OMG The prices to now cruise on Royal Caribbean

[Billy Baltic]

15 minutes ago, nferr said:

 My cruise for Oct. 15 is sold out, same for Oct. 8, so obviously a lot of people disagree with you. I look for bargains and I'm pretty patient so I've been finding deals here and there on cruises.

Our cruise last month was booked out too but IMO it’s booked out at rates way below what is currently available. 

[nferr]

4 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

Our cruise last month was booked out too but IMO it’s booked out at rates way below what is currently available. 

 

Rates go up and down. I doubt it sold out a long time ago.  My cruise just sold out.  They know how to manipulate the rates  to sell when they have to.

[PhillyFan33579]

1 hour ago, SUgwoz said:

Disney World is a good example of not rewarding loyalty.  They stripped away a lot of the perks for annual passholders. 

 
Curious what perk they removed that you miss?

[SUgwoz]

12 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 
Curious what perk they removed that you miss?

Park hopping anytime and not having to make reservations. If I am paying $1k, I want to be able to go when I want and leave for another park when I want. 

 

4-5 years ago I could and I was paying $500 for annual pass. 

 

I suppose that is not actually a perk vs. just a normal function of an annual pass. 

Edited September 18, 2023 by SUgwoz

[Morecruisesplz]

35 minutes ago, SUgwoz said:

Park hopping anytime and not having to make reservations. If I am paying $1k, I want to be able to go when I want and leave for another park when I want. 

 

4-5 years ago I could and I was paying $500 for annual pass. 

 

I suppose that is not actually a perk vs. just a normal function of an annual pass. 

I had no idea that people still want to go to Disney. I can take a cruise for 2 with that $1,000. Sometimes that's enough for 14 nights! 

[grandgeezer]

1 hour ago, fredmdcruisers said:

I had no idea that people still want to go to Disney. I can take a cruise for 2 with that $1,000. Sometimes that's enough for 14 nights! 

Would like more details on the 14 days cruises you took for $1,000 for two. That’s less than $37 per day per person. Tax, fees, and tips would probably suck up most or all of it. 

[parrotfeathers]

My niece's wedding is next May and I told her I would gift her the honeymoon.  They are getting married in FL before the wedding and then taking a 7 day cruise on Wonder.   I was really surprised a balcony could be $5,000.

[Morecruisesplz]

10 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

Would like more details on the 14 days cruises you took for $1,000 for two. That’s less than $37 per day per person. Tax, fees, and tips would probably suck up most or all of it. 

"Sometimes" was my disclaimer. Transatlantics and repositioning can be found for $50ish/day. Alaska is another place where you can find bargains. Vancover to Hawaii only cost us $300/each a couple years ago. No ports = no port fees!

 

[Morecruisesplz]

13 minutes ago, parrotfeathers said:

My niece's wedding is next May and I told her I would gift her the honeymoon.  They are getting married in FL before the wedding and then taking a 7 day cruise on Wonder.   I was really surprised a balcony could be $5,000.

Omg! Crazy. 

[parrotfeathers]

1 minute ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Omg! Crazy. 

I'm just glad I didn't volunteer a suite!

[mac_tlc]

45 minutes ago, parrotfeathers said:

I'm just glad I didn't volunteer a suite!

Be glad they didn’t want to go on Icon !!!!

 

mac_tlc

[Anotherpyr]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:32 AM, Happytime22 said:

I was a negotiation professor at Rutgers years ago...

The upper-limit demands by striking workers are ridiculous... they want a 40% compounded increase, a drop to a 32-hour work week (which then raises the requested raise to 60%+) a return to Pensions (when pensions at non-government firm is in the single digits now), guaranteed jobs (I have never had that .... as many others have not) ... etc.

I agree that the distribution of wealth has been one-sided, hell my wife works in the Pharma field and the CEO is officially the highest compensated employee in NJ!, but  they need to be realistic... especially given China's status in the EV market... our future!

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest as all this year has been is strikes or fights.

In Congress, they are not even getting off their $%%@ to address the debt ceiling that when broken on 9/30 will directly impact my retirement funds!

Is there a way to transfer my citizenship to a cruise ship??????

I figure they started at ridiculous since they knew they’d never get what they wanted without starting there.

 

I agree CEO salaries are out of control.  But what people often forget is what they cost per employee.  Ford’s CEO compensation was $23 million last year.  With 174,000 employees that’s $132.18 per employee.  So they’re asking for more than the CEO’s share.  

[grandgeezer]

40 minutes ago, Anotherpyr said:

I figure they started at ridiculous since they knew they’d never get what they wanted without starting there.

 

I agree CEO salaries are out of control.  But what people often forget is what they cost per employee.  Ford’s CEO compensation was $23 million last year.  With 174,000 employees that’s $132.18 per employee.  So they’re asking for more than the CEO’s share.  

Number of employees have very little to do with CEO’s compensation. Here’s something to think about, This CEO’s compensation is 365 times the average worker so he makes more in one day than the average worker makes in a year. Google it if you don ‘t believe it.

[BecciBoo]

15 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

$300/each a couple years ago. No ports = no port fees!

That was then, this is now!  RCCL is slowly but surely sailing away from us.  My 2026 Anniversary year is completely blank and looking bleaker by the day.  Looks like our upcoming Sept. ICON, blissfully cheap booked last October, may be our last.

[Happytime22]

54 minutes ago, Anotherpyr said:

I figure they started at ridiculous since they knew they’d never get what they wanted without starting there.

 

I agree CEO salaries are out of control.  But what people often forget is what they cost per employee.  Ford’s CEO compensation was $23 million last year.  With 174,000 employees that’s $132.18 per employee.  So they’re asking for more than the CEO’s share.  

well said!

[Morecruisesplz]

9 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

That was then, this is now!  RCCL is slowly but surely sailing away from us.  My 2026 Anniversary year is completely blank and looking bleaker by the day.  Looks like our upcoming Sept. ICON, blissfully cheap booked last October, may be our last.

We don’t even price newer ships. They are always more. Upcoming 14 night Symphony cruise is $1600 in a balcony. It takes a bit of searching by price per night.

[Anotherpyr]

48 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

Number of employees have very little to do with CEO’s compensation. Here’s something to think about, This CEO’s compensation is 365 times the average worker so he makes more in one day than the average worker makes in a year. Google it if you don ‘t believe it.

Not my point.  I stated that I thought they were out of control.  My point was that the CEO salary divided by the number of employees does not come out to huge raises for everyone.  The money they’re demanding has to come from somewhere as the CEO’s salary doesn’t cover it.

 

The money will come from increases in car prices, reduced profits and thus lower stock prices meaning retirement funds take a hit.  But it won’t come from or be covered by CEO or upper management compensation so it’s really a moot point what they make.  Any meaningful employee wage increases will have minimal impact on their compensation.

 

Do they make too much money?  Yes and that should be fixed.

 

Does that mean every employee CAN be paid anything that’s a reasonable multiple of it?  No.  Not without some kind of caps put in place.  It would probably be easier to reduce CEO compensation than it would be to make employee wages anything comparable to current compensation ratios.

 

So do you want more money?  Or do you just want CEO’s to make less?

They made 10.4 billion last year in profit.  That makes for $59,770.11 per employee.   But how sustainable is that profit and what is a $0/share company worth?

And actually the number of employees makes a huge difference in CEO compensation.  Small companies cannot support those kinds of numbers.  Because they basically take a cut from every employee to pay themselves as they do not directly generate income.  If you take $100/per year from each employee to pay yourself, then the more employees the more you make.

 

This is basically why big bank CEO’s make millions while credit union CEO’s make thousands (Well hundred thousands).

Edited September 19, 2023 by Anotherpyr

[OCSC Mike]

49 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

We don’t even price newer ships. They are always more. Upcoming 14 night Symphony cruise is $1600 in a balcony. It takes a bit of searching by price per night.

 

Using repositioning cruises isn't the best or most helpful example for finding better prices. The average person isn't flexible enough to take them. That's great that you are though and I don't blame you for taking advantage.

 

More universal ways to find reasonable rates (not incredibly low repositioning rates) would be booking early, using a TA who has group rates and perks, keeping an eye on the sale fliers if you're flexible enough to book a month or two out, keeping an eye on prices in general, etc.

[Morecruisesplz]

25 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Using repositioning cruises isn't the best or most helpful example for finding better prices. The average person isn't flexible enough to take them. That's great that you are though and I don't blame you for taking advantage.

 

More universal ways to find reasonable rates (not incredibly low repositioning rates) would be booking early, using a TA who has group rates and perks, keeping an eye on the sale fliers if you're flexible enough to book a month or two out, keeping an eye on prices in general, etc.

That works too. But how flexible must one be to take a repositioning cruise? It's pretty straightforward imho.

[OCSC Mike]

31 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

That works too. But how flexible must one be to take a repositioning cruise? It's pretty straightforward imho.

 

Flexible enough to take a vacation longer than a week (significantly longer in some cases) at the exact time they are offered (it's not like they sail every week like 7-nighters). If you're not retired, that's not possible for many (most?) people.

Edited September 19, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[Ourusualbeach]

17 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

No ports = no port fees!

You do realize that your embarkation and debarkation ports make up the vast majority of the port fees.  days stops are minor charges

[Morecruisesplz]

33 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You do realize that your embarkation and debarkation ports make up the vast majority of the port fees.  days stops are minor charges

No I did not. But thanks for the information. 😃 We sure appreciate you.

[Morecruisesplz]

45 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Flexible enough to take a vacation longer than a week (significantly longer in some cases) at the exact time they are offered (it's not like they sail every week like 7-nighters). If you're not retired, that's not possible for many (most?) people.

Wait, aren't we all retired? Oh, we are not but we work every other month for about 2.5 weeks to pay for our cruises and other travel. Some people have a drug habit; I have a travel habit. 😃 We finally broke our Royal loyalty and tried some other cruise lines. I agree with your premise, but I'm still finding enough decent rates to have 9 weeks booked.

[travelberlin]

17 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

"Sometimes" was my disclaimer. Transatlantics and repositioning can be found for $50ish/day. Alaska is another place where you can find bargains. Vancover to Hawaii only cost us $300/each a couple years ago. No ports = no port fees!

 

I would be grateful if you tell me which transatlantic could I find for US 50 per diem. Inside cabin in the lowest category? Not even that one. When you start adding taxes, drinks, internet and gratuities the per diems are for sure more then US 50.

 

[Morecruisesplz]

16 minutes ago, travelberlin said:

I would be grateful if you tell me which transatlantic could I find for US 50 per diem. Inside cabin in the lowest category? Not even that one. When you start adding taxes, drinks, internet and gratuities the per diems are for sure more then US 50.

 

I am not a TA. Find a good one! But drinks and internet are your problem. I don't need either. But $349 for a16 to 18 night transatlantic is a great price!