Why are the RCCL cruises out of Galveston more expensive than FL?

[texasweather]

We are looking at booking a cruise for Spring 2016. We live in Dallas so Galveston is a much more cost-effective choice because we can drive. Or so we thought. The prices of the Galveston cruise are significantly more expensive than the other similar cruises leaving the same week out of Florida. Why is that?? This cruse is on the Liberty, which is undergoing renovation - is that why? Because it'll be a newly renovated ship? The comparable RCCL cruises out of Florida are anywhere from $200-$300 less per person, so for our family of 4 we could pretty much fly to FL, but then we'd break even.

 

So I guess the question is - do the prices come down out of Galveston? Or is it just a higher-priced port because it's the only option for Texas and they can charge what they want?

[Merion_Mom]

Supply and demand.

 

The same was true for the Explorer when she sailed out of Bayonne, New Jersey.

 

But are you comparing apples to apples? Same ports, same length, same cabin category, same week?

[SA Traveler]

We booked Spring Break in March early and it hasn't come down. I keep checking. Hi Carol! We did book DIL and one GK into the Ben and Jerry Suite so they could go into the Concierge Lounge with us. But in March looks like there will be a Suite Lounge and a Diamond Lounge

[SA Traveler]

Posted too soon. Guess DIL can be in the suite lounge and us in the Diamond Lounge and never the twain shall meet!

[Clarea]

For years, the prices for 7 day Caribbean cruises out of Galveston (Voyager, Mariner, Navigator) have been signficantly lower than equivalent cruises out of Florida. I suspect that the addition of Liberty is a temporary novelty that is keeping prices up.

[Merion_Mom]

I believe that Royal Caribbean would LIKE to think that a Freedom class ship cruise is "worth" more than a Voyager class ship cruise.

 

:rolleyes:

[Coralc]

We had Freedom out of Port Canaveral booked for next September. Our friends in FL couldn't join us, so we moved it to Liberty out of Galveston for the same month. The price has since increased, but Liberty was significantly less expensive when we made the move back in May. :)

[Goodtime Cruizin]

For years, the prices for 7 day Caribbean cruises out of Galveston (Voyager, Mariner, Navigator) have been signficantly lower than equivalent cruises out of Florida. I suspect that the addition of Liberty is a temporary novelty that is keeping prices up.

 

Also, Princess & Norwegian is leaving the Port of Houston in April. I suspect the prices to remain high and/or even rise with less competition.

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Port-of-Houston-losing-Norwegian-and-Princess-ships

[mil76]

The last week in March on Liberty was much less than the same week out of FL when we booked. Plus the airfare to FL was astronomical compared to getting to Houston from Denver. My understanding is that most of TX has spring break the same week and that week tends to be more expensive, but other weeks before and after are cheaper.

[texasweather]

Thanks for the thoughts. It is Spring Break for us, but we have a freakishly early spring break and I haven't found it coinciding with other peaks in researching other travel options. Interesting.

[JTBCruiser]

DW and I booked a cruise on Liberty in Nov 16 and it is actually one of the best deals I've gotten since I started sailing with RCI. We have an aft balcony cabin so we will get lot's of exercise. :cool:

[monctonguy]

That's a change, as in the past out of Galveston the cruises have been cheaper than Florida very often, but it costs me more to get to Texas so I have never booked.

 

So it would seem that between the ship changes with RCI, plus other ships pulling out that demand will increase which increases cost.

[WisconsinFan]

When we booked last spring the cruise out of Galveston was way cheaper than those out of FL. We drive to our ports and so either FL or TX was an option. Hubby looked at the cruise earlier this week and told me that he saw a jump in the prices.

 

I believe this is now a supply/demand thing as the price of the cruise had been flat for most of the year. We check regularly to see if there are price drops. May drop after final payment is due for us (next month) if the cabins haven't sold.

[cruisevv]

I've actually noticed the opposite - prices when I checked a few months ago were lower or equal to FL. The only reason I didn't jump on that was the distance from the airport to Galveston doesn't make it worth it.

[Paul65]

It's not a general rule that Galveston cruises are more expensive. Most likely, for whatever reason(s), the Liberty cruise for the specific week you are looking at has sold pretty well, so RCI has no reason to discount prices. I'll be on the Liberty for the March 27 sailing, and prices have definitely gone up since we first booked, and some of the cabin categories are completely sold out. (Actually, we got a small price drop within a week or two of booking, but since that time, it's only gone upward.)

Edited December 9, 2015 by Paul65

[Funbobby68]

Our galveston cruise in May is up 250 pp since we booked in May , not expecting any price drops on that one :(

[vettecruiser1]

Texas has spring break for most schools are the first 3 weeks of the month. Different districts and colleges are using one of those 3 weeks. After that you will notice the price being lower until the end of May/1st of June with the exception of any week with a holiday. Cruise prices are always high for holiday's, summer and spring break out of Texas and very cheap from Sept-December minus the holidays and very cheap Jan-Feb. I have experience on this one since my wife is a teacher and we have to plan our cruises around when she is out of school. I can not wait until she retires then we can cruise 4 or 5 times a year during those cheap months compared to what it cost in the summer and over spring break.

[Beachiekeen]

We are cruising Liberty 2/21/16 but we booked it very early this year and like others have said, the prices have only gone up. We cruised spring break this year as hubby as a teacher and thought it way too crowded so hubby actually took his break 2 weeks earlier this year to hopefully avoid some of the crowds. He said all the rescheduling will be worth it if it's less crowded. His actual spring break week (3/7/16) was also more expensive than the week we chose. I have yet to see a cruise that is cheaper for us if you factor in flights to Florida, although we will probably cruise out of FL on our next one as it will be the only way for us to ever do the Southern Caribbean itinerary.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Beachiekeen

[Goodtime Cruizin]

We're sailing on the Liberty on 2/14/16. We booked this cruise in June 2014. The rate is up 110% as of today. It has yet to drop to or below our booked rate since we booked it.

 

Also, I'm one to believe that in state vs out of state residency has a lot play in the rates we see etc. As a Texas resident, RCL knows that my vacation will cost more to fly to Florida etc. So i think they raise the rates for me to sail out of Galveston knowing it's still cheaper than flying to Florida. I hope tht makes sense. ;)

[John&LaLa]

We're sailing on the Liberty on 2/14/16. We booked this cruise in June 2014. The rate is up 110% as of today. It has yet to drop to or below our booked rate since we booked it.

 

Also, I'm one to believe that in state vs out of state residency has a lot play in the rates we see etc. As a Texas resident, RCL knows that my vacation will cost more to fly to Florida etc. So i think they raise the rates for me to sail out of Galveston knowing it's still cheaper than flying to Florida. I hope tht makes sense. ;)

 

So when you enter your TX residency the price goes up? That's odd

[It's a Ship!!!]

Thanks for the thoughts. It is Spring Break for us, but we have a freakishly early spring break and I haven't found it coinciding with other peaks in researching other travel options. Interesting.

 

Texas spring break is different than Florida spring break, so if you happened to look a few weeks ahead you will probably see the opposite.

[John&LaLa]

Texas spring break is different than Florida spring break' date=' so if you happened to look a few weeks ahead you will probably see the opposite.[/quote']

 

Actually there are 46 other states that also have spring break and no Royal ships to sail from.