Slowly out of reach?

[grandgeezer]

Our first proper cruise in 1995 was on P&O Oriana in a deluxe balcony cabin, cost was £4199. A quick look on the Celebrity website at a similar time of year, came up with a 10 day cruise next year in Aqua on Connie for £4180!

 

And your point is? We started cruising in 2003 and it was an entirely different experience than it is in 2016. I can't imagine how much more cruising in 1995 was to now.

[Orator]

My first cruise was in 1976 on The Sitmar Fairwind. Ten day cruise in a partially obstructed OV Cabin. Price with air from Williamsport, PA was $3629.80. No perks were offered. Cruise lines, like most businesses I know will charge what the market will pay. They offer "specials" reluctantly and only when needed.

Prices will go up or down depending on market conditions,

[alexspepa]

my second cruise on Song of America - 7 days - in 1996 or so cost more than the 10 day cruise i just booked on Celebrity for next year; plus I got the bev package, gratuities, unlimited internet and $600 in OBC for the Celebrity cruise.I know I got a great deal due to an intinerary change, but in my experience prices are still lower than 30 years ago and that is not adjusted according to inflation, that is real $. No question some of the amenities are not the same but cruising is more afordable for more people than in the past.

[grandgeezer]

my second cruise on Song of America - 7 days - in 1996 or so cost more than the 10 day cruise i just booked on Celebrity for next year; plus I got the bev package, gratuities, unlimited internet and $600 in OBC for the Celebrity cruise.I know I got a great deal due to an intinerary change, but in my experience prices are still lower than 30 years ago and that is not adjusted according to inflation, that is real $. No question some of the amenities are not the same but cruising is more afordable for more people than in the past.

 

You must have greatly overpaid 30 years ago, if cruises are now cheaper. Our first cruise was a 10 day Mexican cruise on the Mercury in 2003. We paid $610 p.p., all in, for an ocean view. The cruise we cancelled in November, was on the Equinox, for 10 days, and that was $1740 p.p., all in. The ocean view was the same price. Doing the math, I think $1710 is more than $610.

[Orator]

You must have greatly overpaid 30 years ago, if cruises are now cheaper. Our first cruise was a 10 day Mexican cruise on the Mercury in 2003. We paid $610 p.p., all in, for an ocean view. The cruise we cancelled in November, was on the Equinox, for 10 days, and that was $1740 p.p., all in. The ocean view was the same price. Doing the math, I think $1710 is more than $610.

 

In my example the cost, even without considering inflation was higher in the past. Now, this can vary greatly depending on the comparison cruise. In some cases it would indeed be more to take a similar cruise today, in some cases less. My point is simply that as a business a cruise line will do as much as possible to enhance the bottom line and that includes determining what the market will allow.

[bottomfeeder]

I do think cruise prices were generally lower for a couple of years after 9/11 due to people being afraid to fly. I know we got an excellent deal on a Mediterranean cruise in the summer of 2002 because of that. That may be why someone whose first cruise was in 2003 thinks prices have gone up while someone whose first cruise was in the 1980s or 1990s thinks they have gone down.

 

I also wonder if grandgeezer's price for his canceled cruise this year included the drinks package. I'm sure his 2003 cruise would not have.

[grandgeezer]

I do think cruise prices were generally lower for a couple of years after 9/11 due to people being afraid to fly. I know we got an excellent deal on a Mediterranean cruise in the summer of 2002 because of that. That may be why someone whose first cruise was in 2003 thinks prices have gone up while someone whose first cruise was in the 1980s or 1990s thinks they have gone down.

 

I also wonder if grandgeezer's price for his canceled cruise this year included the drinks package. I'm sure his 2003 cruise would not have.

 

The 2003 cruise was without any perks, but we did get prepaid gratuities from the travel agency. The 2014 cruise was the "Best Package". But the point was "price paid" not what all it included. Since we are not big drinkers, internet users, or spend anything on the ship, most of the $1100 p.p. difference is ligit and would have went home with us. So by any account, we paid less.

[Baron Barracuda]

I do think cruise prices were generally lower for a couple of years after 9/11 due to people being afraid to fly. I know we got an excellent deal on a Mediterranean cruise in the summer of 2002 because of that. That may be why someone whose first cruise was in 2003 thinks prices have gone up while someone whose first cruise was in the 1980s or 1990s thinks they have gone down.

 

I also wonder if grandgeezer's price for his canceled cruise this year included the drinks package. I'm sure his 2003 cruise would not have.

 

Agree

 

Cruise prices definitely dropped post 9/11. They then rose for a time but along came the great recession in '08. It took a long time to recover from that. Prices have moved higher recently but they're not much different from the levels of the late '90's.

 

I believe a large reason for this is the massive ship building boom. Many new, very large ships are being launched each year, and they have to sail full every week. Economies of scale also come into play. Oasis holds 6,000 passengers while none of my early sailings held more than 2,000. Just wish the level of service was close to the same.

[starri]

Cruise prices definitely dropped post 9/11. They then rose for a time but along came the great recession in '08. It took a long time to recover from that. Prices have moved higher recently but they're not much different from the levels of the late '90's.

 

I'm sure Zika will have a similar effect, at least on Caribbean sailings.

[davekathy]

I'm sure Zika will have a similar effect, at least on Caribbean sailings.

 

Magic Eight Ball says "highly unlikely".

[bottomfeeder]

The 2003 cruise was without any perks, but we did get prepaid gratuities from the travel agency. The 2014 cruise was the "Best Package". But the point was "price paid" not what all it included. Since we are not big drinkers, internet users, or spend anything on the ship, most of the $1100 p.p. difference is ligit and would have went home with us. So by any account, we paid less.

 

That's only a valid comparison if you were only able to get a cruise now with the "best" package. I know there are other alternatives--I have never booked a cruise with any of the "perks", because like you I don't use them, plus I usually go solo so they are not a good deal for me. But there IS pricing without the perks, because that's what I always get. And, not surprisingly, the price is less without the perks.

 

So you can't choose to take ALL the perks and pay an all-inclusive price, and then compare that to what you paid with no perks in the past. Because you aren't being forced to take them. :)

 

Nice try though! Just not a very good argument. :)

[grandgeezer]

That's only a valid comparison if you were only able to get a cruise now with the "best" package. I know there are other alternatives--I have never booked a cruise with any of the "perks", because like you I don't use them, plus I usually go solo so they are not a good deal for me. But there IS pricing without the perks, because that's what I always get. And, not surprisingly, the price is less without the perks.

 

So you can't choose to take ALL the perks and pay an all-inclusive price, and then compare that to what you paid with no perks in the past. Because you aren't being forced to take them. :)

 

Nice try though! Just not a very good argument. :)

 

The cruise I cancelled, without any perks $1149, plus taxes and fees. The Best package is $1899 plus taxes and fees. So to compare apples with apples, meaning no perks on either, by the time you add the taxes and fees to the November cruise, it's twice as much as 2003. Before they started giving all these "free" perks, we never paid more than $100 p.p. per day, for a balcony, except for Europe and the Oasis class ships on RCL

Is that better?

[bottomfeeder]

The cruise I cancelled, without any perks $1149, plus taxes and fees. The Best package is $1899 plus taxes and fees. So to compare apples with apples, meaning no perks on either, by the time you add the taxes and fees to the November cruise, it's twice as much as 2003. Before they started giving all these "free" perks, we never paid more than $100 p.p. per day, for a balcony, except for Europe and the Oasis class ships on RCL

Is that better?

 

That's a fairer comparison. Of course I'd also ask the itinerary of each cruise, I'd ask duration but I believe you said they were the same length, how far ahead you booked the cabins and what class you booked (within the oceanview category) because that can all make a difference too. But I'd definitely agree that prices have generally increased since 2002/2003--it is still possible to find great bargains but you have to work harder at it these days. :)