Icon prices out of control

[eroller]

8 minutes ago, MichaelCMTX said:

 

 

But seriously, if the prices are high, nobody's forcing you to go.  Vote with your dollars.  If more cruisers held onto their wallets, supply and demand would take care of things.

 

I think many are doing just that.  I know I am.  And many are booking.  To each their own.  Everyone has a different value proposition.  
 

I do know one thing.  It can all turn on a dime.  Just look at Covid.  I don’t blame Royal one bit for getting every dollar they can while they can.  More power to them.  Too high for me right now though, but I’ll eventually sail when prices are less inflated.  When there are more sister ships sailing and the novelty wears off we will see pricing more leveled out.  I think still a premium but not like what we are seeing now.    

Edited January 28 by eroller

[firefly333]

6 hours ago, runner2013 said:

Ok, 

So, I thought I'd have a laugh and see what price range Royal was asking for Icon during the Xmas Holiday this year. 

I picked the most expensive cabin showing available, the Icon Loft, category IL. Per person before taxes or gratuities it starts at $38,522.00. 

After taxes (and they threw in the gratuities-oh boy) it came out to $77, 421.00 all total for two people. 🤣

Now, I'm a Royal fan, DH and I just reached Diamond and are looking forward to the perks that come with it but come on!!

If we were in that tax bracket where we could actually afford that price for a week's vacation, we wouldn't be spending it on a mass market cruise line. 

We'd be renting a place on a private island and chartering a yacht for a week. 

Even a category v4 interior cabin is going for over $10,600.00. That's just silly to me. 

I realize this year because she's new, people will pay top dollar for a chance to be on her, but once the novelty wears off does Royal actually believe there's that much of a client base with pockets deep enough to afford those prices? 

No shade on anyone who's financially blessed enough to be able to do this, if you have it, spend it right, more power to you, but it just seems too outrageous for me. 

What do you all think. Am I in the minority or majority?

 

 

 

 

I've seen several TAs advertising in the 3k range for insides and even balconys. Take a walk on the wild side and ask a ta about group prices. I think it's silly to compare published prices which no one I know is paying. 

 

They cant all be making up those prices or maybe they are last minute but I'm seeing prices much lower than published. I think 3k is a lot ... dont get me wrong but comparing published prices is just so people can complain. Not serious. 

[Ocean Boy]

6 hours ago, nelblu said:

That's good news for shareholder's.😊

It is good news for Jason Liberty's paycheck.

[Cruising89143]

We loved the Oasis and Allure right after they entered service. Cruised on the Symphony last year and it felt so much more crowded. We have decided that the O class ships are too large for us. We love the size of the Voyager class of RCI and Celebrity’s Solstice class. The Icon looks amazing for someone wanting that type experience. I don’t see us cruising on it. We’re currently booked on a TA and our first river cruise doing the Christmas markets. Being fully retired we now book most of our cruises closer in. 

[BallFour4]

3 hours ago, Ashland said:

We booked the day the Icon was released. For 2 adults and 2 kids (KSF) in a Surfside Suite 7 nights in May was right around 7k. We didn't think this was too bad.

Booked a balcony cabin for two in March. Total cost with gratuities and insurance was $4100.00. Our friends from church tried to book in December and it was 10K...

 

.

[Tree_skier]

7 hours ago, mramella said:

Agreed. The prices are insane. We booked our March '24 Icon cruise way back in October of 2022 right when the bookings became available. If I were to try and book the exact same cruise today, we'd have to pay 3 times the cost (yes, 300% more!). Total insanity. No way we'd pay north of $20k for our upcoming Icon cruise!

Ditto for us... I booked the day itineraries were available for Nov 2024.  It's been a long wait and I'm glad I did it but it will be a one a done for us.  Our next cruises are all on ships more reasonably priced.

[Tree_skier]

57 minutes ago, BallFour4 said:

Booked a balcony cabin for two in March. Total cost with gratuities and insurance was $4100.00. Our friends from church tried to book in December and it was 10K...

 

.

This isn't even a fair comparison since our category and location is sold out but it is the closest I can come.

 

We're booked in a D4 Oceanview Balcony with an aft facing view.  That means a large balcony.

 

Our price is ~$2835 taxes and fees included. The screen shot below has the gratuities in which I have backed out for comparison sake.

 

 

 

Currently an Ocean view Balcony Guarantee for the same sailing is closing in on $8900.  It defies my sensibilities that people are paying that but I'm fine with it as a shareholder 🙂 

 

 

 

[cj_one2000]

We’re just now able to afford Oasis class fares. 🤣 I’ll probably be able to book an Icon balcony in oh, about 15 years? 👀

[ONECRUISER]

6 hours ago, runner2013 said:

I guess it goes to show if there wasn't a demand for 'bigger and better' Royal wouldn't have built something so large.  

And nothing new, Royal had first "Mega-Cruise Ship" back in 1988, also the largest Cruise Ship in World at time. I remember on one her first Sailings #004 looking down on Tiny 500-700 passenger Carnival, NCL and Princess "Love Boat" sized Ships. That said my Kids love the Oasis and Quantum sized(and now Icon) while I'll stick with the Radiance sized Ships at last til they're retired

[FOXTROT]

We would rather do 2 or 3 weeks on other ships, not 1 week on the Icon.

[BND]

Icon does not appeal to us.  We just returned today from a b2b on Wonder and it made us really look forward to our b2b on Vision in April.  The Wonder cruise that left today had 1086 kids onboard according to the suite concierge who spent some time in the Crown Lounge.  We had less the last two weeks and it was very kid heavy.  We were the recipients of a late night door knock one night done by roaming kids and lots of running and yelling.  Icon is way overpriced and I don't need to be one of the first to sail on her.  

[Ashland]

6 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Ditto for us... I booked the day itineraries were available for Nov 2024.  It's been a long wait and I'm glad I did it but it will be a one a done for us.  Our next cruises are all on ships more reasonably priced.

Same for us. The only reason I booked the Icon for our extended family (and glad I did opening day for this May) was that the family was excited about it. We enjoy the other classes of ship and those are where we'll be cruising going forward.

 

I think we got a pretty good rate and why I suppose I got an email from RCI asking us if we wanted to change our cruise. I'm sure they knew they could get a much higher price than what we got it for.

[little britain]

7 hours ago, BallFour4 said:

Booked a balcony cabin for two in March. Total cost with gratuities and insurance was $4100.00. Our friends from church tried to book in December and it was 10K...

 

.

My TA has group rates for December in an ocean view balcony for $1470pp before c&a discounts. 

[Norwich Cruiser]

3 hours ago, little britain said:

My TA has group rates for December in an ocean view balcony for $1470pp before c&a discounts. 

Morning 
 

Sorry to be nosey.

 

Is that a UK or USA agency?

 

I’m struggling to find a decent price.

[little britain]

8 minutes ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

Morning 
 

Sorry to be nosey.

 

Is that a UK or USA agency?

 

I’m struggling to find a decent price.

My USA guy 

 

- its 21.40 here.. sitting in Boletos drinking margaritas.. as you do! 

Edited January 29 by little britain

[Norwich Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, little britain said:

My USA guy 

 

- its 21.40 here.. sitting in Boletos drinking margaritas.. as you do! 

Oh so sorry I wouldn’t have disturbed you didn’t realise you were away slumming it 😅 

 

Where exactly are you?
 

It’s nearly time for elevenses here.

 

Now tea or coffee not quite the same as your margarita.

 

 

 

 

[Cruise a holic]

it amazes me how many people out their are able to afford all of these luxuries.  We went to disney world recently and while prices are obscene the parks were mobbed.  Guess many people doing very well now.  Unless you are wealthy, which many are, stick to the older ships for now.

Edited January 29 by Cruise a holic

[little britain]

1 hour ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

Oh so sorry I wouldn’t have disturbed you didn’t realise you were away slumming it 😅 

 

Where exactly are you?
 

It’s nearly time for elevenses here.

 

Now tea or coffee not quite the same as your margarita.

 

 

 

 

Just left Sydney en route to NZ on Ovation 

 

 

[CruisingWalter]

20 hours ago, runner2013 said:

No shade on anyone who's financially blessed enough to be able to do this, if you have it, spend it right, more power to you, but it just seems too outrageous for me. 

What do you all think. Am I in the minority or majority?

 

At the moment the Icon is a one of a kind, $2 Billion cruise ship. So if you want to experience Icon and everything that comes with it, you have one choice.  Yep, it's expensive just like all new ships are. It's even more expensive than normal because this is not a normal ship. And you priced Christmas Week, the most expensive week for a cruise along with New Year's week. That's skewing the narrative to meet your needs. $5700 for an Interior Plus for January 25, 2025. $7000 for a Central Park Infinite Balcony. Much more expensive than the Oasis class, but this is not an Oasis class ship. Both of those categories have limited availability already so at the moment there is no shortage of people ponying up for the ship. 

 

Having experienced the ship for 3 days I can see why she's priced higher. She's a completely re-imagined ship, not just an upgrade to the Oasis class. With a ton of technology, many new venues and just overall an incredible ship. It's a 'grown up' version of the Oasis class borrowing many design cues and flow from sister Celebrity. It feels like Royal elevated the adult experience just as much as the family experience. 

 

As of right now, the people who can afford the top dollar suites have spoken. The Ultimate Family Townhouse is sold out for 2024. If the ship is too much for you, don't sail on her. As for myself, I'm looking forward to getting back onboard for a 7 night, 3 nights was not nearly enough. The Spacious Interior and Interior Plus were really impressive re-designs on interior spaces and those will probably be the cabins we'll go with because they're more in my budget. 

 

At some point the ship should become more affordable, but until then, Royal can charge whatever they want so long as the public keeps buying. 

[runner2013]

15 hours ago, MichaelCMTX said:

As a shareholder I appreciate that, because that ship cost a lot of borrowed $$$$$$.

 

As a traveler, heck, we haven't even been on an Oasis class ship yet, but we're running out of excuses.  The prices aren't that much higher anymore and now that one's sailing from Galveston we don't need a plane ride.

 

But seriously, if the prices are high, nobody's forcing you to go.  Vote with your dollars.  If more cruisers held onto their wallets, supply and demand would take care of things.

I never said anyone was forcing me to go. Just that I feel the pricing is ridiculous. I"m not always the mindset of bigger is better. We don't have children and have no interest in rock walls or water slides(did those when we were younger and enjoyed it but have moved on to other interests). I can see why Royal is making such large ships, all for the family dollar which is good business. But, as you said, I don't need to be part of the circus atmosphere on board.🤣 

[runner2013]

14 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I've seen several TAs advertising in the 3k range for insides and even balconys. Take a walk on the wild side and ask a ta about group prices. I think it's silly to compare published prices which no one I know is paying. 

 

They cant all be making up those prices or maybe they are last minute but I'm seeing prices much lower than published. I think 3k is a lot ... dont get me wrong but comparing published prices is just so people can complain. Not serious. 

If you read my original post. I specifically said I picked the highest priced cabin , during a Christmas sailing to see what they were charging. You are correct there are much cheaper cabins available in different categories, but just because I pointed out what something costs doesn't mean I'm complaining.  Simply stating a fact of what I found on several different search engines related to pricing. You may not know anyone who is paying those elaborate prices, but it's a big world out there, people may absolutely be paying ridiculous prices if they so chose. As I said, more power to them, if they're blessed enough to have the money to spend, they should by all means use it how they wish. 

 

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, CruisingWalter said:

 She's a completely re-imagined ship, not just an upgrade to the Oasis class. With a ton of technology, many new venues and just overall an incredible ship. 

 

Interesting that you mention the technology. I can't remember how many O class sailings I've been on where the technology was behaving in a less than stellar manner including the Aqua Theater and main theater. However, it is impressive when it works.

[Ocean Boy]

19 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

It is called credit and loans against the house.

Hence why debt rates are the highest ever.

Also add in mass consumerism and marketing and you get "a sucker born every minute".

I doubt many of the passengers could pay cash right now for the cruise.

 

Only a little over a trillion dollars in US consumer credit card debt.... peanuts.☺️

[LuCruise]

Some "interesting" perspectives.  For us, we didn't book it because we "operate in a herd" (sorry, but really strange thought).  The ship just looks pretty amazing and wanted to try it with our two kids while we can...as our older one is in university now and not sure how long both will be travelling with us.

 

We booked right when it came out...downgraded back to all 4 of us in one stateroom (a Central Park Interior).  We'll manage, but this was our compromise as balcony or 2 rooms were way too $$$.  Even our single room is about 2.5K over what we typically  pay but it's just the timing of our kids getting older and may not have many other opportunities.  Otherwise, we wouldn't have booked it.  Prices since then have skyrocketed so glad we booked when we did and can't wait.  Definitely wouldn't have booked at the current rates for our cruise.

 

(As a comparison....for the following year, we went the opposite and booked Rhapsody - more for our regular cost.  It's not just the new ships where prices have gone way up, but all of them).

Edited January 29 by LuCruise

[Cruise a holic]

23 minutes ago, QuestionEverything said:

It is called credit and loans against the house.

Hence why debt rates are the highest ever.

Also add in mass consumerism and marketing and you get "a sucker born every minute".

I doubt many of the passengers could pay cash right now for the cruise.

 

You woulb be surprised!  Many wealthy people now