Are you booking any future Carnival Cruises now simply due to inflation and higher future cruise prices?

[jerseyjjs]

With the negative press the Spirit and the Valor received the past week, not so sure Carnival can afford to jack up their price too much.

[Colorado Cruzer]

No. I have one more in December 2022 and not booking anything else until I hear on these boards the supply chain and staffing/service issues have been resolved.  I'm just really done with the testing ahead of the cruise when they are pointless and expensive. 

[Hoosierpop]

I’m going to keep booking until Carnival stops sending me good deals. I have yet to talk with someone who didn’t have a good time on a cruise since it’s opened back up, so not worried about it.

[fabby50]

I booked through 2023 when all the lines were having the "please booK" sales over a year ago.  Got some good deals, plus a lot of extra included stuff (booze packages, shore excursion credit, on board credit, etc.).  I am waiting until after the beginning of 2023 to book anything else.  I keep hearing how everyone is/will be taking "revenge vacations" so prices are up and everything will be quite crowded, no matter what kind of vacation you plan.  On airfare, it seems to be going down slightly, at least to the Caribbean.  I was looking at Curaco a month or two ago and it was $2,500 a ticket!  Last week, it was down to $1,500 to $1,700.  Its too early for me to book for our trips next year, but I will be keeping an eye on it.

[firefly333]

On 5/5/2022 at 4:01 PM, tallnthensome said:

Yea, when Carnival had that 50% off sale a few weeks I had to jump on it for 2024. It wasn't so much because it was such an appealing cruise in itself. I knew that sailing a new ship (Jubilee) with wife and two teenage daughters for a week in an extended balcony for $1700 was steal and come 2024 who knows how much it would be. I find myself booking insurance policy cruises out of economic speculation and the outlook isn't pretty in my opinion. Take whatever amazing deals I'm handed now knowing in two years they could be double or triple. 

I would have booked jubilee myself if half off. I wouldnt book at full price. I was on a cruise on rcl when the 2nd half off sale hit and by the time I got online it said extended but only nov 2023 was a tiny bit off. No where close to half off.

 

Bad timing. If I had half off I'd jump on it too. Right now rcl is cheaper than jubilee. It's nothing against carnival but I think their prices are already high. I see no deals. Jubilee is on my list but I'll wait for prices to drop. 

 

I paid for a flight to miami for oasis march 12, ..that's bad enough. I'm good staying home and go with what I booked if carnival doesnt have any deals. 

[firefly333]

51 minutes ago, fabby50 said:

On airfare, it seems to be going down slightly, at least to the Caribbean.  I was looking at Curaco a month or two ago and it was $2,500 a ticket!  Last week, it was down to $1,500 to $1,700.  Its too early for me to book for our trips next year, but I will be keeping an eye on it.

I booked airfare the day the round trip came out. March 11 to march 19 2023, so a bad time. Prices started 498. I paid 518, prices now start 542, my fare would be 688. 

 

Maybe it's because of when I'm  flying. Dfw to mia. Prices have steadily gone up every week on this or that fare. I've been tracking. 

[IslandHppy]

I am burning off air miles miles left over from affinity credit cards from lockdown shopping.  After that - cash.  Demand for air seems up, fuel prices and staff costs up also.  The nearby home port strategy might pay off.  I am less fussy lately.  

 

[mowogo]

I'll admit Inflation is what prompted me to book Alaska for this summer when I got in insane casino offer a few weeks ago ($412 after tax for an extended balcony on the spirit with $100 OBC), since I know that everything is hitting Alaska even harder, and it will cost significantly more in the future.

[IslandHppy]

On 5/7/2022 at 9:53 AM, Colorado Cruzer said:

No. I have one more in December 2022 and not booking anything else until I hear on these boards the supply chain and staffing/service issues have been resolved.  I'm just really done with the testing ahead of the cruise when they are pointless and expensive. 

On the Valor now.  I am unable to detect staffing or supply chain issues. 

[SRQbeachgirl]

I'm not booking out of fear that prices will go up, it's more out of taking advantage of great deals I'm being offered now. I have never booked a cruise more than 12 moths out until recently, when I booked the Horizon for Nov 2023 because I got an offer for free Cheers and a rate for an aft-facing Havana balcony for less than I paid for a regular balcony pre-pandemic. That wasn't booked now because I was worried the price would go up later, it was booked because it's a cruise I probably wouldn't have booked otherwise but for a great offer.

[Itried4498]

Carnival's prices are on the rise and I wouldn't expect that to reverse itself anytime soon.  Carnival literally gave away staterooms, hoping it'd make up the difference in incidental spending, but for many bottom feeders, I doubt that is happening, which will force Carnival to rethink its pricing strategy and be more selective to who receives such offers.  

 

In one of its earnings calls last year, Wynn Resorts (Las Vegas) mentioned how they lowered room rates thinking it'd attract a crowd that could provide some revenue, but instead attracted bottom feeders who were more interested in taking advantage of cheap rooms and partying (BYOB).  Wynn acknowledged it would be very selective in discounting going forward.  I bet Carnival will come to the same conclusion.  

[tallnthensome]

27 minutes ago, Itried4498 said:

Carnival's prices are on the rise and I wouldn't expect that to reverse itself anytime soon.  Carnival literally gave away staterooms, hoping it'd make up the difference in incidental spending, but for many bottom feeders, I doubt that is happening, which will force Carnival to rethink its pricing strategy and be more selective to who receives such offers.  

 

In one of its earnings calls last year, Wynn Resorts (Las Vegas) mentioned how they lowered room rates thinking it'd attract a crowd that could provide some revenue, but instead attracted bottom feeders who were more interested in taking advantage of cheap rooms and partying (BYOB).  Wynn acknowledged it would be very selective in discounting going forward.  I bet Carnival will come to the same conclusion.  

I agree with you completely. I know many people personally who cruise and don't spend a dime on board.... probably stiff on the tip as well. They don't buy drink packages or take tours nor gamble. They go for the food. This is not the type of cruisers that make Carnival money and there are a lot of them . I have only taken three Carnival cruises with my family (usually other lines) but we do spend money on drink packages, tours, specialty dining,  etc. I've received some amazing offers lately. To get back on point I think costs will rise for those types of cruisers previously mentioned to cover the costs while those who spend on board will receive better offers. Overall I can't see how cruises for 2023 and 2024 don't go much higher.

Edited May 8, 2022 by tallnthensome

[Badfinger]

On 5/5/2022 at 3:27 PM, tallnthensome said:

Is anyone booking more Carnival cruises than usual for the future out of fear of rising cruising costs instead of simply a desired cruise? I started booking cruises for 2023 a bit back and even one on the Jubilee for August 2024 a month ago. Normally I book for desire and destination but have been booking any great deals I can because of price thinking that cruising costs will continue to rise very quickly and may price many out. Anyone approaching their bookings this way or are you approaching your cruises for 2023 and 2024 in your usual manner with prices down the road not being a concern? 

 

Are you not concerned with big time cutbacks by Carnival to compensate for inflation?  Sure you got a cheap price, and obviously many others have as well, but come 2023, I could see a cruise where more things will have an uncharge.  Want bacon?  $5.  No free lunch at the Italian restaurant.  Reduced hours in the Spa, higher bingo prices, much higher alcohol prices,  and perhaps strategically cancelled ports (read the fine print)  in order to allow the ships to sail at reduced speeds to reduce fuel consumption.    Sure it might be cheaper to book now...but you might end up getting what you paid for!

[tallnthensome]

2 minutes ago, Badfinger said:

 

Are you not concerned with big time cutbacks by Carnival to compensate for inflation?  Sure you got a cheap price, and obviously many others have as well, but come 2023, I could see a cruise where more things will have an uncharge.  Want bacon?  $5.  No free lunch at the Italian restaurant.  Reduced hours in the Spa, higher bingo prices, much higher alcohol prices,  and perhaps strategically cancelled ports (read the fine print)  in order to allow the ships to sail at reduced speeds to reduce fuel consumption.    Sure it might be cheaper to book now...but you might end up getting what you paid for!

I'm concerned about a lot of things including cutbacks. Nickel and diming has already been going on. I will still say that when it comes to family vacations cruising can still be the most affordable and offer the best bang for your buck when comparing land resort costs where food and drink are outrageous and sights and activities will cost ya. I agree our dollars will get stretched thinner and it will take more of them but that why I'm booked using great deals into 2024. I expect the worse or at least higher prices than I paid today come tomorrow. 

 

[Itried4498]

6 minutes ago, Badfinger said:

 

Are you not concerned with big time cutbacks by Carnival to compensate for inflation?  Sure you got a cheap price, and obviously many others have as well, but come 2023, I could see a cruise where more things will have an uncharge.  Want bacon?  $5.  No free lunch at the Italian restaurant.  Reduced hours in the Spa, higher bingo prices, much higher alcohol prices,  and perhaps strategically cancelled ports (read the fine print)  in order to allow the ships to sail at reduced speeds to reduce fuel consumption.    Sure it might be cheaper to book now...but you might end up getting what you paid for!

 

A few thoughts:

-- As it is, Carnival Corporation is having a hard time getting its legacy passengers -- largely the big-spending 50+ crowd -- back.  Any MAJOR cut-back would have to be well thought out, or they'd alienate (possibly forever) their core consumer.  

 

-- It's inevitable that prices for bingo, alcohol, premium restaurants, etc. will increase.  But as these are avoidable charges, there's a ceiling to these price increases.  If you double the price of bingo card, I'm not going to play.  If you increase drinks by 33%, I'm going to do most of my drinking in Mexico off ship.  $50 to get into the steakhouse?  That's on par with what I'd pay at many steak restaurants even in Los Angeles.  Why bother to pay for a meal, when plenty of good food is available for free?

 

-- Offering limited, crappy meal selections in the buffet or in the restaurant would constitute a major cutback.  A change like this... would probably having me seeking refunds on future bookings, and spending my vacation money elsewhere.

[tallnthensome]

38 minutes ago, Itried4498 said:

 

 Offering limited, crappy meal selections in the buffet or in the restaurant would constitute a major cutback.  A change like this... would probably having me seeking refunds on future bookings, and spending my vacation money elsewhere.

The scary part about this is alot of that has happened and as a seasoned cruiser I've watched and listened to what cruisers, especially the blue card holders, are willing to accept food wise and pay for even over the past few years  ..... The buffets and MDR have gone downhill and people are willing to eat and be content with eating a greasy Guys burger and never even go to the MDR and Carnival loves that.  I agree, there is a quality threshold that can't be crossed or I too will spend elsewhere.  What old school cruisers were willing to spend on cruises is different than what a lot of new cruisers are willing to pay and Carnival. Ant afford to lose their loyal decades long cruisers for all blue cards. At least putting a deposit down for a cruise in 2024 let's me keep an eye as we go and if quality really falls off between now and then I just cancel when the time comes and maybe lose a couple hundred buck deposit. 

[mowogo]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

The scary part about this is alot of that has happened and as a seasoned cruiser I've watched and listened to what cruisers, especially the blue card holders, are willing to accept food wise and pay for even over the past few years  ..... The buffets and MDR have gone downhill and people are willing to eat and be content with eating a greasy Guys burger and never even go to the MDR and Carnival loves that.  I agree, there is a quality threshold that can't be crossed or I too will spend elsewhere.  What old school cruisers were willing to spend on cruises is different than what a lot of new cruisers are willing to pay and Carnival. Ant afford to lose their loyal decades long cruisers for all blue cards. At least putting a deposit down for a cruise in 2024 let's me keep an eye as we go and if quality really falls off between now and then I just cancel when the time comes and maybe lose a couple hundred buck deposit. 

Carnival Corporation is very well defined segment wise, and that actually gives Carnival Cruise Lines very little room to maneuver on the pricing front.  Carnival too poor quality to match your desires, well then you need to upgrade to Holland America or Princess is their corporate philosophy.  And with fewer people using the MDR, they can reconfigure those spaces to be more productive financially (on the multi dining room ships, could easily see the space of one dining room being converted into a mix of quick service and up charge options).  With casino offers, I find Carnival meets great value for the price especially when I compare hotel prices (Anybody that has been looking at Miami or Seattle hotels will understand), where 2 nights before the cruise is more than the cruise itself, even for 6 days in a balcony. 

[peteandpris]

On 5/5/2022 at 6:53 PM, tallnthensome said:

I agree, the airfare is horrid. Had to book at $569 a piece for 4 from Detroit to Seattle for August non-stop. That's with a red eye getting into Seattle at 1AM too. The air cost only about $500 less than our 8 day Alaskan cruise for four. 

It's time to move to Fl.