Why so expensive?

[Tripper10]

RCCL is way more expensive than other comparable cruise lines. Are the ships always full? I mean, I can understand the new ships like the Allure but the older ships prices are to high for the value.

[firstplacechef]

You think $50-70 per person per night expensive? I have seen those prices on 4 of RCL ships. Older ones but great ships none the less and they usually sail full. Newer ships do get the premium prices though.

[marci22]

If you are looking at summer/holiday prices for next year, the prices are quite expensive; they always start out that way. Only maybe July can get those prices without some discounting, eventually. I did notice that after a couple years of ridiculous initial pricing, the Western Med prices started out lower this year.

 

The ships probably do sail full, but only after a lot of cut-rate pricing after final payment is due and earlier bookers cannot take advantage of any discounting.

 

ps firstplaceship I'd jump all over 50-70 per night. That is not happening when I can cruise with my kids.

[mtsnd1900]

People will pay it, especially over an inferior product.

 

Set target goals

sell

People buy at a perceived value

if not enough book then RCCI can have sales or lower the cost for future sailings.

When RCCI sell a lot of rooms, they can increase the costs of the remaining rooms

Summer and holidays always have higher cost because kids are out of school. Fall in the Caribbean is hurricane season - typically lower costs

 

Bottom line - the prices have hit the mark. People pay it and RCI stock is up 14 points since July

[marci22]

Bottom line - the prices have hit the mark. People pay it and RCI stock is up 14 points since July

 

Maybe. I think outside of July, they typically do a lot of discounting after final.

[Sue L]

RCCL is way more expensive than other comparable cruise lines. Are the ships always full? I mean, I can understand the new ships like the Allure but the older ships prices are to high for the value.

 

Also depends on what you are considering a comparable product?

[cruisegirl1]

$50-70 per night ???????????– Many for an inside guarantee.

 

Most balcony cabins will run $1000 pp ( some higher some lower) for the 7 nights. Yes there are some a bit lower but not the norm. For a standard non suite balcony cabin, RCCL has been a premium.

 

I booked Celebrity Solstice (supposed to be an upgrade from RCCL) for January 2012 and the Solstice is actually CHEAPER than the RCCL Freedom for a comparable cabin and itinerary.

 

M

[teajak]

$50-70 per night ???????????– Many for an inside guarantee.

 

Most balcony cabins will run $1000 pp ( some higher some lower) for the 7 nights. Yes there are some a bit lower but not the norm. For a standard non suite balcony cabin, RCCL has been a premium.

 

I booked Celebrity Solstice (supposed to be an upgrade from RCCL) for January 2012 and the Solstice is actually CHEAPER than the RCCL Freedom for a comparable cabin and itinerary.

 

M

The Freedom is usually full because it is the only ship out of Florida in the summer if you don't want to sail on the monsters, Allure and Oasis, I follow the prices constantly and totally disagree about RCI being higher. The Jewel is coming to Tampa this fall with fantastic prices for 4 and 5 day cruises. I just booked the Freedom for Sept. 25 for $870. for a D1 balcony.:confused:

[Debde]

RCCL is way more expensive than other comparable cruise lines. Are the ships always full? I mean, I can understand the new ships like the Allure but the older ships prices are to high for the value.

 

Don't know where you are located but check outside a Florida port and it may be quite a bit cheaper. The price difference between Freedom and Voyager was huge for me. That would include airfare too!!!:)

 

Yup-those cheapie prices are insides and for me-no way. I know many are fine with them but a balcony makes me enjoy the whole cruise much more then a stuffy closet!!!;)

[baggal]

$50-70 per night ???????????– Many for an inside guarantee.

 

Most balcony cabins will run $1000 pp ( some higher some lower) for the 7 nights. Yes there are some a bit lower but not the norm. For a standard non suite balcony cabin, RCCL has been a premium.

 

I booked Celebrity Solstice (supposed to be an upgrade from RCCL) for January 2012 and the Solstice is actually CHEAPER than the RCCL Freedom for a comparable cabin and itinerary.

 

M

 

Yes, Celebrity Solstice is definitely an upgrade from RCI.

 

But, in late February when I started looking at Med. cruises for this summer, RCI Brilliance was only $100 per person less that a similar itinerary on the Solstice. So we booked the Solstice. About a month later, Brilliance had a huge price drop. We canceled the Solstice (it was still before final payment) and booked the Brilliance. They are not the same product - but close enough that I can feel good about saving $800 per person.

 

Its all about supply and demand. Some people just feel they have to stay loyal to one cruise line. Go ahead and check the lines that sail from NYC. They are ridiculously high. But the cruise lines know they have more than 20 million people living within driving distance to the port.

 

I just checked yesterday: in July, an inside for a 7 day to Bermuda from Bayonne is the same price as a 12 day inside from Barcelona! Yes, you can't drive to Barcelona from NYC, but its still an incredible deal!

[Kristi Williamson]

I don't have a problem with their 1st and 2nd passenger rates. Our problem with RCI always comes in on their 3/4th passenger rates. While other lines charge 399.00 (typically), RCI charges almost 700.00 dollars per extra person and THAT is the biggest reason we stopped cruising them so often. We cruise twice a year and I'm not paying them almost 2000.00 more dollars for our extra passengers in that year. It's craziness!

 

Actually, since we have to book 2 cabins, each with 3/4th passengers, it's more like 2500.00 more just because of their fares for those passengers. They should rethink that, and I'd say every sailing would sail full!

[firefly333]

I don't have a problem with their 1st and 2nd passenger rates. Our problem with RCI always comes in on their 3/4th passenger rates. While other lines charge 399.00 (typically), RCI charges almost 700.00 dollars per extra person and THAT is the biggest reason we stopped cruising them so often. We cruise twice a year and I'm not paying them almost 2000.00 more dollars

 

You state this as if its always true?? I have a triple booked and the 3rd pax is at $299. Yes, its for a 7 day cruise ...out of Galveston which is often more expensive than out of Florida.

 

You cant take one specific date and then state prices with sweeping generalizations.

[Kristi Williamson]

You state this as if its always true?? I have a triple booked and the 3rd pax is at $299. Yes, its for a 7 day cruise ...out of Galveston which is often more expensive than out of Florida.

 

You cant take one specific date and then state prices with sweeping generalizations.

 

 

That's right, Fire. It's not for every date...but, it sure does seem to be more the "norm" than any other cruise line. THAT'S the point that I was trying to make. Carnival and NCL almost never charge more than 299.00-399.00 per person for 3/4th pax. However, quite often, although not EVERY time, RCI charges more!

[negc]

I don't have a problem with their 1st and 2nd passenger rates. Our problem with RCI always comes in on their 3/4th passenger rates. While other lines charge 399.00 (typically), RCI charges almost 700.00 dollars per extra person and THAT is the biggest reason we stopped cruising them so often. We cruise twice a year and I'm not paying them almost 2000.00 more dollars for our extra passengers in that year. It's craziness!

 

Actually, since we have to book 2 cabins, each with 3/4th passengers, it's more like 2500.00 more just because of their fares for those passengers. They should rethink that, and I'd say every sailing would sail full!

 

Again the law of supply and demand prevails and even though what you cite as an example of the amount they charge for third and fourth guests in a cabin is not universally true, when it is, the reason is that people will pay that amount. RCI would be foolish to charge less than what the market will bear. Whether or not that price offers a cruise experience better than those lines which charge less, is something that each person has to determine for himself. If there is any 'craziness' involved it applies to the passengers not the cruiseline.:rolleyes:

[firefly333]

That's right, Fire. It's not for every date...but, it sure does seem to be more the "norm" than any other cruise line. THAT'S the point that I was trying to make. Carnival and NCL almost never charge more than 299.00-399.00 per person for 3/4th pax. However, quite often, although not EVERY time, RCI charges more!

 

Carnival has grandfathered in 5 to a cabin on their older ships with rollaways and trundle beds on the floor. they just plain have a lot more cabins that hold more people on their ships. They are built to hold more people.

 

The cabin I got was the last one in the category... I would have had to move to a more expensive cabin and pay more for pax 1 and 2, if I had not grabbed the cabin when I did. It was the ONLY one that held extra pax.

[Tapi]

Well, we just paid THREE times more to go on Royal Caribbean than what a similar cruise on Carnival would've cost for the same week, and I can tell you one thing:

 

It was worth evey single penny! :D

 

I'm not bashing Carnival. I've sailed on them 12 times and had some wonderful cruises, but the experience is vastly different.

 

I wouldn't pay premium prices to sail on the Majesty of the Seas, but I would gladly do so to sail on other newer, larger ships in the fleet

[sailawayjack]

I don't have a problem with their 1st and 2nd passenger rates. Our problem with RCI always comes in on their 3/4th passenger rates. While other lines charge 399.00 (typically), RCI charges almost 700.00 dollars per extra person and THAT is the biggest reason we stopped cruising them so often. We cruise twice a year and I'm not paying them almost 2000.00 more dollars for our extra passengers in that year. It's craziness!

 

Actually, since we have to book 2 cabins, each with 3/4th passengers, it's more like 2500.00 more just because of their fares for those passengers. They should rethink that, and I'd say every sailing would sail full!

 

:cool:Leaving next sat on 5-day Bermuda. Was charged $529.00 for 3rd person. Extra passengers are a bonus for RCCL:cool:

[Tripper10]

Well, we just paid THREE times more to go on Royal Caribbean than what a similar cruise on Carnival would've cost for the same week, and I can tell you one thing:

 

It was worth evey single penny! :D

 

I'm not bashing Carnival. I've sailed on them 12 times and had some wonderful cruises, but the experience is vastly different.

 

I wouldn't pay premium prices to sail on the Majesty of the Seas, but I would gladly do so to sail on other newer, larger ships in the fleet

 

So you would do, one week of RCCL Allure cruising over 3 weeks of a Conquest or Dream class carnival ship if you had the choice??

[sherilyn70]

So you would do, one week of RCCL Allure cruising over 3 weeks of a Conquest or Dream class carnival ship if you had the choice??

 

For those of that have jobs and can't take 3 weeks off... yes. :)

 

Maybe when I retire and can go on cruises more often I might change my mind. But until them I'm getting the most out of my vacation.

[Debde]

Well, we just paid THREE times more to go on Royal Caribbean than what a similar cruise on Carnival would've cost for the same week,

 

and that's why Royal is so expensive!!! :p

 

For me-I'd be the 'mom just caught air' :D

[jmom5]

So you would do, one week of RCCL Allure cruising over 3 weeks of a Conquest or Dream class carnival ship if you had the choice??

I would in a heartbeat. 3 weeks on either of those classes of ships would mean that I would spend about 4 of those days in a line waiting to get my food at the buffet;)

[Maryscooking]

So you would do, one week of RCCL Allure cruising over 3 weeks of a Conquest or Dream class carnival ship if you had the choice??

 

My husband would say yes any day and twice on Sunday :D. He strongly prefers RCI/Celebrity over Carnival.

 

I am not quite so picky, and would probably sail for three weeks on Carnival.

 

And all that said, I just looked at pricing for the Carnival Dream for the same E. Carib. itinerary as we are sailing on Allure in November (neither is Thanksgiving week), to book a midship verandah deck balcony, total price came in at $2581 (not the early saver rate b/c I wanted apples to apples comparison). The D1 balcony on Allure is costing us $3900 and change (priced just this week; it was cheaper last fall before the ship started to sell out).

 

Soooo....we wouldn't even get one extra week on the Dream if we gave up the Allure. Maybe three days. And I'd rather be on the Allure for 7 vs. the Dream for 10.

[Tapi]

So you would do, one week of RCCL Allure cruising over 3 weeks of a Conquest or Dream class carnival ship if you had the choice??

 

It would depend on what type of vacation I'm looking for. If I'm looking for the most bang for my buck, Carnival will do (as I mentioned before, I've sailed on them 12 times, so I know that they can deliver a decent vacation!). However, if I'm looking for a vacation that truly blows my mind away, then I'll definitely take the Allure.

[Tripper10]

Very interesting how some of you feel about your vacation. Personally, having sailed on 6-7 cruise line would choose 3 weeks on a slightly less grand ship than one week on the Allure. HAL, X and Carnival have some nice ships, better than the Explorer class imo.

[compman9]

The reason RCI charge a premium price is because up until a couple of years ago RCI had spent significant time and money placing their product at the top of the family cruise market.

 

If they achieved that is a matter of opinion. Although please do not expect to receive an objective opinion on that on these boards. They are proliferated with travel agents, cheer-leaders and those that have not got significant experience of other cruise lines.

 

Their prices reflect that intention and marketing position.

 

I would say, if you have not cruised with RCI before, you will have a grand experience and consider it wel worth the money - there are even some deals available if you look hard enough.