Why are cruise prices so much more expensive next year than this year?

[Superpowers810]

I'm looking to take a cruise next summer in July but noticed that on average the prices are about $300 - $400 more than the same cruises this year are. Why is this?

[Scrapnana]

Although some prices have increased, you may be looking at sale prices this year and the full price for next year.

[Superpowers810]

Although some prices have increased, you may be looking at sale prices this year and the full price for next year.

 

What do you mean? Are you saying it's too early to get a good price?

[sparks1093]

I'm looking to take a cruise next summer in July but noticed that on average the prices are about $300 - $400 more than the same cruises this year are. Why is this?

 

The bean counters look into the future to try to determine what things (fuel, etc.) will cost and evidently they decided things will cost $300-$400 more per person. That's one guess. Another is I have read on here that new fuel regulations will be going into effect and this will cause the cruise lines to have to use a more environmentally friendly fuel more often, which of course is more expensive so the increase is passed on to us.

[Keith1010]

It all comes down to supply and demand.

 

Some prices may go down but they might not.

 

Year over year prices usually do go up given factors such as inflation and the associated costs.

Keith

[wallie5446]

I'm looking to take a cruise next summer in July but noticed that on average the prices are about $300 - $400 more than the same cruises this year are. Why is this?

What location?

We booked our current 10 months out, and our cabin is now $500 pp higher with 75 days to go. Some have fallen back to 1st of the yr levels.

[paul929207]

What do you mean? Are you saying it's too early to get a good price?

No, what they are saying is that the price COULD be lowered sometime in the future. However, if a ship is selling well, the price could go higher.

[askimdog]

Our plan has been 5-7 day cruise, and fall under 320pp ( preferred inside Riviera deck, mid-ship). Then flight to port and back under 250 pp. This way we can budget 2k for the vacation for the 3 of us. Worked fine the last two cruises and even last years cruise which we had to cancel. We missed our 2k saving budget in 2013 and will in 2014 as well ( we cruise in Dec. or Jan only.) I plan to start looking at Dec.2014/Jan 2015 soon, if this rise in price is true, I think Carnival has just priced out another customer.

[thinfool]

Can you go back to late August of 2012 and look at 2013 pricing? I think you would find the same to be true then, as it is now.

[Karysa]

Our plan has been 5-7 day cruise, and fall under 320pp ( preferred inside Riviera deck, mid-ship). Then flight to port and back under 250 pp. This way we can budget 2k for the vacation for the 3 of us. Worked fine the last two cruises and even last years cruise which we had to cancel. We missed our 2k saving budget in 2013 and will in 2014 as well ( we cruise in Dec. or Jan only.) I plan to start looking at Dec.2014/Jan 2015 soon, if this rise in price is true, I think Carnival has just priced out another customer.

 

 

$320 divided by 7 works out to under $45 per day pp for a bed, 3 meals (+) and entertainment as well as traveling to other countries. I couldn't find a place in my home town where I could get a bed, 3 meals and entertainment for under $45 pp per day with a view of a parking lot!

[LadyShiva]

Superpowers810, I booked all 3 cruises last year via a major warehouse club, so I can't help you with the pricing question (I'm used to their prices being the best I can find). However, I had just had to compliment you on the SHIBA!!! in your avatar.

 

Absolute best dogs EVER. :) My Chiana is 11 years old and still a sweetie. She's a red sesame and a rescue. Her personality makes the doggie Fort Knox in the back yard worth it.

[wallie5446]

Our plan has been 5-7 day cruise, and fall under 320pp ( preferred inside Riviera deck, mid-ship). Then flight to port and back under 250 pp. This way we can budget 2k for the vacation for the 3 of us. Worked fine the last two cruises and even last years cruise which we had to cancel. We missed our 2k saving budget in 2013 and will in 2014 as well ( we cruise in Dec. or Jan only.) I plan to start looking at Dec.2014/Jan 2015 soon, if this rise in price is true, I think Carnival has just priced out another customer.

 

Celebrity 3 day sale over Labor Day, 5 night western $349 pp

http://click.email.celebritycruises.com/?qs=a6e3daf7b92599e2be39a48779c44fa1fa5a0479a0cce34f00b7c58447d280c1eb044180d78ece59

Princess also has some 3/4/5 day specials on the Ruby for next yr.

[pastamom2011]

The EPA is now requiring some special type of low sulfer fuel for the ships using many North American ports. It is more expensive than what the cruise lines have been using. The are likely passing the costs along to all cruises vs. just the ones using those ports. This doesn't account for $300 a cruise... but it all adds up.

[sail7seas]

Everytime I go to the grocery store, I notice it costs me more.

I notice gas prices haven't shown signs of meaningful, lasting price slashing.

Costs us more for just about everything than it did a year or two ago.

I imagine the prices the cruise lines are paying probably went up as well.

they are for profit businesses.

[navybankerteacher]

You should expect year-to-year price increases for everything. Cruises are no exception. Of course there will be periodic counter-trends: economic slowdowns may cause many to postpone vacations with the result that lines will run sales; political unrest in some parts of the world, or long term predictions of bad weather elsewhere may spur price cuts, simple lagging sales as sailing date nears may spur major price cuts. To avoid sailing with empty cabins.

 

All of the above, plus other variables, will cause price reductions --- nevertheless the general trend will always be upwards-- fuel and food prices generally trend up, staffing costs face tremendous upward pressure as employment opportunities in the presently undeveloped countries which provide cruise staff improve. How much would you have to pay an American (who had other work opportunities) to make your bed, clean your toilet and serve your meals?

[Superpowers810]

I think I found the reason.

 

All the cruises we want to take are in July during the summer months and I think the prices are just being raised since there are going to be more families with kids. Cruises in late August or early June are much cheaper.

[wallie5446]

I think I found the reason.

 

All the cruises we want to take are in July during the summer months and I think the prices are just being raised since there are going to be more families with kids. Cruises in late August or early June are much cheaper.

 

Oh, that time of the year when the Atlantic winds get a tad stronger from time to time:D is also a factor.

[sail7seas]

I think I found the reason.

 

All the cruises we want to take are in July during the summer months and I think the prices are just being raised since there are going to be more families with kids. Cruises in late August or early June are much cheaper.

 

 

Most ships leave the Caribbean in summer. Oasis and Allure are the notable exceptions but the ships reposition to Alaska, Canada/NE and Europe for the summer and get much higher per diems on those sailings than they can in the Caribbean. HAL repositions their ships from late April until mid to late October.

 

 

[askimdog]

7 days on the Legend out of Tampa, November 2013, for 286.00 as of today. That is about what we paid in 2012. That would fall into our budget, but not November and not this year...budget not quite there yet.

[Superpowers810]

We were gonna book Jewel of the Seas on RCI and leave some time in July.

 

It's nearly $1300 per person for a balcony but in the months before June and July it's low as $900 for similar voyages.

 

A similar voyage of the Navigator OTS is a bit cheaper but I would prefer the smaller Jewel.

[taglovestocruise]

Just looked at LOS ta. The price is 300 cheaper to book Oct. 2014 then Oct. 2013.. Plus this weekend they are offering about 600.00 in perks.

[sail7seas]

We were gonna book Jewel of the Seas on RCI and leave some time in July.

 

It's nearly $1300 per person for a balcony but in the months before June and July it's low as $900 for similar voyages.

 

A similar voyage of the Navigator OTS is a bit cheaper but I would prefer the smaller Jewel.

 

 

Likely the reason Jewel is higher is because it is a smaller ship. There is economy in large ships. The smaller the ship, the fewer cruisers it carries, the higher the shared costs that have to be spread around.

 

What you like more about Jewel is what makes her more costly to sail,,,,, probably. :)

 

[Bear-n-Babe]

I am not sure if this is a factor or not, but somewhere recently, I read that ships that home-port in US ports will have, starting next year, an additional "environmental fee" assessed because of new EPA regulations, and cruise lines are passing on that new cost to it's passengers. I wish I could relocate that article.

[navybankerteacher]

One other factor is the state of the overall economy. If current trends towards reducing unemployment continue, together with a soaring stock market, people will have more money to spend next year than this. Perhaps cruisers in recent years have been spoiled by the recent low prices which have reflected lower demand as recent new builds, contracted years earlier, have come on line.

 

As employment ratchets up and consumers have more discretionary income is there any real possibility that prices will not go up. And that is without the unavoidable round of inflation which recent years of deficits is certain to bring about.

[marco]

Why?....because the advertised brochure rate is pure fiction. Now in a few months they can say "Super discounts!!!.... "X%" off the price of you 2014 cruise!!!! What a deal!!!!!!