Will RCCL ever come down in prices

[crashdavis565]

I have many cruises over the line (10 or so) but just cannot justify the prices they want right now. If I take the kids for a week, we are looking at $4000 plus airfare plus onboard charges. I just cannot afford a $6000 vacation.

What gives, how can people afford this?

 

Are people really paying this price or is there a special place to get better rates?

I make a decent living but cannot justify this amount for a week.

[cruisefeen2304]

I feel you! I really don't wanna go back on CCL but the fact that some of their balcony rooms are the price of an RCCL inside is..wow.

[Luv2CruiseRCL2]

I have many cruises over the line (10 or so) but just cannot justify the prices they want right now. If I take the kids for a week, we are looking at $4000 plus airfare plus onboard charges. I just cannot afford a $6000 vacation.

What gives, how can people afford this?

 

Are people really paying this price or is there a special place to get better rates?

I make a decent living but cannot justify this amount for a week.

 

I just checked a 7 day cruise in November (when we like to cruise) on Disney and Royal and here is what I found.

 

7 Day on Disney Magic

 

Ports:

Departs From Port Canaveral, Florida visiting Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas >> Castaway Cay (Disney Private Island)

 

Cost:

$969 for an interior room

$1099 for an oceanview

$1349 for a balcony

 

 

 

7 Day on Royal Freedom of the Seas

Ports:

 

Port Canaveral, Florida; CocoCay, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Port Canaveral, Florida

 

Cost:

$769 for an interior room

$899 for a ocenview

$1069 for a balcony

 

Looks to me like Royal is cheaper than the Disney Cruise you are going on, and the think we like is way, way less kids :cool:

[burritto]

All you can do is discontinue your consumption.

 

"If demand decreases and supply remains unchanged, then it leads to lower equilibrium price and quantity."

[RayJacki]

I have many cruises over the line (10 or so) but just cannot justify the prices they want right now. If I take the kids for a week, we are looking at $4000 plus airfare plus onboard charges. I just cannot afford a $6000 vacation.

What gives, how can people afford this?

 

Are people really paying this price or is there a special place to get better rates?

I make a decent living but cannot justify this amount for a week.

 

Maybe try some of the online auction sites? I've seen what appear to be much less expensive options there.

[traveling1969]

Hopefully when we retire we can wait for last minute specials and drive to the ports. Kind of tough to do that with kids. What to do? Look hard and often for deals. They are out there. Cruising's popularity is definitely on the rise and so far so is capacity. Unless things change drastically, the dirt cheap cruise will get even tougher to find. Bon Voyage!

[Jenjer]

We kept thinking the same thing. We watched our cruise for months I kept thinking at 90 days out it will drop in price..Nope it went up, not much but still some.

 

I had a hard time planning on spending $7,000 for a week (cruise, airfare, hotle, transfer, tips, excursions, & nick nack shopping, alcohol) So we decided to just go to Destin but DH woke up the next day and said "I really want to do the cruise." So we decied on a ocean view instead of a balcony and booked it.

 

As long as thier ships are sailing full or close to full the prices will stay sky high. They can get it so they are charging it.

[bajathree]

I have many cruises over the line (10 or so) but just cannot justify the prices they want right now. If I take the kids for a week, we are looking at $4000 plus airfare plus onboard charges. I just cannot afford a $6000 vacation.

What gives, how can people afford this?

 

Are people really paying this price or is there a special place to get better rates?

I make a decent living but cannot justify this amount for a week.

 

A LOT of people opt to drive to eliminate that airfare......it's not out of the norm and I know of people that drive from Chicago and further.....we have meet many people even large groups that have driven as much as 17+hrs straight to get to the port.

[jewopaho]

You seem to have answered your own question ... "taking the kids." Obviously, you're looking to travel at a peak time. If you look at prices during the off-seasons, you'll notice significant differences. We've had family members take the children out of school for a week ... they did fine (still straight A's).

 

Royal Caribbean does not permit discounting ... take a peek at Princess (it's the only mass-market cruise line that still allows it) and use a reputable online TA. There are several that advertise here ... unfortunately we can't recommend any of them on CC.

 

The idea of driving seems daunting ... but with more than one driver, it would be less painful. We've also run into people who've driven long distances. Depending on where you live, consider ports such as Galveston, New Orleans, Baltimore, Charleston ... doesn't have to be Florida. You may not pay significantly less, but the drive may be more bearable.

 

Onboard expenses can add up quickly ... that's something that you'll need to watch. We've seen several instances of "sticker shock" among our traveling companions, despite our admonitions. We spend our share, but it's well within our comfort zone.

 

As long as ships continue to sail at capacity, prices will reflect the popularity of cruising. Do a little thinking outside the box ... you may come up with something that works. I wish you well.

 

Al

[crashdavis565]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Good point on the Disney cruises, my problem is I was getting those for port charges because of who I knew. I was not having to pay any fare at all. Probably got spoiled with such a nice cruise at such a big discount. He has sinced moved on so Disney may also be a thing of the past.

I just cannot for the life of me see how RCCL is putting 10,000 passengers a week on Allure and Oasis at 1000/head. I get supply and demand but in this economy, where are all those people coming from. Crazy!

I do see in the last couple of days the prices are coming down. I have to think it continues. I also got some solid smaller ship pricing in my in box today from cru-con. I may do one more Voyage type cruise and try the big ones next year when they have come down even more. The Kids are the killers. I see these slamming good deals but when you ask for a QUAD the price shoots way up and then you have little to no discount for the kids.

Thanks again guys, just needed to vent and this seemed like a good place. To anyone who has paid the money to get a quad on Oasis/Allure drop me a note and let me know if it was REALLY WORTH IT.

Crash

[yahootelemundo]

I feel you! I really don't wanna go back on CCL but the fact that some of their balcony rooms are the price of an RCCL inside is..wow.

not to mention that the food at Royal is getting worst.

[time4u2go]

I just checked a 7 day cruise in November (when we like to cruise) on Disney and Royal and here is what I found.

 

7 Day on Disney Magic

 

Ports:

Departs From Port Canaveral, Florida visiting Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas >> Castaway Cay (Disney Private Island)

 

Cost:

$969 for an interior room

$1099 for an oceanview

$1349 for a balcony

 

 

 

7 Day on Royal Freedom of the Seas

Ports:

 

Port Canaveral, Florida; CocoCay, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Port Canaveral, Florida

 

Cost:

$769 for an interior room

$899 for a ocenview

$1069 for a balcony

 

Looks to me like Royal is cheaper than the Disney Cruise you are going on, and the think we like is way, way less kids :cool:

Comparing RCI to DCL is really not a fair comparison. Heck, comparing any cruise line to DCL is really not a fair comparison!:eek:

[FloridaPalms]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Good point on the Disney cruises, my problem is I was getting those for port charges because of who I knew. I was not having to pay any fare at all. Probably got spoiled with such a nice cruise at such a big discount. He has sinced moved on so Disney may also be a thing of the past.

I just cannot for the life of me see how RCCL is putting 10,000 passengers a week on Allure and Oasis at 1000/head. I get supply and demand but in this economy, where are all those people coming from. Crazy!

I do see in the last couple of days the prices are coming down. I have to think it continues. I also got some solid smaller ship pricing in my in box today from cru-con. I may do one more Voyage type cruise and try the big ones next year when they have come down even more. The Kids are the killers. I see these slamming good deals but when you ask for a QUAD the price shoots way up and then you have little to no discount for the kids.

Thanks again guys, just needed to vent and this seemed like a good place. To anyone who has paid the money to get a quad on Oasis/Allure drop me a note and let me know if it was REALLY WORTH IT.

Crash

 

Having to cruise in peak times when grandson if off from school, we are used to the sticker shock price, particularly what Royal charges for 3rd person. Disney discounts 3rd/4th person much more. So last August when we saw Oasis 5/28/11 D4 balcony at $1269 for 1st/2nd and ONLY (:rolleyes:) $699 for 3rd/4th, we booked it (grandson's school lets out early, 5/25/11 :D). Total was some $800 less than the same Oasis itinerary in June and, because of the LOW (by Royal's standards) 3rd rate, was $100 less than a nearly identical 5/29/11 Freedom cruise.

 

We are seniors and Florida residents and have been lucky to get one of these discounts on most of our past cruises. However, they usually negate some of the savings by increasing the rate for 3rd. Well last month they gave a senior discount on our upcoming Oasis cruise, dropping the price to $1093 for 1st/2nd and $583 for 3rd!

 

Pro-rated over 7 days, the price per day for grandson's Oasis fare is lower than any of his previous cruises!

 

You WILL see prices drop right before and after final payment, when a lot of people decide it's not worth the money and cancel. The biggest problem that you and I have is that if we wait that long for prices to come down, the triples and quads may be sold out.

 

My advice is to keep a lookout for deals. You never know.

[firefly333]

Maybe try some of the online auction sites? I've seen what appear to be much less expensive options there.

 

I am going that route on some of my cruises. Works for me.

[ekatiel]

With ODS in kindergarten this year, we've entered the brave new world of vacationing during peak times :(. Here's what's worked for us: 1) Book early, REALLY early. The prices are generally pretty low when cruises are first released, and sometimes the cruise gods have not yet figured out when school breaks are. 2) Try to find an "odd" school break time that your kiddos have, one that the entire country doesn't share (Get a "fall break"-- book then; your spril break in April?-- book from a port where the Spring break is in March, etc.) 3) We book the cheapest room available for a quad. We don't need a window or a balcony to have a good cruise (it might help that we've always had an inside room!). 4) Watch the prices frequently, they do change. We just booked Mariner out of Galveston for next Spring Break at $659 for passengers one and two (inside room) and $349 for passengers 3 and 4. The price was sky high just before we booked, and then it dropped. It also helps that we don't have to fly-- are you within driving distance of any ports? I hope some of this helps. --Katie

[Luv2CruiseRCL2]

Comparing RCI to DCL is really not a fair comparison. Heck, comparing any cruise line to DCL is really not a fair comparison!:eek:

 

The OP shows she is going on a DCL cruise. So I just compaired the prices of the two. And I found the DCL is more expensive.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I have many cruises over the line (10 or so) but just cannot justify the prices they want right now. If I take the kids for a week, we are looking at $4000 plus airfare plus onboard charges. I just cannot afford a $6000 vacation.

What gives, how can people afford this?

 

Are people really paying this price or is there a special place to get better rates?

I make a decent living but cannot justify this amount for a week.

 

Honestly, we have never viewed cruising as a cheap vacation. The cheapest we ever paid for the 4 of us for a week was around $7k and change (cruise, air and transfers, not set sail on board account). Having kids and wanting to vacation with them and create memories, well, we believe will cost. As others recommended, if you feel you can take them out of school, that is an option - watch the web site daily, make sure you put in the state you live in when asked. Also, you didnt mention your childrens ages. $4k doesnt seem like a lot for a week vacation for 4 in a quad. If you look at AI's, it is a lot more.

 

DH and I cant wait (its not too long now!) until we can cruise sometimes without the kids, but there will still HOPEFULLY be the once a year vacation with them.

 

You mentioned you cruised for free..I am envious at all the thousands you saved. We spend, but it is a lot of money to consider, agreed!

 

To answer your question if people are really paying these prices, yes.

[bajathree]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Good point on the Disney cruises, my problem is I was getting those for port charges because of who I knew. I was not having to pay any fare at all. Probably got spoiled with such a nice cruise at such a big discount. He has sinced moved on so Disney may also be a thing of the past.

I just cannot for the life of me see how RCCL is putting 10,000 passengers a week on Allure and Oasis at 1000/head. I get supply and demand but in this economy, where are all those people coming from. Crazy!

I do see in the last couple of days the prices are coming down. I have to think it continues. I also got some solid smaller ship pricing in my in box today from cru-con. I may do one more Voyage type cruise and try the big ones next year when they have come down even more. The Kids are the killers. I see these slamming good deals but when you ask for a QUAD the price shoots way up and then you have little to no discount for the kids.

Thanks again guys, just needed to vent and this seemed like a good place. To anyone who has paid the money to get a quad on Oasis/Allure drop me a note and let me know if it was REALLY WORTH IT.

Crash

 

 

You failed to mention in your original post that you are spoiled by paying nothing to cruise on Disney.....no wonder things look expensive on Royal.....welcome to reality.

[BecciBoo]

First off, I just don't understand why people don't see the excellent value in cruising over land vacations. If you make a detailed cost comparison, it's hands down the cheapest way to travel...period.

Secondly, if you have kids, you may have to put off cruising until they fledge, like we did, but hey, you can take cheaper vacations in cheaper hotels with just hamburgers and hot dogs on the beach and still have a lot of fun. Personally, I consider snagging a Grand Suite on Mariner next Feb. for only $2279 for the 2 of us (with diamond discount of course) a terrific price for 7 days of food, entertainment, people making up your room, waiting on you hand and foot, free cocktails every evening and trips into multiple foreign countries a steal! And I do not believe any other line can give me the ambiance I desire cheaper than RCCL...IMHO:D

Edited March 30, 2011 by BecciBoo

[Germancruiser]

Well first of all I find it great, that you take your kids with you. ( Our parents did that with us also and believe me- they never forget that percious time, maybe not right now- but later...) Here in europe there special offers- they allow kids up to an specific age go with their parents for free- if they are in the parents cabin- of course. So some think that really is a bargain! ( If you are willing to share the cabin with kids...!

Edited March 30, 2011 by Germancruiser

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I have many cruises over the line (10 or so) but just cannot justify the prices they want right now. If I take the kids for a week, we are looking at $4000 plus airfare plus onboard charges. I just cannot afford a $6000 vacation.

What gives, how can people afford this?

 

Are people really paying this price or is there a special place to get better rates?

I make a decent living but cannot justify this amount for a week.

 

I probably shouldnt say this, check MSC cruiseline..i've been told by a girlfriend, kids are free under a certain age, I think it is 11 yrs old possibly..

[Esmerelda]

Crashdavis565, we just sailed in December on the Oasis. (on 12/11/10) We had originally booked it in June of 2010. Unfortunately, our heat pump crashed later that month. I knew the RC has Tuesday sales so my hubby and I talked it over and we decided to take a gamble on it being on one of the sales. I watched every Thursday when they posted the new sailings, and lo and behold...it appeared in late October. We saved nearly $800 by waiting. I see great sailings every week on the Tuesday sales. We had already booked our airfare so we had that part down. The pattern for the sales are anywhere from 4 weeks out to 14 weeks out from the actual sail date. You just have to make it a point everyweek to check and be ready to book. Basically, our son sailed for free on the Oasis. Was it worth it? YES...! We had a great time on our cruise. It was a 10 out of 10!:D

[gjsmth]

This is our first time back to RCCL since a number of years ago and I will tell it was a tough decision over Carnival again. We wanted to do the Oasis or Allure but those prices were why higher then cruising the smaller RCCL ships, go figure since there are less ports and they keep you on the ship to spend more money. We are giving it a go for the Splendor because we love the S. Caribbean ports but you are right it is costing us more vs Carnival which we've never had a bad experience with.

[cgr377]

I probably shouldnt say this, check MSC cruiseline..i've been told by a girlfriend, kids are free under a certain age, I think it is 11 yrs old possibly..

i don`t think you will be happy with msc please check reviews

[FLACRUISER99]

i don`t think you will be happy with msc please check reviews

I am guessing you have never been on MSC. Don't believe all the bad reviews, they are not my cup of tea but I did not have an problems with them & loved the food.