What would you be willing to pay extra for?

[boogs]

I would rather pay an extra 5-10 % on the cruise fare than have a fee for more things. Unlike the Celebrity fanclub here. No names, but some are a bit too entusiastic about fees.

 

I'd rather pay more for the cruise itself, and not have "specialty" restaurants, etc...at all....just have excellent food in the MDR!

 

You have the option of doing so right now - just cruise on one of the all inclusive cruise lines out there and you won't have to pay extra. At least not when you use that feature - you will be paying for them in the base fare whether you use them or not.

 

I think the way they are set up now is just right. I get a decent cruise with just the base fare, and pay extra for ONLY those things I want. Where does the cruise line draw the line when determining what is included if the price is increased?

 

Does everyone get unlimited drinks? That works perfectly for heavy drinkers at the expense of people who don't drink, who end up subsidizing the alcoholics on the cruise.

 

Does everyone get unlimited opportunities to dine in the various specialty dining venues? That works perfectly for people who want to dine by themselves and aren't in AquaClass staterooms, who would be subsidizing people to dine in dining rooms they won't be using.

 

Does everyone get unlimited internet access? That works for those unfortunate souls who can't unhook for a few days and would rather stay "connected" than relax on a cruise. But those of us who take a vacation to be ON vacation would be subsidizing the "connection" addicts.

 

So for me I am satisfied with the current status quo. I pay for what I want, and only what I want, and nothing more, and pay extra only for the times that I want something extra.

Edited April 30, 2014 by boogs

[floridatravelersforlife]

A guaranteed plush lounge chair in general vicinity of pool. Sign me up at 10 bucks a day per chair (140 week for 2). Actually, I would pay more.

Put a number on each chair and the renter gets a matching number sticker for their chair -instant revenue. You pay upfront and get to select

your location. If you cancel your cruise no refund. Additional incentive for early booking.

 

I think you are on to something. Definitely the chair hogs would vanish and one could count on a seat. Implementation and cost to sun worshipers would be difficult to swallow

[luvbermuda]

I would be happy to pay to reserve a lounge chair by the pool as other suggested on this thread.

I had mentioned this is a previous thread and everyone thought it was a terrible idea. On most beaches, even at nice resort hotels, you have to pay for your beach chair- we always do this at Myrtle Beach.

We rented an Alcove on our last cruise but that is not available on all cruises.

It would be nice to know you always had a chair available for a small charge.

The first cruise I ever took on Holland America this was done.:)

[Mparis184]

I am the frugal traveler. I watch for good promotional prices and book accordingly. I really don't want to pay extra $$ for anything. I don't drink and I might have a $25 end of cruise bill if I go to a specialty restaurant. I don't book the ship excursions and usually organize tours with private tour guides in the ports with Cruise Critic folks - it saves a lot of money.

 

My DH tells me I better start spending some $$. Soon the cruise lines won't let me book the promo rates anymore because they don't make any money on my cruises. LOL

 

Marion

[cpj]

I am the frugal traveler. I watch for good promotional prices and book accordingly. I really don't want to pay extra $$ for anything. I don't drink and I might have a $25 end of cruise bill if I go to a specialty restaurant. I don't book the ship excursions and usually organize tours with private tour guides in the ports with Cruise Critic folks - it saves a lot of money.

 

My DH tells me I better start spending some $$. Soon the cruise lines won't let me book the promo rates anymore because they don't make any money on my cruises. LOL

 

Marion

 

Your not alone. They make money but not as much as they would like. You also help pay the crew with tips so you are important to them. Something is better then nothing. The reason there so cheap is there are more cabins available today with all the new ships.

[espo56]

A guaranteed plush lounge chair in general vicinity of pool. Sign me up at 10 bucks a day per chair (140 week for 2). Actually, I would pay more.

Put a number on each chair and the renter gets a matching number sticker for their chair -instant revenue. You pay upfront and get to select

your location. If you cancel your cruise no refund. Additional incentive for early booking.

 

Agree. I would gladly pay $300 for a reserved plush lounge chair. Did this on a Princess cruise 2x and it was heavenly. No chair hogs. Plugs towels, cucumber infused water. Cookies and milk at 3 pm. Waiter service. Bose headphones with music channels. Cool towels. Worth every penny.

[Clydesmom7865]

I would pay extra for a guaranteed child free cruise during peak times. I hate not being able to travel at certain times of year to avoid being over run by kids whose parents think their antics are a delight to everyone.

[hcat]

We pay enough in extras already to enjoy the spa, Blu, specialty dining, alcohol not on the perk package., some special events on bd, photos incl photo op w/ Capt on bridge tours..

 

,.... adding more for ala carte crusing holds no appeal...would not pay for shows, pool seating

 

but we would chip in to send the miami DJs back to Miami asap.....

[Kellie Poodle]

Good luck with those ideas. Selling a $2 glass of wine would likely backfire in a number of ways. First, I think most people who enjoy wine pay the existing prices, so by offering a super cheap wine Celebrity would bring in LESS revenue. Plus, they'd get a reputation for selling lousy wine and the negative PR that goes with that. As for dining options- same thing. They already have plenty of people who pay $30-45 for a specialty restaurant, so adding an upcharge for a "better dining room" would 1) cut into the existing revenue and 2) create more bad PR from people who would think the regular dining room had gone down in quality to force people to eat in the $15 dining room.

 

There is no corrolation between the price of wine and the drinkability of the wine. There are many excellent inexpensive wines. I would trust Celebrity to have a decent wine for $4

[SixOneTwo]

I would pay a fee for a jacuzzi or T-pool that GUARANTEES no children under 18.

 

If they could bring some pets on board and rent them out, I'd pay for that also.

 

Popcorn is another possibility. But it has to be really high quality stuff. Ships are definitely missing out on the salty snack angle.

[waterbug123]

I would be happy to pay to reserve a lounge chair by the pool as other suggested on this thread.

 

It would be nice to know you always had a chair available for a small charge.

 

 

I think the suggestion earlier in the thread was $10/day, which I think is laughable. There aren't that many chairs by the pool, and to reserve one for $10/day? Celebrity would be overrun with requests at that price and wouldn't be able to handle them all, then people would complain that no one should be able to book a chair for more than 1 or 2 days so that everyone could have a chance. If Celebrity ever took this idea and ran with it, you can bet the price would be a lot more than $10/day!

[patty1955]

 

Popcorn is another possibility. But it has to be really high quality stuff. Ships are definitely missing out on the salty snack angle.

My blood pressure wouldn't like it, but I agree.

[waterbug123]

There is no corrolation between the price of wine and the drinkability of the wine. There are many excellent inexpensive wines. I would trust Celebrity to have a decent wine for $4

 

My point was more along the lines of why would they bother? Plenty of people already pay much more for a glass/bottle of wine onboard so why on earth would Celebrity suddenly offer a $4 glass of wine and cut their revenue? :confused:

 

As for the correlation between price and drinkability- Yes, there are some very good inexpensive wines, BUT the really inexpensive ones are mass produced which means there is much less quality control over the grapes that go into it. That in turn means that there's much more inconsistency from bottle to bottle so the quality can vary a lot. Yes, it can vary in an expensive wine too, but generally not as much in when all the grapes are coming from one specific vineyard. ;)

[patty1955]

My point was more along the lines of why would they bother? Plenty of people already pay much more for a glass/bottle of wine onboard so why on earth would Celebrity suddenly offer a $4 glass of wine and cut their revenue?

My point was that a lot of people won't buy wine that cost more per glass than the bottle cost on land.

I don't buy wine on board and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I bring on some wine and the rest of the time, I do without. If I couldn't bring any on, I just wouldn't buy any.

Having a house wine would be a huge money maker for Celebrity. If they need a suggestion, the best wine I've ever had was bought for 2 Euros while we were in Rome. I'll be happy to point them in the right direction.

[CoralReef]

I'd rather pay less up front and choose the extras I want. I am willing to pay more for tapas/appetizers at happy hour, sea day brunch buffet, iced tea in the room, more restaurant choices, and a laundry package.

 

If enough of us want these things, it should be easy to make them available. But if other cruisers don't want them, why should they have to pay for them?

[4cats4me]

I think the suggestion earlier in the thread was $10/day, which I think is laughable. There aren't that many chairs by the pool, and to reserve one for $10/day? Celebrity would be overrun with requests at that price and wouldn't be able to handle them all, then people would complain that no one should be able to book a chair for more than 1 or 2 days so that everyone could have a chance. If Celebrity ever took this idea and ran with it, you can bet the price would be a lot more than $10/day!

 

Princess charges for chairs at the Sanctuary. Not enough chairs and

demand outweighs supply. They just doubled the price to an astounding daily rate , and now I understand it isn't as popular as it used to be. Princess ships have 4 or 5 pools though , so it is easier to pick a pool and charge for that area only. Celebrity has only the two pools, and I don't see the charge for a chair rental thing going over so well.

What I would be willing to pay for is an entire experience, like the Haven on Norwegian, dedicated pool, concierge, butler, private restaurant for lunch and breakfast. .

[Iamcruzin]

I must be in the minority. I have been cruising since Noah's ark was refit as a transatlantic barge for paying passengers. I don't get my granny panties all in a wad over the silly things that many of you do.

 

We now can cruise for far less than we could just a decade ago. Prices are lower now, even without inflation being factored in. I can take a cruise on a beautiful, comfortable ship to more destinations that ever before, eat well in several dining venues, including the MDR and the buffet, enjoy a variety of entertainment all around the ship, enjoy cooling off in the pool or reading a book nearby, and relax in my nicely appointed stateroom, all for the base fare. I would never go hungry, never get bored, and have a great time. All at no extra cost. Just like it always has been.

 

But, if I CHOOSE to splurge on drinks, I can go to a bar or lounge and have as many as I want. If I CHOOSE to dine in a quiet dining room for a change, with made to order food, I can do so by paying a few extra dollars for the privilege. If I CHOOSE to get a spa treatment to attempt to beat the aging process, I can purchase as many treatments as I want.

 

Nothing has changed other than having many more choices than we used to have. And all at a base fare that is well below what it used to be in the "good old days".

 

I am convinced that most people are greedy. They want everything for nothing. They want top quality, but aren't willing to pay for it. They want, want, want, and then complain when don't get the luxuries that they refuse to pay for because they prefer to pay less for a cruise.

 

Too bad they are so blinded by greed that they can't see how good they really have it. :rolleyes:

 

Well said and I agree that if passengers are willing to pay more for the base price of a cruise for what they consider better food and service then they can choose to sail the luxury lines. My guess is that they are full of piss and wind and really don't want to put their money where their mouth is. They just want a champaign experience for the price of beer. The good old days weren't all that good. I paid for an obstructed view state room in 1986 for the price of a balcony today.

 

 

 

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[4cats4me]

 

. I paid for an obstructed view state room in 1986 for the price of a balcony today.

 

 

 

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Same here. In 1994 we had an inside cabin, 117sq feet on Royal Carib's Monarch of the Seas and paid $1,300 EACH for a 7-day Caribbean cruise.

 

In recent years we've paid in the $700 to$800 range for balconies :eek:

[Classynfun1]

My point was that a lot of people won't buy wine that cost more per glass than the bottle cost on land.

I don't buy wine on board and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I bring on some wine and the rest of the time, I do without. If I couldn't bring any on, I just wouldn't buy any.

Having a house wine would be a huge money maker for Celebrity. If they need a suggestion, the best wine I've ever had was bought for 2 Euros while we were in Rome. I'll be happy to point them in the right direction.

 

Celebrity actually has branded red and white "house" wines. I believe they are $8-$10 a glass. Since they are branding themselves "modern luxury" I doubt they would entertain offering lower priced options....

[Jana60]

More and more people seem to complain about being "nickeled and dimed" on cruises, but the simple fact is that cruise lines need to make money. The easy solution is to raise cruise prices, but that could chase away customers.

What would you be willing to pay extra for?

Personally, I'd love to have the option to buy a cheap glass of wine with dinner. I don't buy alcohol on cruises because of the inflated prices. I think the cruise lines would find a profit in selling a cheap glass of wine. 4 serving of 2 buck chuck at $2 a glass would result in a huge profit.

I'd also be willing to pay an upcharge to eat in a better dining room. I liked Blu but didn't care for the room and other perks. I don't like specialty restaurants because of the price and the limited menu. There's generally only one or two items on the menu that I'd be willing to pay extra for. I would be willing to pay $10 or $15 a night to eat in Blu.

I'd pay for faster internet. I won't pay for it now, because the slow speed is like watching a taxi meter at a stop light.

What else can you guys think up?

 

I disagree. I've been on 26 cruises over a period of 14 years. During that time I've seen them make more and more things an extra charge. Yet when they raise the prices by adding extra charges for all of these items the price of the cruise never does go down. I realize that they have to control cost or the price of the cruise would go up. However one of the best things about a cruise is that you don't have to worry about adding a lot of expense for extra items. That's one of the biggest advantages of a cruise. When a cruise line adds a lot of extra dining venues cater to the taste of various people it ends up using up an inordinately large amount of the space on the ship just for dining. It ends up leaving less space for other entertainment venues. So while it may seem like the only people affected by extra dining venues are the ones having to pay for the extra dining it ends up that everyone going on the cruise suffers the decrease in entertainment venues.

Carnival ends up being my favorite Cruise Line mainly because they have achieved a balance between keeping the cost down and still supplying the little extra items that make a person feel pampered. Examples of items included in the standard cruise price by carnival but not supplied or requiring an extra fee by all of the other cruise lines include but are not limited to bath robes, 24 hour room service, dedicated comedy club, large cabins with lots of storage space, Lobster and escargot in the main dining room, towel animals and of course absolutely fabulous prices.

 

 

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[cruzsnooze]

There are enough venues to take your money, we don't need any more. I'm already looking at Azamara because it's all inclusive. I sailed on Azamara once already but back then it wasn't all inclusive.

Edited May 1, 2014 by cruzsnooze

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Carnival ends up being my favorite Cruise Line mainly because they have achieved a balance between keeping the cost down and still supplying the little extra items that make a person feel pampered. Examples of items included in the standard cruise price by carnival but not supplied or requiring an extra fee by all of the other cruise lines include but are not limited to bath robes, 24 hour room service, dedicated comedy club, large cabins with lots of storage space, Lobster and escargot in the main dining room, towel animals and of course absolutely fabulous prices.

 

Have you ever sailed on Celebrity? All of these things are provided at no extra charge. There is a comedy show, although it is not "dedicated."

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

The current pricing structure works well for me. I don't have to subsidize others' alcohol or dinner choices. If I want something that's not included in the base fare, I can choose to purchase it. It's all about choice. Those who want all inclusive can go with one of the luxury lines at greatly increased cost or go to an all inclusive on land.

 

The only problem I have is all these promotions. They usually pop up after I've booked something (I tend to book early).

[sloopsailor]

I disagree. I've been on 26 cruises over a period of 14 years. During that time I've seen them make more and more things an extra charge.

 

What have you seen Celebrity now charge for that they didn't before? I honestly can't think of anything that I can no longer get for the base fare, and I've been cruising with Celebrity for at least a decade. Yes, there are additional things that cost extra, but these are extras over and above the usual included items - just like always. What are all these "more and more things" that you are complaining about? Please be more specific instead of so conveniently vague with your claims.

 

Yet when they raise the prices by adding extra charges for all of these items the price of the cruise never does go down.

 

I keep all my booking confirmations for future reference, as well as for memorabilia. For all the cruises I have taken, prices have stayed pretty stable or have actually been lower, with most recent cruises costing less than those earlier ones almost a decade ago. I don't see "when they raise the prices ... the price of the cruise never does go down".

 

I think you are only seeing the price picture from a very biased point of view and completely ignoring reality.

 

Carnival ends up being my favorite Cruise Line

 

OK, that explains everything. :rolleyes:

Edited May 1, 2014 by sloopsailor

[sloopsailor]

I'm already looking at Azamara because it's all inclusive.

 

Expect to pay hundreds of dollars more in cruise fare for the privilege of not having to pay a few extra dollars for things you may use only once in a while. "All inclusive" doesn't come free. You end up paying for all those things up front, whether or not you use it.

 

What's that old saying? Oh yeah - "Penny wise, pound foolish". Some of you people really amuse me with your naive logic. :rolleyes:

Edited May 1, 2014 by sloopsailor