You show me yours...i`ll show you mine...

[joanagain]

breaking the first cruise commandment..WHAT DID YOU PAY?

 

i saw this on celebrity, (i think)... taken from carnival thread...i wonder how many are courageous enough to see how their "good deal" fares with others of the same category...come on, tell us ;)

remember, state which damm ship, length of cruise, and cabin category in your total payment.

any takers?

[Esme]

Why don't you start first.!

[joanagain]

:) i see this is a case of "after you"...i considered that there would be more readers than posters...

 

i just did not want to brag, but i will be sailing out of jacksonville on 3 november on the Final voyage of the Noordam...that`s right, the same ship that i complained so highly about in my first post in 2000...but it hooked me on cruising (and had to be listed as my favorite ship, considering it was my first and only cruise at the time.) ...i think that we got an inside cabin doing the mediterraean for $1200 each, then.

 

Next month, on november 3, we will be sailing to the med again, in cat BB, for 11 days...and we are paying $1,118 each, that is $2372 for the cabin...(i love our TA).

 

Esme, your turn ;) ...

[merryecho]

Just checked a popular online discounter. Today they show a 10 day cruise on the Volendam Nov 6 for $869 (plus taxes etc.).

[HeatherInFlorida]

Joanagain, I think you got a terrific price for that category for 11 days!

 

But I'm wondering why it would bother anyone to say what they paid? I've never been private about things like that. We are sailing on the Oosterdam 11/7/04 for 7 days in our requested cabin # which is a BA (Verandah) category for $780 each. So the total cruise for 2 people came to $1560 including all taxes and fees which I was thrilled about. It comes out to about $111 per day per person and if we ate all 3 meals out every day I don't think we would do much better than that so I consider the cruise portion free;) . Therefore, the more I eat the better "deal" I got:D

 

I am the best rationalizer out there for just about everything:p .

[Orcrone]

It comes out to about $111 per day per person and if we ate all 3 meals out every day I don't think we would do much better than that so I consider the cruise portion free;) . Therefore, the more I eat the better "deal" I got:D

 

I am the best rationalizer out there for just about everything:p .

Heather,

With how much I eat, it's equivalent to 6 meals out every day. So I'm actually saving money by going on a cruise.:D

I guess you'll have to settle for second best rationalizer.:)

[Tatka]

Well..we sailed in August on Zuiderdam in Large inside Cabin and payed with taxes $1803 for three of us.(could've had 2060 for ocean view) with all taxes!

 

I consider it to be a great price as last summer we've paid around $960 pp for lowest ocean view on X Century.

[ekerr19]

I don't like to say how much we paid, but since we are on the same cruise as joanagain - we got the C - category, Outside Deluxe for a bit less... of course we booked back in January. :)

 

Considering she's in a B (I think it's a B, the Noordam does not have a "BB" category that I remember - it looks like we paid about the same).

 

We choose our specific C cabin for sentimental reasons. :)

 

The 11/3/04 sailing on Noordam is only 9 days however... 11/3/04 - 11/12/04.

[tankerjo2]

Really incredible rates when compared to what we were paying when we took our 1st HAL cruise in 92. Still can't help but wonder if cruising is destined to end up offering the same service levels that our airlines are offering today.

[ekerr19]

I still have the brochure for the 1984-1985 Innaugural season on the Noordam.

 

A 7-day Mexican Riviera, RT from LA in category B was $1930 per person in "value season" and $2030 in "peak season". Airfare from most gateway cities was included, however.

 

That would be $4060 for two people on a 7-day cruise! :eek:

[Orcrone]

I don't feel comfortable talking about what I paid. I feel like I'm either going to have people thinking they got ripped off, or I got ripped off.

 

I will however share that currently you could book an N guarantee inside, or an H guarantee outside (porthole) for the Maasdam 10 night eastern Caribbean out of Norfolk, VA for a little under $800 pp double occupancy. That includes port charges and taxes. That's only about $80 per day.

[Thatsright]

I found the most incredible price for an AA from a large online agency. It is by far the lowest I have seen - even since prices had gone down. BUT...I have paid a very high emotional cost because this company employs idiots as both reservationist and customer service agents. They screwed up my credit card charges, sent me three different invoices - all were different and none matched my credit card statement - and then they lost my docs! I finally got all this cleared up yesterday and I sail in a week. Just remember - you get what you pay for!

 

L

[cactuslady]

Really incredible rates when compared to what we were paying when we took our 1st HAL cruise in 92. Still can't help but wonder if cruising is destined to end up offering the same service levels that our airlines are offering today.

Can you imagine a 10-day cruise with no food except a bag of pretzels? And we all have to share the same bathroom and otherwise sit in the same deck chair the whole time. And we have to do the lifeboat drill before leaving each port. :p

[Orcrone]

I found the most incredible price for an AA from a large online agency. It is by far the lowest I have seen - even since prices had gone down. BUT...I have paid a very high emotional cost because this company employs idiots as both reservationist and customer service agents. They screwed up my credit card charges, sent me three different invoices - all were different and none matched my credit card statement - and then they lost my docs! I finally got all this cleared up yesterday and I sail in a week. Just remember - you get what you pay for!

 

L

I understand your frustration. I would feel the same dealing with them. But there are a number of online agencies that provide good service also. I've booked three cruises with the online agency I use, and have received excellent pricing and good service from the same agent I have dealt with for all three cruises. So I wouldn't write them off just yet. Just try a different one.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I believe it's not so much "you get what you pay for" as you get what you know. I use an online agent because I have used them consistently 4 or 5 times and have never had anything but top notch service. The reason it works for us is that I like to do all my own research so basically all the agency has to do for me is make the booking and send my tickets. In 4 years, no problems. Any questions I have had between booking and sailing, they've addressed immediately.

But I would quickly agree, internet agents are not for everyone.

Still, when I booked my Celebrity cruise for next year the same price is quoted wherever you go now that the agents can't "play" with their commissions any longer (for Celebrity & RCI). I could have booked directly with Celebrity for the same price. But I chose to go with my agent because they have never let me down.

[jollycruiser]

Next 2 cruises:

 

Westerdam 7 day Carribean "S" suite - 1213pp

 

Oosterdam 7 day Mexican Reviera - "SS" suite - 840pp

 

Pretty good prices I thought!

[merryecho]

I too love my online agent. Better prices and services than the in person ta's I have tried.

[tomc]

When our neighbors asked, Mom would say, "I'm not sure; all the bills haven't arrived yet." End of conversation. They never got the hint and she'd always have to tell them the same thing.

[joanagain]

ekerr...you are right! ...thank you for doing the math...the dates you gave are 11/3-12, on the Noordam ...am i getting excieted :rolleyes: ..don`t let me handle the books.

 

as to not wanting to say what you paid...i noticed that i was really interested in what other people paid...i think we all like to think we got a good deal and would rather not have our bubble pricked...or...?

 

ocrone...$80 per day N inside guarantee on the maasdam, 10 days...

i like that :)

jollycruiser...i could do that: mexico 7 nights SS suite for $840 each...wow!...looking for those prices when i graduate to the sweet suite life.

[Orcrone]

ocrone...$80 per day N inside guarantee on the maasdam, 10 days...

i like that :)

Actually, it's the same price for an N (inside) or an H (outside porthole). We paid more money when we booked the cruise, but it was for an E outside.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I hope no one will misunderstand my question because I sincerely respect everyone's right to privacy where everything is concerned. I don't think anything is anyone's business unless that person wants to make it so. I'm just funny and have never been private about anything (except maybe politics, religion and sex;) ).

 

That said, I still believe in other people's privacy. But my question is this: What is the reason some people are uncomfortable mentioning the cost of a cruise? If someone here paid less than I did for the cabin next door to me on the same cruise I would say "good for you" and try to find out your TA's name!!!:D Certainly it wouldn't bother me.

 

Or is it simply that some people don't like to talk about price in general? I can certainly understand that except that, of course, we all know the "ballpark" price of the cruise in each category.

 

So honestly I don't mean to belabor it, it's truly my idle curiousity if anyone's in the mood to explain it. But we all know I'm nuts anyway! I come right out and say how old I am!!!!!:eek:

[x lindsay x]

AA Verandah on the Zuiderdam 7-days $475pp (before taxes).

We only got that rate because there will be 4 of us (all adults) sharing the cabin. Everyone in my party agrees that for what we are paying it is a better deal to get that room and share it than to get 2 inside rooms in it's stead.

[tomc]

Heather --

 

You're right about politics, religion and sex being private. I have never in my life talked about politics while having sex during a religious service. It's none of her business.

 

I think people might be reluctant because, in my mother's example, the neighbors probably would go, "Nyah, nyah, we can get it cheaper." I don't have all the options many of you do; it's gotta be one of two ports, has to fit certain tightly-controlled windows of opportunity and must be HAL. That doesn't leave me with too many options. There are reasons for all of those conditions. So I end up with, perhaps, only two or three possibilities in any given year and have to do the best I can with promotions. My goal is to get as close to $100/day as possible. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't.

[Orcrone]

We have one friend that cruised after 9/11 and got a ridiculously cheap fare. So if you happen to let her know what you paid (DW made that mistake last year) she'll have to tell you how ridiculous that price is. She'd never pay more than $299 for a 7 day cruise. She could have gotten it so much cheaper. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

OK I will play I don't mind, other than our October 2005 on the Oosterdam which I feel was a steal for a S Suite I don't think the other 3 were super cheap or that we paid too much.

 

The upcoming Ryndam 7 day Sea of Cortez was $1843 per per person for a S Suite that includes port fees and taxes.

 

Our Western Caribbean on the new Westerdam in March 2005 we chose a SS Suite and it was $1372 per person which includes taxes and port fees.

 

Our Maasdam New England going out of Boston next July we chose a BB catagory and we are paying $1420 per person with all fees.

 

Then our bargain was October 2005 on the Oosterdam we have a S Suite on the aft for $1100 per person that is before port charges and taxes forgot what that is. They still have some left at very close to this price on cruise.com