What's a good price?

[emilymad]

I have been away from Royal for a few years. We thinking about sailing them again but I very confused with all of these "sales". I have been vaguely watching prices for next January. How can I tell what is a good price? Every day there seems to be a new promotion but are any of them actually any good?

[micmacmissy]

Well, that depends on the ship, time of year, length, and itinerary.

 

Generally speaking, these latest "sales" are no bargain. They jack up the prices and then offer 50% off second passenger.

 

To give you an idea, for a 7 day caribbean in the winter, a good price (in my mind) is about $800/pp for a balcony cabin. (Add taxes/fees on top of that, but a weeklong cruise for two under $2K.) With this latest sale, with the discounts, the price is closer to $1,100/pp...really no sale at all.

[munkegodes]

My benchmark is $50pp/day for an interior is a good deal

[ryano]

My benchmark is $50pp/day for an interior is a good deal

 

In 6 years, I have never seen RCI prices that low! :eek:

Edited March 30, 2015 by ryano

[paigebeverly]

I am a newby at cruising (one official cruise ;))but what we did was just book it and price watched. As long as you have not made final payment they will match any better pricing between now and the final payment date.

[cruiseguy1016]

We are usually able to cruise in March for $100pp/day in an oceanview cabin.

[Rocket3D]

micmacmissy...yup..off season is best for me out

of PE. Talking Nov/early Dec.

 

Have got Majesty 3 day $188 about 2 years ago, total price

tax/fees in. Not since.

 

Somebody..who (thinks) he knows told me...

Royal uses dynamic pricing... algorithms. All prices sky

high since new ship builds started.

 

All about keeping stock price up.

 

Fun to watch algorithms panic about 1 month before

sailing on unpopular cruises...used to be Tuesday...

now anytime...even Saturday if not selling well.

 

Once a few cabins go at low price algos kick up remaining

cabin prices to 'cover' the loss on those cheapos.

 

Been fun watching the BOGOS, upsell drink packages,

50% off extra person in cabin...on and on.

 

You can see prices go up before 'sales'.

 

They are not sales...simply 'promotions'.

 

OBC is a fun thing to watch...you pay in advance and

if you don't use it on that ship..you lose it....OnboardBunkoCash..

 

Not sure how much of this is correct. Doing my own

research now.

 

Hey, WE actually LOVE Royal...many more booked.

 

By the way...the other cruise lines are same or worse...I heard...

don't know for sure if any of this is fact...

 

:cool:

[Sharon Sails]

It's getting REALLY hard (for me, anyway) to find a decent price for one person (solo cruising, RCI). Sometimes it looks like I'd be paying MORE than double. Nov. and Dec. (early) are good times, but I like to cruise other months as well. We (DH and I) paid $2300 for seven days Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral the first of March on the Freedom (balcony). When I cruise solo, I usually go for inside, but on April 12 I have a balcony for $1200. Looking now, it would be $1900 for one person! I made that reservation about a month ago. It's very hard to know when prices will be reasonable - all I do is keep looking because I'm in Fl and retired. Check it every day and if something good comes along, book fast before it changes!

[ColoradoGurl]

I have been away from Royal for a few years. We thinking about sailing them again but I very confused with all of these "sales". I have been vaguely watching prices for next January. How can I tell what is a good price? Every day there seems to be a new promotion but are any of them actually any good?

 

I started looking last fall (2014) at prices for January 2016 and was finding inside rooms for 2 people on Freedom of the Seas for around $1200 total. It seems like the price has gone way up since then, but that seemed to be a standard pricing for a year or more ahead of time on that ship. If I see something now that's too far over that I would think I was paying too much.

 

My current cruise is for this summer and the cost was double, different ship and southern route, but I felt that for a busy season cruise that was a fair price. Especially since most summer cruises are around $3500 or $4000 (for two people inside cabin).

[dplusd]

I have been away from Royal for a few years. We thinking about sailing them again but I very confused with all of these "sales". I have been vaguely watching prices for next January. How can I tell what is a good price? Every day there seems to be a new promotion but are any of them actually any good?

 

Been very difficult to find any good prices on Royal for a while now. They don't really seen to have "sales" only gimmicks to create the IMPRESSION of a sale. For good prices, be sure to check out Princess, Celebrity and NCL...all comparable cruise lines with generally lower cruise fares and better promotions (like drink packages, free gratuities, stacking benefits, etc).

[Rocket3D]

Yes, switching my solo cruises to NCL.

 

:D

[munkegodes]

In 6 years, I have never seen RCI prices that low! :eek:

 

It's a rarity these days but they exist. It is exactly why I booked a last minute (for us) cruise just last week. Interior (M) on Liberty was $216.50pp for 4 nights before tax/port fees AND included $50 OBC!

 

Last year we got Balcony (B2) on Allure for just over $122pp for 7 nights before tax/fees and I think $100 OBC. Balcony at $100pp is usually my benchmark for a good deal.

[Funbobby68]

100 bucks a day PP is kinda my comfort zone

[Rocket3D]

Ya Mon

 

A 'Benjiman' a day...I'd live on a ship....can't stay home

for that!

 

:D

[w&k]

100 bucks a day PP is kinda my comfort zone

 

I'm with you Funbobby... any more than that, and I'm out. I'm not seeing much in the way of REAL deals, but keep looking.

 

I just noticed that the main website for my TA was showing a rate ~30% less than our booked rate on a RCCL cruise for November. That got me thinking that there must be a group, as RCCL now does not permit lower pricing.

 

Long story short, we're now in the group, and $369 for the cabin just went in my cruise kitty.

 

Keep watching until final pay! You never know what will pop up.

 

Wendy

[KMagz]

100 bucks a day PP is kinda my comfort zone

 

^^ This.

[Funbobby68]

Would say best value was an alaskan cruise in 2012 , two inside cabins 2pp per room for 1250 per room plus 150.00 OBC per room . SCORE , been checking for this year same itinerary, forget it way higher now

[molly361]

$100 pp per day for a balcony is my benchmark as well. This is for Sept- early Dec and/or Jan-Feb.

 

Probably more like $125 for the Oasis class.

[marci22]

My benchmark is $50pp/day for an interior is a good deal

 

I have never seen this price on any trip I have looked at. I see you found it for a last minute 4 night. But that is not very common. $100pp per day is more like it.

 

Really depends on ship/itinerary/time of year.

Edited March 31, 2015 by marci22

[papaflamingo]

I have been away from Royal for a few years. We thinking about sailing them again but I very confused with all of these "sales". I have been vaguely watching prices for next January. How can I tell what is a good price? Every day there seems to be a new promotion but are any of them actually any good?

 

A "good price" is what you will pay to be on the cruise. If you really want to go on that particular cruise then pay what you can afford. Then watch the price for any drop before final payment. But also watch to factor in any OBC or drink package bargains, etc. that you might lose if you change prices. A "drop" may not be a "drop."

Check other cruise lines and see what they charge for a similar cruise at the same time. That'll give you an idea.

Here is an example. I looked at Oasis for Oct. 2016. The JS was going for about $1600 per person after the BOGO. Plus $100 OBC and BOGHO Beverage Package. That adds an extra $300 reduction to "bottom line" ($100 OBC + $200 off one Beverage Package). So the "bottom line" price is $1450 pp after applying the add ons.

Then I looked at Carnival for the same week. Their JS is $1200-$1600. NCL is about the same as Carnival. So, Oasis is a "good price." I think it's a very good price.

People get wrapped up in the "BOGO" coming after a price increase. So what? It doesn't matter what the "sale" or "deal" or whatever is, it matters what you will actually pay after figuring price per person minus all add ons like BOGO, Beverage Package deals (if you want one), OBC, etc. Then ask yourself if you can afford it, and how much you want to go on that cruise. Then shop other lines and ask yourself is Royal Caribbean worth the extra. If so, book it. If not, don't.

[emilymad]

Thank you all for the information. This is very helpful!

 

We are looking for January 2016, Western Caribbean, in a balcony cabin. In the past I feel like we have paid around $2K for 2 adults. This past January we did DCL for less than $3K but it was still less then the price Royal was charging for the same week on the Oasis.

 

So far Freedom and the Oasis class ships are staying around $2,500+ for 2 adults and this just seemed a little high. Maybe that is just what Royal charges now regardless of what "sale" is happening.

[molly361]

Thank you all for the information. This is very helpful!

 

We are looking for January 2016, Western Caribbean, in a balcony cabin. In the past I feel like we have paid around $2K for 2 adults. This past January we did DCL for less than $3K but it was still less then the price Royal was charging for the same week on the Oasis.

 

So far Freedom and the Oasis class ships are staying around $2,500+ for 2 adults and this just seemed a little high. Maybe that is just what Royal charges now regardless of what "sale" is happening.

 

That seems high to me for January

[Stateroom_Sailor]

Well, that depends on the ship, time of year, length, and itinerary.

 

Generally speaking, these latest "sales" are no bargain. They jack up the prices and then offer 50% off second passenger.

 

To give you an idea, for a 7 day caribbean in the winter, a good price (in my mind) is about $800/pp for a balcony cabin. (Add taxes/fees on top of that, but a weeklong cruise for two under $2K.) With this latest sale, with the discounts, the price is closer to $1,100/pp...really no sale at all.

 

I'm ready for the real deal "Buy One Get One FREE Sale!!!" For your 7 day winter Caribbean cruise, price is now $2,300 pp, yay! :D

[racerxspeedy]

Emilymad:

I agree - the $ 2500 January cruise is high. Previous years these cruises in balcony rooms were under $2000. I am also looking at that time and not finding any RC price acceptable. I will keep an eye out for drops and let you know. Flexibility and patience required if you want a deal. And yes I have sailed at 50pp per day (inside) on RC. Even less on Carnival

[emilymad]

I am glad I am not crazy by thinking the prices were high! That is why we ended up DCL this year since it was actually a little cheaper when you factored in airfare. We are not looking a holiday week either so I don't get it.

 

We will keep looking for now I guess.

 

We have a cruise out of San Juan booked on DCL for January but are leaning towards canceling it due to price.