Cost of a cruise

[Fishkillbill]

12 hours ago, jjlen11 said:

I was always big on Vegas vacations.....Id fool myself with great deals ($800 for two for a week with air) but food, drinks, rental car, gambling....Id throw in $3k plus......booked the Bliss after seeing a crazy deal online- it wasn't even done yet, but $500 apiece for a balcony room (9/29-10/5 Vancouver to LA repositioning cruise with unlimited bar thrown in seemed cheap, and gave it the shot)...got our airfare cheap $380 to Vancouver for both and $360 from LA to Philly for both....now I added a great hotel pre cruise in Vancouver, incidentals, etc....and really thought we had a good overall deal vs Vegas....we ate and drank better, had a great time, saw many things we never had the opportunity to and met wonderful people on the cruise...within 10 hrs after coming home, booked my next-with the air, drinks, specialty dining, transfers, insurance , taxes, etc even under that price (with a balcony cabin)….Ill go back to Vegas again but I have to say the cruise bug bit and just think overall a way better value.

 

That sounds like a great trip.

[JamieLogical]

I would be curious to know what comparable NCL pricing was at the time you booked your cruise. Prices can change DRASTICALLY over time. I am sailing on the Bliss on Feb 2nd. When we booked, we paid a base price of $1079 per person for our mid-ship balcony. By final payment in October, the price for our same room was up to $1829 per person. It's now at $1929 per person!

[Av8torcrj]

I watch pricing a lot and it amazes me how much it changes.. like a daily roller coaster on some sailings. That being said, it also amazes me what some seem to consider a “good deal”. Some of the prices paid above make my head swim. I don’t think there is a location on the planet I’d pay to go see for more than $100/ night and that’s pushing it. 14 day Panama Canal, $549 base fare, zero single supplement, that’s my speed. To each his own of course.

[njkate]

As someone else said you can only compare on the same day, you can't book back in Oct and now look at NCL to compare.

I'm on a tranatlantic in April, I booked when it first hit the web site back in September, TODAY my same cabin is $600pp MORE than what I paid

[PTC DAWG]

1 hour ago, Av8torcrj said:

I watch pricing a lot and it amazes me how much it changes.. like a daily roller coaster on some sailings. That being said, it also amazes me what some seem to consider a “good deal”. Some of the prices paid above make my head swim. I don’t think there is a location on the planet I’d pay to go see for more than $100/ night and that’s pushing it. 14 day Panama Canal, $549 base fare, zero single supplement, that’s my speed. To each his own of course.

If I can’t have a balcony, I’m not going.  🙂

[Av8torcrj]

49 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

If I can’t have a balcony, I’m not going.  🙂

They are nice indeed, had one (splurged a little)  on my last 10 day out of New Orleans but in reality and retrospect I spent little time out there. Loved sleeping with the door open and listening to the ocean sounds but at often double (or more) on fare I’m willing to go cheap and get an entire other cruise. I hear ya though.

Big mistake was a balcony right over the shuffle board court. Those clanging pucks weren’t cute after day two.

[Daytonasailor]

On 1/11/2019 at 10:38 AM, JamieLogical said:

I would be curious to know what comparable NCL pricing was at the time you booked your cruise. Prices can change DRASTICALLY over time. I am sailing on the Bliss on Feb 2nd. When we booked, we paid a base price of $1079 per person for our mid-ship balcony. By final payment in October, the price for our same room was up to $1829 per person. It's now at $1929 per person!

I booked on the Bliss in June of 18 for a March 19 cruise. Base price was $1539 PP for a mid cabin. that's almost a $1000 more than you paid. When did you book for that great price?

[Daytonasailor]

13 minutes ago, Daytonasailor said:

I booked on the Bliss in June of 18 for a March 19 cruise. Base price was $1539 PP for a mid cabin. that's almost a $1000 more than you paid. When did you book for that great price?

Woops, answered my own question. I don't normally check prices after booking, but I needed to know the huge difference in pricing on my cruise. The $1199 price is a sail away cabin which is assigned by the ship prior to sailing. This didn't include the UDP. I opted to choose my cabin and couldn't do without the UDP. Yes, it is higher priced than the sail away, but that's the way we go. Anyway enjoy your cruise.

Edited January 13, 2019 by Daytonasailor
spelling

[Langham1865]

On 1/9/2019 at 10:58 AM, Fishkillbill said:

I booked the cruise on October 22, 2018. We leave on January 26, 2019 and return to NJ on February 3, 2019. We stop at Port Canaveral, Nassau and Cococay. We will be on the Anthem of the Sea. Balcony room, deck 8, mid ship. I didn't think I got any sort of bargain.

The cost is:

Cruise                   $1,503.32

Drinks                     $188.62 (soda)

Gratuities             $232.00

Excursion                $ 98.00 (in Nassau)

Parking                 $ 176.00 (Port Liberty)

                                $2197.94

I was looking at cruises, on Norwegian, out of New York. 

Not interested in perks. We don't drink. Don't need Wifi. Not interested in other dinners besides the buffet and Main Dining Room. No airfare, we live 60 miles north of Manhattan. Is this cost close to Norwegian?

Is that just the per person price and there is a second person paying the same? 

[4774Papa]

Comparing prices on cruises that we have booked in the last year or two, we find NCL price bundling takes it out of consideration when comparing to Royal that doesn't bundle.  Celebrity, which we like a lot, also bundles, except on its transatlantic and repo cruises.   I expect that we will only book Royal, Celebrity transatlantic or repo, or NCL cruises that don't bundle the overpriced (especially with gratuities) beverage packages.

 

We are moderate drinkers and don't drink enough to go with the drink packages.  Our last NCL cruise was a seven day NE and Canada and I purchased five bottles of wine, paid the corkage of $15 and our alcohol cost for that cruise was less that what we would have paid JUST for the 20% gratuities on the overpriced beverage package that doesn't even have a decent cabernet.

[Fishkillbill]

1 hour ago, Langham1865 said:

Is that just the per person price and there is a second person paying the same? 

 

That's the total for two.

[Av8torcrj]

1 hour ago, Langham1865 said:

Is that just the per person price and there is a second person paying the same? 

Just from the cruise shopping I’ve done I don’t think essentially $750pp for a balcony on Royal for an 8 day is utterly ridiculous but the additional for soda and parking would probably make my head spin and fall off at the shoulders. I personally can drink the free stuff for 7 days... easily, or at least forego it in lieu of the likely unavoidable parking charges. I like to travel cheap though.

Edited January 13, 2019 by Av8torcrj
Update

[JamieLogical]

2 hours ago, Daytonasailor said:

I booked on the Bliss in June of 18 for a March 19 cruise. Base price was $1539 PP for a mid cabin. that's almost a $1000 more than you paid. When did you book for that great price?

 

 

We booked last February while we were onboard the Escape, so it was a full year out. We got the CruiseNext deal where you pay the lowest non-SailAway price for the highest room type in a category, so we got a BA for the current BF price. I think, at the time, the current BA price was about $50 pp more than the BF. So I am guessing BAs were about $1129 per person at the time, $800 cheaper per person than they are right now for the same sailing!

[K_e_short]

I booked an Alaskan Cruise for July in October using a Casino at Sea certificate. Just for fun I've been going online and fake booking my exact category to make me feel better about how much I'm saving.

The price of the cruise has gone up $500 so far.

 

 

[Daytonasailor]

22 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

Nice...I'm looking for those deals for 2020.

 

We booked last February while we were onboard the Escape, so it was a full year out. We got the CruiseNext deal where you pay the lowest non-SailAway price for the highest room type in a category, so we got a BA for the current BF price. I think, at the time, the current BA price was about $50 pp more than the BF. So I am guessing BAs were about $1129 per person at the time, $800 cheaper per person than they are right now for the same sailing!

 

[zqvol]

On 1/8/2019 at 4:30 PM, Fishkillbill said:

We are booked on a Royal Caribbean, 8 day,  cruise to Nassau. Just for kicks, I looked at the same cruise on Norwegian. It appears Norwegian is close to twice the price. Unless I'm doing something drastically wrong.  

 

Price it after you get off, not when you book. The cost is what your total out of pocket is when you get home. I bet you discover that for a similar cabin with a similar drink and dining package that NCL ends up costing about the same.

[Fishkillbill]

14 hours ago, zqvol said:

 

Price it after you get off, not when you book. The cost is what your total out of pocket is when you get home. I bet you discover that for a similar cabin with a similar drink and dining package that NCL ends up costing about the same.

 

The cost will be the same, except for the daily tip. I don't plan to buy any drinks or dining packages. The one excursion is already paid for and included in what I posted.

[cliffd64]

On 1/9/2019 at 10:58 AM, Fishkillbill said:

I booked the cruise on October 22, 2018. We leave on January 26, 2019 and return to NJ on February 3, 2019. We stop at Port Canaveral, Nassau and Cococay. We will be on the Anthem of the Sea. Balcony room, deck 8, mid ship. I didn't think I got any sort of bargain.

The cost is:

Cruise                   $1,503.32

Drinks                     $188.62 (soda)

Gratuities             $232.00

Excursion                $ 98.00 (in Nassau)

Parking                 $ 176.00 (Port Liberty)

                                $2197.94

I was looking at cruises, on Norwegian, out of New York. 

Not interested in perks. We don't drink. Don't need Wifi. Not interested in other dinners besides the buffet and Main Dining Room. No airfare, we live 60 miles north of Manhattan. Is this cost close to Norwegian?

Similar cruise on NCL Escape for 2/24 is 2056.30.... With no perks

[Fishkillbill]

4 hours ago, cliffd64 said:

Similar cruise on NCL Escape for 2/24 is 2056.30.... With no perks

 

This is what I see for a 7 day cruise. Mine is 8 day.

[tomservo]

I saw some pretty good deals on the Anthem out of NYC a few months ago during their kids sail free promotion. An 8-day Anthem cruise out of NYC for next month was going to 2146 for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids under 12).

 

[Fishkillbill]

2 hours ago, tomservo said:

I saw some pretty good deals on the Anthem out of NYC a few months ago during their kids sail free promotion. An 8-day Anthem cruise out of NYC for next month was going to 2146 for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids under 12).

 

 

I guess it's OK. Over $600 more than I am paying. 

[tallnthensome]

Man, both my kids are under 12 and good deal or not. I would not want to sail out of New York in Februrary. Two Ice cold days out and two ice cold days back. That's why those prices are so low. We want warmth and sun the minute we board and if it costs more to do so then so be it. Who would want to sail out of New York with snow storms still possible?

[tomservo]

25 minutes ago, Fishkillbill said:

 

I guess it's OK. Over $600 more than I am paying. 

Is your reservation for 2 people? This was a quote for 2 adults and 2 kids.

[Fishkillbill]

5 minutes ago, tomservo said:

Is your reservation for 2 people? This was a quote for 2 adults and 2 kids.

 

My reservation is for two people. Theirs is for two people and kids are free. I assume the same price as with just the two adults.

[tomservo]

13 minutes ago, Fishkillbill said:

 

My reservation is for two people. Theirs is for two people and kids are free. I assume the same price as with just the two adults.

You still have to pay port fees and taxes etc on each "free kid", kids are never truly free with the free kids promo, just significantly discounted.