Comparison between US and UK fare's

Out of interest I wanted to know what you guys in the US are paying for cunard cruises.

The pre-xmas transatlantic is now £499 ($781) for an inside with a flight back for uk passengers. I understand that US passengers pay a lot less

I'm not intending for this thread to be an exercise to rub it in, but to be more informed.

A few weeks ago there was a deal on the Nov-Dec-Jan crossings - US$599 for the best available balcony cabin. Booked a BC cabin on the Jan. 3 crossing for a total of US$1300 for the 2 of us, including all taxes but with no air (for which we had FF miles anyways).

I would say your price inclusive of air was very good indeed.

The 15 December crossing is showing for $599 (inside) plus $63.52 taxes, etc. It does have free gratuities, OBC, and dinner for two at a specialty restaurant. AFAIK, air fare is never included in the price in the US.

do you guys always have to book flights yourselves?

our prices always include tax. hence the price comparison

is £499 vs £424 or $781 vs $662 (last 3 approx.) uk vs us.

However, we get a flight and you get no tips and a speciality.

The closest is can get in price is $873 vs $662/ £564 vs 424 assuming we all pay tips

and $903 vs $662/ £576.8 vs £424 assuming we all go to an alternative.

If you guys can get a flight to the uk for less that $241, you're "quids in"

Interesting as I was always told the Americans got it much cheaper than we did.

I get the time I shall post some more prices from the uk website up here.

do you guys always have to book flights yourselves?

our prices always include tax. hence the price comparison

 

is £499 vs £424 or $781 vs $662 (last 3 approx.) uk vs us.

 

 

However, we get a flight and you get no tips and a speciality.

 

The closest is can get in price is $873 vs $662/ £564 vs 424 assuming we all pay tips

 

and $903 vs $662/ £576.8 vs £424 assuming we all go to an alternative.

 

 

If you guys can get a flight to the uk for less that $241, you're "quids in"

 

 

Interesting as I was always told the Americans got it much cheaper than we did.

 

I get the time I shall post some more prices from the uk website up here.

I recently booked a one-way flight (US-UK) for January through Cunard and the lowest price seat was $330 (booking it myself would have been four times that). So for last minute deals the UK has us beat on this one.

Last year we did a comparison of prices in the US, UK, and Australia over a couple of months for one cruise. It was interesting to see how the prices fluctuated and who had the best deal at any given time. I will try to find that post.

Here it is. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1850551

Out of interest I wanted to know what you guys in the US are paying for cunard cruises.

 

The pre-xmas transatlantic is now £499 ($781) for an inside with a flight back for uk passengers. I understand that US passengers pay a lot less

 

I'm not intending for this thread to be an exercise to rub it in, but to be more informed.

I believe this is very rare deal, as just flight fare alone is comparable to this price.

OP, you got a fabulous deal, way better than we Yanks--rejoice!

I think the discussion is interesting, as it suggests the UK travel market expects the bundling of cruise and air, which is not a U.S. norm.

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

I think the discussion is interesting, as it suggests the UK travel market expects the bundling of cruise and air, which is not a U.S. norm.

I don't think it is the UK travel market as a whole - most of us are now accustomed to booking flights, accommodation and transfers independently - as much as the age group that Cunard predominantly attracts within the UK who are likely to have 'grown up' on package holidays to continental Europe in the 70's and 80's. The U.S. cruise market of the same generation are likely to have grown up on U.S. cruises and holidays where flights were optional and strictly their own affair.

I am likely to book the same December transatlantic and have monitored the fares either side of the Atlantic. In the U.S. the $599 fare has been around for a while and notably has applied to both inside and balcony cabins while the new UK £499 fare, including flight and transfer, only applies to insides. It is an extra £100 pp for a balcony. Also the sole-occupancy supplement is 100% in the US but only 50% in the UK.

On balance, I would have taken the $599 balcony rate and used Avios to return but the Avios seat availability that close to Christmas is zilch with all airlines. Also, US TAs are not legally allowed to sell air tickets to non US residents or citizens. I tried that route too. Cash fares on 23rd or 24th of December are expectedly prohibitive. Cunard did a wise thing reserving the flight seats at the same time. Hence it looks like the UK 'package' fare for me.

I am told that the sole-occupancy supplements on same cruise last year were removed at short notice. I tracked the November transatlantic fares this year both in the US and the UK and this was not the case for that cruise. I may hang on just a little longer in hope. If availability starts to dry up, I will just have to book.

I think being an educated traveler is the way to go--you certainly are! I hope it works out for you. Cheers!

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

I don't think it is the UK travel market as a whole - most of us are now accustomed to booking flights, accommodation and transfers independently - as much as the age group that Cunard predominantly attracts within the UK who are likely to have 'grown up' on package holidays to continental Europe in the 70's and 80's. The U.S. cruise market of the same generation are likely to have grown up on U.S. cruises and holidays where flights were optional and strictly their own affair.

 

I am likely to book the same December transatlantic and have monitored the fares either side of the Atlantic. In the U.S. the $599 fare has been around for a while and notably has applied to both inside and balcony cabins while the new UK £499 fare, including flight and transfer, only applies to insides. It is an extra £100 pp for a balcony. Also the sole-occupancy supplement is 100% in the US but only 50% in the UK.

 

On balance, I would have taken the $599 balcony rate and used Avios to return but the Avios seat availability that close to Christmas is zilch with all airlines. Also, US TAs are not legally allowed to sell air tickets to non US residents or citizens. I tried that route too. Cash fares on 23rd or 24th of December are expectedly prohibitive. Cunard did a wise thing reserving the flight seats at the same time. Hence it looks like the UK 'package' fare for me.

 

 

I am told that the sole-occupancy supplements on same cruise last year were removed at short notice. I tracked the November transatlantic fares this year both in the US and the UK and this was not the case for that cruise. I may hang on just a little longer in hope. If availability starts to dry up, I will just have to book.

Call me crazy (many have) but $599 for a balcony on a transatlantic crossing is too cheep. Not sustainable. Think about it: do you really want to cross the Atlantic at the cheapest rates possible? Many do, and consequently the fares have been driven down. I just hope the passengers who sail at these low fares do not complain later -not about the food or service, but about the things passengers don't see but are more important to the operation of the ship.

$599 for a balcony on a trans-Atlantic - something has to give, and I suspect it won't be a pretty story.

Salacia

Call me crazy (many have) but $599 for a balcony on a transatlantic crossing is too cheep. Not sustainable. Think about it: do you really want to cross the Atlantic at the cheapest rates possible? Many do, and consequently the fares have been driven down. I just hope the passengers who sail at these low fares do not complain later -not about the food or service, but about the things passengers don't see but are more important to the operation of the ship.

 

$599 for a balcony on a trans-Atlantic - something has to give, and I suspect it won't be a pretty story.

 

 

Salacia

You are quite correct. What "has to give" is the air fare on the return journey to the UK which is thousands, in any currency.

As per your comment, I never complain. Look for my review here.

 

$599 for a balcony on a trans-Atlantic - something has to give, and I suspect it won't be a pretty story.

 

 

Salacia

What matters is the average price through all the bookings. If that was $599 I would agree that there would be a big loss to Cunard and a likely drop in quality, but many will be paying more particularly adding in Grill rates.

And anyway, it's cunard who set the fares, we just buy what's on offer.

David.

Out of interest I wanted to know what you guys in the US are paying for cunard cruises.

 

The pre-xmas transatlantic is now £499 ($781) for an inside with a flight back for uk passengers. I understand that US passengers pay a lot less

 

I'm not intending for this thread to be an exercise to rub it in, but to be more informed.

Thought I'd offer an Australian perspective…

1 Australian Dollar = (approx.) 86 US Cents & 55 British Pence.

15 December trans-Atlantic currently advertised on Cunard's Australian web site as cruise only fare from:

$AU1,329 per person Inside

$AU1,709 p.p. Ocean View

$AU1,769 p.p. Balcony

$AU2,559 p.p. Club Balcony

$AU3,989 p.p. Princess

$AU5,319 p.p. Queens

Could be cheaper from travel agencies but still seems like a whole lot more than in the USA or UK.

Extremely interesting thread. We booked our westbound transatlantic crossing back in March/April and it cost us £999 ($1,560) pp for an inside cabin on the QM2, 4 nights in New York over Christmas, staying at the Sheraton Times Square and the flight home. We also talked Cunard into flying us home to Manchester with no regional supplement.

We are very happy with this deal, but wonder what our American 'cousins' think of it.

The cruise weeks between US Thanksgiving and Christmas are traditionally the lowest in demand, thus lowest in price, of the year--good time for bargains, but not necessarily representative of a price trend.

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

Thought I'd offer an Australian perspective…

 

1 Australian Dollar = (approx.) 86 US Cents & 55 British Pence.

 

15 December trans-Atlantic currently advertised on Cunard's Australian web site as cruise only fare from:

 

$AU1,329 per person Inside

$AU1,709 p.p. Ocean View

$AU1,769 p.p. Balcony

$AU2,559 p.p. Club Balcony

$AU3,989 p.p. Princess

$AU5,319 p.p. Queens

 

 

Could be cheaper from travel agencies but still seems like a whole lot more than in the USA or UK.

Definitely not competitive with the deals in the UK and US. I wonder if they don't deep discount the price because not many Australians want to fly that far for a transatlantic.

Extremely interesting thread. We booked our westbound transatlantic crossing back in March/April and it cost us £999 ($1,560) pp for an inside cabin on the QM2, 4 nights in New York over Christmas, staying at the Sheraton Times Square and the flight home. We also talked Cunard into flying us home to Manchester with no regional supplement.

 

We are very happy with this deal, but wonder what our American 'cousins' think of it.

Babs, I think that's a very good deal! Enjoy your voyage. Christmas in NY is beautiful! Happy Holidays -S.

I just noticed on the Cunard website that 3 upcoming sailings will include complimentary drinks. I think the offer applies to UK bookings only.

"Make your holiday even more enjoyable with this very special promotion offering complimentary drinks when you book on the selection of cruises shown below. You could enjoy a delicious speciality coffee in Sir Samuels, that pre-dinner martini in the Commodore Club, an enjoyable glass of wine over dinner or perhaps a night cap in G32 or the Yacht Club - and all this will be on us.

Britannia guests can enjoy complimentary drinks up to an individual price of $9 which includes all of our standard beers and wines by the glass, as well as a number of cocktails and martinis. Alternatively book a Grills Suite for some extra luxury and enjoy complimentary drinks up to $12 each - meaning you can even indulge in glasses of our delicious Delamotte Champagne.This offer applies to new Cunard Fare bookings only, made by 30 November on three tempting cruises departing this coming December and January 2015... " copied from https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/latest_news/Drinks_pulse

See that webpage for dates and details of the three voyages offering this all inclusive drinks package.

I just noticed on the Cunard website that 3 upcoming sailings will include complimentary drinks. I think the offer applies to UK bookings only.

 

"Make your holiday even more enjoyable with this very special promotion offering complimentary drinks when you book on the selection of cruises shown below. You could enjoy a delicious speciality coffee in Sir Samuels, that pre-dinner martini in the Commodore Club, an enjoyable glass of wine over dinner or perhaps a night cap in G32 or the Yacht Club - and all this will be on us.

 

Britannia guests can enjoy complimentary drinks up to an individual price of $9 which includes all of our standard beers and wines by the glass, as well as a number of cocktails and martinis. Alternatively book a Grills Suite for some extra luxury and enjoy complimentary drinks up to $12 each - meaning you can even indulge in glasses of our delicious Delamotte Champagne.This offer applies to new Cunard Fare bookings only, made by 30 November on three tempting cruises departing this coming December and January 2015... " copied from https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/latest_news/Drinks_pulse

 

See that webpage for dates and details of the three voyages offering this all inclusive drinks package.

From this, it looks like the crossing the OP mentioned for £499 is £1449 with the drinks package. That's a lot of drinks!

From this, it looks like the crossing the OP mentioned for £499 is £1449 with the drinks package. That's a lot of drinks!

Yes, that certainly would be a lot of drinks. The £1449 fare quoted for voyage M432 on the page mentioned by Salacia is actually for a balcony stateroom. When comparing apples-to-apples (or perhaps I should say insides-to-insides), the lowest fares quoted on Cunard's UK web site are £499 for the Saver Fare and £1249 for the Cunard Fare. That's still a lot of drinks.

I note these additional details regarding the Cunard Fare mentioned on Cunard's UK web site for this voyage:

Regards,

John.

...

 

Britannia guests can enjoy complimentary drinks up to an individual price of $9 which includes all of our standard beers and wines by the glass, as well as a number of cocktails and martinis. Alternatively book a Grills Suite for some extra luxury and enjoy complimentary drinks up to $12 each - meaning you can even indulge in glasses of our delicious Delamotte Champagne.This offer applies to new Cunard Fare bookings only, made by 30 November on three tempting cruises departing this coming December and January 2015... " copied from https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/latest_news/Drinks_pulse

 

See that webpage for dates and details of the three voyages offering this all inclusive drinks package.

The price limit per drink on this drinks offer is quite reasonable. I have a Holland America cruise booked for next year and we have been offered a complimentary drinks package. The limit is $7 and you can't pay the difference for a better glass of wine. There is almost no wine available at that limit, although we can get G&Ts and most liqueurs. Even in a Neptune "suite" - which is a the closest stateroom to the Cunard Grills - the limit is still $7 per drink. :(

The price limit per drink on this drinks offer is quite reasonable. I have a Holland America cruise booked for next year and we have been offered a complimentary drinks package. The limit is $7 and you can't pay the difference for a better glass of wine. There is almost no wine available at that limit, although we can get G&Ts and most liqueurs. Even in a Neptune "suite" - which is a the closest stateroom to the Cunard Grills - the limit is still $7 per drink. :(

Hi David. Frankly, I am unfamiliar with an unlimited drinks package. I can't remember having read about and unlimited drinks package being offered previously on a Cunard ship but maybe I just missed the memo.

Just my personal opinion, but I don't think an unlimited drinks package a good idea. Too much temptation for passengers to 'get their monies worth' and getting sauced on a ship at sea endangers everyone on board. Seems to me that this scheme does nothing to support the Cunard Line - it's so carnival

Salacia

Bet they don't offer this on 2 day deals out of Hamberg.

David.

Bet they don't offer this on 2 day deals out of Hamberg.

 

David.

It's currently being offered for this 4 day cruise Southampton to Hamburg...

"Short Break on Queen Elizabeth.

6 January, Q502– Start the New Year with something special, a relaxing four night cruise from Southampton to the elegant city of Hamburg. Balcony Stateroom Cunard Fares are from £449 per person including inclusive drinks" -https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/latest_news/Drinks_pulse

That's interesting Salacia. I followed your link and then followed their links through to the cruise, and balcony staterooms are showing as £599per person. I don't know if that means they haven't updated the prices on the pages where you book the cruise, or if so many people have booked that the prices have automatically gone up and they haven't update their news page. Wake up Cunard!