WOW: How low can they go !

[MishelleMcc]

lol

 

Well don't feel bad because my cruise has gone down over $1000. I've gotten zero for that, but that's life. It's a huge turn off for booking early. It would be so nice if they had moderate pricing early. This is going to come back to bite them when people get such a bad taste in their mouth.

 

Thank you for saying that! I learn a lot from this forum and I appreciate your kind words.

 

We will BOTH enjoy our cruises!!!!:D ... and not book early! Ha

Edited November 10, 2014 by MishelleMcc

[iancal]

We were told by someone who lives in Florida that when HAL and others are flush with empty cabins fairly close to the sailing date, they send a platoon of agents out to the retirement homes to flog the cabins off at a very low price. Apparently this person's mother and friend jumped on these offers whenever they came around. Don't blame them.

[mudscraper]

Holland America Club 21 (Casino) was offering unreal rates a few weeks ago. My brother inlaw received the following offer and will be on the Westerdam on 29 November.

 

Inside Cabin- $0.0 per person.

Ocean View- $50.00 per person.

Veranda- $100.00 per person.

Suites - $200.00 per person.

 

This offer comes with a $100.00 per person OBC.

[Hflors]

I wish I would see rates like this for the 7 days before my Rydam cruise. You bet I will jump on them!!!

[NicksPhilly]

Wow,Living close to the port really pays off.

Been married almost 3 years and went on HALs site last week

Booked an inside on Westerdam for $199 pp for the Nov 15th sailing.

When the price is this low,how can you not cruise.:D

[cruiseatick]

We received this complementary cabin offer from holland America and potted to upgrade to a Neptune suite for 450 pp for NA sailing on dec 14 so for a little over a thousand dolls we received a wrap around aft suite and a 500 on bord credit . Could not pass it up ,we decided on the suite because of the obc and you can't ever find a Neptune suite that cheap with the obc we ordered a retreat cabana ,so holland theory is working as we are spending money upgrading and purchasing luxury items but this cruise should be awesome with all the bells and whistles

[frankc98376]

Hmmmm..... a thread about $199 seven night cruises and I see others about cutbacks in food and service on board. There's no way they can afford the Caviar and Filet on board at these prices. I can't count how many have bragged to me on board how they are able to disembark with pretty much a zero on board account.

Edited November 10, 2014 by frankc98376

[cruz chic]

Hmmmm..... a thread about $199 seven night cruises and I see others about cutbacks in food and service on board. There's no way they can afford the Caviar and Filet on board at these prices. I can't count how many have bragged to me on board how they are able to disembark with pretty much a zero on board account.

 

Totally agree with you. I remember commenting about a cheaper food version on board due to low prices and was told that was laughable and that it doesn't happen. I can't see myself cruising with HAL before next fall and that is a long time for me. I'm going to be spending my money on Princess in the near term.

[frankc98376]

Totally agree with you. I remember commenting about a cheaper food version on board due to low prices and was told that was laughable and that it doesn't happen. I can't see myself cruising with HAL before next fall and that is a long time for me. I'm going to be spending my money on Princess in the near term.

 

I don't expect the same breakfast at a Hampton Inn that I get on the Club Level at Ritz Carlton. :D

[SilvertoGold]

Hmmmm..... a thread about $199 seven night cruises and I see others about cutbacks in food and service on board. There's no way they can afford the Caviar and Filet on board at these prices. I can't count how many have bragged to me on board how they are able to disembark with pretty much a zero on board account.

 

Is everyone paying these low prices? All insides at $199 pp?

I don't feel this is a valid argument for the lowering quality of food, which has been noted for a few years now.

[sail7seas]

You should see how low the last minute pricing is. Because of where we live, we get offers for both Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Insides for 7 days range from $179 to $249. If you wanted to do 4 or 5 day cruises, the per diem is even lower. This holds for pretty much all the cruise lines with the exception of the small ship lines.

 

It's getting to the point where it's cheaper to get on a ship than to go to the grocery store. :)

 

 

 

If I lived where you do, I'd be spending lots of weeks aboard. :D

 

Might even be worth moving there. :D :D (said only partially in jest.)

 

[POA1]

If I lived where you do, I'd be spending lots of weeks aboard. :D

 

Might even be worth moving there. :D :D (said only partially in jest.)

 

At these prices, you only really need a closet to store your clothes, since you'd be on ships the rest of the time. :D

[cruz chic]

Is everyone paying these low prices? All insides at $199 pp?

I don't feel this is a valid argument for the lowering quality of food, which has been noted for a few years now.

 

No, there are a few morons (myself) paying the super high fares:D. Either they are in love with HAL and think they can do no wrong or they are in the workforce and can't go whenever they feel like it.

[cruz chic]

I don't expect the same breakfast at a Hampton Inn that I get on the Club Level at Ritz Carlton. :D

 

And that's it exactly. While it may be the same menu on Hal(or not), there could be substitutions or cheaper cuts etc.

[iancal]

So, does this mean that because perhaps up to 10 percent or so (who knows) of the cabins were sold at fire sale rates that everyone eats hamburger even though the other 90 percent paid the going rate for steak? Not a great way to retain a customer base.

[SilvertoGold]

So, does this mean that because perhaps up to 10 percent or so (who knows) of the cabins were sold at fire sale rates that everyone eats hamburger even though the other 90 percent paid the going rate for steak? Not a great way to retain a customer base.

 

So, not very legitimate reasoning as to why the food is of lower quality.

[cruz chic]

So, does this mean that because perhaps up to 10 percent or so (who knows) of the cabins were sold at fire sale rates that everyone eats hamburger even though the other 90 percent paid the going rate for steak? Not a great way to retain a customer base.

 

I'd be shocked if 50% pay the high rates. I would think the number would be much, much lower. Would love to see what HAL sees.

[Folk Singer]

Has you seen the last minute cruise specials on Caribbean sailings in November on the Westerdam & Eurodam:

 

$199/person inside

$399/person balcony

 

Seven (7) day Caribbean cruise. My TA said the port charges are $159 and included in the fare. Government fees are extra.

 

 

Great Pricing. We are looking.

[cruiseatick]

Neptune suite for 450 pp. with 250 pp on board credit that's almost free !!!

[cruz chic]

Neptune suite for 450 pp. with 250 pp on board credit that's almost free !!!

 

Your price definetly wins for the lowest price I've ever seen. Most upsells would be more than that.

[cruiseatick]

It is part of the casino promo and we gamble very little but we used to sail with ha all the time but have started cruising with royal the past few years.

[jankn]

When I see cruise prices this low, it is really tempting to move to a city that is a cruise port and book as many as we could possibly do....I love love love cruising but for us it requires buying an expensive flight to get to a port each time so that makes us have to do some serious planning....

[iancal]

We are booking in the final payment period and in some cases quite close when we are on a land trip and near to the embarkation port. For a long time we did not have this flexibility. Now that we do, we are taking advantage of it. Did that on our last trip (it worked out very well) and will be doing again this winter.

 

We met two other couples on our most recent cruise who are doing exactly the same.

Edited November 11, 2014 by iancal

[Oceanwench]

I live an hour from the port, but am out of vacation time for the year. :(

 

Last month my older daughter, who lives in Fort Lauderdale, took a 4 or 5 night Royal Caribbean cruise and paid $119 for an OV cabin - plus port fees/taxes.