Is all the "Pent Up Demand" real?

[Mary229]

On 3/20/2021 at 6:21 PM, srpilo said:

Cruise Critic members represents only about 1% of the total annual pre-pandemic cruise bookings, s

In my experience the regular CC members are also older than the general population. The older population has been much more cautious and concerned about Covid.  Plus if you are 40 and cooped up with your kids 24/7 for the past year I am sure you are ready for a vacation

[srpilo]

6 hours ago, Mary229 said:

In my experience the regular CC members are also older than the general population. The older population has been much more cautious and concerned about Covid.  Plus if you are 40 and cooped up with your kids 24/7 for the past year I am sure you are ready for a vacation

 

Yeah, I agree as you said most people after all the restrictions are ready for a vacation, BUT that doesn't translate into they're all clamoring for a "cruise" 

Once again this is Cruise Critic, and most of us here equate vacation with cruising, unlike the VAST majority of Americans who still see cruising as a novelty. Cruiser's are still a very small percentage of the total vacation world and this site still doesn't represent a very large slice USA vacationers.

 

Just trying to keep the "Demand" in perspective

[Mary229]

Just now, srpilo said:

 

Yeah, I agree as you said most people after all the restrictions are ready for a vacation, BUT that doesn't translate into they're all clamoring for a "cruise" 

Once again this is Cruise Critic, and most of us here equate vacation with cruising, unlike the VAST majority of Americans who still see cruising as a novelty. Cruiser's are still a very small percentage of the total vacation world and this site still doesn't represent a very large slice USA vacationers.

 

Just trying to keep the "Demand" in perspective

I think cruising for many is what they want, it is a simple fix.  No planning, no fuss,  no mess, just a simple phone call and a credit card.  That is what a lot of people like.

[Sir PMP]

On 3/20/2021 at 12:50 PM, Hlitner said:

A great question.  If we believe the cruise lines their future bookings are good.  On the other hand, should we believe the cruise lines?  Darned if I know.   Many folks simply shifted deposits on cancelled cruises over to a future cruise.  Whether they have any intention of taking that future cruise is also a question.  Until final payment one never knows.

 

Hank

well, it sounds good, doesn't it?

[kazu]

On 3/20/2021 at 1:50 PM, Hlitner said:

Many folks simply shifted deposits on cancelled cruises over to a future cruise.

and many paid hard cold cash.  Not everyone is loaded with FCC’s.  

[fatcat04]

14 hours ago, Mary229 said:

In my experience the regular CC members are also older than the general population. The older population has been much more cautious and concerned about Covid.  Plus if you are 40 and cooped up with your kids 24/7 for the past year I am sure you are ready for a vacation

Your bet!! I told hubby after we get vaccinated if our cruise doesn't go in Oct/Nov come hell or high water, we are travelling and probably to Mexico which we both love and hope to retire to one day. This is the longest in our 20+ years of marriage we have NOT travelled. 

[Boatdrill]

On 3/20/2021 at 9:36 AM, groundloop said:

I've been reading about "pent up demand" in regards to future cruises etc. etc. but have to wonder if there's as much demand as some are claiming.  

Some sailings are definitely in demand.  The April 2022 Hawaii/South Pacific on the Zuiderdam r/t San Diego is nearly sold out. Space sold quickly, and when the price dropped a bit, that was enough to sell the remaining verandahs and suites. Those are now waitlisted. Ocean view and inside rooms are available.    

Edited March 23, 2021 by Boatdrill

[Mary229]

7 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

. Space sold quickly, and when the price dropped a bit, that was enough to sell the remaining verandahs and suites. Those are now waitlisted

The problem is we don't know if they are sold out or being held in reserve to comply with CDC guidelines.  

[Boatdrill]

7 hours ago, Mary229 said:

The problem is we don't know if they are sold out or being held in reserve to comply with CDC guidelines.  

That's true. However no matter what the quantity of rooms for sale is, that cruise is a hot ticket right now.  One verandah VB cabin opened up for sale yesterday, and it's gone today.  

Edited March 23, 2021 by Boatdrill

[sfaaa]

You don't need to look further. Cruises prices have been going up across all cruise lines for months.

[Gracie115]

Yes, it is....look at how quickly the Celebrity St Maarten sailings are selling.....

[CruiserBruce]

51 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

Yes, it is....look at how quickly the Celebrity St Maarten sailings are selling.....

Remember they are limited capacity...

[Gracie115]

32 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Remember they are limited capacity...

Of course, X said around 50%, but still it's selling. 

 

We aren't going but only because I don't want to travel in the Caribbean mid summer....way too hot!!!

[iancal]

I have to wonder whether those on this forum represent the general public.

 

My daughter and family want to take a vacation with their children.  At this point she would not even consider a Disney or any other cruise.  

 

We have nothing booked, nothing planned.  We believe there is pent up demand of sorts but we are certainly not going to pay above the odds for a cruise.   Cruises compete with our travel dollar with AI's and independent travel, etc.   

 

More than once we have started off on a land trip with the intention of booking a cruise part way through.  It sometimes did not happen because we did not feel that the cruise pricing either provided value to us or was remotely comparable to other options that we viewed as being equal.

 

Cruising is simply one of many travel options for many people.  I do not think that cruise lines can be successful by only reaching those most loyal customers or  those who only cruise.  That will be the challenge for them.....after all those FCC's and freebees are sucked up by artificially high pricing.   

 

We are in our late sixties and are desperate to start traveling again. We have a bucket list.  But we have not even discussed where we want to travel to next depending on what opens up but a cruise is not even something we have considered or discussed.  We will wait until well after cruising resumes.

Edited March 29, 2021 by iancal

[bennybear]

We love to travel,  and hope to again in the future.  Pandemics do end.  

2019 was awesome for us and we spent nearly six weeks on two different cruises, along with several other trips.  We love the adventure of being at sea.    

For us, travel is about the experience not just the $.   We see some  doing the same old over and over again only because it’s cheap.  Although we are all limited by our finances,  Age and health wait for no one.  And if 2020 taught us nothing else,  don’t put off what you really want to do! 
 

Anticipation is a huge part of the joy! 

[Cruising-along]

14 minutes ago, bennybear said:

We love to travel,  and hope to again in the future.  Pandemics do end.  

2019 was awesome for us and we spent nearly six weeks on two different cruises, along with several other trips.  We love the adventure of being at sea.    

For us, travel is about the experience not just the $.   We see some  doing the same old over and over again only because it’s cheap.  Although we are all limited by our finances,  Age and health wait for no one.  And if 2020 taught us nothing else,  don’t put off what you really want to do! 
 

Anticipation is a huge part of the joy! 

So well said.  2019 was awesome for us too, 75 days in the Med, Alaska/Denali, and a couple land trips.  I'm SO glad we did that.  I consider us very fortunate that we went when we did, and for our 50th anniversary too!  

Maybe that's why we've booked 3 cruises from our bucket list for the next 2 years -- time waits for no one! Could be because I just had a milestone birthday this year too, I'm feeling anxious.    🙂  

[terrydtx]

On 3/22/2021 at 6:00 PM, kazu said:

and many paid hard cold cash.  Not everyone is loaded with FCC’s.  

We are in the group of not having or taking any FCC's. But, last week we booked a 14 night cruise for Aug 2022 RT from Venice on the Westerdam and we got the last 2 Signature Suites that HAL showed available on that cruise. So I have to agree there is a lot of pent-up demand to book cruises.

 

We have 4 cruises booked for the next 2 years and are looking at a 5th for next year. We also have plans for 2 or 3 more in 2023.

Edited March 29, 2021 by terrydtx

[AncientWanderer]

43 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

We are in the group of not having or taking any FCC's. But, last week we booked a 14 night cruise for Aug 2022 RT from Venice on the Westerdam and we got the last 2 Signature Suites that HAL showed available on that cruise. So I have to agree there is a lot of pent-up demand to book cruises.

 

We have 4 cruises booked for the next 2 years and are looking at a 5th for next year. We also have plans for 2 or 3 more in 2023.

We have four things on the books right now, too -- the last one fall of 2022.   We didn't have any FCC either.  We're just making our plans.  While we have secured staterooms we want, I'd agree that availability seems slim.  Maybe that is just because of capacity controls, as others have suggested.  In any case, we are certainly anxious to GO and are putting down hard dollars.

[JeffElizabeth]

I do wonder what percentage of cruisers will never take another cruise. Fears of getting something,  many have suffered health reverses this past year due to lack of medical care. I do believe there is pent up demand, but we personally wouldn't be all that upset if ours got canceled. I don't know if I want to be on a boat wearing masks if required.  Or all the tables changed to two-tops.