Are cruise prices insanely high right now?

[CruisingHogFan]

The 3 we have booked this year are comparable to previous years. Seems like I’ve always paid around the same price going back almost 7-8 years so no complaints. I think too many people saw the deals after restart which were not sustainable. 

 

 

[tanderine]

We just booked a cruise for early March 2024 in a large balcony for $1,340pp and one in March of 2025 in a JS for the same.  Seems great to us!

[LuCruise]

10 hours ago, CruisingHogFan said:

The 3 we have booked this year are comparable to previous years. Seems like I’ve always paid around the same price going back almost 7-8 years so no complaints. I think too many people saw the deals after restart which were not sustainable. 

 

 

We booked 2 connecting interior rooms for end of the year for what we normally would pay for 2 connecting balcony rooms (i.e. that was our price range so went with the interior).  We booked when release.  Now that same booking for the interiors is $3500 more and 2 connecting balcony rooms is $12k (CAD and refundable booking).  No way would we pay that. Definitely notice an increase. This is a holiday cruise so I know the prices are up, but still.

Edited January 10, 2023 by LuCruise

[PolicromaSol]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:13 AM, Vibe said:

When prices for a Royal Caribbean cruise gets close to a Disney cruise, it’s makes going on a Disney cruise the obvious choice.  The quality, service and experience on Disney is epic compared to Royal Caribbean.

Once upon a time, maybe... Given the angry internet mutterings about how Disney has treated their parks, customers, and employees as of late, and given Disney's apparent loss of sanity regarding upcharges (very blatant whaling rather than trying to come up with things that appeal to everyone), I'd consider a Disney cruise suspect these days. 

 

Plus we're talking about Icon. That's the newest ship in RC's fleet. The one everybody's gonna want to try out. Disney's Wish, also new this year is likely going to be exactly the same. Supply and demand, folks. July's also expensive since some school systems get back in early August, and would be extremely popular with Alaska travelers who want to see a few hours of extra sunlight.

 

The angry mutterings on RC's side are mostly about the food, and every time I've heard about the food being terrible on a destination vacation before I went, it was perfectly fine when I got there. Plus I know the type of people who are easily inclined to send a plate of food back at a restaurant for the smallest infraction that could just be picked off or shoved aside. So I reserve judgement until the food's actually in front of me. Plus, RC at the very least has an explanation: Their food distributor didn't survive the lockdown mania, and RC was still trying to find another they liked. Not a problem that will be fixed overnight, as they're likely trying things out with multiple other distributors. (Though with the introduction of the new menus they may have found someone.)

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, PolicromaSol said:

The angry mutterings on RC's side are mostly about the food, and every time I've heard about the food being terrible on a destination vacation before I went, it was perfectly fine when I got there. Plus I know the type of people who are easily inclined to send a plate of food back at a restaurant for the smallest infraction that could just be picked off or shoved aside. So I reserve judgement until the food's actually in front of me. Plus, RC at the very least has an explanation: Their food distributor didn't survive the lockdown mania, and RC was still trying to find another they liked. Not a problem that will be fixed overnight, as they're likely trying things out with multiple other distributors. (Though with the introduction of the new menus they may have found someone.)

I can't express how much I agree with this.  I've been saying, in addition to this, that those that complain about the food on this ship or that ship, specifically, aren't really doing a service to others.  First of all, the cooking crew that made the meal that you didn't like on Crappy Food of the Seas this week MAY not be the same cooking crew next week.  Next week, it could be Fantastic Food of the Seas.  In fact, cooking crew can change at any time during a cruise, for a whole host of reasons.  Like you, I'll not judge the food until I have the food.

 

Disclaimer:  My comment about those complaining about the food on a specific ship isn't meant to discourage a logical and honest REVIEW.  I'm talking about those that seem to have a bone to pick with a particular ship or RCCL in general.  However, the premise is still valid, a review of the food on a particular ship on a particular week/cruising may not be as valid on the next cruise because the cooking staff may change.  

 

My wife and I and my old Army buddy and his wife on the Ovation last May went to Wonderland.  We got the BBQ meal whatever it was called and I don't remember if it was beef or pork.  Mine was great.  My buddy's was nothing but a big chunk of very giggly fat.  He returned it and got another that was great.  I believe that this issue had nothing to do with the ship.  I believe that it may have been a lazy or over worked cook that didn't notice or care what was being plated.  I'll go back on the Ovation in a heartbeat.  Well, after I'm done going on the Quantum and Oasis Class ships that I haven't sailed on, yet.  Bottom line, after that, we really never thought about it again, while on the ship.   I have told this story on this board and others before, but not as a negative review of the ship, in general.  Although the cruise in general wasn't a total positive for us.  But, that was that cruise and us. I have no idea how others felt about that cruise or any other subsequent Ovation cruises to Alaska.  

 

 

 

[vjmatty]

14 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Here we go again. Lol everytime someone says their cruise price is high someone feels obligated to explain why eggs are high. Never knew so many were so affected by egg prices. It's crazy. I dont care about egg prices, just cruise prices. 

 

I know, and I feel there is a good joke in there somewhere... but I got nothing

[ssb]

8 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

 

I know, and I feel there is a good joke in there somewhere... but I got nothing

Egg prices are high. FACT . And we are still buying eggs .  And we have 9 cruises booked right now, regardless of cruise pricing !  And just returned from 4 cruises .

Edited January 10, 2023 by ssb

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, PolicromaSol said:

... I've heard about the food being terrible on a destination vacation before I went, it was perfectly fine when I got there. Plus I know the type of people who are easily inclined to send a plate of food back at a restaurant for the smallest infraction that could just be picked off or shoved aside. So I reserve judgement until the food's actually in front of me ...

Some people think they look smarter or more cultured or refined ... if they can find fault with every little thing.  

2 minutes ago, ssb said:

Egg prices are high. FACT . And we are still buying eggs .  And we have 9 cruises booked right now, regardless of cruise pricing !  

Eggs are incredibly expensive these days, but we keep buying them because they're a necessity.  At any given moment, you can find an item that's shot up to sky-high prices because of this or that reason.  Right now it's eggs, but egg prices will "right themselves" within a reasonable amount of time.  

 

Cruise prices are different because so many factors play into them ... gas prices, food prices, availability of labor, port costs, season of the year, cruise line debt, and more.  

[George C]

We got a good rate for grand suite on harmony this November out of Galveston,  price went up 600 per person after we booked . Avoid the newer ships to get better rates. 

[Ret MP]

18 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

 

I know, and I feel there is a good joke in there somewhere... but I got nothing

Like:  "What has that got to do with the price of tea in China"

[The Fun Researcher]

1 hour ago, ssb said:

Egg prices are high. FACT . And we are still buying eggs .  And we have 9 cruises booked right now, regardless of cruise pricing !  And just returned from 4 cruises .

Remember when a dozen eggs were around $0.39 during Covid?  How the coin has flipped!  Nothing to do with cruising but it's shocking the difference.

[rodndonna]

 Still finding deals to hard to pass up ... 😎

 

We just booked for our Hawaii cruise in Sept 2024, and thought the price was good for that sailing.  We have 5 others booked before that date, all of which we were pretty happy with what we're paying.

 

I don't think the prices have really made much headway  in their much needed climb as yet, but would expect it over the next year or 2. 

 

 

 

[robmtx]

Oasis Class cruise ships consume about 60,000 eggs per week. Imagine what their Egg Bill looks like now!

 

(Yes, probably their egg prices are under contracts, and I know they don't pay grocery store prices for food)

 

[wreckem2013]

I feel like my Thanksgiving on Indy I got a decent deal on. $2600 total for 2 in a junior cabin.

 

Oneway Alaska cruises for 2023 are cheap until you start pricing out excursion.