Jump to content

Baltic Cruise on Marella Discovery - Cost


Recommended Posts

Just had a great Baltic Cruise on Marella Discovery from Newcastle but had one massive disappointment that I meet numerous passages who saved 40/50% by booking six/eight weeks before sailing. I found out that all Marella Cruises are reduced before sailing and that in future I will never book with Marella until six/eight weeks before sailing. How many other passages out there have suffered the same disappointment as myself?????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi James, & welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

"I found out that all Marella Cruises are reduced before sailing" isn't quite true.

In order to be profitable all ships need to sail at or close to capacity, so all cruise lines reduce prices as the sailing date gets close if sales need a boost.

And in order to profitable all ships need the maximum achievable ticket prices, so all cruise lines - including Marella - increase prices if sales are ahead of target.

 

If you book early you guarantee that you get the cruise that you want, the ship that you want, the dates that you want, the cabin grade that you want - even the exact cabin that you want.

 

More importantly, you got it at a price that you were happy with.

I know that someone else getting it for a much lower cost can be really annoying, but it shouldn't be - how much anyone else paid should be irrelevant.

 

It's no different to any form of package holiday.

It's no different to air fares.

It's no different to buying a sofa or a TV or a computer or a washing machine or a thousand other things, and next week finding it's in a sale at a huge discount.

 

We almost always book late.

We can do this because we're now retired, so dates aren't particularly important. But we run risks - sometimes a cruise sells-out and we miss it, sometimes the price shoots up and we choose to miss it, sometimes we are allocated duff cabins, sometimes a cheap ticket for a late-booked cruise is balanced by an expensive late-booked flight to the port.

If you can be flexible - and if you can bear missing out - then I suggest you do the same. With any cruise line.

3 to 4 weeks out, rather than 6 to 8 weeks, prices can go even lower. But that increases the risks of a cruise selling-out, or prices shooting up because only a few cabins are left.

But do that only if you sail from a port that's driveable or it's a fly-cruise (like Marella or P&O) or mebbe if it involves a short European flight - an expensive late-booked long-haul flight can balance out a cheap late-booked cruise.

 

When we were working, the only dates we could get away were over Christmas & the New Year - we had to book early and we knew we were paying thro the nose, but that's life.

In recent years we've only booked one cruise early - by coincidence that was Thomson/Marella. We booked early because it was an itinerary that we were very keen on. Others booked late & got a better price than us - c'est la vie.

 

Unfortunately, some folk are only too keen to tell others how little they paid.

But none of them has ever paid as little as us - they are frequently shocked by how much less than them we achieved.

That's because I tell lies. :rolleyes:

Serves them right - because so do they :D

 

Put it down to experience, James. ;)

 

JB :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello JB,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I have checked Marella Web site just now and every cruise I have looked at it is offering a discount price.

 

I have been advised from Marella that they operate on a Live Pricing System meaning that their prices are live and can fluctuate at any time. This includes prices rising or falling.

As it is live they are unable to guarantee what prices will be at different times.

 

At present there are still places available on the Baltic Cruises from Newcastle for the rest of the year at greatly reduced prices and would recommend to anyone that it is a cruise not to be missed.

 

JB. In relation to costs I have put this cruise down to experience and have learnt at a lot.

 

My advice to all is to monitor the holiday you wish to go on and book as late as possible and that in future I will be booking no earlier than eight weeks before sailing.

 

JGR:cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...