Prices way up?

[IamJPT]

I was looking at booking our next cruise and was shocked to see some of the prices. Our last 2 cruises were on Symphony in 2020 in a spacious 2 bedroom aqua and on Harmony in Feb 2022 in the same. Both were about $14K for 4 guests. All the prices I am seeing now for same ships and cabins are nearly double that. Is everyone else seeing the same? 

[rockmom]

1 minute ago, IamJPT said:

I was looking at booking our next cruise and was shocked to see some of the prices. Our last 2 cruises were on Symphony in 2020 in a spacious 2 bedroom aqua and on Harmony in Feb 2022 in the same. Both were about $14K for 4 guests. All the prices I am seeing now for same ships and cabins are nearly double that. Is everyone else seeing the same? 

Ships are back to sailing full and demand is very high.  I'm back to watching for when a sailing opens to try and grab the best deal before demand drives the prices up.  What month are you looking to sail?  I've seen the prices for suites really shoot up not long after a sailing has been released and for my several upcoming sailings, there's really no suites left and definitely not any 2 bedrooms.  

[George C]

41 minutes ago, IamJPT said:

I was looking at booking our next cruise and was shocked to see some of the prices. Our last 2 cruises were on Symphony in 2020 in a spacious 2 bedroom aqua and on Harmony in Feb 2022 in the same. Both were about $14K for 4 guests. All the prices I am seeing now for same ships and cabins are nearly double that. Is everyone else seeing the same? 

Depends on when you book earlier the better most times, we have a grand suite on harmony right after thanksgiving this year , price was less than 5. K total for the two of us. 

[DirtyDawg]

54 minutes ago, IamJPT said:

I was looking at booking our next cruise and was shocked to see some of the prices. Our last 2 cruises were on Symphony in 2020 in a spacious 2 bedroom aqua and on Harmony in Feb 2022 in the same. Both were about $14K for 4 guests. All the prices I am seeing now for same ships and cabins are nearly double that. Is everyone else seeing the same? 

No worries, prices will come down after the Federal Reserve increases interest rates to 10% or 15%.

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

13 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

No worries, prices will come down after the Federal Reserve increases interest rates to 10% or 15%.

 

I am watching the same economic conditions which are going to affect discretionary vacation expenditures as you are.

 

50% of the cruising repeaters will keep cruising. They build in the price increases or find workarounds because they are going to cruise, hell or high water (pun intended). 

 

The second 50% of new or occasional cruisers will be most affected which will affect capacity numbers.

 

I believe that the proof will be after this summer season. The summer season is always high demand and revenge vacations are still strong with previous set-aside savings. When the airfare prices start dropping, expect the cruise prices to follow for this is an easy method to see what premiums people are willing to pay to travel.

 

If the economy starts to weaken, there is the possibility that potential cruisers will pull their deposits (100% refundable until about 120 days out in most cases) because some unforeseen economic action happens (loss of job, spouse loss of job, caring for family member who becomes ill).

 

That is the unknown, we cannot predict how many current active deposits are going to convert to actual shipboard passengers. I think September 2023 prices out of Bayonne are telling. The prices are slowly approaching traditional fares at the end of September. The Panoramic View rooms on deck 14 on the Oasis have not even booked one room at $3500 for a 2 person 7-day cruise. Last year, they were offering them at $1700 and they were sold out about 30 days prior to embarkation. At least 25% of them were selected one year out.

 

As so many people have stated, supply and demand. Vacations are a discretionary expense. The cruise lines are only acting like every other corporation in the world. When times are bad, they lose money, when times are good, they try to make as much profit as possible.

 

"Don't take this personally, it's just business."  (A line in many gangster movies before something very bad happens) 🤑😁

[mramella]

We booked Icon for March of 2024. We booked one balcony room, and one “spacious interior” room. The balcony room is for my wife and me, and the interior room is for our 2 sons. Price was $6k total. I just checked prices again. Total is now $8,200 for the exact same 2 rooms. Crazy!

Edited January 6, 2023 by mramella

[DirtyDawg]

19 minutes ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

As so many people have stated, supply and demand. Vacations are a discretionary expense. The cruise lines are only acting like every other corporation in the world. When times are bad, they lose money, when times are good, they try to make as much profit as possible.

 

"Don't take this personally, it's just business."  (A line in many gangster movies before something very bad happens) 🤑😁

Just like people, when times are good we all try to make as much 'profit' as we can. And when times are bad we hunker down and try to cut costs and save money. Corporations are people too! 😉

 

2023 should be a very 'interesting' year for cruising and lots of other endeavours too. But I take solace in my love of NASCAR. Because after every BIG WRECK, there is a clean up, wrecked cars are towed away, spilt oil is dried and removed from the track, and then the race goes on! Round and round, round and round ... until the next BIG WRECK. 😁

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by DirtyDawg

[irishgal432]

I consistently track prices for suites, and Star.  The 1st and 2nd passenger prices now are outrageous unless you want to sail from Galveston.  Throw in KSF and the cruise becomes much cheaper in the suites for afamily of 4 under 12.  These suites are selling for sure on the newer ships.  Even the older non CK ships suite prices are very high, while the balcony, ov and interiors are pretty good deals.  

[Jimbo]

16 hours ago, George C said:

Depends on when you book earlier the better most times, we have a grand suite on harmony right after thanksgiving this year , price was less than 5. K total for the two of us. 

Traditional the week right after Thanksgiving is the lowest prices you will see for a cruise. We used to cruise that week for many, many years.

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, DirtyDawg said:

Just like people, when times are good we all try to make as much 'profit' as we can. And when times are bad we hunker down and try to cut costs and save money. Corporations are people too! 😉

 

2023 should be a very 'interesting' year for cruising and lots of other endeavours too. But I take solace in my love of NASCAR. Because after every BIG WRECK, there is a clean up, wrecked cars are towed away, spilt oil is dried and removed from the track, and then the race goes on! Round and round, round and round ... until the next BIG WRECK. 😁

 

Wow , just WOW first time I have ever seen a post on Cruise Critic with a relationship to NASCAR. Just goes to prove wait long enough on here you can see just about anything?

[George C]

3 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Traditional the week right after Thanksgiving is the lowest prices you will see for a cruise. We used to cruise that week for many, many years.

Agree we discover that about a decade ago , we used to cruise thanksgiving week , but found out we could book a grand suite for just a little more for the following week, plus way less children, win win. 

[Engineroom Snipe]

4 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Wow , just WOW first time I have ever seen a post on Cruise Critic with a relationship to NASCAR. Just goes to prove wait long enough on here you can see just about anything?

 Well, stretching the thought a loooooooong way...., most cruise ships have a start and finish line at the same place too.  🤣

[DirtyDawg]

26 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Wow , just WOW first time I have ever seen a post on Cruise Critic with a relationship to NASCAR. Just goes to prove wait long enough on here you can see just about anything?

LOL. I just figured if I used F1 you Yanks would not know what that was.

Just like why it's a chicken that crossed the road, not a beaver or a koala. 😁

And Who was on first, not in net. 😉

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by DirtyDawg

[Jasukkie]

There are still some bargains to be had but they know what sells well and that some families will pay a lot of money for certain ports, ships, and weeks. If you want to look beyond Royal, NCL's sail away fares without the perks are a good value, esp on inside cabins. I've not sailed with them myself and many reviews are horrible, but MSC has some super cheap fares. I'm feeling a little tempted to see if the reviews are true.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Traditional the week right after Thanksgiving is the lowest prices you will see for a cruise. We used to cruise that week for many, many years.

I've also found sept during high hurricane season cheapest. I wasnt going to do sept again, but got great pricing on allure sept 2023. Also January is often low. 

[teacherman]

Is what it cost worth it to you?   Some people seem to think it is extremely important to be on a cruise ship for a week and will find a way to pay whatever it cost.  Some people think is is extremely important to see Taylor Swift and will find a way to pay whatever it costs.  Some people do not care about either of these things because they need a new roof on their house.   To each their own.   

[deliver42]

First two weeks of December are also a low time. Of course, everything is relative,

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, deliver42 said:

First two weeks of December are also a low time. Of course, everything is relative,

Odd dec 2024 the price jumps ... I think a bunch of us like that week.

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

Odd dec 2024 the price jumps ... I think a bunch of us like that week.

Who let the cat out of the bag? 😁🤣 No cruise for you!

[budmeister]

On 1/5/2023 at 4:50 PM, IamJPT said:

I was looking at booking our next cruise and was shocked to see some of the prices. Our last 2 cruises were on Symphony in 2020 in a spacious 2 bedroom aqua and on Harmony in Feb 2022 in the same. Both were about $14K for 4 guests. All the prices I am seeing now for same ships and cabins are nearly double that. Is everyone else seeing the same? 

Yes. On Ocean balconies too for 1/2024. I almost did not book, but when it was down to the last room I would take,  we got out the calculator.  We priced a land vacation for 5 nights, vs out cruise for 7, and cruise was still 80.00 cheaper. I paid 1315 pp. No tax, and I am used to 750-870 pp. I even gave up mid ship, but you can see it did not help much.

[Engineroom Snipe]

1 minute ago, budmeister said:

Yes. On Ocean balconies too for 1/2024. I almost did not book, but when it was down to the last room I would take,  we got out the calculator.  We priced a land vacation for 5 nights, vs out cruise for 7, and cruise was still 80.00 cheaper. I paid 1315 pp. No tax, and I am used to 750-870 pp. I even gave up mid ship, but you can see it did not help much.

You have to be creative and pragmatic. Lots of variables have to be considered but the difference is not as substantial as it used to be (yes, I have noticed that 75% increase too). I do what you do and honestly calculate all of the costs to do a true comparison. The cruise lines better not overplay their hands or money can go elsewhere. 🤔