices,..."

 

Interesting comments. Are there simple, automated ways to monitor multiple specific Princess cruises on a regular basis to watch for such changes? I know I can do it VERY manually via their website, but it tends to be a cumbersome process when monitoring multiple trips, especially when watching for changes in OBCs, etc.

My comment about booking engines was in reference to the cruise line, hotel, etc. They now closely monitor how things are booking. Us mere mortals still tend to do things by hand.

simple answer...yes! But then again it is on SKY...how do we know? she had not sailed yet..as others have said supply & demand, look at other CATS etc...... your Cat a year from now could be $250 less...time will tell, stay tuned.....

"

 

Interesting comments. Are there simple, automated ways to monitor multiple specific Princess cruises on a regular basis to watch for such changes? I know I can do it VERY manually via their website, but it tends to be a cumbersome process when monitoring multiple trips, especially when watching for changes in OBCs, etc.

Yes. While I don't use the service I've read that one can sign up on websites for a fee and they will track your cruise and notify you of any changes. I tend to just check pricing on my booked cruises a couple of times a day. I'd say that it really helps to be retired but I actually did the same thing when I was working. ;p