Would you pay a premium for an itinerary you really liked?

[jabrown40]

We are considering the British isles cruise 2017. This will be a splurge for DH's 70th birthday. Sometimes you just have to spoil yourself. Go for it!

[az4ship]

We also stopped in Iceland on the British isles cruise that left out of Amsterdam. What a beautiful place! I encourage you to do so

[Redtravel]

I have traveled extensively. I am flexible. If the price is high, I wait until the price comes down. I never am disappointed. If you really want to go to a specific place, go. Fly in and stay. On a cruise, you seldom get enough time to explore interesting venues. Cruising is a good way to get a taste. If you want more, go and stay. Local life in many places includes staying in a hotel/bnb/apt. Cruising is nice as its own destination. When I cruise, the ship is the destination. Ports are secondary. I have often returned to cruise ports for an extended stay. Often a day in a small port is enough. However, when visiting a city, you need more time. I often combine a cruise with a stay in the embarkation or debarkation ports. It is especially nice if I am going on a European cruise. A city stay helps to adjust to the new time zone and allows me time to explore independently.

[wwcruisers]

Paying top dollar for a unique itinerary pretty much describes our 2017 Equinox Mardi Gras cruise. Since we waited a while to book it, we found prices through the roof, and cabin pickings slim. Nearly two years in advance, almost all of the inventory was already gone! :eek: But, I'm glad that we decided to book then. We managed to snag one of the last veranda cabins, and at least get one perk (drink package) with our booking. Since then, a few cabins here and there have opened up -- but, the prices are insane! Really looking forward to it, though. Not only are some of our CC friends onboard, but that roll call is amazing! :D

[Jeaannie55]

We are booked on The Millennium out of Hong Kong to Singapore via Vietnam and Thailand in The Penthouse, February 2016, cost an absolute fortune but worth it to us, again bucket list and would never go to Vietnam on land.

 

On a different note, regarding Iceland, went there in January this year (land trip) when the temperature was -6C , got stuck in a blizzard and we had to get off the coach and walk to our destination! Brilliant fun, such lovely people, absolutely loved it. Go for it!

[ShawninFL]

There's only been one cruise that we paid a premium for because we wanted to do that specific itinerary. But the premium disappeared 6 months before sailing when the rates plummeted. We changed our booking for the lower rate and saved approximately $900 per person. That being said we usually choose our itinerary based on finding a good deal; however there are a few destinations out there we'd be willing to pay a bit more for to do that route.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Not only is the name of this cruise "Independence Day Cruise" [tip-off to premium pricing] but looking at the itinerary I wonder when they will be able to open the Casino -- without that source of onboard revenue, they have to get more per cabin. So the only question is whether this itinerary is worth it to you at these prices? Can you trade down a cabin category to make it work? Or go up in category and call it the Cruise of a Lifetime? Only you can decide. [but Celebrity + Bay of Fundy sounds like a great cruise to me!]

[joanne2]

We just booked Canada/New England for June 27, 2017. That's right, June, they usually only do that itin in Sept/Oct.

 

It is only 10 nights, overnights in Halifax, overnights in Boston (on the 4th of July), goes to Bar Harbor, Newport, RI and Portland, ME and best of all for me, the Bay of Fundy (always wanted to go there). No Quebec (we've been to Quebec many times), no PEI, no other remote cities in Canada.

 

Love the itinerary. The weather should be nicer than the iffy Fall.

 

So what's the problem?

 

It's virtually the same price as their 14 night Canada itins in the Fall.

 

I feel "taken" to pay the same for 4 less nights, but on the other hand I really like the itinerary sooo much.

 

It sounds WONDERFUL. I'm going to the website to check it out. So yes it's worth it to some people. Thanks for the tip.

[warmwinds]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

 

Jazzbeau, no to both going up or down...we've always loved our afts and now love our Aqua afts so would never go down, and feel no need for a suite (unless it was the PH, ha!) so we're perfectly happy where we are - the cost was a principle not a budget issue.

 

Never thought of the lack of revenue source from the casino - but I did notice there was just one day at sea (the first one). That will be interesting, too, and we've never had 2 overnights before.

 

Can't wait.

[GUT2407]

Being a lover of Sea Days, probably not.

[ThursdaysChild]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

 

Jazzbeau, no to both going up or down...we've always loved our afts and now love our Aqua afts so would never go down, and feel no need for a suite (unless it was the PH, ha!) so we're perfectly happy where we are - the cost was a principle not a budget issue.

 

Never thought of the lack of revenue source from the casino - but I did notice there was just one day at sea (the first one). That will be interesting, too, and we've never had 2 overnights before.

 

Can't wait.

 

Warmwinds, you can wave down at me in C1 9164 (aft). And come join me on the Roll Call...it can get lonely this far out from sailing. ;)

[MicCanberra]

We just booked Canada/New England for June 27, 2017. That's right, June, they usually only do that itin in Sept/Oct.

 

It is only 10 nights, overnights in Halifax, overnights in Boston (on the 4th of July), goes to Bar Harbor, Newport, RI and Portland, ME and best of all for me, the Bay of Fundy (always wanted to go there). No Quebec (we've been to Quebec many times), no PEI, no other remote cities in Canada.

 

Love the itinerary. The weather should be nicer than the iffy Fall.

 

So what's the problem?

 

It's virtually the same price as their 14 night Canada itins in the Fall.

 

I feel "taken" to pay the same for 4 less nights, but on the other hand I really like the itinerary sooo much.

 

If it is one you want to do and is rare to do at that better time of year then I say go for it.:D

[warmwinds]

ThursdaysChild, a roll call already? I think I'll wait a bit (like um, a year??), but thanks.

[april_jb]

Just recently booked South America and Panama Canal and paying more for an inside than we pay for Balcony / suite here in Australia plus we have international airfares to add and because we fly in and out of different cities don't get the usual slightly cheaper return fares. In saying that happy to do this as South America and the Panama Canal is bucket list item for my husband and I & we are adding a pre cruise trip to Machu Picchu.

[AtleeH]

You should only "feel taken" if you were somehow tricked into going on the more expensive cruise.

 

Since you know the price of both well before you need to purchase, and since you know what extra value you put on the shorter cruise, you have to decide which one gives you the most value.

 

Everyone views "value" differently.

 

We just booked Canada/New England for June 27, 2017. That's right, June, they usually only do that itin in Sept/Oct.

 

It is only 10 nights, overnights in Halifax, overnights in Boston (on the 4th of July), goes to Bar Harbor, Newport, RI and Portland, ME and best of all for me, the Bay of Fundy (always wanted to go there). No Quebec (we've been to Quebec many times), no PEI, no other remote cities in Canada.

 

Love the itinerary. The weather should be nicer than the iffy Fall.

 

So what's the problem?

 

It's virtually the same price as their 14 night Canada itins in the Fall.

 

I feel "taken" to pay the same for 4 less nights, but on the other hand I really like the itinerary sooo much.

[warmwinds]

Yeah, I know, I'm over it already.

[Cruise Raider]

[quote name='wwcruisers']Paying top dollar for a unique itinerary pretty much describes our 2017 Equinox Mardi Gras cruise. Since we waited a while to book it, we found prices through the roof, and cabin pickings slim. Nearly two years in advance, almost all of the inventory was already gone! :eek: But, I'm glad that we decided to book then. We managed to snag one of the last veranda cabins, and at least get one perk (drink package) with our booking. Since then, a few cabins here and there have opened up -- but, the prices are insane! Really looking forward to it, though. Not only are some of our CC friends onboard, but that roll call is amazing! :D[/QUOTE]

Yes, this is the one we booked as well because of the itinerary and looks like some amazing people are on our roll call....as you noted.
Since I recently retired, the price of this cruise was a huge concern for us, but did end up getting a deal through our casino membership in Vegas -- so now it is a go!! Still expensive but that discount took out a bit of the sting for us.

PS -- meeting our niece down there for her 30th birthday celebration.

[Cuizer2]

[quote name='warmwinds']We just booked Canada/New England for June 27, 2017. That's right, June, they usually only do that itin in Sept/Oct.

It is only 10 nights, overnights in Halifax, overnights in Boston (on the 4th of July), goes to Bar Harbor, Newport, RI and Portland, ME and best of all for me, the Bay of Fundy (always wanted to go there). No Quebec (we've been to Quebec many times), no PEI, no other remote cities in Canada.

Love the itinerary. The weather should be nicer than the iffy Fall.

So what's the problem?

It's virtually the same price as their 14 night Canada itins in the Fall.

I feel "taken" to pay the same for 4 less nights, but on the other hand I really like the itinerary sooo much.[/QUOTE]

Summer sailing cost more because there is more demand with the same supply.

I was booked on a 10 night cruise in January 2017. The suite I was in was $8,000. The ship got chartered and I ended up moving to an eleven night cruise one month earlier. The same cabin cost $5,600. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is slow, so the prices are down. I like the ten night itinerary better, but I am still going to the main place I want to go (Panama Canal) and I'm saving $2,400, so I okay with it. Edited December 7, 2015 by Cuizer2

[MicCanberra]

We often pick a cruise due to the itinerary and the timing, it often turns out that it makes it a much more expensive cruise than many others. We tend to book them anyway due to if you want to do it then cost (to a certain price) doesn't matter. Fortunately booking early can often make it much cheaper than when it hits full pricing.