Price hike!

[Silverhairedbee]

My wife and I have sailed with NCL many times. I am sure many have observed NCL’s pricing strategy has completely changed placing them in the upper end of the mass cruise market compared with the previous budget market. My question is, is anybody actually booking cruises at these prices and if so who? Should we just be waiting for a large price re-adjustment or perhaps time to look elsewhere.

[david_sobe]

Its true NCL has raised prices on just about everything including cruise fares. People must be booking because this has been going on for a few years now. Having said that, there are still some deals around. For example, I am looking at the Jade out of Miami in February 2019 and there are inside rooms 299 pp, ocean view 349 pp. The ship goes to Harvest Caye too.

The new ships will cost you more. I just booked Encore but its almost 2 years away which gives me time to pay it off. If you are flexible with time, book a cruise in February. The prices are the cheapest.

[ready2cruzagain]

We have switched to MSC. Have 5 cruises booked on MSC Divina and Seaside. We did find a good deal on the Epic in January so we booked that but finding a good deal on NCL is far and in between anymore.

[ace2542]

Unless NCL do reduce prices they will go bust I think. The Jade cruise I was on last month was not full despite the lies of the crew to the contrary it was about 3/4 full I was on the gem at christmas and that was full. The average price is nearly 200 to 250 pounds per day now for a 7 night cruise and it not worth that. They are in trouble in Europe for one thing. They can't fill the jade out of Southampton and are replacing it with the spirit. The Epic in Barcelona will not be able to compete with the Oasis of the seas next year. The drink package value of RCL is better value on NCL it is nearly 100 english pounds per person per day.

 

I have always said I think a cruise line will go bust and I think it will be NCL unfortunately.

[Silverhairedbee]

We have switched to MSC. Have 5 cruises booked on MSC Divina and Seaside. We did find a good deal on the Epic in January so we booked that but finding a good deal on NCL is far and in between anymore.

 

Just what we are contemplating. We have been on MSC before. We always felt the entertainment was not as good BUT, the last time we sailed with NCL entertainment had suffered. MSC looks very attractive compared with NCL now.

[Dodge7707]

My wife and I also cruise at least 3 times a year in Europe with ncl, unfortunately we are now looking at msc as they are looking like a far better deal overall. We have done 30 cruises with ncl but they have now priced themselves out. They are a budget line now charging premium prices! Wake up ncl before you sink!

[david_sobe]

No doubt about it. MSC has the best deals at sea right now. Their marketing is to lure loyalists away from their preferred cruise line. Not only are the prices much cheaper, they will also honor your rewards program on your favorite line. So if you are platinum on NCL, they will honor it on their ships.

I was all prepared to book Seaside until I saw reviews. There are some things I am not crazy about with MSC ships. But you cant beat the price if you are cruising only for price.

I hope NCL drops the 5 *free* deals offer and goes back to bottom line pricing. But we know that will not happen soon. The bookings must be very strong otherwise they would have stopped it by now.

[Son of a son of a ...]

We book early and find NCL’s fares to be very competitive.

[sverigecruiser]

My question is, is anybody actually booking cruises at these prices and if so who?

 

If we want to cruise on NCL we have to pay the price they ask for.

 

We have decided that it isn't worth it so now we cruise on MSC instead.

[sverigecruiser]

We book early and find NCL’s fares to be very competitive.

 

Compared to what?

[Dodge7707]

No doubt about it. MSC has the best deals at sea right now. Their marketing is to lure loyalists away from their preferred cruise line. Not only are the prices much cheaper, they will also honor your rewards program on your favorite line. So if you are platinum on NCL, they will honor it on their ships.

I was all prepared to book Seaside until I saw reviews. There are some things I am not crazy about with MSC ships. But you cant beat the price if you are cruising only for price.

I hope NCL drops the 5 *free* deals offer and goes back to bottom line pricing. But we know that will not happen soon. The bookings must be very strong otherwise they would have stopped it by now.

Well that has made our minds up as we are platinum. If they are honouring the rewards programme we will be booking our next 3 with them.

[david_sobe]

Well that has made our minds up as we are platinum. If they are honouring the rewards programme we will be booking our next 3 with them.

 

 

I saw on a cruise blog that MSC suffered terribly with the smell issue on Seaside. This guy said they lowered prices even more and had buy one get one deals on the ship trying to jump start bookings. I have not personally verified any of this but the guy runs a very reputable cruise blog.

[Silverhairedbee]

Compared to what?

 

Spirit 10 days, Barcelona, Dec 2017 Inside £550 including drinks. Booked well in advance.

 

Compared to:

Spirit 10 days, Barcelona, 2018, Inside £1000 including drinks.

 

Jade 8 days, Southampton, Sept 2017 Inside £550 including drinks.

 

Compared to:

Spirit, 11 days, Southampton, 2018

Inside £1600 including drinks.

 

?????????

[ace2542]

Spirit 10 days, Barcelona, Dec 2017 Inside £550 including drinks. Booked well in advance.

 

Compared to:

Spirit 10 days, Barcelona, 2018, Inside £1000 including drinks.

 

Jade 8 days, Southampton, Sept 2017 Inside £550 including drinks.

 

Compared to:

Spirit, 11 days, Southampton, 2018

Inside £1600 including drinks.

 

?????????

 

11 days including drinks for 1600 isn't bad but I have seen deals in 1800 range. The GEM this christmas is £2200 per person to get on the gem and flights. I paid £2399 for 26 nights QM2 west and eastbound and NCL Gem cruise last christmas all inc on the gem.

[sverigecruiser]

Spirit 10 days, Barcelona, Dec 2017 Inside £550 including drinks. Booked well in advance.

 

Compared to:

Spirit 10 days, Barcelona, 2018, Inside £1000 including drinks.

 

Jade 8 days, Southampton, Sept 2017 Inside £550 including drinks.

 

Compared to:

Spirit, 11 days, Southampton, 2018

Inside £1600 including drinks.

 

?????????

 

What do you mean? I have already agreed with you that NCLs prices are really high now, you don't have to show me that.

 

We started to compare the prices on NCL compared to MSC when we should book our cruise for last summer. One week on the Epic costed more than $3000 more than than a week on the brand new MSC Meraviglia and that made it easy to move from NCL to MSC.

[mistertoaster]

This has been Del Rio’s strategy since he replaced Sheehan. Not only are fares going up, but fees are going up. Since NCL became publicly traded, the emphasis is on beating quarterly projections. Great for shareholders, but not always great for passengers. MSC matched our status, and we are now Black card on MSC. The value is currently better at MSC, but there prices are also escalating.

 

The entire cruise industry is on a price increase binge. At some point, folks will migrate to other vacation options if this continues. By that time Del Rio and his ilk will be gone having personally benefitted from near term revenue and income gains.

 

 

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[newmexicoNita]

My wife and I have sailed with NCL many times. I am sure many have observed NCL’s pricing strategy has completely changed placing them in the upper end of the mass cruise market compared with the previous budget market. My question is, is anybody actually booking cruises at these prices and if so who? Should we just be waiting for a large price re-adjustment or perhaps time to look elsewhere.

I don't have any idea how long it has been since you have sailed NCL or any other line, but regardless price the other lines and see if they are a lot lower for the same product, itinerary and sailing dates. I think you will find NCL is within the same ball park. Have you priced the sail away without the perks? No, NCL is not at the top of the mass marketed lines and yes, obviously people are booking. Most of the ships go out full or 90% full every sailing. It is simply travel has gotten more expensive.

 

We had looked into a land vacation just a few months ago. The tour companies have also gone way up. A 8 day tour without air and almost no meals included that sold for $998 per person 5 years ago is now $1498. Our local small airport hotel that used to be $65.00 a night including free parking for up to 14 days, now starts at $83 a night and they no longer offer free, extended parking.

[newmexicoNita]

Unless NCL do reduce prices they will go bust I think. The Jade cruise I was on last month was not full despite the lies of the crew to the contrary it was about 3/4 full I was on the gem at christmas and that was full. The average price is nearly 200 to 250 pounds per day now for a 7 night cruise and it not worth that. They are in trouble in Europe for one thing. They can't fill the jade out of Southampton and are replacing it with the spirit. The Epic in Barcelona will not be able to compete with the Oasis of the seas next year. The drink package value of RCL is better value on NCL it is nearly 100 english pounds per person per day.

 

I have always said I think a cruise line will go bust and I think it will be NCL unfortunately.

There is no way you could possibly know if the ship was 3/4 full or 90% full. I am not questioning the drink package as I have no comparison, but if you think NCL is anywhere near going bust, boy do you need to do your research!!! No one is questioning the raise in prices, but no,they are not going under.

 

Dodge7707: MSC is certainly not the same as sailing NCL. It isn't even considered a mass marketed line. I am not knocking the line, I have not sailed them. I have heard from friends and our TA the ships are beautiful but that is where it stops. They are more like sailing Costa.

 

I think one of the problems some are having is; you are sailing out of Europe and the majority of NCLs business come from the western part of the world.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

Most of my cruises have been on NCL but I have also cruised several times with Princess. Any cruise that NCL has that starts to get a little pricey I go to Princess; and, even if it is a few bucks more, I will book the Princess. Unless you have children who need to be entertained that is a good option.

[BirdTravels]

Unless NCL do reduce prices they will go bust I think. The Jade cruise I was on last month was not full despite the lies of the crew to the contrary it was about 3/4 full I was on the gem at christmas and that was full. .

Not really. Obviously you are paying the prevailing fares. Every cruise line and airline has complex yield management algorithms which dictate the price of every stateroom every week. If an itinerary is not profitable, the itinerary is changed. Simple supply and demand.

 

NCL’s newest ship, the Bliss, is charging $7000 US per person for a suite on a 7 night Alaskan cruise which seemed impossibly expensive compared to everyone else in the market. And they sell out. It is smart business,, no busting here. When we sailed a couple of weeks ago, the Bliss has a capacity of 4000 passengers. There were 4700 passengers on board. $$$$

[sverigecruiser]

MSC is certainly not the same as sailing NCL. It isn't even considered a mass marketed line. I am not knocking the line, I have not sailed them. I have heard from friends and our TA the ships are beautiful but that is where it stops. They are more like sailing Costa.

 

I know that you know a lots about NCL and most of the time I agree with what you say. I don't agree with your friends and your TA.

 

Our first seven cruises was on NCL but our most recent was on MSC and our next will be on MSC too.

 

The service is not better on NCL than on MSC.

 

The food is not better on NCL than on MSC.

 

Entertainment, I don't really know what to say. The "shows" may be better on NCL but we really appreciated that MSC had live music in the Top Sail Lounge every night.

 

I think that when it comes to value for money NCL has no chance to match MSC.

[numberguy]

Loyalty match question: does MSC match your loyalty level on all your cruises with them, or only the first one? I've heard it's only the first one, but just want verification. Thanks!

 

-- Michael

 

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[BostonGal35]

we book and sail regularly, but we avoid peak times (june, july, august, holiday weeks, school vacation weeks) and that keeps costs in check for us.

[ace2542]

There is no way you could possibly know if the ship was 3/4 full or 90% full. I am not questioning the drink package as I have no comparison, but if you think NCL is anywhere near going bust, boy do you need to do your research!!! No one is questioning the raise in prices, but no,they are not going under.

 

Dodge7707: MSC is certainly not the same as sailing NCL. It isn't even considered a mass marketed line. I am not knocking the line, I have not sailed them. I have heard from friends and our TA the ships are beautiful but that is where it stops. They are more like sailing Costa.

 

I think one of the problems some are having is; you are sailing out of Europe and the majority of NCLs business come from the western part of the world.

 

I actually could say that because the bars were quiet, the shows were quiet and we had no wait for the resturants on the jade and on the gem at christmas a ship of very similar size to within 10 or 20 passengers i believe. The ship was so full you couldn't move for all the people. They are under orders to say every sailing is full and every sailing is not full. If NCL is doing so well in western europe why are they replacing the Jade with the Spirit out of southampton next year (the spirit is smaller) and why are they only doing 1 or 2 sailings out of LA on the gem in January 2019 before returning it back to new york what is the point of that and who is going to cruise from new york to la or vice versa. The Oasis of the seas is vastly superior in terms of what it offers onboard compared to the Epic. They don't seem to promote the epic relocation cruise through uk cruise agencies anymore. They used to but not so much anymore. I don't know why.

 

I reckon one cruise company will go under at some point in the future do you disagree with me?

[Level six]

Not really. Obviously you are paying the prevailing fares. Every cruise line and airline has complex yield management algorithms which dictate the price of every stateroom every week. If an itinerary is not profitable, the itinerary is changed. Simple supply and demand.

 

NCL’s newest ship, the Bliss, is charging $7000 US per person for a suite on a 7 night Alaskan cruise which seemed impossibly expensive compared to everyone else in the market. And they sell out. It is smart business,, no busting here. When we sailed a couple of weeks ago, the Bliss has a capacity of 4000 passengers. There were 4700 passengers on board. $$$$

How can it have a capacity of 4000 but sail with 4700?