Do the new "Sale Prices" seem high?

[PunkiC]

For the past couple of years we seem to have been able to get some pretty amazing deals on balconies.

 

Are those days gone? Has the economy recovered, or are they just starting out high?

[mwlillie]

I'm seeing that as well. With the Royal Princess soon to be the only way to get to the Eastern Caribbean, and Princess moving boats around to give "Carnival" better leverage in certain markets, the days of good bargains on Princess seem to be coming to an end. At least for the near future. I think in a year or two Princess will drop rates and offer more realistic specials when they start having problems hitting high occupancy rates on the Royal and her sister ship the Regal. I see a future coming when weekend departures from Fort Lauderdale will only be either Princess or Royal Caribbean (with four mega ships leaving every weekend that is about 20,000 passengers per weekend), and other cruiselines departures during the week. Carnival will base most departures from Miami, Disney from Port Canaveral.

[L454S]

The email I got today about their "specials" was sobering. The prices were very high on all but a couple sailings. We had enjoyed dealing with Princess direct for a few years, but this last booking we have for next month(Hawaii) was an eye opener. Princess prices were substantially higher than what was available elsewhere.

 

This is also taking into account our Platinum sailings.

[usviking]

I also think that the "sales prices" seem high.

 

I really enjoy Princess and frequently watch pricing to find our next cruise. I have not seen anything that has caught my attention over the last month or so.

 

In fact, for the first time since I began cruising, I am searching other cruise lines to try. I believe I am seeing some better pricing that may make it worth the experience.

 

I have not been a last-minute cruiser, but I'm also starting to consider keeping bags packed and grab last minute flash fares.

 

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[Nebr.cruiser]

The email I got today about their "specials" was sobering. The prices were very high on all but a couple sailings. We had enjoyed dealing with Princess direct for a few years, but this last booking we have for next month(Hawaii) was an eye opener. Princess prices were substantially higher than what was available elsewhere.

 

This is also taking into account our Platinum sailings.

 

That's funny, we just booked a Hawaii cruise for February at what I thought was a great price, and it was from an email I received. We're platinum as well. The only time I have seen a balcony cabin cheaper on this route was in November, when we couldn't go. I have been checking and the Princess site has still been at least $100pp less than any other site.

 

I do agree that some itineraries are higher, not just on Princess, I suppose because costs for the cruise line are up.

[Pam in CA]

Supply and demand.

 

When you book directly, you're looking at and paying the highest price possible. Comparing prices to other cruise lines is comparing apples to oranges; they're not comparable since Princess allows TAs to discount and you can often save 10-20% off the Princess fare with the exception of Flash sales.

[highheel girl]

I have noticed that the last 5 or 10 supposed sale emails from Princess are very high.....

 

If you are flexible and can afford to wait and get the last minute (4-6 weeks) offers from Princess via e-mail there are killer deals to be had.

The Oct Ruby (19 day?) transatlantic started out ridculous then dropped to as low as $799 for insides and $999 for OV, this was about a month out after showing sold out for months.

The 12 day Emerald from Quebec to Ft Lauderdale near the end of Oct went from being sold out for months to an assortment of insides and OV within the last month before the sailing as well at prices below $999.

[Cruise Junky]

This would be why we have three land trips booked and no cruises. When I can fly to Hawaii for $300 it's becoming our goto vacation destination. I'm sure Princess will continue to have some blow out deals, I'm just not willing to wait for them right now.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Agree with you 100% PunkiC, Except for some of the last minute deals, which are usually on cruises we aren't interested in, the prices to me seem high and the sales aren't as good. I dont feel that I have gotten a "good deal" in the past two years or so...that being said, I feel Princess is a fair price for a great vacation, but as far as a great deal, lately NO!!

 

And we are in the process of booking the Royal for a Med. cruise this July, and I can assure you that is not a good deal!! But we are still booking it!

[PunkiC]

We have had some amazing deals in the past few years, all in balconies--$1,199 for a 12-day Med cruise Rome/Venice, a 15-day crossing San Jaun to Southhampton for $1,199, a seven-day Scandinavian round trip Southmpton for $799, and a 14-day Hawaiian for $1,500. We want to go everywhere so we just wait for the deals and then, if we can get award flights, we go for it.

[Cruise Junky]

We have had some amazing deals in the past few years, all in balconies--$1,199 for a 12-day Med cruise Rome/Venice, a 15-day crossing San Jaun to Southhampton for $1,199, a seven-day Scandinavian round trip Southmpton for $799, and a 14-day Hawaiian for $1,500. We want to go everywhere so we just wait for the deals and then, if we can get award flights, we go for it.

 

Don't give up hope. We paid $1,199 for Ruby 12 day med, balcony, last September with a ton of OBC. I think the deals will still be there, just not in such abundance as the past few years.

[Pam in CA]

There are deals out there. I recently booked a 7-day Crown cruise in February out of Galveston in a Caribe balcony for $953 as a single, i.e., I paid about 200%.

[dr__dawggy]

We have had some amazing deals in the past few years, all in balconies--$1,199 for a 12-day Med cruise Rome/Venice, a 15-day crossing San Jaun to Southhampton for $1,199, a seven-day Scandinavian round trip Southmpton for $799, and a 14-day Hawaiian for $1,500. We want to go everywhere so we just wait for the deals and then, if we can get award flights, we go for it.

 

We look for sale prices of about $100 per day for a balcony. We have not had a problem finding fares around this level, with the exception of Alaska.

Sadly, None of the current sale prices come close to our target.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We look for sale prices of about $100 per day for a balcony. We have not had a problem finding fares around this level, with the exception of Alaska.

Sadly, None of the current sale prices come close to our target.

 

This is our benchmark too--it would have to be a very special cruise to a very exotic location to get us to go over this. Usually we cruise for much, much less, always in a balcony.

 

But, we are very flexible, usually book 6-8 weeks out, or less and don't even want to go in the high seasons, so that helps. We also usually only book the cruise if we can find flights using FF miles.

 

Note that this $100pp per day (or less) is for the base cruise price, not counting gratuities, taxes & fees. I find it simpler to compare cruises this way, knowing that the other costs will even out.

[OutSyder]

I'm with the rest of you on this. I've been watching and waiting for a price that I like for our annual March cruise. I got what I felt was a great price for our past march cruise on the Emerald but so far I can't find a price anywhere near that. I'm at the point where I have been looking at RCL and other lines as a possible alternative.

[PunkiC]

This is our benchmark too--it would have to be a very special cruise to a very exotic location to get us to go over this. Usually we cruise for much, much less, always in a balcony.

 

But, we are very flexible, usually book 6-8 weeks out, or less and don't even want to go in the high seasons, so that helps. We also usually only book the cruise if we can find flights using FF miles.

 

Note that this $100pp per day (or less) is for the base cruise price, not counting gratuities, taxes & fees. I find it simpler to compare cruises this way, knowing that the other costs will even out.

 

Did you steal my formula? LOL :p

 

Our "go for it point" is also $100 per night in a balcony, and the ability to get mileage tickets, unless, of course, the cruise commences on the west coast where it makes more sense for us to just buy tickets. I can handle a coach seat to Long Beach or San Francisco from Seattle. :) The Seattle/Long Beach flights on Alaska are pretty cool as the are all "first class" and they even give you free wine and/or beer.

[Times Prince]

For the past couple of years we seem to have been able to get some pretty amazing deals on balconies.

 

Are those days gone? Has the economy recovered, or are they just starting out high?

Keep in mind that the prices Princess is now showing are the TOTAL price including taxes, fees. Therefore one's comparison standard has to change to accomodate for this fact.

 

Our TA usually has been able to discount for about the amount of those taxes and fees, even on a low cost special, plus offering a modest OBC. So that balcony cabin may show as being a little more on Princess pricing, but the net pricing may still be at the target comparison standard. ... or not. Time to adjust the comparison standard.

[Loonbeam]

As a side note - I refer everyone to the other threads about cutting costs and people wondering why they are doing so. This thread provides a perfect example of the lack of pricing elasticity on a cruise line...