Cruise Price Shock

[visajdesai]

I am a first timer when it comes to cruising. But I am in for a shock when it comes to pricing of cabins.

 

I have currently booked one balcony and one oceanview on the Celebrity Constellation departing on May21st,2014 for a 12 night Baltic cruise.

 

I started reading about cruising right from Jan throughout cruisecritic and the web and nowhere was it mentioned that cruise prices drop drastically as the cruise date nears!

 

Since Jan it has dropped by $2000 per cabin!! For all the advice to book early to save money and to book in peak period of Jan-Feb, this is very shocking!!!

 

I have ended up paying $2000 extra as of now and its really heart burning. This trend I am seeing in all the sailings of celebrity in europe around May-June(not checked other lines).

I booked in around mid March.

 

Is this some kind of an industry secret that prices are made to plummet a month before sailing? Shouldn't much be written about it on the forums? Am I the only one who has noticed it? Has the cruising season been affected because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Is this a one-time anomaly?

 

Its really frustrating that week by week the cruise is plummeting the prices by as much as $400 per cabin!!

 

It feels pretty foolish to have landed up paying for an oceanview which costs more than a balcony when compared to present rates.

 

Please provide some clarity and words of caution and realistic tips so others dont make such a mistake.

[Karysa]

I am a first timer when it comes to cruising. But I am in for a shock when it comes to pricing of cabins.

 

I have currently booked one balcony and one oceanview on the Celebrity Constellation departing on May21st,2014 for a 12 night Baltic cruise.

 

I started reading about cruising right from Jan throughout cruisecritic and the web and nowhere was it mentioned that cruise prices drop drastically as the cruise date nears!

 

Since Jan it has dropped by $2000 per cabin!! For all the advice to book early to save money and to book in peak period of Jan-Feb, this is very shocking!!!

 

I have ended up paying $2000 extra as of now and its really heart burning. This trend I am seeing in all the sailings of celebrity in europe around May-June(not checked other lines).

I booked in around mid March.

 

Is this some kind of an industry secret that prices are made to plummet a month before sailing? Shouldn't much be written about it on the forums? Am I the only one who has noticed it? Has the cruising season been affected because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Is this a one-time anomaly?

 

Its really frustrating that week by week the cruise is plummeting the prices by as much as $400 per cabin!!

 

It feels pretty foolish to have landed up paying for an oceanview which costs more than a balcony when compared to present rates.

 

Please provide some clarity and words of caution and realistic tips so others dont make such a mistake.

 

Check your airfare and let us know if that has changed. Often, but not always the cruise price comes down but usually last minute airfares are much higher. It's the total price of the vacation that you need to consider.:). Welcome to cruise critic BTW.

 

Both my cruise and airfare have gone up in the last month - 6 weeks for my Greek Island cruise in May.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Karysa

[Hlitner]

There is no secret about this type of price drop, and it is actually quite common. The cruise line is simply using "yield management algorithms" to sell most berths and also maximize total revenue. If you book a cruise early (most do this) you can choose your cabin (or do a guarantee) from among a pretty large inventory. If bookings do not do well, the cruise line might lower prices or add some promotions prior to the final booking period. Most of the time, if there is a change prior to your final payment you can have your travel agency (or the cruise line if you booked direct) reprice your booking to the lower price. But once you are inside of the final payment period, they will not generally allow any repricing.

 

For those of us who can be very flexible with our travel plans, do not care about specific cabins, and who like to gamble...there can be some terrific bargains for waiting until the last minute. We have managed to snags some amazing deals over the years. But there are also times when the price for a particular cruise might actually increase...or it can sell out and then you would be out of luck.

 

Hank

[visajdesai]

Frankly the airfare from Mumbai to Amsterdam return has hardly changed, say maximum $80, no exaggeration.Compared to the mega drop in the cruise its nothing. :(

[no1racefan1]

If the price you paid for the oceanview is currently less than the price of a balcony, call and see if you would qualify for an upgrade. They are not obligated to upgrade you after final payment, but they generally will if the price is that different.

 

On our upcoming cruise, I booked a regular balcony room. The price dropped significantly after final payment (approx. $1,000 per person) and the price of an AFT balcony is now lower than what we paid. I got moved to the AFT balcony, no problem. I actually got offered a suite because the price of the lowest suite category was lower than what we paid, but my DH really wants the AFT balcony, so we passed on the suite.

Edited April 18, 2014 by no1racefan1

[Karysa]

Frankly the airfare from Mumbai to Amsterdam return has hardly changed, say maximum $80, no exaggeration.Compared to the mega drop in the cruise its nothing. :(

 

That hurts. What type of cabin did you book?

 

Edit oh I see a balcony and outside cabin. I would be more than a little ticked to.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Karysa

[visajdesai]

Well I've booked through an agent in Fort Lauderdale and he's not been very successful in getting any upgrade! ( neither the balcony, nor the oceanview). I called the cruise line directly and got a snooty reply to call my agent as they cant handle my account directly.

No respite :\ .

Any tips?

[visajdesai]

I booked both guarantee - 1 balcony and 1 oceanview.

Ive got assigned a good balcony cabin on the 7th deck, midship, category 2A

For the oceanview, 2nd Deck, bang at the elevators, trying to get that shifted if not upgraded. Not much faith or hope.

[Karysa]

I booked both guarantee - 1 balcony and 1 oceanview.

Ive got assigned a good balcony cabin on the 7th deck, midship, category 2A

For the oceanview, 2nd Deck, bang at the elevators, trying to get that shifted if not upgraded. Not much faith or hope.

 

Have you used this TA in the past?

[visajdesai]

Did you check the price with the cruiseline before you booked?

 

Yes, I did. The cost of booking directly from the cruiseline was always higher to what the agents were offering for some reason. So I kept that out of my option list.

When I booked with this agent I did compare his pricing with other agents. He was at par with others with a little extra on the offers side. But in the next 2 days prices fell, and have been falling ever since with all agents.

Edited April 18, 2014 by visajdesai

[LHT28]

This year the Baltic cruises are not selling well so cruise lines are lowering prices for those cruises to fill the ships

[visajdesai]

This year the Baltic cruises are not selling well so cruise lines are lowering prices for those cruises to fill the ships

 

Any way to gauge that 1-2 months before sail date if not earlier. Any trends that are published anywhere?

[Glaciers]

This is an interesting article on St Petersburg and the effect the Crimea situation is having on Tourism there.

http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=39513

 

We depart on May 13 for a Baltic cruise and the fares have dropped on our trip as well. Although disappointed we didn’t get the better rate, we were satisfied with the rate for what we were getting at the time we purchased and we still are.

 

We’re not in the position to gamble with waiting to see if there will be a decrease as it’s usually the air reservations that are difficult to find last minute.

[chengkp75]

This year the Baltic cruises are not selling well so cruise lines are lowering prices for those cruises to fill the ships

 

Bingo. With the uncertainty over relations between the US, NATO and Russia over Ukraine, there is a lot of hesitation booking to the Baltic.

[cruisemom42]

When you book a cruise in March for a sailing in May, you are within the final payment period and cruise lines generally won't offer you the "bargain" prices charged for unsold inventory of cabins after that deadline.

 

It's frequently discussed here on Cruise Critic. Your agent should have done all he/she could to get any savings if, as you said, prices started falling in January.

[Karysa]

I am a first timer when it comes to cruising. But I am in for a shock when it comes to pricing of cabins.

 

I have currently booked one balcony and one oceanview on the Celebrity Constellation departing on May21st,2014 for a 12 night Baltic cruise.

 

I started reading about cruising right from Jan throughout cruisecritic and the web and nowhere was it mentioned that cruise prices drop drastically as the cruise date nears!

 

Since Jan it has dropped by $2000 per cabin!! For all the advice to book early to save money and to book in peak period of Jan-Feb, this is very shocking!!!

 

I have ended up paying $2000 extra as of now and its really heart burning. This trend I am seeing in all the sailings of celebrity in europe around May-June(not checked other lines).

I booked in around mid March.

 

Is this some kind of an industry secret that prices are made to plummet a month before sailing? Shouldn't much be written about it on the forums? Am I the only one who has noticed it? Has the cruising season been affected because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Is this a one-time anomaly?

 

Its really frustrating that week by week the cruise is plummeting the prices by as much as $400 per cabin!!

 

It feels pretty foolish to have landed up paying for an oceanview which costs more than a balcony when compared to present rates.

 

Please provide some clarity and words of caution and realistic tips so others dont make such a mistake.

 

So let me get this clear. Are you paying $500 pp more than the price is now? That is not all that much for a 12 night cruise. At first I thought that you paid $1000 more pp.

[visajdesai]

This year the Baltic cruises are not selling well so cruise lines are lowering prices for those cruises to fill the ships

 

So let me get this clear. Are you paying $500 pp more than the price is now? That is not all that much for a 12 night cruise. At first I thought that you paid $1000 more pp.

 

Right now the difference stands at $2600 for 2 cabins, $650 per person. Isn't it alot? This difference is ballooning everyday.

 

As I read above, my suspicions were right about the conflict being the cause. No such fears exist in India about touring the Baltic and with the agent rushing me into it saying rooms were few,misjudged it.

[Karysa]

Right now the difference stands at $2600 for 2 cabins, $650 per person. Isn't it alot? This difference is ballooning everyday.

 

As I read above, my suspicions were right about the conflict being the cause. No such fears exist in India about touring the Baltic and with the agent rushing me into it saying rooms were few,misjudged it.

 

Is that $650 more since Jan or $650 more than what you paid in March?

[Karysa]

I bet that when Russia started to cause conflict with Ukraine people let their Baltic Cruise cabins go while in the free cancellation period back in the end of Feb. and instead booked other cruises. Perhaps that's why my cruise to the Greek Islands in May has climbed steadily. This is starting to all make a lot of sense to me.

[LHT28]

Right now the difference stands at $2600 for 2 cabins, $650 per person. Isn't it alot? This difference is ballooning everyday.

 

As I read above, my suspicions were right about the conflict being the cause. No such fears exist in India about touring the Baltic and with the agent rushing me into it saying rooms were few,misjudged it.

 

They are probably trying to fill the ship by offering discounts when it is closer to sailing

That is how people that book closer to sailing get the better rate

You may not get the cabin you will like though

 

This year the conflict in the Baltic is reducing prices more than normal for those cruises

 

I would just go & enjoy

[visajdesai]

This is an interesting article on St Petersburg and the effect the Crimea situation is having on Tourism there.

http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=39513

 

We depart on May 13 for a Baltic cruise and the fares have dropped on our trip as well. Although disappointed we didn’t get the better rate, we were satisfied with the rate for what we were getting at the time we purchased and we still are.

 

We’re not in the position to gamble with waiting to see if there will be a decrease as it’s usually the air reservations that are difficult to find last minute.

 

Is that $650 more since Jan or $650 more than what you paid in March?

 

They are probably trying to fill the ship by offering discounts when it is closer to sailing

That is how people that book closer to sailing get the better rate

You may not get the cabin you will like though

 

This year the conflict in the Baltic is reducing prices more than normal for those cruises

 

I would just go & enjoy

 

 

In the period Mid Jan my total stood at $11,300(for 2 cabins)

I paid $9600 in March, after getting visas

Now its standing at $ 6900 (dropping by $400 per week since 3 weeks)

 

Are these drops a rarity or do cruise prices drop this drastically every now and then? Through experience which routes(eg. baltic, med,caribbean etc.) rarely ever see falls and which have more probability to face cuts?

Edited April 18, 2014 by visajdesai

[Dayenu]

My experience with European cruises: the price stayed the same, cabin categories were sold out one by one, very few left before the cruise, air prices went up. Also we made reservations in popular hotels, they were sold out too before cruises.

[cruz1234]

Sometimes you can get upgraded to a better cabin. They will not give you a refund but if the next cabin up is that price and there are cabins left they will let you upgrade. Even though it would be nice to get a credit for the difference at least an upgrade makes you feel a bit better.

[fortinweb]

I am a first timer when it comes to cruising. But I am in for a shock when it comes to pricing of cabins.

 

I have currently booked one balcony and one oceanview on the Celebrity Constellation departing on May21st,2014 for a 12 night Baltic cruise.

 

I started reading about cruising right from Jan throughout cruisecritic and the web and nowhere was it mentioned that cruise prices drop drastically as the cruise date nears!

 

Since Jan it has dropped by $2000 per cabin!! For all the advice to book early to save money and to book in peak period of Jan-Feb, this is very shocking!!!

 

I have ended up paying $2000 extra as of now and its really heart burning. This trend I am seeing in all the sailings of celebrity in europe around May-June(not checked other lines).

I booked in around mid March.

 

Is this some kind of an industry secret that prices are made to plummet a month before sailing? Shouldn't much be written about it on the forums? Am I the only one who has noticed it? Has the cruising season been affected because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Is this a one-time anomaly?

 

Its really frustrating that week by week the cruise is plummeting the prices by as much as $400 per cabin!!

 

It feels pretty foolish to have landed up paying for an oceanview which costs more than a balcony when compared to present rates.

 

Please provide some clarity and words of caution and realistic tips so others dont make such a mistake.

 

On my last cruise the price AFTER final payment was more than what we paid when we booked 18 months in advance. Sometimes you win, some times you lose. Besides, as long as the cruise lines don't make us pay more if the prices go up, we really shouldn't be complaining about it when prices go down.

[littlelamb814]

Something like this happened to me on my Wedding cruise. I booked as a group early and then the prices dropped so much about 6 weeks out. I called and complained and they wouldn't upgrade out rooms. They did give us a bottle of champagne and strawberries in our room and a $50 on board credit per cabin. And yes you have to go through your agent. Your agent can call the cruise line and try to get you an upgrade. Or maybe they can offer you a free excursion or onboard credit. Good luck!