HMC Villas are listed as $999.99 now?!?!

[missholly24]

Please tell me thats a typo? 😫😫😫 Our HMC excursions aren’t showing up yet for our February 2024 cruise. I did a general search on Carnival website and they say “starting at $999” for the Villas!! That seems INSANE  to me. I know they will probably still sell out but Carnival is totally giving the middle finger to the middle class.

 

Technically I have no leg to stand on because they can do whatever they want but I still feel violated.  😂😡 Ive rented one each time we go to HMC and they are a great way to spend the day. The $649 that I paid last time seems more appropriate. I guess this is one way to get rid of my HMC obsession. 😛😛

[staceyglow]

Why shouldn't Carnival have the right to charge any amount they want? It's not a charity. They are in business to make money. It is their duty to their stockholders Io maximize their revenue.

 

A villa is a luxury item and they have a limited number of them. You don't need it to enjoy Half Moon Cay. 

[Thenagers]

27 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

Why shouldn't Carnival have the right to charge any amount they want? It's not a charity. They are in business to make money. It is their duty to their stockholders Io maximize their revenue.

 

A villa is a luxury item and they have a limited number of them. You don't need it to enjoy Half Moon Cay. 

I think it is the huge price change? I rented one in 2018 for $400 ish per day. The cabanas were around 299? Both have increased dramatically.

[balcony bound]

It is pricing many of us out now.  We used to pay under $200 for a cabana and it kept creeping up.  We had thought about one of the villas for an upcoming cruise but it doesn't make sense anymore. We will miss them.  Will start booking other ports instead of HMC just to avoid feeling the loss LOL.

[missholly24]

31 minutes ago, balcony bound said:

It is pricing many of us out now.  We used to pay under $200 for a cabana and it kept creeping up.  We had thought about one of the villas for an upcoming cruise but it doesn't make sense anymore. We will miss them.  Will start booking other ports instead of HMC just to avoid feeling the loss LOL.

I agree. So funny Im doing the same thing. Western Caribbean next year! Least I’ll save some money this way. HMC itineraries are always highest. I’ll always have those awesome memories of the Villa days. Some of the best days of my life. 

[missholly24]

39 minutes ago, Thenagers said:

I think it is the huge price change? I rented one in 2018 for $400 ish per day. The cabanas were around 299? Both have increased dramatically.

Exactly. 

[kona_wahine]

I loved that free chair I sat in last time I was there. 🤣

[Joebucks]

8 hours ago, Thenagers said:

I think it is the huge price change? I rented one in 2018 for $400 ish per day. The cabanas were around 299? Both have increased dramatically.

 

That's crazy. That's the only thing that has surged in price since 2018. 

 

The internet is a great place to demand your own pricing for unnecessary purchases. If you ran a business that people were willing to pay $1000 to sit in a hut, you'd price it out accordingly too.

[jerseyjjs]

I paid $275 for a HMC cabana in March 2019.  They want $699 for the same thing for my May sailing.  Lol. Ok

[missholly24]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

That's crazy. That's the only thing that has surged in price since 2018. 

 

The internet is a great place to demand your own pricing for unnecessary purchases. If you ran a business that people were willing to pay $1000 to sit in a hut, you'd price it out accordingly too.

Lol good thing its not a hut. Lol. Have you been to HMC? 
 

Half the purchases on vacation are “unnecessary”. 
 

And your statement is silly. TBH my cruise total hasn't gone up more than $400 since my 2018 price. The Villa price almost doubled in one yr. Thats my point. 

[jimbo5544]

As long as people are willing to pay, then they are priced right.  This company is billions on the hole, mainly due to events brought down on them.

[mz-s]

Double it and see if they still sell out. They should charge whatever people are willing to pay. I eat the included hamburgers and sit on the included chairs. Each to their own.

[jimbo5544]

2 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Double it and see if they still sell out. They should charge whatever people are willing to pay. I eat the included hamburgers and sit on the included chairs. Each to their own.

Probably one of their best liked places to go in the Caribbean by their clients.

[ray98]

Free market.  Something is worth what people will pay.

[crooooze]

This is where Carnival gets the money to give out all that shareholder OBC. 😂

[Buckeyefrank100]

This isn't only a Carnival issue.  We're booked on the Icon OTS and a cabana at Coco Cay is $1500 for the day.  It's everywhere.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

It's a lot of the excursions, as well.  One we booked back in Nov has gone $25 per person. The other went up $10/person. Glad we booked it when we did!

[jsglow]

I'd guess I'd argue that 'back in the day' Carnival was dramatically underpricing them leaving many dollars on the table.  It's all Econ 101.  Supply v demand.

 

We've never considered getting one. A day at the beach on a nice free chair is a darn good day.

[cruiseguy56]

4 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

That's crazy. That's the only thing that has surged in price since 2018. 

 

 

Eggs, Gasoline, cars, cell phones all come to mind as having surged in price since 2018. But that said, yes, the hut pricing is ridiculous.

[BlerkOne]

3 hours ago, missholly24 said:

And your statement is silly. TBH my cruise total hasn't gone up more than $400 since my 2018 price. The Villa price almost doubled in one yr. Thats my point. 

Carnival doubled the price of bottle water overnight.

 

I blame the people cruising on free or nearly free cabins for all of this.

[staceyglow]

18 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Carnival doubled the price of bottle water overnight.

 

I blame the people cruising on free or nearly free cabins for all of this.

I think they just hike prices every time someone complains on Cruise Critic. Notice the price hikes are mostly on optional items? That way they can even stick it to the complainers with free cruises.  😉

Edited April 10, 2023 by staceyglow

[jcearth]

I have gotten villas 4 or 5 times in the past.  They were a great investment at $499 split a few ways, and still pretty good at $599. I balked at $649 but still went ahead and rented (had others pitch in, so still thought value was ok). $999 would be a deal breaker for me, however.  

 

Here is my question - how do you define maximizing revenue?  Even if the company still sold all of the Villas and Cabanas and the new rate, how many customers are alienated by the inflated pricing?  What value does Carnival place on repeat business? What value do they place on the customer experience?  

 

I would argue that raising prices on optional items could do way more harm than good, by leading to a reduction in repeat business.  I, for one, would take my vacation dollars elsewhere if I didn't feel that I was getting enough value for my money. Just my opinion.

[Tatka]

Some villas at Coco Cay (Royal Caribbean) now cost $1500 - $3800. As long as people are paying it cruiselines will charge it. If not they will lower prices. Seems like people are paying it.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

1 hour ago, jcearth said:

I have gotten villas 4 or 5 times in the past.  They were a great investment at $499 split a few ways, and still pretty good at $599. I balked at $649 but still went ahead and rented (had others pitch in, so still thought value was ok). $999 would be a deal breaker for me, however.  

 

Here is my question - how do you define maximizing revenue?  Even if the company still sold all of the Villas and Cabanas and the new rate, how many customers are alienated by the inflated pricing?  What value does Carnival place on repeat business? What value do they place on the customer experience?  

 

I would argue that raising prices on optional items could do way more harm than good, by leading to a reduction in repeat business.  I, for one, would take my vacation dollars elsewhere if I didn't feel that I was getting enough value for my money. Just my opinion.

I agree to an extent.  But, not so much for the villas.  There are only 5 of them, and thousands of passengers on the ship.  99% are not getting a villa, regardless of the price.  If the villas cost only $100, but thousands of people who would have rented one couldn't get one simply because they didn't do it fast enough lead to better feelings? Of course, they'd be better off building 5 more of them and charging $600 each, and easily get $6000 of revenue per day, as opposed to the $5000/day they are getting.

 

Now, for other optional items, like beach umbrellas, floating mats, then, yes, maximizing revenue could lead to decreased customer satisfaction, which, in the long run, less revenue. Happy customers tend to spend more.  Annoyed customers spend less.

[csm5986142]

Yes unfortunately supply...demand...inflation.  I just wish my salary would catch up.

But it's not just Carnival.  We recently spent a weekend at Disneyland and I was just amazed at the price of everything.  People complain like crazy about the price of park tickets/hotels/food & water, yet there are hoards of people there spending money like crazy, so I can't really blame the business.