RCCL Pricing

[Appgrad]

I have been on two cruises previously with RCCL, both times on Voyager class ships. I am planning my next cruise in April of 2005. I have starting pricing cruises on all of the Voyager class ships. Using a "Value Center" priced on-line travel agent, the prices I am getting for RCCL is consistantly $200-$500 more expensive than HAL.

 

For the same week, approximately the same islands visited, I can get a balcony on the Zuiderdam for the same price as a premenade on the Voyager.

 

I know that RCCL changed their pricing strategy earlier this year, but I thought HAL was a premium line.

 

So.... has HAL lowered their prices that much or has RCCL gotten more expensive?

 

I cruised on the Mariner last year during Thanksgiving week for $595 pp inside. The price this year was somewhere around $1100. I know the economy/cruise industry is doing better, but it seems excessive.

 

I know that I will get a lot of responses that tell me to get stuffed and book on HAL. I just wanted to know how oher people felt about the pricing changes and if they were considering another cruiseline?

[msts]

I believe that RCCL has raised their prices and next year we may end up back on princess or carnival.

 

msts

[dougp26364]

RCI has attempted to eliminate TA's from rebating any portion of their comission in order to lower the price of the cruise. Supposedly the price your quoted by XYZ travel agency should be the same as that quoted by ABC travel agency.

 

Other posters have found variances between TA's so it still pays to shop around. Some online TA's are offering value added perks like free transfers to and from the ship, points that can be traded for merchandise upon completion of your cruise or pre/post cruise hotel nights.

 

I think what you may be seeing is the difference in HAL allowing TA's to rebate comissions and RCI not allowing it.

 

Personally, I haven't shopped prices so I'm not speaking from experience on this matter. Only by what I've been reading on these forums. I won't have a chance to shop prices until we decide where we might like to cruise in 2006. At this point, we're thinking of cruising Alaska again or perhaps the Panama Canal or Hawaii, depending on how many vacation days we'll have available then.

[Ocean Boy]

I just booked the Serenade for April. Between the higher fares and my TA no longer being able to discount it is costing me quite a bit more this year then it did last year. I am not so sure it was a good idea for RCI to raise fares and hault the discounting at the same time.

 

You are right, the responses telling you to just go book HAL should be forthcoming in a matter of minutes! :D

[xpcdoojk]

If you think HAL is a premium product, you really should read the HAL board. :D Honestly, for a youngish, active person, there is no way you can consider HAL to be a more premium product. By this I mean the things to do and see on RCI's big ships are much greater than those that exist on HAL. So if you are going for the ships, RCI is far premium to HAL. In fact just based on the ships RCI is the most premium line in existence, period. Of course, the ship is not why most people go on a cruise. I go for the itinerary. I prefer to visit places that I have not visited before. I don't cruise to repeat the same 7 day itinerary, and for me I have decided to cruise next time on HAL. Some people go for the pampering, or for that special balcony. I could care less about those things, but to each their own.

 

I am going to say this again, but those complaining about the lack of rebates will never acknowledge that this is true. RCI does not control pricing, ultimately. The market controls pricing. RCI is trying to control the way the line is priced, but they can not control the equilibrium market determined price. If they set a price too high compared to comparable offerings, OB, is correct that people will book with RCI's competitors, and if RCI prices their product at a point that they lose market share or that does not allow them to maximize their revenues then in the long run they will have to adjust their pricing. If RCI was the only company with ships then they could make economic profits, but they are not, they have competition that can take profits and market share from them. So, again, this change in pricing means something to the travel agents, but it will mean nothing to us passengers in the long run. So unless you are a travel agent this is much ado about nothing. Do any of you read the newspaper. There was an article in my local paper and I am sure that you will see a version of it in your own local pages or on the internet in yahoo news. The point of the article was that for the first time since 911 that thanksgiving holiday travel had risen to levels that existed prior to 911. In other words the travel industry is having the first pre 911 year this year. In other words the equilibrium pricing of travel has increased due to increased demand. I still see 7 day RCI cruises in internet emails for less than $500 per person. Some times when kids are out of school are traditionally much more expensive. :p

 

jc

[Appgrad]

I understand economics and I understand why they are setting their prices higher. I guess I am just disappointed that I am no longer able to cruise twice a year...

 

Unfortunately, my husband is a teacher, so we have to cruise when school is out of session. It makes traveling a lot more expensive.

 

HAL also has offered teacher discounts. It would be great if RCCL did the same thing.

[csk]

I just booked a European cruise for October 2005, I did get the same price from all agents, but What I found was that some give free insurance, some free precruise hotel rooms, so even though the cost of cruise was same you have to shop for did agents giving "free" goodies. I got free insurance and 2 free precruise nights in hotel . We love RCI, and do not want to change will just wait for sales.

[xpcdoojk]

I just booked a European cruise for October 2005, I did get the same price from all agents, but What I found was that some give free insurance, some free precruise hotel rooms, so even though the cost of cruise was same you have to shop for did agents giving "free" goodies. I got free insurance and 2 free precruise nights in hotel . We love RCI, and do not want to change will just wait for sales.

Exactly, so. Despite announcements to the contrary!:D

 

Yes being a teacher has its drawbacks, and I would feel real sorry for you except that most employees don't get 2 to 3 months off in a row, in order to take a really great vacation. I would love to take the summer off, get in my car, drive all over the country, camp, fish, play for a couple of months. Also, despite not being a teacher I have never been able to take 2 cruises a year. I can manage one nice long vacation a year max. I do take lots of little trips, but big vacation is a one time a year deal!

 

jc;)

[dmoseley]

Very few teachers get 2-3 months in a row off. Most of us are required to do different types of continuing ed during that time. Bad stereotype.

[xpcdoojk]

Of course, it is a bad stereotype, but nobody held a gun to any teachers head and said you must be a teacher. I do hope you are not going to try to convince me that as a group that teachers don't get more time off from work than most working Americans.:confused: ;) I know it is tough getting a couple of weeks off at Christmas every year, and then getting spring break off, and whatever pittance of time off in the summer. I don't mean to be mean, but come on. There is an upside to not being able to afford two cruises a year! :p

 

jc

 

Since, teaching is probably the number 1 profession the USA, I am going to be getting hammered, here! :D

[DON M.]

I just booked the Serenade for April. Between the higher fares and my TA no longer being able to discount it is costing me quite a bit more this year then it did last year. I am not so sure it was a good idea for RCI to raise fares and hault the discounting at the same time.

 

You are right, the responses telling you to just go book HAL should be forthcoming in a matter of minutes! :D

Thats exactly what RCL did. Eliminating rebates and commisions does not account for the 30 to 40 % increases Iam seeing on a cruise to Europe we booked in June. People see $599 cruises avaiable and say "wow this cruise is cheap" and for the time of year, and length it may very well be. But today our cruise would be almost $600 per day vs. $375 booked pre-Aug. Why?

[HorrorFan]

Getting back on topic a bit (before the teachers lynch xpcdoojk), we just booked an eastern Caribbean cruise on Voyager for Feb 5. Two years ago we went on the Western cruise on the Explorer and it cost us nearly twice as much then. Of course it was March break, but we were really suprised how much less it cost us this time. Same level of room as well.

[prudon]

Hi. I've noticed the price increase but I'd rather pay the increase and keep the outstanding service. Hubby sailed Carnival legend 11/11/04. Ship is beautiful but service was lacking. Cunard sevice was very bad. Norwegian was pretty good but not personal like RCCL.

[DON M.]

Of course, it is a bad stereotype, but nobody held a gun to any teachers head and said you must be a teacher. I do hope you are not going to try to convince me that as a group that teachers don't get more time off from work than most working Americans.:confused: ;) I know it is tough getting a couple of weeks off at Christmas every year, and then getting spring break off, and whatever pittance of time off in the summer. I don't mean to be mean, but come on. There is an upside to not being able to afford two cruises a year! :p

 

jc

 

Since, teaching is probably the number 1 profession the USA, I am going to be getting hammered, here! :D

 

Your right about the time off, but with the starting salary at about $35,000 depending on the state, do the math, even without extra hours at home, its about $21.00 per hour and the reason alot of teachers take another job in the summer.

[xpcdoojk]

I know I paid 3 times for the same level on my first cruise on the Majesty of the seas in 96 as I did for the Adventure of the seas in 2002 after 911. To ignore the effects of 911 on the price of cruising is not helpful to understanding. Clearly the market is recovering. This is a good thing! It means that the universe of people that go cruising is growing, and they can afford more cruises! This means the cruiselines will make more money and they will build more and better ships to take me to new and wonderful places! Life is good!:D

 

 

jc

[cmason]

Cruise travel is up, demand is up. Simple economics. BusinessWeek reported that cruise fairs are up 39% from the 2001 slump, and numbers of cruisers has recovered to before 9/11 numbers.

[xpcdoojk]

BTW, here was a little website that lists median income by states in 1989 and 1999.... Dual income each earning 35K, will put you well above median in every state in the union. BTW, DON. :D

 

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-stateinc2000.htm

 

jc

 

PS anyone got anymore gasoline, that I can pour on myself!:eek:

[DON M.]

BTW, here was a little website that lists median income by states in 1989 and 1999.... Dual income each earning 35K, will put you well above median in every state in the union. BTW, DON. :D

 

 

http://www.demographia.com/db-stateinc2000.htm

 

jc

 

PS anyone got anymore gasoline, that I can pour on myself!:eek:

I know all about incomes, so whats your point 'TEACHERS ARE ANGELS WHO EARN THEIR WINGS'

[Seaside2358]

Could you e-mail me with the TA you used to book? Thanks.

 

Seaside8@comcast.net

[critterchick]

We've found that it's helpful to book as soon as the schedules come out. Not only will you be able to snag your preferred cabin, but if a particular cruise turns out to be wildly popular, the price will go through the roof and you can feel smug about the great deal you got. If a cruise doesn't seel well and the prices come down, you can get the reduced price as long as you haven't made your final payment. For example, we booked a Brilliance 3-day Med cruise for October 2005. We booked as soon as it came out on the schedule (spring of 2004), and got a GS for $699 (affordable luxury). Now all of the JS & up cabins are sold out and a D-1 is going for almost $800. It's just supply & demand.

 

We were on Splendour last year, orignally booked in a JS at something like $1899pp. By the time final payment rolled around, the price had dropped about $300pp and our TA was able to get us the lower price. The ship was about 2/3 full for that sailing.

 

Somebody also posted on another thread that there's a pricing algorithm in the RCCL computers that will adjust the price based on the popularity of a cabin category even, which explains why a JS may sometimes be less than a D-1.

[dougp26364]

 

I am going to say this again, but those complaining about the lack of rebates will never acknowledge that this is true. RCI does not control pricing, ultimately. The market controls pricing. jc

 

You are absolutely correct about this. The market controls pricing. I don't believe I've ever argued that it didn't. I don't believe I've ever acknowledged it directly though.

 

However, our next cruise was paid for with the rebate we received from our TA on our last cruise on Explorer. We'll all but $57 off it after RCI lowered prices and we upgraded to a nicer cabin. The savings was significant on our JS Cabin coming in at over $500 off what RCI was quoting on their website. That figure was far less when comparing TA to TA. If I compared TA to TA, then the savings was only between $20-$50.

 

The saving our daughter and her SO recieved was considerably less on their inside cabin at around $40.

 

It seems that I recall someone posting several months back that RCI ships were sailing at over 100% capacity. If that's correct, then it does not surprise me that they've been able to increase their prices.

[Margaritaville TX]

We have always booked a JS cabin in the past, but with the no discount policy of RCCL now we are not able to cruise twice a year with them. We will have to cruise with with Carnival or Princess who allows discounting. For a example, in June 2003 we booked a JS cabin on the Navigator for $3200.00. In February 2004 we booked a JS cabin for $2500.00. In October 2004 we booked a JS cabin on the Navigator for 2370.00. We tried to book a JS cabin for July 2005 and the price is $4900.00 on the Adventure. Before the no discount policy went into effect the same JS cabin was $3300.00 which I would not have a problem booking today. We are one cruise away from being a diamond member and we will not become one until RCCL changes the disconting policy.

[abridalmaven]

Come to LI for a taechers job, they make more than the rest of us here. But no matter what the salary and time off, I have friends who are teachers and they are limited to travelling in the summer when prices are highest and tons more kids, so they have no real escape.

 

I say if the products call for it them, people will pay it. But no amount of money could get me on NCL again and HAL is way to boring! I am not old enough yet, heck, my MOM will not use them yet and she is 76! She does NOT go to bed at 8pm!

[cmason]

In Jan, Carnival will implement the same price restrictions as did RCCL, so expect Princess and Carnival prices to stabilize as well.

[TomCat32174]

Rising Prices?

 

I have cruised on RCI for the past three years, same week and have had the same price for the same cabin type, in fact same cabin number also for all three years? Where is the price increases? Also, booked again for next year, same price.

 

As for the $1100 PP for Thanksgiving week this year, when did you look at the price?