Price Increase

[dougburns]

Just got an e-mail from SS this morning. Prices for 2010 will increase beginning 5 October. Hurry, hurry!

[lord of the seas]

Yes,Regent are using these sales tactics too.

[LaPaloma]

I have my confirmation in hand--I figured the 60% discount would not last long! Don

[Mike2131]

I have my confirmation in hand--I figured the 60% discount would not last long! Don

I posted a thread wondering if it had already been eliminated but at least one poster indicated the 60% was still in effect for the cruises he was considering - Alaska.

[DebbieH103]

They will be keeping the air promos until end of the year, supposedly but changing some of the fares on the cruise portion.

[gillianrose]

They will be keeping the air promos until end of the year, supposedly but changing some of the fares on the cruise portion.

 

Which cruises and or categories offer free business class air, and not just from eastern U.S. or British gateways?

[meow!]

Free business class air has historically been offered only to those grand odysseys of close to 100 days. However, they do have reduced (promotional) business air on many voyages, often the ones which offer free economy air. And there is hardly ever free or promotional air from anywhere other than North America (U.S. major cities and a couple of Canadian cities).

[DebbieH103]

The U.S. air offers are from 22 gateways, and they are listed on the air promo page of the website. Not sure of air promos outside of North America.

[meow!]

In December, 2007, our 15 day Panama Canal voyage aboard the Shadow cost roughly $4,800 at 40% discount, that it $320 per diem. Now, just for comparison, looking at the newbuild Spirit, and not using a Panama voyage because that would be part of the "Grand Inaugural" and therefore more expensive, but take a 10 day Caribbean in November, 2010, it costs roughly $3,700 minimum, though including airfare*. So depending on where you live, and therefore the worth of the airfare, say $300-500 at the most, the per diem of the 2010 voyages at 60% discount aboard the newbuild Spirit will be more than $320 per diem. So despite the economic tsunami, real prices have not gone down.

 

To compare further, in December, 2004, our Mexican Riviera 7 dyas aboard the Shadow, a 50% off "silver sailing" was only $1,800 or $257 per diem. So, say from $257 to $340 in six years, that is an increase of 38% or 5.5% yearly compounded. This is typical and middle of the road for cruise fares (despite very nice sounding advertisements from ALL cruise lines), and much higher than the claimed 2% per annum overall inflation rate. Isn't life getting harder as all of us age, in more than one ways .. meow!

 

* P.S. Ths Shadow has a Panama itenerary in January, 2010 sixteen days for $5158 minimum, including airfare. So take off $350 for airfare, then you get $300 per diem, slightly lower.

[LOVE@CRUISE]

HAVE ANY OF YOU BEEN ON THE CLOUD LATELY? We sail this week on Shadow (excited...our first SS cruise) and I would like to consider the Wind for the transoceanic in late April. Any thoughts? Yes we have been Regent diehards, but have opened our minds and hearts to SS now that they include the air from our hometown! Just need a way to pay for the internet and excursions that we have been spoiled with on Regent!:rolleyes:

[Kununoppin]

Just got an e-mail from SS this morning. Prices for 2010 will increase beginning 5 October. Hurry, hurry!

 

Or perhaps they are creating deadlines with the hope of creating demand. There's still enough weakness in their market that it's yet to be seen if they can make these prices stick or if the next promotion is just around the corner. For me . . . I'm going to wait.

[jeffmonty]

Isn't there a good chance that deadline will be extended out to a later date?

[meow!]

Or perhaps they are creating deadlines with the hope of creating demand. There's still enough weakness in their market that it's yet to be seen if they can make these prices stick or if the next promotion is just around the corner. For me . . . I'm going to wait.

That is a good idea, but there are several ways to play the game. You can book now and get the cabin you like, if the fare comes down before final payment time, ask them to adjust to the new fare, or cancel and rebook and thereby keeping your original favourite cabin. Or simply cancel and get refund of your deposit (using a credit card), by one simple phone call. Any comment?

[Kununoppin]

Or simply cancel and get refund of your deposit (using a credit card), by one simple phone call. Any comment?

With some caveats. Cancellation penalties begin at 120 days, while final payment is due at 90 days. Also, I read (here?) that some recent promotions didn't apply to cancellation/rebookings. Gamble now or gamble later . . . or even later on the ship ;-)

[meow!]

You are so right. Some new discounts may not be allowed for cancellation and rebooking. However, if one is flexible in timing, one can cancel and book another similar voyage, often immediately preceding or after. The cruise line will play their price game, potential customers will play ours. While we do want the cruise lines to stay in business, we feel it would be better to retain money in our pocket than theirs, particularly when ours is really shallow!

[Mike2131]

I have not had a chance to set them side by side, but I hope we won't see pumping up prices just to discount. The net result of those "deals" ususally seems to be a higher net price.

[Kununoppin]

It will be interesting to see if they can make the price increase stick in light of Crystal's announcement on Friday:

 

At a press conference in New York Friday, Crystal Cruises' Senior Vice President William Smith announced that, starting Monday, every 2010 sailing -- including the 108-night world cruise that departs on January 11 -- will feature two-for-one fares and an all-inclusive "As You Wish" spending credit of $500 or $1,000 per person (depending on cruise and cabin booked), which can be used toward just about anything onboard: spa treatments, wine, excursions and shopping sprees at the boutique.

[DebbieH103]

Well, if Silversea goes back to the 50%, it is another way to say 2 for 1, and Crystal does not include liquor, so I don't see that as a big threat.

[Kununoppin]

Well, if Silversea goes back to the 50%, it is another way to say 2 for 1, and Crystal does not include liquor, so I don't see that as a big threat.

 

They're only the same if the starting price is the same. One of the travel sites indicates that "This new structure will make Crystal’s 2010 cruises as much as 15 to 20 percent lower than comparable 2009 cruises." It follows that if a competitor lowers its pricing 15-20%, that puts waves in the market (so to speak). ;)

 

[Rally]

Just got an e-mail from SS this morning. Prices for 2010 will increase beginning 5 October. Hurry, hurry!

So, Doug, I am a smoker (I know, I know, boo! Hiss!) but just have a simple question and wonder if you can answer it: what do they charge for cigarettes onboard Silver Shadow? On Regent recently it was $37.50/carton. Just wondering. We are embarcing on Sept 24.

Thanks,

Mike

[dougburns]

Don't have any idea as to cigarette prices aboard ship. I always bring enough for the cruise from home. My brand is very hard to find outside of the U.S.

[wripro]

For the time being Crystal is offering OBCs which will probably cover most alcohol. As for price increases I believe it's just a marketing gimmick like the butler service. They tell you the promotion will end and then they offer a different one. it's all just to get you to move and make the booking.

[meow!]

From our two postings http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=21325144#post21325144 (posting #99) and http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1062617 (posting #1), it looks as though at least up to now, Silversea prices are coming down while Oceania prices are going up.

 

IF this trend continues for the next half dozen years, is it imaginable that Oceania may become the premium (in price) cruise line? Healthy competition is always good in the long run, not only for us potential passengers but for the cruise lines as well. It helps for EVERY cruise line to look over its shoulders and see what the others are doing, and think about why!

[Rally]

Don't have any idea as to cigarette prices aboard ship. I always bring enough for the cruise from home. My brand is very hard to find outside of the U.S.

 

Rats, Doug!!! =) I smoke Benson & Hedges Deluxe Ultra Lights, and Regent has always had them onboard at $37.50/carton. Since they cost about $65.00/carton here in Caifonria (well, about $59.00 at Costco) I thought it might make sense to buy them onboard rather than to bring them from Costco =)

[chicagogal]

It will be interesting to see if they can make the price increase stick in light of Crystal's announcement on Friday:

 

At a press conference in New York Friday, Crystal Cruises' Senior Vice President William Smith announced that, starting Monday, every 2010 sailing -- including the 108-night world cruise that departs on January 11 -- will feature two-for-one fares and an all-inclusive "As You Wish" spending credit of $500 or $1,000 per person (depending on cruise and cabin booked), which can be used toward just about anything onboard: spa treatments, wine, excursions and shopping sprees at the boutique.

 

2 very different products in my opinion.