NCL is making prices 50% higher due to Corona

[FitchburgWIFamily]

The assumption that only those with FCCs are booking is a false assumption.  i don't have FCC and I have one cruise booked and am shopping for another.  I love to cruise, and I cannot wait to get back on a boat.

 

Not all NCL prices are through the roof..  My niece and I were looking at a 9 day cruise: Spain Italy Monaco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia.  All 5 free at sea.  Flights for 2 people:  $4.000 per couple.  If it weren't for my fear that we would be required to take ship's excursions, I would have booked it in a second.  I love NCL ships, but like to do my own excursions.

 

I think NCLs prices always fluctuate by demand.  The 02/2022 cruise I booked more than a year ago is almost 3 times more expensive now.  I booked it 12/2019 when I was reading the tealeaves about my 02/2021 cruise.   

 

I think one thing that is different now is a lot of people (not just FCCers) are looking further out to book their cruise.  People that would normally be booking for 6 months in the future are all looking at 12 or 18 months out.  So the demand on later dates is higher than it would be in normal years.  

 

Anybody who sells anything takes a risk with pricing it:  you want to price it as high as you can and still sell it.  Price it too high, no one buys.  Price it too low, and you have an opportunity cost of profit you couldn't have made.  There is nothing unethical about that, it is how markets work.  

 

 

 

[drsel]

On 2/10/2021 at 8:47 PM, tallnthensome said:

Welcome to a reality that most knew about long ago. Trick people into accepting a 25% FCC then raise the prices 50%

this is true in the case of Norwegian, but not all Cruise lines.

There are still some good deals available, but not with Norwegian

[DaCruiseBug]

13 minutes ago, drsel said:

this is true in the case of Norwegian, but not all Cruise lines.

There are still some good deals available, but not with Norwegian

 

Agreed. My friends just booked the Celebrity Apex with us and it was $2,700 for 2 people in an Infinite Veranda cabin with beverage package, wifi, and prepaid gratuities. Can't beat that on a brand new ship with the quality of Celebrity. I don't even think you can find a balcony with perks for under $3,000 for 2 people on one of NCLs newer ships.

[drsel]

On 2/10/2021 at 9:23 PM, DaCruiseBug said:

 

Airlines haven't raised fares and they're losing a ton of money. As a matter of fact, most airlines even flew at reduced capacity for months (some still do now). Yet airline fares are dirt cheap. They're not doubling their fares to make up for the pandemic.

 

While all cruise lines have raised prices, none have raised them as much as NCL.

NCL prices are so high that they are unlikely to sell all the cabins.

This implies that there will be plenty of last minute price drops, in order to fill all the cabins.

because they need a full ship for the tipping staff to get their full salary from gratuities

[drsel]

1 minute ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

Agreed. My friends just booked the Celebrity Apex with us and it was $2,700 for 2 people in an Infinite Veranda cabin with beverage package, wifi, and prepaid gratuities. Can't beat that on a brand new ship with the quality of Celebrity. I don't even think you can find a balcony with perks for under $3,000 for 2 people on one of NCLs newer ships.

And Celebrity is in a class way above Norwegian.

Celebrity is positioned between the mass market lines and the luxury lines

[drsel]

On 2/10/2021 at 9:45 PM, DCGuy64 said:

Yes and if they had to hire US employees and pay US taxes, I'd pay $10,000 pp for a tiny inside cabin and could never afford to sail.

If cruise lines could turn a profit and be US-based, they would.

I am so glad I can afford to Cruise!

Edited February 27, 2021 by drsel

[drsel]

On 2/10/2021 at 9:50 PM, Red-Sol said:

Just a guess/opinion from me....but if the cruise lines can ever reach a point where they can start up again and approach normalcy... not only will they not be able to increase prices to make up for the Covid shut down...they will actually need to lower them significantly from where they are today. All of us fanatics on cruisecritic make it sound like there is such an overwhelming pent up demand to cruise that the ships will automatically fill up at high prices just as soon as it is allowed. There is a much larger population out there that has enjoyed cruising but may very well be scared off for good. When/If cruising comes back...I believe the prices will end up being much lower than they are today.

What you say sounds good. I just hope your prediction is true

[drsel]

On 2/15/2021 at 9:11 AM, Red-Sol said:

Some Cruise lines have become too expensive like Norwegian and Celebrity

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by drsel

[Peachypooh]

I just booked a 7 day cruise on the Pearl. It was almost twice the price of when I sailed her on

a 7 day before. I am hoping the price goes down so I  can re-book. On the other hand I just looked

up a 7 day on the Encore and it was actually a little less than a 7 day that I took on her. Of course these

prices aren't an apples to apples but just giving my experience.

[drsel]

4 hours ago, Peachypooh said:

I just booked a 7 day cruise on the Pearl. It was almost twice the price of when I sailed her on

a 7 day before. I am hoping the price goes down so I  can re-book. On the other hand I just looked

up a 7 day on the Encore and it was actually a little less than a 7 day that I took on her. Of course these

prices aren't an apples to apples but just giving my experience.

Norwegian Jade price had crashed to less than $35 per person per night (including all port fees and taxes) for a Feb 2020 Cruise from Singapore to Dubai.

Just prior to Covid-19.

Pity I couldn't book it, cos I had other Cruises booked in February

[cheetahz]

Unfortunately NCL is almost triple of some other lines.  Their false advertising of 5 perks free has always been a joke. I love NCL and still have FCC and next cruise credits.  I'll be asking for a refund on the FCC and still have couple years with the next cruise credits if prices come down to a more normal level.  Almost forgot the one flight free is another joke.  Price it yourself much better deal. 

 

[PTC DAWG]

5 hours ago, cheetahz said:

Unfortunately NCL is almost triple of some other lines.  Their false advertising of 5 perks free has always been a joke. I love NCL and still have FCC and next cruise credits.  I'll be asking for a refund on the FCC and still have couple years with the next cruise credits if prices come down to a more normal level.  Almost forgot the one flight free is another joke.  Price it yourself much better deal. 

 

I have priced it, no way I can fly 2 from ATL to Jamaica fir $350 round trip.  
 

prices on Joy seem fair to me for this sailing. YMMV. 

[graphicguy]

10 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

I have priced it, no way I can fly 2 from ATL to Jamaica fir $350 round trip.  
 

prices on Joy seem fair to me for this sailing. YMMV. 

I'm flying from CVG, through ATL for $350 RT.  But, that's just for me.  Can you fly from ATL to MIA for $350 for 2?  IF so, that's a bargain.

[Liljo22]

17 hours ago, cheetahz said:

Unfortunately NCL is almost triple of some other lines.  Their false advertising of 5 perks free has always been a joke. I love NCL and still have FCC and next cruise credits.  I'll be asking for a refund on the FCC and still have couple years with the next cruise credits if prices come down to a more normal level.  Almost forgot the one flight free is another joke.  Price it yourself much better deal. 

 

I guess its depending on the cruise but I am seeing everyone high right now and NCL is right around RCCL and CCL for what I am looking for.  Shopping a Spring Break cruise here in Texas and this is the pricing(All 7 Day Balcony for 4 people):

 

Norwegian Breakaway (New Orleans) - $4,212 Before adding any perks

Carnival Vista(Galveston) - $3997

RCCL Liberty of the Seas (Galveston) - $5,626

 

I won't pay any of those prices but RCCL is outrageous.  I paid $3000 with perks for a balcony for 4 on the Getaway March 2020.  Pricing will go down once supply gets going.  

[pmd98052]

Yeah just wait prices will drop as while they might easily fill early sailings with those of us desperate to cruise I think it will take them some time to get confidence back from the general population.

 

We're about to go on a MSC Cruise out of the UK and most friends we know think we are crazy (we're fully vaccinated as well). The prices for those cruises started high but are dropping quickly as they're struggling to fill the ships with even the 1,000 reduced passenger loads (on a 6,200 passenger ship).

[pghflyer]

The prices are ridiculous and not in the realm of what I am willing to pay (not paying double normal price for a cruise just to use a $250 CruiseNext cert).  

 

However, have you guys seen the articles on rental car and hotel room prices?  Some limited availability travel industry things are driving prices higher.

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rental-car-rates-soar-with-vehicles-in-short-supply-as-travel-rebounds/

 

In all cases, the rates will stick only if they are finding people to pay them.  Guess we will see who blinks first.

[kochleffel]

I'm not seeing this myself. I just booked a cruise for 2023 and compared the fare with a similar cruise, taking place this year, that I booked almost two years ago. Same ship, same length, same type of cabin, embarking from the same country. The difference in the two fares was less than $100.

 

Fares are dynamic: supply and demand. Every itinerary, every sailing, and every cabin type can have different fares and they change all the time.

[winemama]

On 5/11/2021 at 5:29 PM, cheetahz said:

Unfortunately NCL is almost triple of some other lines.  Their false advertising of 5 perks free has always been a joke. I love NCL and still have FCC and next cruise credits.  I'll be asking for a refund on the FCC and still have couple years with the next cruise credits if prices come down to a more normal level.  Almost forgot the one flight free is another joke.  Price it yourself much better deal. 

 

NCL offers the free drink package, but you have to pay the gratuities, Princess is offering the same but gratuities are included.  I like HAL, but Princess is killing them price wise