Are NCL sales prices reasonable?

[zitsky]

Had a nice NCL cruise a few years ago.  Was having a conversation on another site with someone who thought NCL sales were misleading.  I’m not sure they are.  All companies, whether cruising or not, have marketing departments and have sales constantly.  If you see a price for a cruise and don’t like it, then don’t book it.  Simple.

Edited November 12, 2022 by zitsky

[pickle11]

Who are you responding to?

[New2cruise2022]

It sounds like you asked and answered your own question. It’s a questioned answered only by the consumer. You pick the things you want - the ship, sailing, duration, room, ports, packages - and then look at the price offered. It is satisfies your values and your budget, then it seems reasonable. Compare the offerings and accept the things you want as a consumer. 

[roger001]

I've never seen NCL actually have a "sale" price, although they always do profess that it is such.  What does happen is the cruise prices fluctuate up and down constantly driven by I will assume supply and demand for each cruise.  

[Liljo22]

I am a comparison shopper when I am booking a cruise and find that NCL is usually right in the range of the other mass market lines.  Some times NCL is a little higher and sometimes a little lower to comparable cruises.  I also will factor in the perks you get.  If NCL ends up being $400 to $500 more than say a RCI cruise but I know I am going to spend $1000 for the RCI drink package, I see NCL as the better value.  

[Liljo22]

27 minutes ago, roger001 said:

I've never seen NCL actually have a "sale" price, although they always do profess that it is such.  What does happen is the cruise prices fluctuate up and down constantly driven by I will assume supply and demand for each cruise.  

While usually true, there are instances where the new sale offered does affect the pricing.  For example, I was watching a spring break cruise for 2020 on the Getaway.  NCL started a Kids Sail Free promotion and my balcony for 4 dropped $1000 over night.

[BirdTravels]

NCL is like any travel industry company. They do demand pricing / yield management. Your goal is to fill as many bunks as possible and maximize your revenue (all revenue sources considered - not just the cruise fare). While there are a lot of people on Cruise Critic that claim that they ever spend money on this or that,,, the shops are full, the restaurants are full, the wine tasting/beverage experiences get booked, the shore excursions are selling out, the casino is overflowing, spa treatments are fully booked - lots and lots of non-cruise fare revenue. The cruise line can give away rooms for free and live off of the additional revenue sources. 

 

Just like an airline... no two seats sell for the same price. Prices go up and down based on highly sophisticated algorithms. 

Edited November 12, 2022 by BirdTravels

[MichiganFisherman]

NCL used to have sales .... now they just have fake sales by changing wording and raising their prices right before lowering them or even just raising their prices and calling it a sail. NCL used to be a good value but now they are one of the lowest values for the money now after Covid. 

[thespiritmovesme]

   I booked a cruise on the Sun for April 2023 when it was "30% off". I have since used several "coupons" to lower the price by $900. Now the same cruise is advertising at "50% off". A simple email to my PCC  & another $930 was discounted. (Before final payment) So In my experience, the sales are real. But then I would never book a cruise  "hoping" for a price drop. I thought it was a good deal originally; now it's even better.

[ChiefMateJRK]

37 minutes ago, thespiritmovesme said:

But then I would never book a cruise  "hoping" for a price drop.

I hope for a price drop on every cruise that I book. 😎

[Liljo22]

1 hour ago, MichiganFisherman said:

NCL used to have sales .... now they just have fake sales by changing wording and raising their prices right before lowering them or even just raising their prices and calling it a sail. NCL used to be a good value but now they are one of the lowest values for the money now after Covid. 

I don’t get your blanket statement on the value.  Just running a comparison of NCL and RCI for example.  A May 7 day virgin island cruise in a balcony for 2 on the Escape and the Symphony OTS came back with this pricing:

 

NCL - $2,666 all in with drink and dining gratuities.

RCL -  $2,968 

 

If I want to add the drink package to RCI, that is another $1,100.  
 

I am booked on a 4 day in December on the Oasis of the Seas.  It’s $1,200 for two in a balcony and I bought the drink package for $660.  I was considering a 5 day on the Encore and it was only $200 more and included drinks and the dining package.  I am doing the Oasis because We haven’t been on the Oasis class yet and I don’t feel like paying $6000 for my family to do the Allure out of Galveston.

 

NCL is not always going to be the best value but to say it’s never the best value is wrong.

 

 

[thespiritmovesme]

35 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I hope for a price drop on every cruise that I book. 😎

OK. Rephrase that to "I never pay a price I think is "too high" or "poor value"  & then "hope" for a price drop. But I always monitor my bookings for any price break after the original booking. 🤑

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 minutes ago, thespiritmovesme said:

OK. Rephrase that to "I never pay a price I think is "too high" or "poor value"  & then "hope" for a price drop. But I always monitor my bookings for any price break after the original booking. 🤑

Yeah, I knew what you meant.  Just joking around. 🤣

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, MichiganFisherman said:

NCL used to have sales .... now they just have fake sales by changing wording and raising their prices right before lowering them or even just raising their prices and calling it a sail. NCL used to be a good value but now they are one of the lowest values for the money now after Covid. 

That is what I heard but CANNOT confirm.  I’m not saying they do or don’t.

[MichiganFisherman]

4 hours ago, zitsky said:

That is what I heard but CANNOT confirm.  I’m not saying they do or don’t.

I sail multiple lines and currently have cruises booked on Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, and Holland. I was a steady NCL cruiser. I watch cruise prices religiously and can tell you that NCL has raised their prices the most of any of them and any sale they offer still leaves the cruise higher than others. Why would I pay $7300 for a 7 day NCL Hawaii cruise with FAS next year for my family when I can and did book princess for 16 days with Drink package, wifi, grats, and $400 OBC for $6500? My 12 day Europe to Iceland on  Carrnival for 2023 was $3700 while similar on NCL is $10,000. Even if you ran a real sale on those NCL cruises they would still be a ripoff. NCL used to be a good value.

[zitsky]

Ok sounds like NCL is not making friends.

[graphicguy]

And yet, I just got back from the cheapest cruise I’ve ever taken on the NCL Breakaway on a 7 day Canada Fall Foliage cruise in a Club Balcony Cabin with FAS for about $600.

 

Not an NCL apologist, but you can find pricing discrepancies between cruise lines on any fare, any week, for a variety of reasons.

 

I’m looking closely at an MSC cruise next Spring.  Right now, they’re the best value.  But, 30-60-90 days from now, those fares can and will change…on all lines.

[New2cruise2022]

3 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

And yet, I just got back from the cheapest cruise I’ve ever taken on the NCL Breakaway on a 7 day Canada Fall Foliage cruise in a Club Balcony Cabin with FAS for about $600.

 

Not an NCL apologist, but you can find pricing discrepancies between cruise lines on any fare, any week, for a variety of reasons.

 

I’m looking closely at an MSC cruise next Spring.  Right now, they’re the best value.  But, 30-60-90 days from now, those fares can and will change…on all lines.

Know your wants and know your budget. If you are flexible and willing to accept a trade off — age of ship, time of year/weather — it seems like there are very good values.