Eurodam Baltic Cruises - not selling well this year?

[25thden]

We are thinking of taking a Baltic cruise on the Eurodam next May or June, and we've noticed that this year's cruises continue to show significant price reductions week after week. Can anyone offer an explanation for this, and perhaps offer some advice on whether we should wait quite awhile to book our cruise? We've seen great reviews of the Eurodam, and the ports look wonderful... so we're curious about the reason this year's cruises aren't selling well. Interested in your thoughts -- thank you! (I may post this on the Northern Europe forum, too.)

[English_in_Spain]

One reason could be that a lot of Europeans take these cruises and at the moment things are very uncertain regarding finances here in Europe.

 

We don't know what next month will bring let alone next year :(

 

Also, remember that if we book and cancel we lose our deposit, no matter how far in the future the cruise is and travel insurance would not cover us if we had to cancel due to a change in personal circumstances.

 

I am sure there are probably other reasons as well but I think the European financial situation must be part of it

 

[Scrapnana]

By booking early you can be sure of getting the cabin you want. Living in the US (unless you book under certain promotional offers) you can get the new price if it goes down before final payment.

 

A Baltic cruise is wonderful. If you can, go during the last couple of weeks in June when St. Petersburg is celebrating the "White Nights".

[Ine]

One reason could be that a lot of Europeans take these cruises and at the moment things are very uncertain regarding finances here in Europe.

 

We don't know what next month will bring let alone next year :(

 

Also, remember that if we book and cancel we lose our deposit, no matter how far in the future the cruise is and travel insurance would not cover us if we had to cancel due to a change in personal circumstances.

 

I am sure there are probably other reasons as well but I think the European financial situation must be part of it

 

[/quote

 

I agree that the high cancelationfees in Europe make people book much later. Loosing 20% is a lot of money. Indeed insurances for cancelation have many restrictions and donot pay out that easy. Besides brochures are published later then in the USA.

[Krazy Kruizers]

And for people flying to Europe from the US -- flights are very expensive.

I am glad we did several Baltic cruises when we did. They are wonderful.

[English_in_Spain]

And for people flying to Europe from the US -- flights are very expensive.

I am glad we did several Baltic cruises when we did. They are wonderful.

 

Cost of airfares, especially one way, is one of the reasons we are not doing TAs now which we love.

 

[shoppern]

We took this cruise, 12 days, Dover round trip, 2 years ago when the price of a balcony fell to $1200 each. It was wonderful and we knew that the price might never be so low again. Air fare continues to be ridiculous one-way, or we would do some TA. Ship was the Eurodam.

[geoherb]

I looked at European cruises for us this year but airfare is too high. I thought it was bad when we flew to Fairbanks last year and home from Vancouver--but it's almost double to go to Europe this summer during DH's break from school. We'll probably have to wait and take European cruises when he retires from teaching and we can fly when it's not so expensive during shoulder season.

[DFD1]

We've been looking at European cruises for two years, but because of the high air fares and the fact that we've been many times over the years, we've yet to book.

 

The airfares are hurting American travel in Europe generally, not just for cruises.

[sail7seas]

One reason could be that a lot of Europeans take these cruises and at the moment things are very uncertain regarding finances here in Europe.

 

We don't know what next month will bring let alone next year :(

 

Also, remember that if we book and cancel we lose our deposit, no matter how far in the future the cruise is and travel insurance would not cover us if we had to cancel due to a change in personal circumstances.

 

I am sure there are probably other reasons as well but I think the European financial situation must be part of it

 

 

 

 

This sounds likely to be a large part of the reason for low bookings. IMO

 

[dogo88]

We are thinking of taking a Baltic cruise on the Eurodam next May or June, and we've noticed that this year's cruises continue to show significant price reductions week after week. Can anyone offer an explanation for this, and perhaps offer some advice on whether we should wait quite awhile to book our cruise? We've seen great reviews of the Eurodam, and the ports look wonderful... so we're curious about the reason this year's cruises aren't selling well. Interested in your thoughts -- thank you! (I may post this on the Northern Europe forum, too.)

 

We are/were looking to do a Med cruise next year but the flight prices are prohibitive. In most cases the individual cost for RT air is way more than the cruise cost for two. So for now we are not going. Air fair to Italy for one cost more than the two of us flying to Hawaii! Go figure.

 

Dan

[sammygoose]

We were going to book Fjords,Highlands and Ireland next year on the Eurodam then we found out is is not being offered. So 2013 it is.

Our outside cabin F cost us $1628 plus tax. Our airfare round trip to Copenhagen and from Amsterdam $1650. There appears to still be plenty of cabins available but it's still 50 days out and the price is dropping.

We were quoted $2800 then I received a 'special'offer for $1628. We took it and the fares for our F are now $1650. It seems to me the prices are really dropping.

Is it me but is $1600 for a flight in July really that bad especially to Copenhagen? I flew to Morocco last year in Feb-low season- for $1070. and the year before and the year before that $960. That's for Morocco in a recession in low season!

Maybe I'm ripe for the picking but it seems reasonable for Europe. Our Med cruise in the same class of cabin on the NA was $1250 and flight was $1250 same amount of days-12.

It seems consistent to me.

[sweetsleep]

I think the airport taxes and fees could be part of the reason airfare is so high.

What about trying kayak.com or other websites to see what kind of deals they have?

I agree that a Baltic cruise is amazing and a cruise is the most economical way to see a glimpse of the Scandinavian countries and St. Petersburg.

[25thden]

Thank you so much for your responses. It makes sense that the overall European economy, and the current high cost of flying RT from the US to Copenhagen, are both affecting sales of the Baltic cruises this year.

 

We're still hoping to take the Eurodam Baltic cruise next spring, and we'll check out many air options (including Iceland Air, recently noted on the Northern Europe board). Again, thank you!

[Markanddonna]

Consider flying into whatever city is the cheapest and take a cheaper local flight or train to get there. Check out skyscanner dot com

[surfcitygirl]

We did Icelandair round trip Amsterdam for 850 a person a month ago. Have to stop in Iceland and got no dinner, but price was good. They have connections from quite a few cities into Iceland and then have flights to US from there consolidating all those inbound passengers.

[sail7seas]

Our friends did Iceland Air recently as the price was better than others and they had as good an experience on them as on any of the carriers. They and their luggage arrived safely and on time..... that's about as good as one can hope for these days. :)

 

[Taxguy77]

Cost of airfares, especially one way, is one of the reasons we are not doing TAs now which we love.

 

 

We love TAs too. Would like to do TA to Spain, spend the summer there, TA home. Spent two weeks in southern Spain and enjoyed every minute. Envy you!

[Keith1010]

Two major problems; cost of airfare and european economy.

 

Keith

[GeriatricNurse]

Cost of airfares, especially one way, is one of the reasons we are not doing TAs now which we love.

 

 

Perhaps you should consider flying 'Air Transat', a Canadian charter airline, which has very good prices, even in 'Club Class' at the front of the plane! ;)

[English_in_Spain]

Perhaps you should consider flying 'Air Transat', a Canadian charter airline, which has very good prices, even in 'Club Class' at the front of the plane! ;)

I looked at their webpage and it only looks like we can only fly to Toronto or Montreal. We would then have to get to Ft Lauderdale as that is where most of the TAs leave from.

 

[cruz chic]

Perhaps you should consider flying 'Air Transat', a Canadian charter airline, which has very good prices, even in 'Club Class' at the front of the plane! ;)

 

I've heard nothing but bad things about that airline. I've heard the seats are cramped in like a sardine can. I'd rather pay a little more and be comfortable.

[LindaM]

I thought the airfares were much higher a year or 2 ago. We got a round trip on Delta to Amsterdam and back from Barcelona for 1150. That seemed like a good deal to me. We learned to book early. I've read to book less than 3 months out---which had not worked yet for us, pricewise!

[taxmantoo]

Perhaps you should consider flying 'Air Transat', a Canadian charter airline, which has very good prices, even in 'Club Class' at the front of the plane! ;)

 

Avoid Air Transat at all costs if you can ... unless you are going on a Celebration Cruise Lines voyage to the Bahamas :rolleyes:

[25thden]

Hi all, just received input from local friends about the high airfare cost to Scandinavia that's been mentioned. Here's a fun twist: last summer our friends visited family and friends in Sweden and celebrated a milestone anniversary, and toured Europe. They had arranged to purchase a car in Sweden to be delivered to them in the US later, and the company flew them round-trip to Scandinavia (different arrival and departure ports were no problem), put them up in a first-class hotel upon arrival, and gave them the use of their car until they were ready to ship it to the US.

 

Now, THAT'S a creative way to have a Baltics vacation! We are actually considering it...