Sticker shock

[deliver42]

I'm planning an Alaska cruise for May,2017, and looked at the Jewel. To my surprise they were the highest priced balconies of all. They included Celebrity, HAL, Princess,and Carnival. We wound up booking HAL for price and itinerary.All were 7 day RT out of Seattle. What a bummer.

[sail7seas]

I was a little surprised at the high price of a Penthouse on Dawn for Canada/NE.

 

I'm a solo now so have to pay 200%. :eek: But it is on a par with HAL's prices for very comparable cabin and a slightly less interesting itinerary. HAL's includes Charlottetown, PEI which is a nice port.

 

[electro]

I'm planning an Alaska cruise for May,2017, and looked at the Jewel. To my surprise they were the highest priced balconies of all. They included Celebrity, HAL, Princess,and Carnival. We wound up booking HAL for price and itinerary.All were 7 day RT out of Seattle. What a bummer.

 

I know what you mean, prices are getting crazy!

 

I booked an Alaska cruise back in april for Sep 2016.

The price I paid for an Aft suite is now what they are asking for the aft mini suite:eek:

 

I got the UBP, UDP, free gratuities and $75 excursion credit per port and didn't have to pay the 18% on the UBP or UDP.

You only get one with the mini and you have to pay 18% if you pick the UBP or the SDP, and the shore excursion credit is $50 per port if you choose that.

 

I looked at booking NCL for Christmas 2016 in the Med, the price for the lowest level suite on Spirit was over $11,000. and there is no haven.

I ended up booking MSC in the Yacht Club for less than half that.

 

Lois

Edited January 13, 2016 by electro

[ricksurf]

I have had the same experience with the pricing of the Spring transatlantic cruise to Europe. The price is $1000 higher than the same cruise which I did in the Fall in the opposite direction.

As far as the competition for the same cruise then Princess, HAL, Celebrity, and RCCL were all cheaper and offered many of the same perks with Alcohol, OBC, etc as NCl has in the past.

Quite frankly, the other cruise ships are much nicer than the NCl ships and the prices are now lower; so good bye to NCl for awhile until they meet the competition.

[TMC]

If 2017 pricing pattern is like Alaska 2016 was, you may see lower prices around March, April or May of this year.

 

T

[deliver42]

Isn't that like closing the barn door after the horse gets away? All lines, except RCCL have their prices posted, and the Pearl is the highest BY FAR for a balcony. HAL is $1000.00 lower, Celebrity, $500.00 lower and give $300.00 on board credit and Classic drink pkg. I don't like Princess cabins, so I've eliminated them, even though they too are cheaper. I booked HAL for the itinerary (Glacier Nat'l Park) which the Pearl does also, but may switch if NCL gets their price act together. Prefer the younger crowd, even though I'll be 74 at cruise time.

[warriorking]

That's why I'm sailing from Europe instead of Alaska.

I tried booking Alaska back in Jan of 2015 for this year and the prices skyrocketed...

Even when they came down somewhat later in the year the final price was still nearly double what I paid for my current Med cruise on Epic in March and that's with an Aft balcony and two extra days thrown in the mix.....

:( Alaska has gotten too steep for this traveler....

[mattio]

Just watch the price. With your cruise being more than a year out, there is plenty of time for it to fluctuate. My Escape cruise dropped $900 2 weeks after I booked it while on board my previous cruise.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Isn't that like closing the barn door after the horse gets away? All lines, except RCCL have their prices posted, and the Pearl is the highest BY FAR for a balcony. HAL is $1000.00 lower, Celebrity, $500.00 lower and give $300.00 on board credit and Classic drink pkg. I don't like Princess cabins, so I've eliminated them, even though they too are cheaper. I booked HAL for the itinerary (Glacier Nat'l Park) which the Pearl does also, but may switch if NCL gets their price act together. Prefer the younger crowd, even though I'll be 74 at cruise time.

 

You will enjoy the glass magrodome roof over the Lido Pool in Alaska. Much better option than NCL's open-air pool decks given that it is often rainy in Alaska. And I've done both Westerdam and Norwegian Pearl.

[nw gardener]

Agreed, you will enjoy HAL, I tried them for the first time last summer and was pleasantly surprised , a nice mix of ages for the AK cruise, and it really is about the itinerary in AK. I had wanted to do the Pearl again but I got a balcony for 800 pp less on HAL. This summer, I booked the 2 week cruise on Maasdam for a great price. Looking at 2017 for AK and will do Hal or Celebrity again, NCL prices are too high now for me for AK cruises, although they are my favorite line.

[DMH15]

I have had the same experience with the pricing of the Spring transatlantic cruise to Europe. The price is $1000 higher than the same cruise which I did in the Fall in the opposite direction.

 

As far as the competition for the same cruise then Princess, HAL, Celebrity, and RCCL were all cheaper and offered many of the same perks with Alcohol, OBC, etc as NCl has in the past.

 

Quite frankly, the other cruise ships are much nicer than the NCl ships and the prices are now lower; so good bye to NCl for awhile until they meet the competition.

 

After several NCL suite cruises I will definately do more comparison shopping. I am interested in trying X again. Would live a non smoking casino.

[aquarianne11]

If 2017 pricing pattern is like Alaska 2016 was, you may see lower prices around March, April or May of this year.

 

T

 

Thanks for the info. Planning to book the Norwegian Sun for August 2017. We'll definitely wait for lower prices.

[aquarianne11]

You will enjoy the glass magrodome roof over the Lido Pool in Alaska. Much better option than NCL's open-air pool decks given that it is often rainy in Alaska. And I've done both Westerdam and Norwegian Pearl.

 

Agreed, you will enjoy HAL, I tried them for the first time last summer and was pleasantly surprised , a nice mix of ages for the AK cruise, and it really is about the itinerary in AK. I had wanted to do the Pearl again but I got a balcony for 800 pp less on HAL. This summer, I booked the 2 week cruise on Maasdam for a great price. Looking at 2017 for AK and will do Hal or Celebrity again, NCL prices are too high now for me for AK cruises, although they are my favorite line.

 

 

We have never been on HAL, Princess, or Celebrity but they have good prices for Alaska (Summer 2017).

 

Would any of those lines be good for a 10 yr old? Thanks in advance.

[Markanddonna]

While not being a huge HAL fan, we spoke with many parents with children aboard the Westerdam in Alaska and they reported the kids were having a wonderful time. I am guessing that traveling in June-August on HAL in Alaska doesn't have the stereotypical older crowd. There was a nice blend of many generations when we were aboard.

 

Would I take a ten year old on a HAL cruise to the Caribbean in January? Probably not. Alaska in July? Yes!

[aquarianne11]

While not being a huge HAL fan, we spoke with many parents with children aboard the Westerdam in Alaska and they reported the kids were having a wonderful time. I am guessing that traveling in June-August on HAL in Alaska doesn't have the stereotypical older crowd. There was a nice blend of many generations when we were aboard.

 

Would I take a ten year old on a HAL cruise to the Caribbean in January? Probably not. Alaska in July? Yes!

 

 

Thank you very much for the information.