Is anyone else reluctant to commit far ahead to cruises now?

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

3 hours ago, Tapi said:

For us, Disney was a "one time and done". I agree that they have wonderful customer service, beautiful ships, and top notch entertainment, and I'm glad I "got the T-shirt", but everything else was either comparable (and sometimes worse) than other cruise lines we've sailed on. Hard to justify paying 3 times more for Disney specially when we're not hardcore Disney fans. 

 

My best friend is taking his family on a Disney cruise this summer. 3 nights on Disney Wish for $10,000. There's not enough quality for me to justify spending that money on a weekend cruise to the Bahamas on a mass market cruise line. He's nauseous just thinking about how much this trip is going to cost (he hasn't even added flights, hotel, excursions, onboard expenses, etc), but hey, his wife has been begging to go on a Disney cruise and he wants to make her happy! 

Did they insist on Concierge?? Other than the Maiden I have not seen those kind of numbers for a Wish cabin on a 3 night unless it was the ridiculous and non needed Concierge.

 

They also could done one of the older - and IMHO better - ships for much less. 
 

For me, as a solo cruiser, outside of the single IV on Edge class, Disney is not that much more. And I HAVE found them much better than HAL or RCCL. About on the same level Service as the Edge, but sadly they are putting the E class on routes that don’t work with my vacations as a teacher.

Edited January 8, 2023 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[Mary229]

In early 2021 it was clear to me that hyper inflation was in the future so I booked as far out as I could, as many cruises as I could all with fully refundable deposits, except one which had a $100 deposit.   I took 4 cruises off the list, still have three more this year and next.  I did cancel some as I could see it simply was too many.

 

now I am going back to my old model of booking the next cruise while cruising and taking advantage of the onboard booking program.  Except for the most unique of itineraries, which sell out fast, I find this the best method.  Then I only ever have at most $600 committed for a 30 day cruise and don’t need to make a final decision until 90 days out.  I rather have a good personal policy than concern myself with the lines’ balance sheet.   My agent does keep up with the financial health of various tour companies and cruise lines and has warned me in the past to stay away from certain organizations.  My particular favorites are not on her alert list 

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

Did they insist on Concierge??

I have to ask him, but I'm pretty sure they're doing concierge. I told him the same thing you're saying; that its not worth it, but they are not frequent cruisers (he's only done two before this one, last one about 15 years ago) and this will be the first time sailing as a family with four people in a cabin. So even against my suggestion, he was still insisting on doing concierge. 

 

One thing that he did mention is that the fare for the 3rd and 4th guest in the cabin is the same as the fare for 1st and 2nd guest, which may be a reason why its so expensive. I normally look for cruises where my kids pay a reduced fare or even $0 (plus taxes obviously), but they were dead set on sailing specifically on the Wish and specifically on this specific high season sailing smack in the middle of the summer. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Tapi

[DirtyDawg]

6 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

Hence why there is much reluctance to fly, especially the world's worst airline air canada.

Lots of westjet and sunwing passengers would dispute that. 😉

[DirtyDawg]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

In early 2021 it was clear to me that hyper inflation was in the future so I booked as far out as I could, as many cruises as I could all with fully refundable deposits, except one which had a $100 deposit.  

The inflation we are experiencing today is nothing compared to hyperinflation. It's not baby inflation like we've had for a couple of decades but it's not grown-up inflation, nowhere close. .. yet. Today's inflation is more like toddler inflation. 📈

 

"Generally, inflation is termed hyperinflation when the rate of inflation grows at more than 50% a month."  

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/economics/hyperinflation/#:~:text=In economics%2C hyperinflation is used,more than 50% a month.

 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by DirtyDawg

[Mary229]

19 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

The inflation we are experiencing today is nothing compared to hyperinflation. It's not baby inflation like we've had for a couple of decades but it's not grown-up inflation, nowhere close. .. yet. Today's inflation is more like toddler inflation. 📈

 

"Generally, inflation is termed hyperinflation when the rate of inflation grows at more than 50% a month."  

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/economics/hyperinflation/#:~:text=In economics%2C hyperinflation is used,more than 50% a month.

 

 

Right.  And you know we raise worldwide, right?   And it does depend on who is doing the reporting, right?

[DirtyDawg]

59 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Right.  And you know we raise worldwide, right?   And it does depend on who is doing the reporting, right?

🤔 What do you raise worldwide? 

 

If you are talking about prices rising worldwide, yes they are. But no major countries are experiencing hyperinflation in 2023. The highest inflation rate looks like to be in Zimbabwe at 269% per year which is still well below the threshold for hyperinflation. 

 

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-which-countries-have-the-highest-inflation/#:~:text=Double-Digit Inflation in 2022&text=Globally%2C Zimbabwe%2C Lebanon%2C and,highest rates in the world.&text=*Inflation rates based on the,raised interest rates this year.

 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by DirtyDawg

[Mary229]

39 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

🤔 What do you raise worldwide? 

 

If you are talking about prices rising worldwide, yes they are. But no major countries are experiencing hyperinflation in 2023. The highest inflation rate looks like to be in Zimbabwe at 269% per year which is still well below the threshold for hyperinflation. 

 

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-which-countries-have-the-highest-inflation/#:~:text=Double-Digit Inflation in 2022&text=Globally%2C Zimbabwe%2C Lebanon%2C and,highest rates in the world.&text=*Inflation rates based on the,raised interest rates this year.

 

 

Look at Argentina

[DirtyDawg]

3 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Look at Argentina

It's 88% as per the link I posted.

Again, not hyperinflation. Nowhere close. 

 

If you still want to used the term hyperinflation just include an * and tell people it's your own definition. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by DirtyDawg

[ldubs]

9 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I am not reluctant to book. I only book refundable fares, so other than the (slight) hassle of dealing with potential cancellations, I'm fine with advance planning/booking.

 

If anything, I expect fares to increase and deals to be fewer over the next few years. When I see a good rate (often when the next season's itineraries are released) I'll book it. Doesn't always mean I end up taking it, but as a solo traveler and one who is still working, I can't always take advantage of the other "sweet spot" for good deals, e.g., at the last minute.

 

Right now I have cruises booked out to Spring 2025 (a B4B on Celebrity that makes up a nice Pacific voyage....)

 

 

We are always on the lookout for good fares for a handful of target areas.   Most of our booking are refundable.   The airfare is typically what locks us in.  

[ABoatNerd]

17 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

Lots of westjet and sunwing passengers would dispute that. 😉

Yes I agree, I was taking the long view - actually air canada was listed as the worst performing airline and westjet the second worst airline in North America for on time performance.

I flew out of DeGalle in August and of course was delay by air canada. Had time to speak with various airport staff; universally they indicated air canada is the most despised airline due to attitude and non reliability.

Suffice it to say I do not fly this disgusting air line any longer, not that there is much choice in canada.

[lisiamc]

For us, every disrupted or cancelled cruise and flight has come good. So I’m not too reluctant to keep booking, but we do book more that are all-in-one packages, with cruise, flight, and pre-cruise hotel all booked from one provider. That way, it might be easier to sort out if it it all goes wrong! Plus we have good travel insurance,

[Cruisini]

On 1/5/2023 at 10:34 AM, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Whatever.  I can't get too fussed about the room service charge, since I rarely order it.  Tote bags?  I have tons of them.  Lobster?  No biggie, it's not cold-water lobster.  I just booked a tremendous bargain on a partial Panama Canal transit over Christmas 2024.  With a refundable deposit.  If things get as horrible as some of the doomsayers predict, I can always cancel.  I still love cruising and the four cruises I did on Summit last year were fantastic.

Why four cruises on Summit? Is it your favorite ship? If so, why? We have cruised many times mostly Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. Never on Summit.

[ldubs]

On 1/9/2023 at 6:10 AM, ABoatNerd said:

Yes I agree, I was taking the long view - actually air canada was listed as the worst performing airline and westjet the second worst airline in North America for on time performance.

I flew out of DeGalle in August and of course was delay by air canada. Had time to speak with various airport staff; universally they indicated air canada is the most despised airline due to attitude and non reliability.

Suffice it to say I do not fly this disgusting air line any longer, not that there is much choice in canada.

 

Oh no.  Our next trip has a return flight on Air Canada from BCN to SFO via Toronto.   We used them several years ago and thought they were pretty good.   Sounds like things have changed.   

[Scotico]

So it basically comes down to refundable vs non refundable cruise fare.  Used to be all cruise fare is refundable 90 days out.  We will just have to start paying more for the cruise to make it refundable so you do not lose any $$.