Why is it uncool to talk about pricing?

[psychtobe]

I've seen some posters allude to it being poor etiquette to discuss cruise pricing. Is that really true? Why?

 

I'm not an experienced cruiser so when I start shopping I have no idea what is a 'good' price. Further cruise pricing is far less transparent than, for instance, airfare or hotel pricing. It seems some people have 'secret TAs' and 'special promos' and so it becomes very difficult to know when to pull the trigger.

 

So we're cruising this holiday and feel we got a very good/fair price, but don't know. And when we buy our next cruise, how will we know then?

[SparkleBee]

it doesn't seem uncool to me at all. the more info we share with each other the better. however, on my last cruise, a couple told me what they paid for their passage. I had thought I got a decent deal but when I heard they paid $225 less per person for the same type of room I felt a little foolish for not getting the best deal. I guess if you find a deal you think is good and it suits your needs you should grab it. you never know if prices will increase or decrease.

[sail7seas]

Because someone will be unhappy.

 

If they hear everyone or even someone paid less than them, depending upon their personality/nature it could gnaw at them and could make them enjoy their cruise less.

 

NOT to mention, there are braggards everwhere in life and who is to say what someone ways they paid is the truth. :rolleyes: There is nothing good, IMO, that can come from people discussing what they are paying. I never do and never will and if anyone starts such a discussion with me, I excuse myself and leave, if possible.

[sail7seas]

I've seen some posters allude to it being poor etiquette to discuss cruise pricing. Is that really true? Why?

 

I'm not an experienced cruiser so when I start shopping I have no idea what is a 'good' price. Further cruise pricing is far less transparent than, for instance, airfare or hotel pricing. It seems some people have 'secret TAs' and 'special promos' and so it becomes very difficult to know when to pull the trigger.

 

So we're cruising this holiday and feel we got a very good/fair price, but don't know. And when we buy our next cruise, how will we know then?

 

 

 

You say you feel good about the price you are paying........ why is that not good enough for you? What does it matter what someone else paid if you are happy with what you are paying? :confused: You will know if you are getting a good price if the amount they are charging you is worth TO YOU what it is you are buying. We all decide how much is too much and we say no if the price is not agreeable to us.

 

Edited August 31, 2014 by sail7seas

[Lizzie68]

I've seen some posters allude to it being poor etiquette to discuss cruise pricing. Is that really true? Why?

 

I'm not an experienced cruiser so when I start shopping I have no idea what is a 'good' price. Further cruise pricing is far less transparent than, for instance, airfare or hotel pricing. It seems some people have 'secret TAs' and 'special promos' and so it becomes very difficult to know when to pull the trigger.

 

So we're cruising this holiday and feel we got a very good/fair price, but don't know. And when we buy our next cruise, how will we know then?

 

There is no rule on here that says you cannot discuss pricing - but you cannot discuss or recommend a TA. I think the more info shared the better - I have learned lots over the years about promo codes, how to get OBC after booking, or even after final payment date.

 

If you do your own research on the cruise line website, you know what the book price is for a cabin. So anything below that would be a good deal.;) You can often achieve a better price with a TA who has a group booking - in other words they have reserved a block of cabins, and can sell at a little discount to their customers.

[moresun]

Agree with the above everyone pays a different price ,no matter if it is a plane or cruise just be happy to be enjoying a holiday!:)

[travlnblueberries]

I never understood why people don't want to talk about pricing. I made the suggestion for a M&G to talk about TA's and pricing but no one wanted to. I don't understand the mentality that someone will get hurt. I would think if I ended up being the person who paid to much, I would rather listen and learn to get a better price on my next booking. And if I was the one with the better price, I'd be more then happy to let others know how I went about it, as I have done in the past on cruises. I personally think that the people who don't want to discuss pricing are people who just don't want to help others with theirs. JMHO

[Shorex]

First, sail7seas is spot on. Furthermore, the base price of a cruise may be variable (sales limited to new bookings, or price increases because of demand, etc.) then factor in perks from a TA or a consortium that vary widely. The number of possible permutations is huge.

 

Past cruiser - discount. "Elite" status - perks. Certain professions - discount. Live in a certain state - discount. Paid in full early - discount. Certain TA - OBC. Limited time OBC offered by cruise line. Booked on board - discount. TA is a member of certain consortium - perks. Use a certain charge card - discount or perks. Made deposit last month instead of this month - another variable.

 

Discussing a "great" deal leads to the obvious question, "oh, what TA gave you that deal?" And discussing specific TA's on CC is against policy.

 

I've no problem with "helping" someone with their next booking if the help consists of suggesting discounts that may apply to them. But asking or telling exactly what we paid for the cruise? In very poor taste, IMO.

[biker@sea]

I cruise very last minute .

I have gotten some of the worst cabins on the ship this way .

BUT my PCC knows I'm a sucker for a $299pp 7 day cruise . :o

I can't stay home at that price .

[travlnblueberries]

I cruise very last minute .

I have gotten some of the worst cabins on the ship this way .

BUT my PCC knows I'm a sucker for a $299pp 7 day cruise . :o

I can't stay home at that price .

 

I wouldn't stay home either:D

[lah66]

I think talking prices here in this forum is a great idea!

Over dinner in the MDR with non-cruise critic strangers? No way!

 

Here we help one another so I would gladly share what I paid. By the time I am on the ship, the last thing on my mind was how much I paid and it's too late to do anything about it anyways!

 

I met one couple on the Norwegian Jewel who basically cruised free because he was a big gambler. I would love to hear how that situation comes about, though I am too cheap to gamble my money away! Just curious.

 

We have cruised more than 10 times and I will say booking early has paid off for us! We are watching a last minute cruise to Bermuda on Breakaway right now. If we do end up going, this will be our first last minute cruise. I have no idea how much the cruise sold for originally, but I would really like to know! The one website I know of only shows the last 10 prices, and that only goes back to June. Sorry, we cannot mention the websites name. Are there other websites that show you the complete history of prices?

 

Lauri

[OCruisers]

Because someone will be unhappy.

 

If they hear everyone or even someone paid less than them, depending upon their personality/nature it could gnaw at them and could make them enjoy their cruise less.

 

NOT to mention, there are braggards everwhere in life and who is to say what someone ways they paid is the truth. :rolleyes: There is nothing good, IMO, that can come from people discussing what they are paying. I never do and never will and if anyone starts such a discussion with me, I excuse myself and leave, if possible.

 

On this issue I totally agree with Sail!

LuLu

[jamessemaj]

I disagree that airline pricing is more transparent than cruise pricing. I can understand and follow cruise pricing, but airlines are a dart throw.

 

I took a reposition once from Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale that had segments, Vancouver to San Francisco and then to Ft. Lauderdale. Talking to others, I found a range of prices people had paid at various times of booking. One couple booked a return to LA while on the reposition. I haven't found pricing discussion to be taboo, I understand it, and I have never regretted what I got even when others got a lower price.

[Hlitner]

Why don't folks talk about pricing? On CC (and on cruises) you will have a large group of folks who book direct with the cruise line, or with a small local TA who has been their friend for years, and these folks will generally not get nearly as good a deal as those who shop around among multiple cruise agencies. So they do not want to "hear about it" because nobody wants to think they got a lousy deal.

 

Rather then talk specifically about pricing we always advise folks to just "shop around" among several reputable large online Cruise Agencies and then compare the offering to what is offered on the cruise line's own web site. We are still amazed at the number of folks who seem to have no interest in saving money and remain creatures of habit. And the savings can be quite remarkable. We have saved in excess of $3000 on a single cruise booking (and we cruise over 70 days a year) by simply shopping around.

 

Hank

[Texas_Diver]

I think it's similar as to why it's "uncool" (your word) to discuss salaries at work.

 

If someone makes more than I do for the same position, I feel rotten.

 

If I make more than someone in the same position, they feel rotten.

 

Either way, someone loses.

[BruceMuzz]

I disagree that airline pricing is more transparent than cruise pricing. I can understand and follow cruise pricing, but airlines are a dart throw.

 

I took a reposition once from Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale that had segments, Vancouver to San Francisco and then to Ft. Lauderdale. Talking to others, I found a range of prices people had paid at various times of booking. One couple booked a return to LA while on the reposition. I haven't found pricing discussion to be taboo, I understand it, and I have never regretted what I got even when others got a lower price.

 

On most ships if you ask 10 passengers in the same cabin category what they paid for their cruise, you will receive 10 very different answers. About half of them will be true.

 

Every cruise I receive more than a dozen complaints from passengers who spoke with fellow cruisers about what they paid for the cruise. These "wronged" people tell me their cruise was ruined when they discovered they paid more than their fellow cruisers.

I am guessing that about half of these people are being truthful.

 

Regardless of that, why would anyone want to ruin someone else's cruise by talking prices?

[CPT Trips]

It isn't uncool to talk about pricing . . . it isn't bragging what you paid. There is a pretty good chance that if the cruise line web site shows a price lower than you have that you can get your TA to match it or perhaps get you an upgrade. Sharing, particularly on your roll call, that you checked the pricing on your fare and got a better deal (reduced fare or additional obc) can only be helpful to others.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I cruise very last minute .

I have gotten some of the worst cabins on the ship this way .

BUT my PCC knows I'm a sucker for a $299pp 7 day cruise . :o

I can't stay home at that price .

Great pricing..

[jamessemaj]

On most ships if you ask 10 passengers in the same cabin category what they paid for their cruise, you will receive 10 very different answers. About half of them will be true.

 

Every cruise I receive more than a dozen complaints from passengers who spoke with fellow cruisers about what they paid for the cruise. These "wronged" people tell me their cruise was ruined when they discovered they paid more than their fellow cruisers.

I am guessing that about half of these people are being truthful.

 

Regardless of that, why would anyone want to ruin someone else's cruise by talking prices?

 

On another cruise I met a guy who was bragging about how much his suite cost. He was married and was enjoying a dalliance with his mistress. She was paying for the lavish cabin, or rather, her company was paying. I was disgusted and went to another bar to forget the exchange with this creep.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I've seen some posters allude to it being poor etiquette to discuss cruise pricing. Is that really true? Why?

 

I'm not an experienced cruiser so when I start shopping I have no idea what is a 'good' price. Further cruise pricing is far less transparent than, for instance, airfare or hotel pricing. It seems some people have 'secret TAs' and 'special promos' and so it becomes very difficult to know when to pull the trigger.

 

So we're cruising this holiday and feel we got a very good/fair price, but don't know. And when we buy our next cruise, how will we know then?

 

So that I don't get upset knowing that you got the same type of cabin as I booked at a much cheaper rate.

 

[psychtobe]

Flyertalk (the cruisecritic of airline and hotel travel/frequent flyer programs) talks constantly about pricing, no one's feelings are hurt. I shop for everything on line and want to know pricing up front. Amazon, Google shopping, Orbitz, Kayak - the modern world is all about aggregators and price comparison, not about 'hiding' pricing to avoiding hurting feelings.

 

There will always be creepy people who want to brag about what they did or didn't pay for a product or service, but I don't have to hang out with them. However, I would love to know *how* someone is consistently able to get lower prices for the same product and we can't have that conversation without knowing the prices. Maybe on CC that's not possible, because we're not allowed to talk specific TAs.

 

So generally speaking: I bought our Dec 2014 cruise in May 2013. I just googled and looked for the lowest price I could find, and I've used the same online mega-TA for all 4 of our cruises and booked. Did I go about it the right way? Is booking far in advance usually (?always) cheaper? Assume I can't do very last minute travel. I've also tried calling local TAs but the prices are always considerably higher.

 

thanks

[Hlitner]

Flyertalk (the cruisecritic of airline and hotel travel/frequent flyer programs) talks constantly about pricing, no one's feelings are hurt. I shop for everything on line and want to know pricing up front. Amazon, Google shopping, Orbitz, Kayak - the modern world is all about aggregators and price comparison, not about 'hiding' pricing to avoiding hurting feelings.

 

There will always be creepy people who want to brag about what they did or didn't pay for a product or service, but I don't have to hang out with them. However, I would love to know *how* someone is consistently able to get lower prices for the same product and we can't have that conversation without knowing the prices. Maybe on CC that's not possible, because we're not allowed to talk specific TAs.

 

So generally speaking: I bought our Dec 2014 cruise in May 2013. I just googled and looked for the lowest price I could find, and I've used the same online mega-TA for all 4 of our cruises and booked. Did I go about it the right way? Is booking far in advance usually (?always) cheaper? Assume I can't do very last minute travel. I've also tried calling local TAs but the prices are always considerably higher.

 

thanks

 

You need to think about the whole package rather then just the price of the cruise. Most of the major cruise lines now enforce a strict pricing policy that forces all agencies to only advertise the price set by the cruise line. So many agencies now use other methods to compete such as offering generous on board credits, pre paying your gratuities (similar to getting an OBC), paying for your drink package or for a package upgrade, paying for some onboard meals at alternative restaurants, paying for a pre or post cruise hotel room, etc. We expect, as a basic rule, to get at least 7% of the cruise price kicked back in one way or another, and its not uncommon to be able to get various amenities equal to about 10% of the cruise price (not including taxes and fees).

 

So, what can you do to find these deals? Talk to others on cruises who know of good agencies. Also, you should register with multiple reputable cruise agencies...which will get you too many e-mails. But you can always set-up a separate e-mail account just for all that cruise e-mails. Agencies are often prohibited (by the cruise lines) from advertising their best deals on the internet, but they are usually permitted to make special deals available to customers who are registered (these are considered private offerings).

 

Many of the best deals we have gotten over the years were the result of an e-mail from one of our favored group of cruise agencies. And we are never shy about calling several of these agencies to ask if they can further "sweeten" the deal for a particular cruise. When booking a long or/and expensive cruise I will sometimes call 2 or 3 of my favorite agencies, tell them that we are going to book a certain cruise in the next few days, and make it clear that our business will go to which ever agency offers us the best deal. This technique once saved us thousands of dollars on a single long HAL cruise.

 

Hank

[MrsPete]

I don't mind people talking about pricing here on this forum, especially if it's done in time that others can take advantage of a sale while it's still going on.

 

However, it's rude to talk about pricing once you're on the ship. This can hurt feelings, if, say you got a great deal and your tablemates paid rack rate.

[Texas_Diver]

I don't mind people talking about pricing here on this forum, especially if it's done in time that others can take advantage of a sale while it's still going on.

 

However, it's rude to talk about pricing once you're on the ship. This can hurt feelings, if, say you got a great deal and your tablemates paid rack rate.

 

I suspect, as others have said, that a lot of that is nothing more that a lie. Some people need to feed their own egos by claiming that because of their superior intellect, shrewd bargaining skills, and masterful fact-finding, they got a MUCH lower price than the rest of us commoners.

[CPT Trips]

Flyertalk (the cruisecritic of airline and hotel travel/frequent flyer programs) talks constantly about pricing, no one's feelings are hurt. I shop for everything on line and want to know pricing up front. Amazon, Google shopping, Orbitz, Kayak - the modern world is all about aggregators and price comparison, not about 'hiding' pricing to avoiding hurting feelings.

 

There will always be creepy people who want to brag about what they did or didn't pay for a product or service, but I don't have to hang out with them. However, I would love to know *how* someone is consistently able to get lower prices for the same product and we can't have that conversation without knowing the prices. Maybe on CC that's not possible, because we're not allowed to talk specific TAs.

 

So generally speaking: I bought our Dec 2014 cruise in May 2013. I just googled and looked for the lowest price I could find, and I've used the same online mega-TA for all 4 of our cruises and booked. Did I go about it the right way? Is booking far in advance usually (?always) cheaper? Assume I can't do very last minute travel. I've also tried calling local TAs but the prices are always considerably higher.

 

thanks

 

We decide what cruise and category we want based on the cruise line's pricing. We shop and price compare with several of the big agencies and also through the cruise focused reverse bidding site. As a PP mentioned, some of the cruise lines don't allow them to cut fares, then we look for obc sometimes in combination with other comps that we would otherwise buy. 7-10% is a good estimate of the typical saving. On occasion, we have found really good fares through the he reverse bidding site from an agency that has booked a group deal. Unless we have heard rumor of an upcoming sale, we book with the agency giving the best deal at that time.

 

We keep a note of the cruise line fare and tax at the time we booked. Then we keep track of cruise line fare and call our TA if/when we see the fare drop. Just to be clear, this sometimes means we lose some of the obc. But if we reduce the fare $300 and lose $100 obc we're $200 ahead. Other times the fare stays the same, but the TA adds to the obc. If the fare never drops, we are pleased that we had good timing.

 

On occasion, our timing is right and the well in advance (a year plus) pricing turns out to be the lowest we see. Then again we have also landed some great last minute prices inside final payment off the "90 day ticker."

 

Once on board, we do avoid talking prices, politics, religion and how much better another cruise line is . . .