Royal Carib pricing us out

[jmaco]

We've been on a number of trips with our kids and they prefer Celebrity and RCCL over Princess. (We have not been on 7 day with Carnival) so don't have feedback on that one.

[GoofingOff]

Do you hear that loud sucking sound?

 

That's the sound of RCCL customers venturing out to other cruiselines over price.

 

Try NCL. The kids program on NCL Pearl 2 years ago was noticeably better than what we experienced on Mariner and Serenade last year.

 

For our upcoming Baltic cruise, the price diff. was huge so although we like RCCL, we're going to NCL for the huge savings.

[cruiserbryce]

we have cruised recently with Princess and upcoming next week with CCL and the prcing was very reasonable...that being said I think a little bit of it has to do with what cruise you select. We have heard a lot about RC pricing recently but I think the one we are about to book is very reasonably priced...14 day Alaska cruise for $1100pp...so there are great deals out there...maybe not as many for summer cruises to the Caribbean though;)

[jmom5]

We just booked our first cruise with Carnival last week. We thought we would never cruise another line besides RCCL because we have always had great experiences on every cruise we have taken with them, but taking a family of seven on a cruise is not a cheap endeavor! What helped us make the decision to jump lines was that we could get 3 cabins on the Carnival Freedom for $2700 including taxes and all compared to all of us squeezing into 2 cabins on RCCL for $4800. $2100 difference, that's a lot of excursions!

[jmom5]

I do want to add to my last post that I think there are deals to be had on RCCL, but when you are traveling with kids and need multiple rooms that are next to each other, or quad rooms, whatever the case may be, it is hard to get a great deal. Usually the good deals are guarantee rooms and when you have younger children, that is not an option. When my DH and I cruise alone, I can always find a great deal on RCCL that is at least comparable with the lower priced lines.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I've got say this about NCL. When Hubby and I sailed on Pearl, we had this constant tension about eating venues. If you want to eat for no extra cost your choices are the main dining room and the buffet. The food is plenty good enough, but the ship is loaded with very interesting other restaurants that each carry varying extra costs for dining.

 

We did fork out the extra for Teppanaki, one of their highest priced restaurants, but I really felt a kind of frustration in that I would have liked to have tried all of their extra charge restaurants. To do so, however, would have added a lot to the bill for the four of us.

 

To cut to the chase about NCL, the cost of your cabin on the cruise may be very attractive, but know that sailing on NCL can add up to more than you may realize just be looking at the base price.

 

I do LOVE NCL's breakfast cinnamon buns.

[djandnic]

We liked Princess, except for any time they stop at St Thomas (they don't use the pier at Havensight, so we won't sail Princess on ships that stop there) but I don't believe there are generally as many kids on Princess as RCL or Carnival.

 

We just went on a Carnival cruise in March, and the overall service is a step lower (based on one experience), but not horrible.

 

So for $1,000 I would try Princess or Carnival (same company).

 

I haven't tried other lines, but if the cost continues to be significantly higher on RCL, we'll certainly be trying other lines in the future. Our preference is RCL, but that is only worth so much, they need to be reasonable, and $1,000 for basically the same vacation is not reasonable, IMO.

 

Good luck deciding, and remember, the majority of your experience is the mindset you have. It's hard for me to imagine a 'bad' cruise, so go with your best gut feel. ;)

[matj2000]

RCCI has pretty much priced me out also. I still look but never buy.

For me next year Spring Break I booked an Aft Balcony on MSC out of Lauderdale for 2 Adults, 2 Children and it cost around $2200.

Or I can stay in Houston and drive to Galveston to sail the Voyager the same week

2 adults, 2 children on a reg balconey for $5700 +.

Sure I don't get a rock wall & Ice rink but even with $1000 airfare, I still save over $2000. And MSC has 5 port stops...

I might be crazy but I would rather go for the better value....

[Georgiagolfer]

DW and I have sailed with RCI (3) and CCL (9), and find very few differences. RCI decor is very difinitely different than CCL, but if that is no issue to you then no problem. We have chosen CCL more because of costs at time we wanted to sail, debark port, and itinirary.

 

Can't comment on kids programs, but have seen plenty on all our cruises. We love both lines and won't hesitate to sail either again.

[ByeBye1]

RCL is pricing themselves appropriately to compensate with all the kids things they have added. Princess is less because they don't have flowriders, boxing rinks, self leveling pool tables and ice rinks,......you get the point. People want all these amenities and then complain they can't afford it or they want it for free. Does anyone get that RCL is a business. Disney is also higher priced because of the amenities they have for kids.

[Toddcan]

RCL is pricing themselves appropriately to compensate with all the kids things they have added. Princess is less because they don't have flowriders, boxing rinks, self leveling pool tables and ice rinks,......you get the point. People want all these amenities and then complain they can't afford it or they want it for free. Does anyone get that RCL is a business. Disney is also higher priced because of the amenities they have for kids.

 

I believe the "complaints" are coming from the fact that there is now a huge price difference between RCI and its competition. Everyone else has lowered their prices significantly. Sure, all the RCI stuff costs money, but would you pay $2,800 more for 4 people for those things you listed? (that is how much cheaper a Carnival Cruise is for me... but I REALLY want to TRY RCI, and I really want to visit Labadee).

[bajathree]

RCCI has pretty much priced me out also. I still look but never buy.

For me next year Spring Break I booked an Aft Balcony on MSC out of Lauderdale for 2 Adults, 2 Children and it cost around $2200.

Or I can stay in Houston and drive to Galveston to sail the Voyager the same week

2 adults, 2 children on a reg balconey for $5700 +.

Sure I don't get a rock wall & Ice rink but even with $1000 airfare, I still save over $2000. And MSC has 5 port stops...

I might be crazy but I would rather go for the better value....

 

Better do some homework...price is not everything:

MSC, Costa and NCL are among the world's worst-performing cruise lines, according to a new survey.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/4536060/Passengers-pick-their-worst-cruise-lines.html

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,25027146-5014090,00.html

[matj2000]

I have already done my homework Mr.Dumas. In fact I lived it. I have been on both RCCI & MSC. Already rebooked for next year on the worst perfoming cruise line............