Just wondering if Royal is really filling their ships

[bigque]

My Adventure cruise in October only have a couple of cabins left! :cool:

[ChattTN]

CAN'T believe royal is filling their ships at these crazy prices. :confused:

 

To my knowledge both Hotels and Ships use dynamic pricing, or time-based pricing, to match demand to supply to maximize (increase) revenue. If the demand will support higher prices the dynamic pricing will get the pricing. All that said, the models move prices up and down as needed to stimulate bookings. For now, demand is allowing prices to rise in general and is leading to record number of new additions to fleets. Good news is that economic cycles are in fact cycles so in next economic pause (not that happening over next couple years) prices will dramatically shift back in favor of consumer due to both regular cycle and dramatic increase in number of staterooms coming on line each year that they will need to fill with fewer PAX...

[sailaway2010]

It might make more sense if they DON'T fill their ships in order to "change their brand".

 

Reading the pricing forums' date=' and looking at my own booking for late October, if the cruise industry is anything like airlines and hotels, then it makes sense for them not to fill a ship just to fill a ship.

 

I'm in the airline industry. You can book last minute XYZ low cost for $49 or ABC great airline for $149. Who do you choose? The ABC price has been about the same, Low cost XYZ is a "sale". You look at reviews online for XYZ and they are not as good as ABC. Do you go knowing that you might have a worse time because the fare is cheaper? You "might" get there, you "might" get your luggage, you "might" have to sleep in the airport one night.

 

From the looks of all the mock bookings I have done, it looks like RCI is trying to establish itself as an elite cruise line, ala Disney.[/quote']

 

Royal Caribbean isn't trying to establish themselves as an elite cruise line. They are a mass market line a step or two above Carnival. They fill their ships to "fill their ships" and wring as much money as possible from the clientele.

[cincicruisers]

We are on the 8/28 Enchantment and as of this morning (even with another drop) there were over 105 cabins still available, of which at least 18 were balconies. I have never gone on Enchantment where there were this many balconies still available this close to a cruise.

 

They called us and gave us an upgrade to a balcony from our OV for $90 total. Our balcony total price is still less than the lowest inside cabin available. I booked this cruise when BOGOHO first came out so got it for an amazing price

 

So even though they are finally lowing prices, it is still higher than I originally paid.

 

How do I look up this information?

[kalliekae]

Oh and I still think cruising is a bargain.

 

I cannot get a room in a hotel and three (or more) meals a day for what I pay per day for a cruise, then throw in entertainment and transport and it is hard to match.

 

Totally agree with you. Try pricing a nice hotel in downtown Chicago for 7 nights plus 3 meals a day, plus shows at night, plus drinks, plus other excursions, etc. You would pay far more than what I'm paying for my upcoming cruise on the Allure.

[FLCruisin'Mom]

Royal Caribbean isn't trying to establish themselves as an elite cruise line. They are a mass market line a step or two above Carnival. They fill their ships to "fill their ships" and wring as much money as possible from the clientele.

 

Thank you for helping clarify my post. I shouldn't have said "elite" because that doesn't really fit. It looks like what they are trying to rebrand themselves as a cruise line for people who prefer "more upscale" (hence, the new Suite announcement) as well as families who want something similar to Disney, but can't afford the Disney prices. As you said, they are "a step or two above Carnival".

 

My point is, if you are going to offer fares (in order to fill cabins) at Walmart prices, people are going to think you are Walmart. RCI will have to stick by a Disney-like pricing model if they want to re-brand themselves.

[BillOh]

CAN'T believe royal is filling their ships at these crazy prices. :confused:

 

Which crazy price in particular? My next Oasis roll call is slow. I haven't tried to look at a mock booking yet, its still early. That cruise is relatively high priced, but in line with what the Oasis class has been that time of year for awhile.

 

On the other hand, I reserved Adventure on a 7 day junior suite for less than my Freedom 7 day D1 that was purchased on a good BOGO sale. Way less than I paid for a 7 day D1 on Jewel in 2014.

[bigque]

Totally agree with you. Try pricing a nice hotel in downtown Chicago for 7 nights plus 3 meals a day, plus shows at night, plus drinks, plus other excursions, etc. You would pay far more than what I'm paying for my upcoming cruise on the Allure.

 

When I booked our first cruise it was because I was going to book a 3 day stay in Hilton Head for our anniversary. The web site I was on had an advertisement on top for Royal Caribbean. We had always wanted to try a cruise so I did a price comparison for how much it was going to cost for the 3 day stay in Hilton Head vs. a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas and the 3 day cruise came out way ahead. I booked the three day cruise and was glad I did as it turned us on to cruising! :cool:

[mike215]

Agree COMPLETELY! :)

 

My favorite pick right now would be the 12 night Liberty OTS repositioning cruise on 1 November. $712pp with $200 OBC from an online site, (a different online site is offering prepaid gratuities) and another $200 OBC from the shareholder benefit.

 

THAT makes for a pretty darn reasonable price on a nice vacation! :D

 

I jumped on this one yesterday. The $200 OBC is as good as a price reduction on an already low price.

[orville99]

RCI will have to stick by a Disney-like pricing model if they want to re-brand themselves.

 

I hope they don't ever go to a Disney-like pricing model. I can get a Cat7a Balcony on Disney for only ~$150 more (all in) than a Cat11c interior (lowest category cabin Disney offers). If RCL compresses the delta between categories as much as Disney, then they will start sailing with empty cabins. Why anyone would book an interior on deck 2 when they can get a balcony on deck 9 for an extra $150 just boggles my mind.:eek:

[Royal2464]

I think this year they are filling empty cabins through the casino rewards program. I have received two emails during the last month offering me free Caribbean cruises on the Majesty, Enchantment or Freedom. The strange thing is I only spend about $40 - $50 per cruise in the casino. I guess since they pledged to the TAs that they would not slash prices last minute they are simply giving the cabins away.

[whitshel]

This is from their investor site for 2nd qtr of this year. Not having any problems filling those big boats :D

 

STATISTICS

 

Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2015 2014 2015 2014

Passengers Carried

 

1,314,284 1,283,596 2,649,802 2,561,830

 

Passenger Cruise Days

 

9,465,349 9,032,618 18,679,992 17,886,254

 

Occupancy

 

104.7% 104.9% 104.8% 104.7%

 

Tried to copy and paste but didn't line up so well. Basically occupancy is the same as last year with more berths to fill. Pretty much 8k more berths to fill this year as opposed to last year(Quantum and Anthem). They're doing something right. (and they don't have to give away free booze packages to get these numbers like a lot of other lines)

[voyager70]

This is from their investor site for 2nd qtr of this year. Not having any problems filling those big boats :D

 

STATISTICS

 

Quarter Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2015 2014 2015 2014

Passengers Carried

 

1,314,284 1,283,596 2,649,802 2,561,830

 

Passenger Cruise Days

 

9,465,349 9,032,618 18,679,992 17,886,254

 

Occupancy

 

104.7% 104.9% 104.8% 104.7%

 

Tried to copy and paste but didn't line up so well. Basically occupancy is the same as last year with more berths to fill. Pretty much 8k more berths to fill this year as opposed to last year(Quantum and Anthem). They're doing something right. (and they don't have to give away free booze packages to get these numbers like a lot of other lines)

 

 

Wow, that's impressive to say the least!

[OTownNick]

I think this year they are filling empty cabins through the casino rewards program. I have received two emails during the last month offering me free Caribbean cruises on the Majesty, Enchantment or Freedom. The strange thing is I only spend about $40 - $50 per cruise in the casino. I guess since they pledged to the TAs that they would not slash prices last minute they are simply giving the cabins away.

 

Wow. Are you even a Club Royale member?

[voyager70]

I think this year they are filling empty cabins through the casino rewards program. I have received two emails during the last month offering me free Caribbean cruises on the Majesty, Enchantment or Freedom. The strange thing is I only spend about $40 - $50 per cruise in the casino. I guess since they pledged to the TAs that they would not slash prices last minute they are simply giving the cabins away.

 

Funny you mentioned this, I've also received several emails in recent months offering great rates (although not free) on select sailings through the casino rewards program. I also don't gamble that much and am not even a member of the casino rewards program that I know of.

[Royal2464]

Wow. Are you even a Club Royale member?

 

No.

[Wickets]

Is that for all three or just Royal ships?

[rockdoctor]

As others had said, booked a big city hotel lately? Eaten or had a drink at a hotel or nice bar lately? Cruising is still a great deal! It is not surprising that the ships sail full.

[cjdixon4]

Totally agree with you. Try pricing a nice hotel in downtown Chicago for 7 nights plus 3 meals a day, plus shows at night, plus drinks, plus other excursions, etc. You would pay far more than what I'm paying for my upcoming cruise on the Allure.

 

Fellow Chicagoan here,

and yes, you're doggoned right about that. A vacation at sea is gonna cost FAR less than a week in the Windy City. I've always found cruising to be a bigger cost-saver for my family overall, if I time it just right.

[sammyreddog]

My Alaska cruise and all the remaining Alaska cruises for the summer are literally "sold out"...and those are not cheap!

[Sherri914]

Which crazy price in particular? My next Oasis roll call is slow. I haven't tried to look at a mock booking yet, its still early. That cruise is relatively high priced, but in line with what the Oasis class has been that time of year for awhile.

 

On the other hand, I reserved Adventure on a 7 day junior suite for less than my Freedom 7 day D1 that was purchased on a good BOGO sale. Way less than I paid for a 7 day D1 on Jewel in 2014.

 

Here's an Oasis example. We're sailing in November. The cabin next door to mine is available. If I were to book it today, it is $2,000 more than what I paid when I booked it. Even if I factor in the two Premium Packages we've purchased, prepaid gratuities, and the $200 OBC I got when I booked way back when, it's still over $1,000 higher than what I have paid.

 

Bottom line, the entire cost of my November trip, including my cruise fare, tips, beverage packages, airfare for 2, and hotel for one night pre-cruise is STILL cheaper than the base cruise fare being advertised today (as a "SALE" no less) for the cabin next door to ours. Same cabin category. That, to me, is a crazy price!

[John&LaLa]

Booked a solo on FOS back in June (September 13 sailing). Paid about $300 more than I wanted. Thought about waiting for a reduction. Just checked, only one cabin still available. Family Promenade and it's $600 higher than what we paid in June. I guess they are moving inventory

[bigque]

Here's an Oasis example. We're sailing in November. The cabin next door to mine is available. If I were to book it today, it is $2,000 more than what I paid when I booked it. Even if I factor in the two Premium Packages we've purchased, prepaid gratuities, and the $200 OBC I got when I booked way back when, it's still over $1,000 higher than what I have paid.

 

Bottom line, the entire cost of my November trip, including my cruise fare, tips, beverage packages, airfare for 2, and hotel for one night pre-cruise is STILL cheaper than the base cruise fare being advertised today (as a "SALE" no less) for the cabin next door to ours. Same cabin category. That, to me, is a crazy price!

 

The same with me for my upcoming cruise in October on Adventure. Even with extra things I have paid my cabin is also over a thousand dollars less than the current base price. I was checking the other day and upgrade was available to an OS and a RFS. The upgrade price per person per day was a good price for people who booked at the current prices for the cruise, but not for people such as myself that booked during the original BOGOHO sale back in April