RCI increase in prices for 2011

[bigboffs]

Even Royal Caribbean knew that once both the Allure and Oasis entered service that prices would have to drop but I laugh at some of you that keep referring to filling up both of these "jumbo" ships. The overall capacity is not much more than filling up two Freedom class ships. For years Royal Caribbean filled two Freedom class ships from Florida along with several other Voyager class ships out of the same market area. Now that Royal Caribbean has pulled out just about every other large ship from the south Florida market, filling two large ships will not be an issue. If the price is too high for your pocket book then book with someone else. I find it amazing that a few travel agents think that they know more than Royal Caribbean about filling their ships and pricing.:rolleyes: I guess business must be slow.

 

We too live in Florida. We are well aware that RCCL like the other cruise lines, normally offer Florida resident and other discounts on ships that are lightly booked about 90 days before sailing. Thats how they regularly fill them up. Also, many of us that enjoy cruising do not have unlimited funds, have a budget, and intelligently have a cost/benefit issue. The result is an open mind as to what cruise line best needs our personal needs. Good travel agents are there to best serve their cutomers, not a particular criise line. Good ones also do a cost/benefit analysis in assisting a person selecting a cruise/cruise line.

[Indy_Girl46]

We've made our choice today and booked a 5 star holiday to our favourite place in Egypt for 2 weeks. £2,000 less than a cruise on Indy next year. It's sad as we have done Indy for the last 3 years but the price has put us off. Goodbye Royal Caribbean - you've lost us for the time being.:(

[bajathree]

It's interesting to see the responses from our friends across the pond getting put off by these prices that Royal is asking for summer 2011....exactly where Royal has moved half their fleet for summer 2011 and thought that they were going to be bringing in the big $ there.

[bajathree]

I don't necessarily buy your dismal predictions of the future and personally know people who have been unemployed for nearly two years who are now getting multiple job offers, so perhaps the turnaround is not quite as far off as you predict. The future is still not certain and isn't as rosy as any of us would hope, but RCI recently reported a profitable quarter that showed dramatic improvement when compared to the same quarter a year ago. Perhaps they know what they are doing and are not as unaware of conditions as you seem to believe. If they need you or me to tell them what their competition is doing, they don't deserve to hold their jobs. If ships such as Epic are the ones you are referring to you, you might realize that the initial reaction to her has not been one of overwhelming approval and certainly pales in comparison to the initial response to Oasis.

Offering unrealistically low prices doesn't work in the long run and expecting the cruiselines to continue down that path is just unreasonable.

 

Might want to check out todays JOBLESS report headlines that just drove the market down today close to 200 points already...not good:

 

Jobless Claims in U.S. Rose to Highest Since November http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-19/jobless-claims-in-u-s-rose-to-500-000-highest-since-november.html

[marci22]

We've got quotes for next July on AoS out of Malaga and the prices have risen significantly. Its a cruise they're selling off at bargain prices in off peak weeks, but I think RC have realised how European holidays are concentrated in the July/Aug period and are pricing accordingly. We enjoyed the cruise this year, but don't think its worth the prices being quoted for peak weeks next year.

 

They do know when people have to travel and they do mark up those cruises significantly, however...while they may have gotten away with it in the past, it's not working now. People simply have less money to spend. They are house poor, jobless, and paying more for groceries; pick and choose which apply.

 

They will keep the high prices for awhile and when they don't get bookings, you will see Tuesday sales and discounts after final. If you live near the port, keep looking and maybe you will find a decent price at some point, but it may be after final.

[outerspaceguy]

Might want to check out todays JOBLESS report headlines that just drove the market down today close to 200 points already...not good:

 

I'm always skeptical when someone says they know why the market went up or down: Seems like they can always explain _WHY_ something happened, but can't ever predict WHAT WILL happen.

 

Ie: Jobless report is bad. Market crashes as a result!

vs

Jobless report is bad. It was expected; market shows almost no impact!

vs

Jobless report is bad. Layoffs = companies no longer have to pay employees... and thus are now more profitable! Wall Street rallies!

 

 

Ugh.

[negc]

I'm always skeptical when someone says they know why the market went up or down: Seems like they can always explain _WHY_ something happened, but can't ever predict WHAT WILL happen.

 

Ie: Jobless report is bad. Market crashes as a result!

vs

Jobless report is bad. It was expected; market shows almost no impact!

vs

Jobless report is bad. Layoffs = companies no longer have to pay employees... and thus are now more profitable! Wall Street rallies!

 

 

Ugh.

 

You are right on. So many of the so-called 'analysts' have a ready explanation for everything happens and it interesting how their explanations always seem to fit their overall philosophy. Even on those occasions when the results don't match their predictions, they seem able to explain away any apparent conflict.:rolleyes:

[clintjake]

Does anyone know if price drops happen in Australia ? Doesnt seem to happen or maybe Im looking in the wrong spot.:(:(

[bajathree]

I think Royal is starting to get concerned about all the ships they have moved over to Europe for summer 2011. They saw that market explode and when things faltered here in the US thought that they could depend upon the European market to fill those ships for them. What wasn't expected was that things across the pond were also going to falter to the degree they have. There is a definite new shift to now try to push Europe to the American consumer to help sell these ships as they know that they can no longer solely depend upon the European market to fill them. Even some within are starting to question just how smart a move it was to move half the fleet across the pond and are saying it will be interesting to see what happens.

[negc]

I can tell you that Royal is starting to get concerned about all the ships they have moved over to Europe for summer 2011. They saw that market explode and when things faltered here in the US thought that they could depend upon the European market to fill those ships for them. What wasn't expected was that things across the pond were also going to falter to the degree they have. There is a definite new shift to now try to push Europe to the American consumer to help sell these ships as they know that they can no longer solely depend upon the European market to fill them. Even some within are starting to question just how smart a move it was to move half the fleet over to Europe.

 

And where should they have deployed their ships? I am not sure that saying that RCI expected to fill their ships solely with European passengers is accurate. Certainly there has been an increase in business from the European markets but it doesn't make up their total market and was never the sole basis of their marketing strategy. Europe is a bargain for Americans right now, many of whom will take advantage of a great opportunity to visit the Mediterranean, the Baltics etc. If demand is less than expected in Europe, where do you suggest that the demand is higher especially this summer - the Caribbean? :rolleyes:

[bajathree]

And where should they have deployed their ships? Europe is a bargain for Americans right now, many of whom will take advantage of a great opportunity to visit the Mediterranean, the Baltics etc. If demand is less than expected in Europe, where do you suggest that the demand is higher especially this summer - the Caribbean? :rolleyes:

 

 

Good luck with that :rolleyes:The biggest obstacle I see with Europe is the airfare....going to be real hard to push pricey summer airfare to Europe with American families....and you say Europe is a bargain....may I remind you of the OP's original post that started this entire thread.

 

 

We returned today from our 3rd cruise on the Independence of the Seas. It was as good, if not better, than ever. Whilst onboard we decided to check out prices and availability for next year. For the same cabin, more or less same fortnight, the price has gone up by £1,000. I rang up my travel agent today when I got home and got a price from them and they also quote a price which is around £1,000 more than this year. This seems a huge price increase. Are all cruise companies putting their prices up for 2011 or just RCI? It's a shame because its definitely put us off now.

[Maraprince]

Originally Posted by negc

And where should they have deployed their ships? Europe is a bargain for Americans right now, many of whom will take advantage of a great opportunity to visit the Mediterranean, the Baltics etc. If demand is less than expected in Europe, where do you suggest that the demand is higher especially this summer - the Caribbean? :rolleyes:

Once you add in air fare, pre or post hotel stay, the difference paid in Euros vs. dollars, there is no bargain for Americans!

Everyday I receive one or more brochures from a cruise line, most of them are a lot lower priced on the cruise portion than RCL is. But when you add in the fact that most of the docking places are at least 1 or more hours out of the main towns and tours are needed, it really starts to add up fast. Ship tours are not cheap. If you have to pay for one or more people, it gets costly very quickly. You cannot go to Europe and not see the various ports.

One of my coworkers is going on a Greek Isles cruise next week. He exchanged $2600 US dollars and received 1860 in Euros in return and this is with the more favorable US dollar to Euro rate! So again, how is this a bargain for Americans?

MARAPRINCE

[bajathree]

Originally Posted by negc

And where should they have deployed their ships? Europe is a bargain for Americans right now, many of whom will take advantage of a great opportunity to visit the Mediterranean, the Baltics etc. If demand is less than expected in Europe, where do you suggest that the demand is higher especially this summer - the Caribbean? :rolleyes:

Once you add in air fare, pre or post hotel stay, the difference paid in Euros vs. dollars, there is no bargain for Americans!

Everyday I receive one or more brochures from a cruise line, most of them are a lot lower priced on the cruise portion than RCL is. But when you add in the fact that most of the docking places are at least 1 or more hours out of the main towns and tours are needed, it really starts to add up fast. Ship tours are not cheap. If you have to pay for one or more people, it gets costly very quickly. You cannot go to Europe and not see the various ports.

One of my coworkers is going on a Greek Isles cruise next week. He exchanged $2600 US dollars and received 1860 in Euros in return and this is with the more favorable US dollar to Euro rate! So again, how is this a bargain for Americans?

MARAPRINCE

 

 

 

Agreed.....with the economy down and most working with shrinking wallets I see few Americans choosing destinations where the exchange rate is against them. If the exchange rate in Europe becomes favorable to Americans....then maybe we can say it will be a bargain. While yes the exchange rate is certainly better now than it was say 3 years ago....it's still against us pretty good.

[zaffydad]

With the US economy not seeming to rebound as quickly as predicted and more and more layoffs on the horizons, it is not likely that bookings will be as high as in the past. If you aren't sure if you will have a job, the last thing to do is to book an overpriced cruise in 2011 now! A small increase would be expected but not the hugh price increases that we are currently seeing. Why would you book in advance unless you are given a lower price as an incentive for doing so or unless you have no choice?

 

RCCL has to remember it now will have even more cabins to sell and it is facing some stiff competition from other lines who are sharply discounting to fill their new ships bu comparison -- some of whom have better cabin/suite amenitities than RCCL is offering and at a lower price point.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

 

 

YOu are so right. I just looked into and will probably book a week (peak) on the NCL

Epic in a 2BR suite..for 2 thousand less than the same week on Freedom. Get all the benefits of the butlers, private courtyard, etc.....I never thought I would see NCL beat RCI prices.....

[bajathree]

Another economic reality check http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Economy-Caught-in-Depression-cnbc-1972685111.html;_ylt=AlsQFqsoKetWmgTFmCpkw8e7YWsA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1bXFzc3JtBHBvcwM5BHNlYwN0b3BTdG9yaWVzBHNsawNlY29ub215Y2F1Z2g-?x=0&.v=1http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Economy-Caught-in-Depression-cnbc-1972685111.html?x=0&.v=1&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=

[cruisecrasy]

Even Royal Caribbean knew that once both the Allure and Oasis entered service that prices would have to drop but I laugh at some of you that keep referring to filling up both of these "jumbo" ships. The overall capacity is not much more than filling up two Freedom class ships. For years Royal Caribbean filled two Freedom class ships from Florida along with several other Voyager class ships out of the same market area. Now that Royal Caribbean has pulled out just about every other large ship from the south Florida market, filling two large ships will not be an issue. If the price is too high for your pocket book then book with someone else. I find it amazing that a few travel agents think that they know more than Royal Caribbean about filling their ships and pricing.:rolleyes: I guess business must be slow.

 

says it all - 'I guess business must be slow' also applies to Europe as well as the US! Even Canada, who has done well up to now is showing signs of weakness..

 

RCCL filled those ships for yrs because the US economy was overfiring on all cylinders and thats also why they had the jumbo ships built - in anticipation of it continuing!!

 

Guess what - it didn't - so perhaps the RCCL 'higher ups' weren't so smart after all since other cruiselines built smaller ships and didn't take on so much debt...!

 

JMO but I believe RCCL cld find itself in trouble...lets wait & see - shall we!

 

Oh yes I so agree 'Bajathree' - the article u posted says it all and those with any common sense will take it very seriously but again - JMO!!

[negc]

Good luck with that :rolleyes:The biggest obstacle I see with Europe is the airfare....going to be real hard to push pricey summer airfare to Europe with American families....and you say Europe is a bargain....may I remind you of the OP's original post that started this entire thread.

 

I was comparing this year's costs with those of only a year or two ago when Euros and Pounds were considerably more costly, so today's prices , in my mind, constitute a bargain. Airfares are constantly fluctuating and with some luck and a lot of research you can still find bargain fares. I still wonder where you think RCI should have deployed their ships if Europe was such a big mistake?

[bajathree]

I was comparing this year's costs with those of only a year or two ago when Euros and Pounds were considerably more costly, so today's prices , in my mind, constitute a bargain. Airfares are constantly fluctuating and with some luck and a lot of research you can still find bargain fares. I still wonder where you think RCI should have deployed their ships if Europe was such a big mistake?

 

I think they moved to fast on putting half the fleet across the pond and it's going to bite them...not just them....all cruise lines seemed to jump on that band wagon and now the region is just flooded next summer....even some within Royal admitted to me that they personally think they also moved to many ships across the pond....so it's not just me. And with the pound at $1.54 I have no idea how you call that a bargain....yea....let me run to a country where my money is worth HALF:rolleyes: If you look at the current rates across the pond for summer 2011 and then throw in airfare and hotel stays.....it make Oasis/Allure start to look reasonable.

[FloGaleRNTX]

I am confused......I always thought that if the price dropped, even after final payment, you could get the lower rate. I booked a cruise for next Feb and am hoping for a lower rate......

 

Barb

[bajathree]

I am confused......I always thought that if the price dropped, even after final payment, you could get the lower rate. I booked a cruise for next Feb and am hoping for a lower rate......

 

Barb

 

If you booked after May 17th you are done after final except for possibly an upgrade if you see a higher category at price that is equal or less than what you paid....and it can't be a special sale.

[negc]

I think they moved to fast on putting half the fleet across the pond and it's going to bite them...not just them....all cruise lines seemed to jump on that band wagon and now the region is just flooded next summer....even some within Royal admitted to me that they personally think they also moved to many ships across the pond....so it's not just me. And with the pound at $1.54 I have no idea how you call that a bargain....yea....let me run to a country where my money is worth HALF:rolleyes: If you look at the current rates across the pond for summer 2011 and then throw in airfare and hotel stays.....it make Oasis/Allure start to look reasonable.

 

You apparently don't remember just a short time back when the pound was nearly $2.00, so compared to that, what would you call $1.54? The appeal of Europe is far more than a matter of the exchange rate and when you can go there for much less than what it would have cost two years ago, you might consider it to be a very good deal. If they moved too many ships across the pond, the simple solution would be to move them elsewhere but the question you don't want to answer is "where" that would be.:rolleyes: Answer me that and your position might be defensible. You've already conceded that RCI is far from being the only major lines to concentrate a good number, perhaps a majority, of their ships in Europe this season, so, if your analysis is correct, there are an awful lot of folks running those lines who are far less wise than you.

[Ocean Boy]

I think they moved to fast on putting half the fleet across the pond and it's going to bite them...not just them....all cruise lines seemed to jump on that band wagon and now the region is just flooded next summer....even some within Royal admitted to me that they personally think they also moved to many ships across the pond....so it's not just me. And with the pound at $1.54 I have no idea how you call that a bargain....yea....let me run to a country where my money is worth HALF:rolleyes: If you look at the current rates across the pond for summer 2011 and then throw in airfare and hotel stays.....it make Oasis/Allure start to look reasonable.

 

I guess if you do enough math and juggling of numbers it is possible to make Oasis and Allure start to look reasonable.:p

[marci22]

Europe ain't no bargain, sistah.

 

Where should they have moved the ships? Maybe they shouldn't have built the ships. I'm sure a lot of those executives wish they could get a do-over but it is what it is so bring on the water packages. Not much left to cut so it's going to have to be more value-added.

[negc]

Europe ain't no bargain, sistah.

 

Where should they have moved the ships? Maybe they shouldn't have built the ships. I'm sure a lot of those executives wish they could get a do-over but it is what it is so bring on the water packages. Not much left to cut so it's going to have to be more value-added.

Whether they should have built the ships is irrelevant. The ships have been built and the question is where best to deploy the fleet. All of the cruiselines have decreased their presence on the US West Coast and have increased the number of their ships in Europe, the Middle East (Dubai for example) and Australia.

Bargains are in the eye of the beholder and as I said previously, compared to the exchange rates for pounds and euros only a few years ago, many would conclude that there is more value in traveling to Europe now than there was last year or the year before. You may not feel it is worth the price to go to Europe at the present time, but you can't say that it was a better choice a year ago.

Let's wait and see what the cruiselines' financial reports actually show before claiming that they were grossly irresponsible in making the decisions that they did. In the meantime, avoid it as much as you want, but I am still waiting for someone to come up with alternatives that the cruise line executives should have chosen instead of what they have done.

[bajathree]

You apparently don't remember just a short time back when the pound was nearly $2.00, so compared to that, what would you call $1.54? The appeal of Europe is far more than a matter of the exchange rate and when you can go there for much less than what it would have cost two years ago, you might consider it to be a very good deal. If they moved too many ships across the pond, the simple solution would be to move them elsewhere but the question you don't want to answer is "where" that would be.:rolleyes: Answer me that and your position might be defensible. You've already conceded that RCI is far from being the only major lines to concentrate a good number, perhaps a majority, of their ships in Europe this season, so, if your analysis is correct, there are an awful lot of folks running those lines who are far less wise than you.

 

 

I do remember that very much....I traveled Europe for 3 weeks during summer of 2008, including London when the pound was $2:eek: The difference was those were the GOOD DAYS....money was flowing VERY freely..... just about everyone had plenty discretionary income....housing was thru the roof and everyone was cash rich....not so now....many are underwater watching their home values sunk in half ....mortgages are low but hardly anyone can qualify to refinance.....I could go on and on....and no one wan'ts to spend because they are feeling the pain one way or another.