Is it me or are these prices out of control

[Paulette3028]

You are very right. And, once again, it is those same people who are responsible for the pricing and the lack of a drop. They make the reservation at a price they don't really like. RCI sees that the cruise is selling at that price so why would they lower it? Some people just don't get it.

 

I will not book at the pricing that I am seeing right now for the cruises that I am interested in. If pricing does not come down we simply may not cruise this winter. The way I see it I win either way. Pricing comes down and we cruise or it does not come down and I have a few thousand dollars more in my bank account.

 

You make an interesting point, when you bring up people who book cruises at a price that they really don't like, 'waiting' for a price drop. What they have done is take a cabin out of circulation and are sending the message (as you say) that the price is fine to the cruise line (not just Royal, BTW).

 

So some people should try this....buy a car at a price you really don't like, but they have the color and model with all the features you want. Then wait for the price to drop and go back to the dealership and ask for 'compensation' of some sort. When everyone in the showroom stops laughing, just let me know.

 

We had been looking at a cruise on Independence several months back...it was a very good price. For whatever personal reason we did not get a chance to book it (other things in life got into the way). We were disappointed for sure. When we were on an Allure cruise recently, they were having the BOGOHO sale and we had extra incentive from our TA to book while we were on the cruise. We did....when it was all said and done, with the extra OBC credits we are getting, it worked out just fine...the overall cost was only a few dollars different, from what we saw, months ago.

 

I don't get upset....when I lose out.....something else will come along, at some point.

[The Sunset Glow]

You are very right. And, once again, it is those same people who are responsible for the pricing and the lack of a drop. They make the reservation at a price they don't really like. RCI sees that the cruise is selling at that price so why would they lower it? Some people just don't get it.

 

I will not book at the pricing that I am seeing right now for the cruises that I am interested in. If pricing does not come down we simply may not cruise this winter. The way I see it I win either way. Pricing comes down and we cruise or it does not come down and I have a few thousand dollars more in my bank acount.

 

I agree. At these prices we may do a land vacation to Hawaii again instead of a cruise this winter.

 

If we book at this price in hopes of a price drop later then it sends a message to RCI that the price is fair because people are still booking. Not doing that.

Edited July 26, 2014 by The Sunset Glow

[Hombre59]

I generally booked cruises because they were a good bang for the buck. Even during late July bookings.. Looking right now, most of these Caribbean 7 day cruises are just about 1400$ a person..... That with a family of 7 is an insane amount to spend when comparing to what the prices are usually.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Hombre59

[tlund]

Can't believe that a 7 day Southern Caribbean on the Adventure is pretty much the same price as a 12 day on the Quantum for the same time. $4000 for 2 people for a balcony on the Adventure in February. Just nuts!!!! We've cruised in January and February before and have never paid anywhere close to these prices. Refuse to pay these prices. I'll keep my money and do something else with it.

[Cruise Junky]

I actually got notification of a decent price drop on the Oasis cruise we were contemplating but too late, we booked a land trip to Hawaii over the weekend. If they hadn't jacked it 40% they'd have us as a client

[mcatmcat]

Resellers sucked up cabins during the BOGO sale .

 

Also some people booked 2 or more cruises with the intent of cancelling some before final payment .It will be interesting to see what happens when final payment nears.

 

I checked prices the first day of the BOGO sale for my cruise and saved 400 bucks. Some friends waited a day and only saved 300. Within a week the savings were less than 100

 

..............Frank

 

 

 

I'm one of them. I have like 4 reservation and I will decided before final payment if I'm going Easter-wester or what port.

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[christi1805]

You are very right. And, once again, it is those same people who are responsible for the pricing and the lack of a drop. They make the reservation at a price they don't really like. RCI sees that the cruise is selling at that price so why would they lower it? Some people just don't get it.

 

Its not those individuals alone to blame but the cruise line stirs the pot as well:

when waiting at future cruise sales desk on-board the Serenade in May, the Japanese cruise consultant lady had a totally undecided couple sitting at her desk. They could not actually decide what to book and we observed when the RCCL sales consultant booked 8 cruises for them at the same cruise week, different ships, different word wide itineraries. They even did not demand the multiple booking, the sales rep just said "I am booking this...that,...and also that...(etc) you decide later what is more attractive for you".

 

Yes she blocked at least 7 cabins for everybody else!

(How many times did she do it with how many customers during the cruise?)

 

Here in Germany a thread evolves on a cruise forum where big travel agencies post as well: one well known TA states that they even do not have a clue what RCCL is doing now. Price adjustments for existing bookings are mostly not possible anymore, because RCCL says that the new price is only for new bookers. TA's- they say- hang around hours at the telephone with RCCL to fight for their clients, than for hours with clients to explain that RCCl does not pursue price adjustments. A real mess. Who is in charge of all this price disaster at RCCL?

 

I observe some 5 future cruises which I like to book, but basic prices are astronomically high and rise by the next day by another 1500€ and may come down in 4 days by 1200€ and it goes on and on with this roller coaster of pricing.

The irrational pattern is killing Royal's customers.

 

An earlier email exchange with the RCCL FRA operation officer resulted in a declaration that even they do not understand the price policy from Miami. (I had the email exchange originally because they could not upgrade me from inside cabin to balcony although i wanted to buy the upgrade at regular price (some 150€ more expensive than my booked inside). She said this is insane and RCCL FRA will discuss that with Miami immediately)

Anybody understands what is going around in Miami, who is responsible for this mess?

Edited July 29, 2014 by christi1805

[irishcraig]

Do RCI realise that their current prices are forcing customers to look to alternative lines.

 

People might think they are loyal to RC but they are more loyal to their wallet and bank account.

 

Let's be honest if we could all afford it and not worry about price we'd all cruise with a more luxurious line, we cruise with RC as it's usually good value for what they offer, but not at the moment.

 

A lot of people are saying there's good prices if you can be flexible with the time of year that you cruise but not everyone can just go when they want with work and other things.

 

I'm chancing carnival for my Southern Caribbean cruise next June as it's around €600 less, and who knows if I enjoy carnival I might not come back to royal, and I'd be pretty sure I won't be the only one thinking the same thing.....

[AmandaKaye79]

They need to give some incentive for early bookings. I watched a cruise I wanted on Freedom for July 2014. About a year out it was $1449pp for balcony. Almost booked but decided not to. A few weeks before cruise, prices were $879 for a balcony. No price drop for those early bookings bc it was after final payment.

 

Same thing with Enchantment for July. It was $349pp for inside a few months ahead of time. We booked 4 days before the cruise and got it for $199pp. Again, the early bookings got nothing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[seaofwonder]

We are booked on a bogoho for Norway next summer. Contemplated doing a B2B or doing a drive tour after the cruise. Started looking at prices and we eliminated the extra cruise. The 7 day med prices for mid-May are too high. Celebrity was coming in at the same price. To be fair, Princess and holland were the same amount. But prices much higher than we've paid in the past.

 

When I calculated the pp nightly rate it was cheaper for me to pay for 3 meAls and a hotel (in London!).

 

I like the convenience of visiting multiple ports and unpacking once, but not at those prices.

 

 

Not only that but we can't find anything we want for spring break, so we're skipping that this year. I also wanted a Christmas in Europe cruise but royal doesn't offer that.

 

We like the comfort of knowing what to expect from a cruise line, but we're closing to jumping to another line and chancing it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited July 29, 2014 by seaofwonder

[Ocean Boy]

I actually got notification of a decent price drop on the Oasis cruise we were contemplating but too late, we booked a land trip to Hawaii over the weekend. If they hadn't jacked it 40% they'd have us as a client

 

Do RCI realise that their current prices are forcing customers to look to alternative lines.

 

People might think they are loyal to RC but they are more loyal to their wallet and bank account.

 

Let's be honest if we could all afford it and not worry about price we'd all cruise with a more luxurious line, we cruise with RC as it's usually good value for what they offer, but not at the moment.

 

A lot of people are saying there's good prices if you can be flexible with the time of year that you cruise but not everyone can just go when they want with work and other things.

 

I'm chancing carnival for my Southern Caribbean cruise next June as it's around €600 less, and who knows if I enjoy carnival I might not come back to royal, and I'd be pretty sure I won't be the only one thinking the same thing.....

 

You both raise good points. One year I really wanted to book Independence and it would have been our first cruise on a Freedom class ship. However, the pricing was way too high. Finally we made other plans and then the pricing for the Independence cruise dropped like a rock but it was too late for us. Maybe that cruise sailed with every cabin booked but I doubt it and there would have been one more occupied cabin if RCI hadn't had such ridiculous pricing.

 

Maybe RCI thinks that all of our worlds revolve around them but it isn't so.

[marci22]

I think their pricing policy is to keep people off-balance. Too many (good) threads here in the past about booking strategies. Now you really can't base your purchasing on past results. You may get a good price (or a bad price) at any time. You just have to know how much you want to pay, and keep looking.

 

I've said this before, but on my last cruise, booked after final, I had a hard time upgrading. I waited, waited, until the week before sailing to attempt a paid upgrade. First they told me you'll lose your wow obc if you pay several hundred dollars to upgrade, literally 7 days before sailing (many balconies showing available. About 40. Usually I see a few cabins available this close, or none!) Then, 3 days before sailing, I decide to give up the obc and they tell me 'oh, it's for new bookings only'. This was repeated to me several times, sorry, new bookings only!

 

But I want to pay you more money! And this ship sails in 3 days! Finally someone gave approval and I was allowed to pay them more money to upgrade to a cabin that no one else wanted. Just rubbed me the wrong way.

 

Their pricing methods are annoying.

Edited July 29, 2014 by marci22

[OTownNick]

Can't believe that a 7 day Southern Caribbean on the Adventure is pretty much the same price as a 12 day on the Quantum for the same time. $4000 for 2 people for a balcony on the Adventure in February. Just nuts!!!! We've cruised in January and February before and have never paid anywhere close to these prices. Refuse to pay these prices. I'll keep my money and do something else with it.

 

Where are you seeing 4000 for a balcony? I'm seeing $880-$1000/pp for a deluxe balcony on Adventure in Feb. Even a Junior suite is around $1400/pp. certainly cheaper than a 12-night Quantum cruise

[Cruise Junky]

Where are you seeing 4000 for a balcony? I'm seeing $880-$1000/pp for a deluxe balcony on Adventure in Feb. Even a Junior suite is around $1400/pp. certainly cheaper than a 12-night Quantum cruise

 

 

I just checked the February 1 sailing and there was a $400 pp price drop yesterday.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Deptacon]

I can't believe the rates for RCI cruises. Just looked 2 weeks ago for cruises late October until late November out of NY area and Florida. Outrageous! so we booked NCL Breakaway out of NY at a great rate.

 

Too bad, even the stockholders OBC didn't help enough. So glad we booked Quantum more than a year in advance. Who knows if we'll ever be able to go on another RCI cruise, Celebrity and NCL are cheaper for comparable cruises.

 

Check em again today.

 

Significant price drops yesterday on a lot of cruises.

[carumba7]

Mine is down 1k from last Thursday, but still more than what I paid. That's a crazy price swing!

[christi1805]

I wonder if RCCL management reads excerpts of this thread?

[PSU]

Prices for a Grand Suite (for 2 people) for our Arctic Circle cruise in June of next year have gone up to $11,058. That is more than $3,000 than we are paying for our GS.

What is Royal Caribbean thinking? They can't sustain these prices.

[carumba7]

Prices for a Grand Suite (for 2 people) for our Arctic Circle cruise in June of next year have gone up to $11,058. That is more than $3,000 than we are paying for our GS.

What is Royal Caribbean thinking? They can't sustain these prices.

 

Wow, how long is your cruise? We paid less than that last year for 3 people in a GS Med 12 day.

[PSU]

It is 11-nights. I think there is only one Arctic Circle cruise this year.

Wow, how long is your cruise? We paid less than that last year for 3 people in a GS Med 12 day.

[carumba7]

That sounds really interesting, I'll have to look that up. What ship?

 

It is 11-nights. I think there is only one Arctic Circle cruise this year.

[PSU]

Serenade of the Seas June 6, 2015

That sounds really interesting, I'll have to look that up. What ship?

[carumba7]

Serenade of the Seas June 6, 2015

 

And on my new favorite ship, I'll have to put this one on my wish list!

[squadron]

Check em again today.

 

Significant price drops yesterday on a lot of cruises.

 

Was a385 drop at 9PM last night - because of time zones my TA was closed. Drop gone this AM - called RCI but "too bad so sad" attitude - I missed out .

[Paulette3028]

Was a385 drop at 9PM last night - because of time zones my TA was closed. Drop gone this AM - called RCI but "too bad so sad" attitude - I missed out .

 

When you saw it you should have put a cabin/reservation on 24 hour hold, until you could get to your TA. Worst thing that would have happened is the 24 hour hold would have expired if you travel agent could not get you the new pricing because it was for new bookings or if you would have lost too much by cancelling your existing booking and keeping the one you had on 24 hour hold.