Do current prices ever exceed brochure prices?

[Canuker]

We usually see discounts. But does the opposite ever occur?

Or is the brochure price effectively a price cap?

[paul929207]

when sails are good, prices will rise

[ColeThornton]

I would ask this on the forum for whatever cruise line you are asking about.  Different lines have varied pricing strategies.

[CruiserBruce]

Generally, this is all based on supply and demand. So I would never say prices don't go above catalog prices. Particularly as everything is on the internal, rather than in a printed catalog. Printed sale ads or catalog prices, which have a offer code that defines that pricing are usually "while supply lasts", so raising above that price is definitely possible.

[Tapi]

High demand sailings like Christmas, New Year are notoriously some of the most expensive, so you can expect to pay a premium. But even then, I've personally never seen actual fares that exceed "brochure" fares. That doesn't mean that it couldn't happen.

 

I'm on a website which lists brochure fares next to actual fares for individual sailings and not a single one has actual fares that exceed brochure fares. I'm even looking at high demand sailings. 

[LHT28]

5 hours ago, Canuker said:

We usually see discounts. But does the opposite ever occur?

Or is the brochure price effectively a price cap?

Do people actually pay brochure price ??

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, paul929207 said:

when sails are good, prices will rise

Well you hope the sails are good  when you are on the ship 😲

If they are not  they should not  set off to sea .... a disaster waiting to happen

[Hlitner]

In over forty years of extensive cruising I have never seen actual cruise prices exceed the regular brochure prices.  I would also mention that in over 100 bookings we have never paid anything near to brochure prices and often pay a lot less then even the sale brochure prices.  In addition, by booking through our favored high volume cruise agencies we normally save another 7-10% (and more) via amenities such as generous on board credits, pre-paid gratuities, etc.  That is why we have long championed the basic truth that it pays to shop around (among reputable cruise/travel agencies) for the best overall deals.

 

Hank

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Do people actually pay brochure price ??

 

Yes.

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, Tapi said:

High demand sailings like Christmas, New Year are notoriously some of the most expensive, so you can expect to pay a premium. But even then, I've personally never seen actual fares that exceed "brochure" fares. That doesn't mean that it couldn't happen.

 

The brochure fare is already higher for high demand sailings so no reason to raise the price more just because it's a high demand sailing. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

Though perhaps not what OP is asking, the reality remains that some cruise lines regularly raise their brochure prices as often as twice yearly. And then, as you might expect, they offer a holiday sale at X% off (based on the new price) and it’s a wash (until the sale is over).

More importantly, waiting for a price drop on premium/luxury lines often backfires when one finds that the most popular/unusual itineraries become waitlisted within weeks of their initial announcement. Then, on the few occasions when there is a need to fill one week “Caribbean boat rides” available cabins at a discounted price, what’s left is “slim pickin’s.”

[Host Kat]

6 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Do people actually pay brochure price ??

 

3 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

Yes.

 

Probably plenty of newbies to cruising that have not yet found Cruise Critic!   

[Shmoo here]

13 hours ago, Canuker said:

We usually see discounts. But does the opposite ever occur?

Or is the brochure price effectively a price cap?

I've found that the brochure price is usually the lowest price offered within a category.  The wording is typically "starting at $XXX".

[wowzz]

When P&O (UK) launch their new cruise schedule/brochure the prices shown are the initial prices, and the prices then increase thereafter. So, you book at launch to get the cheapest price - after the first week or so the brochure prices are basically irrelevant, and you will always pay more than the published fares.

[navybankerteacher]

49 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

I've found that the brochure price is usually the lowest price offered within a category.  The wording is typically "starting at $XXX".

On the other hand, I have never seen an itinerary being offered (by agents or by the line itself) at anything other than a significant discount from brochure price.  I think it is clear that inflated brochure prices are just a marketing gimmick.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I've never seen cruises go for more than brochure prices either.  If you are paying those prices you aren't doing your homework!  We get major discounts by shopping around.

 

It sounds like it may be different in the UK.

[sanger727]

I think people are defining ‘brochure’ prices differently. No, I’ve never seen a cruise sell anywhere close to the ‘brochure’ price. As in the price that is printed in a paper brochure for the cruise line. I think those prices are the cruise lines wildest dreams and are designed just to be discounted. Brochure prices I’ve seen are in the ream

of $3,000 pp for an inside cabin on a 7 day cruise.

[sverigecruiser]

7 hours ago, Host Kat said:

 

 

Probably plenty of newbies to cruising that have not yet found Cruise Critic!   

 

Compared to many here I'm a newbie with only 9 cruises and 5000 posts here and because of that I have always paid the brochure rate. If I shall book from a TA or from the cruiseline here I will have to pay the brochure rate. (And I don't get any OBC or anything else from the TA.)

[sverigecruiser]

6 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

On the other hand, I have never seen an itinerary being offered (by agents or by the line itself) at anything other than a significant discount from brochure price.  I think it is clear that inflated brochure prices are just a marketing gimmick.

 

That seems to be correct in the US. Here the brochure rate is what we have to pay for the cruise.

[sverigecruiser]

2 hours ago, sanger727 said:

I think people are defining ‘brochure’ prices differently. No, I’ve never seen a cruise sell anywhere close to the ‘brochure’ price. As in the price that is printed in a paper brochure for the cruise line. I think those prices are the cruise lines wildest dreams and are designed just to be discounted. Brochure prices I’ve seen are in the ream

of $3,000 pp for an inside cabin on a 7 day cruise.

 

I define the brochure rate as the price printed in the brochure. Easy to find a few years ago but more difficult now when most cruiseline doesn't print the prices in the brochures.  

[davecttr]

6 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

I've never seen cruises go for more than brochure prices either.  If you are paying those prices you aren't doing your homework!  We get major discounts by shopping around.

 

It sounds like it may be different in the UK.

In the UK consumer law is different. You pay your deposit and then the balance at about 90 days before departure date although now in COVID times the final payment might be at 30 days. If you cancel before final payment you lose all your deposit and the cruise line get to sell your cabin to someone else. As Wowzz says prices are often lowest at launch and the laws of supply and demand then apply.

[wowzz]

One UK line, Saga, when releasing new cruises, prints the cruise price per cabin category, and then shows the price with 35% discount. When a certain number of cabins at that price  have been sold, the discount decreases to 30% and then to 25% and so forth. 

So, the only people who pay the full brochure price are the ones that book last, and once you have booked, you know that no one who books later than yourself will get a better fare. This method increases the number of early bookings,  and is clear and transparent. 

  

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

One UK line, Saga, when releasing new cruises, prints the cruise price per cabin category, and then shows the price with 35% discount. When a certain number of cabins at that price  have been sold, the discount decreases to 30% and then to 25% and so forth. 

So, the only people who pay the full brochure price are the ones that book last, and once you have booked, you know that no one who books later than yourself will get a better fare. This method increases the number of early bookings,  and is clear and transparent. 

  

 

I like that!

[2wheelin]

8 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

That seems to be correct in the US. Here the brochure rate is what we have to pay for the cruise.

Curious whether your brochure rates for a specific cruise are the same as ours.

 

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

One UK line, Saga, when releasing new cruises, prints the cruise price per cabin category, and then shows the price with 35% discount. When a certain number of cabins at that price  have been sold, the discount decreases to 30% and then to 25% and so forth. 

So, the only people who pay the full brochure price are the ones that book last, and once you have booked, you know that no one who books later than yourself will get a better fare. This method increases the number of early bookings,  and is clear and transparent. 

  

That simplifies it but doesn’t allow for those who can’t book 2 years in advance for whatever reason. We shouldn’t have to always pay more because our situations differ. I think we would be surprised to learn how many people cannot commit more than a few months out, Most people I know have to request vacation time during a specific time period which may not be that far in advance. My daughter’s employer has until April to approve summer vacation requests and then base it on seniority. It doesn’t cost the cruise line more because I book 6 months ahead rather than 2 years.

Maybe the cruise lines should just set a reasonably expected rate to begin with and like other businesses, hold a sale if needed to sell out. Or set the price reasonable enough that a sale is not needed.

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, 2wheelin said:

Curious whether your brochure rates for a specific cruise are the same as ours.

 

That simplifies it but doesn’t allow for those who can’t book 2 years in advance for whatever reason. We shouldn’t have to always pay more because our situations differ. I think we would be surprised to learn how many people cannot commit more than a few months out, Most people I know have to request vacation time during a specific time period which may not be that far in advance. My daughter’s employer has until April to approve summer vacation requests and then base it on seniority. It doesn’t cost the cruise line more because I book 6 months ahead rather than 2 years.

Maybe the cruise lines should just set a reasonably expected rate to begin with and like other businesses, hold a sale if needed to sell out. Or set the price reasonable enough that a sale is not needed.

To be fair, Saga's ships only have 1000 pax, and you have to be over 50, so their clientele are the sort of people that have no worries about getting time off, or booking two years in advance.

There is a big difference in holiday entitlement between the US and Europe.  The majority of Europeans will get 25 days holiday a year (at least) plus public holidays,  and booking holidays well in advance is welcomed, as it helps in holiday cover planning.

So European based cruise companies tend to offer the best prices at launch, and then increase prices thereafter. To be honest, if I pay a deposit 18 months in advance, I would be peeved if someone got a better price if they booked 6 months in advance. And don't forget, you cannot "refare" in Europe.