Ncl has raised their prices to a ridiculous level imho of course

[BostonGal35]

prices are up, but we still have pretty good luck with finding some deals. We avoid summers and school vacation periods which are thru the roof.

[WillandTam]

Hello everyone. NCL does offer the Sail Away rate that is significantly cheaper than the next category. The difference is the Free at Sea promotion. So it's not really free it's an up-charge. The thing is, NCL is giving you a choice of a lower rate or perks. My DW and I are booked on a 10 day Southern Caribbean in January that they consider a voyage of distinction in their pricing model and it included all 5 perks plus some. It was more expensive than the sail away rate which included none of the perks, but we made that choice. I like their new pricing strategy and as a stockholder of NCLH I appreciate the company making a profit.

[Voelfgar]

I'm booked on a Med cruise in July 2019. I feel I got a very good deal with NCL

[PTC DAWG]

prices are up, but we still have pretty good luck with finding some deals. We avoid summers and school vacation periods which are thru the roof.

 

That's the best bet for sure...I've never sailed with my Kids...

[littlelulu01]

Those itineraries have been out for a few months now. They are selling well and pricing is a supply and demand game. They’re still priced about the same as the competition.

 

I looked at our cost for 2 week Jade med May, 2015 and the same category, almost same sailing Jade October, 2019. After factoring in the ubp extra charge now vs free back in 2015, the 2019 sailing is only $200 more. Granted deposits placed in January, 2018 for 2019 sailing (price today is higher). Our October 2019 sailing has just a couple suites left. They were priced far better than in 2015 & 2016 and as a result went fast. I was never a believer in the book early method, but for the last couple years it’s definitely been best price when dates first released for the Europe sailings. Did see some great price drops on getaway last year though so worth keeping an eye on.

 

Shoulder season isn’t what it once was. Yes you have the folks with kids who fill up summer but spring and fall seem more desirable anymore for anyone not bound to school schedules.

[CruisinHarvey]

Prices are going up on all the cruise lines. MSC is trying to get foot hold in the US. That's why prices are low and they're the only line which matches other cruises loyalty status status. Once they firmly establish themselves, those things will change. They're sacrificing current profit for future business. NCL sees Royal as they 're closest competitor. So when your looking for a cruise, compare those two for the experience and total costs.

[Moby0215]

Yup the key is last minute booking out of NYC. Also early and late summer especially to Bermuda

 

Again I'm just stating in this thread that ncl has raised prices significantly imho on their summer 2019 cruises in the Med...same older ship..same itins..same 7 day runs...over what they were charging in 2017 and in many cases 2018

 

NYC pricing is not what I'm talking about but yes I've gotten great deals on ncl out of NYC especially in January longer Carib cruises when the older kids had college break

 

 

 

 

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As others have already pointed out (and you have already self admitted) is the law of economics supply and demand. Any goods or services will be priced at it’s value. And it’s value is determined by what people are willing to pay. So prices will continue to rise if people continue to pay. It’s your choice to decide when it gets too expensive for you.

 

I don’t believe this is specific to NCL. I think you will find similar prices throughout all the main lines.

 

 

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[NancyW12]

 

Fwiw my plan b which I've never utilized but might in the near future for Med cruising was to book great airfare around a great cruise timetable....then book the cruise last minute and if that didn't work just turn it into a great land based trip

 

Actually, I did exactly this. I have a plane ticket into Barcelona in August and am waiting to see whether NCL or Princess drops to what I want to pay. I watched it last year and the fire sales started about 3 weeks out. I'm in a waiting mode now.

[sverigecruiser]

MSC is trying to get foot hold in the US. That's why prices are low

 

That's probably one reason but most of their passengers on their cruises in Europe are Europeans and the prices are still much lower than NCLs prices. I don't know why.

[dexddd]

That's probably one reason but most of their passengers on their cruises in Europe are Europeans and the prices are still much lower than NCLs prices. I don't know why.

 

That is what I was going to say - check Europe and see what is going on there as MSC isn't new there.

[dexddd]

What type of drink package deals does MSC offer?

 

MSC, at first look, is very confusing as far as their pricing. They are set up in various "packages" which go from bare bones to YC which is very inclusive. So kind of hard to answer until you look at a certain package.

 

YC though includes all but high-end drinks anywhere on the ship including sodas, water, coffee, and in room mini-bar without 20% imputed fee...for your convenience.

 

Gelato is also included for YC. Only couple things not included were nutella crepes by pool and special restaurant pizza in terms of foods.

 

I was on their site yesterday and they were running some sort of drinks special so maybe go over there and see.

 

If you go to the CC boards for MSC someone has posted a thread about the various packages as well.

[ready2cruzagain]

Yep...thats why i booked msc seaside next year balcony room yacht club for 4 people under $4500 for june carribbean instead of ncl.

We also have booked MSC Seaside for 2019 NCL was way far more expensive.

 

I never thought I would sail Celebrity cheaper than NCL but our Jan cruise on the Silhouette beats NCL.

[sverigecruiser]

That is what I was going to say - check Europe and see what is going on there as MSC isn't new there.

 

We decided to try MSC instead of NCL last summer when we found out that NCL wanted around $3500 more for a week compared to MSC. (Haven on NCL and Yacht Club on MSC.)

[Buford T Justiice]

All good points noted above.

 

Two small points: (1) Someone has to pay for the UBP, and that is through higher fares for all;

 

(2) I'm not familiar with other cruise lines, but I think it is important to compare net to net pricing... but on NCL it seems that no pays "retail price" anymore: Bank of America MasterCard (3% Discount), Future Cruise Credit (5% Discount), NCL "tax free" / 3rd or 4th passenger free promotions (xx% Discount), etc.

[KeithJenner]

Prices have certainly increased in the past year or so, but it is quite difficult to be specific as they can be all over the places from itinerary to itinerary (and sometimes even between cruises on the same itinerary).

 

A few years ago I put all of the booking costs onto a spreadsheet from my recent cruises to try to work out how much fares had changed. When I take into account the value of perks, the cost per day were incredibly steady over quite a period of time. In fact, many had reduced and some (specifically the Spirit) were very cheap.

 

For example, once I had taken into account the value of the perks, our Western Med trip on the Epic in 2016 was cheaper per person per day than the same cruise on the same week in 2013. We had downgraded from a Mini Suite to an Angled Balcony, but the Mini Suite prices were very steady. Our upcoming cruise on the POA is the first one since 2016 that will have costed more per person than any cruise we took in 2013 or 2014.

 

Some of that is because the UBP is very good value to us, and obviously doesn't apply to everyone.

 

Things have changed though. We have the Breakaway booked in the Caribbean for next year, and it is costing us about 33% more, even after taking into account the perks, than a similar length Caribbean trip in 2015 (4 years earlier).

 

Looking at Med options for next year, the Spirit and Epic in the spring still look like great value to me, being only about 10-15% more expensive than we were paying for similar cruises back in 2013/14. However, the Star and Jade have really gone through the roof, being about 50% more expensive. That increase has really happened in about the last year.

 

Keep in mind that I am looking at these prices later than I historically book, so they may not be directly comparable. Even allowing for that, it is a big increase.

 

At these levels, some options are still pretty good, but some do make me baulk. Going back to those 2013/14 prices, I thought they were very good value back then, so at about 33% increase over 6 years, especially given exchange rate movements, they are still at the level that I am happy with. The Jade and Star prices are very much pushing it though.

[CruisingSince1982]

I'm happy with their product. For a while there, years ago, they were starting to get a "budget cruise line" crowd. I'm ok with the higher prices.

[toledo_cruiser]

MSC, at first look, is very confusing as far as their pricing. They are set up in various "packages" which go from bare bones to YC which is very inclusive. So kind of hard to answer until you look at a certain package.

 

YC though includes all but high-end drinks anywhere on the ship including sodas, water, coffee, and in room mini-bar without 20% imputed fee...for your convenience.

 

Gelato is also included for YC. Only couple things not included were nutella crepes by pool and special restaurant pizza in terms of foods.

 

I was on their site yesterday and they were running some sort of drinks special so maybe go over there and see.

 

If you go to the CC boards for MSC someone has posted a thread about the various packages as well.

 

Almost booked MSC for a Dec group cruise. After looking at the included drink pkg, we determined we'd have to upgrade to the premium drink pkg at $26 per person per day to get the brands of alcohol my group drinks. Other than that the Seaside would have been the choice. We settled on NCL, but yet are willing to pay the $200 tax/fee for the included drink pkg??? MSC still would have been much cheaper. May look at them again next year.

jim

[sverigecruiser]

All good points noted above.

 

Two small points: (1) Someone has to pay for the UBP, and that is through higher fares for all;

 

(2) I'm not familiar with other cruise lines, but I think it is important to compare net to net pricing... but on NCL it seems that no pays "retail price" anymore: Bank of America MasterCard (3% Discount), Future Cruise Credit (5% Discount), NCL "tax free" / 3rd or 4th passenger free promotions (xx% Discount), etc.

 

 

We are two persons so the price for 3rd and 4th passenger doesn't matter for us.

 

MSC has a 5% "Voyagers Club discount" which I will get. The NCL discounts you mention may not be possible for me to get.

[fstuff1]

solo supplement is normally 200%.

ie: per person cabin price x 2 if traveling solo in an Inside or above

 

all the solo discounts i've seen lately is 150%.

havent seen any cruises without a solo supplement :(

[SeaShark]

solo supplement is normally 200%.

ie: per person cabin price x 2 if traveling solo in an Inside or above

 

all the solo discounts i've seen lately is 150%.

havent seen any cruises without a solo supplement :(

 

 

As noted prior, you have to refer to the Sales PAL for the most accurate information on this.

 

Today's Sales PAL lists 575 category/sailings available for less than a 200% supplement...The vast majority of them are set at 150%, but there are 33 different categories available on the 5/4/18 sailing of the Dawn to Bermuda which are listed with NO single supplement at all.

 

Ya gotta talk to your PCC/TA

[fstuff1]

As noted prior, you have to refer to the Sales PAL for the most accurate information on this.

 

Today's Sales PAL lists 575 category/sailings available for less than a 200% supplement...The vast majority of them are set at 150%, but there are 33 different categories available on the 5/4/18 sailing of the Dawn to Bermuda which are listed with NO single supplement at all.

 

Ya gotta talk to your PCC/TA

ahh. Dawn Boston-Bermuda sailing tomorrow

thx

[dexddd]

solo supplement is normally 200%.

ie: per person cabin price x 2 if traveling solo in an Inside or above

 

all the solo discounts i've seen lately is 150%.

havent seen any cruises without a solo supplement :(

 

I want to say some people mentioned they were getting some late last year but if so, my guess is due to drop in demand due to hurricane damage and cancellations. BudgetQueen might have been one of them who mentioned that.

[Driberif1]

I am sailing next week May 13-20 on the Getaway and I decided to see what the exact cruise will be next year at the same time same itinerary and May 12-19 for 3 people is $270 more so I do not see that big of a difference?!? I booked this cruise on cyber Monday and the week before and the week after did not have the same perks and was much more so technically next year is actually much cheaper 12 months ahead then the cruise I am taking next week at 12 months ahead.

[phissy]

What type of drink package deals does MSC offer?

In the yacht club- all drinks are included.

[maggie cruises]

I am sailing next week May 13-20 on the Getaway and I decided to see what the exact cruise will be next year at the same time same itinerary and May 12-19 for 3 people is $270 more so I do not see that big of a difference?!? I booked this cruise on cyber Monday and the week before and the week after did not have the same perks and was much more so technically next year is actually much cheaper 12 months ahead then the cruise I am taking next week at 12 months ahead.

 

 

 

That's a western Carib right? Lots of ships going there now.

 

 

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