Cheaper & Cheaper

[ToadOfToadHall]

Rome to Southampton. 10 days, inside cabin, including flight for £399 at the start of December. Say a £200 for a one-way flight, that's £22 a night.

 

They'll be paying passengers to cruise next !

[Whitemarsh]

It's all very confusing. Cunard relaxed the dress code, so why aren't the ships full to the brim with full fare paying passengers?

 

After all, that was the problem….wasn't it?

[ToadOfToadHall]

It's all very confusing. Cunard relaxed the dress code, so why aren't the ships full to the brim with full fare paying passengers?

 

After all, that was the problem….wasn't it?

 

Maybe it's the other way round ? i.e. lack of dress code is putting previous passengers off ?

[Pennbank]

Rome to Southampton. 10 days, inside cabin, including flight for £399 at the start of December. Say a £200 for a one-way flight, that's £22 a night.

 

They'll be paying passengers to cruise next !

 

Well we are always asking for cheaper fares..........

Many persons posting are stating how cheap Carnival ships are in the states.

 

(£599 for solo occupancy of stateroom)

 

 

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth comes to mind ! :D

[balf]

Maybe they didn't relax it enough.

 

David.

[Cats2010]

Rome to Southampton. 10 days, inside cabin, including flight for £399 at the start of December. Say a £200 for a one-way flight, that's £22 a night.

 

They'll be paying passengers to cruise next !

 

The reason is probably that the Mediterranean Sea at that time of the year is not very tempting.

[Jim Avery]

Airline fares and other unpleasantness is taking a toll as well.

[Whitemarsh]

Maybe they didn't relax it enough.

 

David.

 

Maybe. Perhaps if Cunard fundamentally changed everything about itself and was indistinguishable from other cruise lines. Maybe then those cruisers who prefer travelling on other cruise lines would give Cunard a try?

[capnpugwash]

Rome to Southampton. 10 days, inside cabin, including flight for £399 at the start of December. Say a £200 for a one-way flight, that's £22 a night.

 

They'll be paying passengers to cruise next !

 

This is effectively a repositioning cruise and they are historically cheap.

[Whitemarsh]

Maybe it's the other way round ? i.e. lack of dress code is putting previous passengers off ?

 

There seems to be a lot of people Cunard's not interested in. Smokers, people who like dressing for dinner.

 

Someone somewhere, in a focus group right now, is telling Cunard to demolish the Britannia Restaurant and install another buffet, but this time with moving walkways along the buffet line so that passengers are not inconvenienced by having to walk.

[ToadOfToadHall]

This is effectively a repositioning cruise and they are historically cheap.

 

I always thought that a repositioning cruise was one that was just a few days (maybe 3 or 4), but this is 10 days.

 

But there are some others now at similar prices for inside cabins. But also PGs are less than we paid a few years ago for an outside.

[capnpugwash]

I always thought that a repositioning cruise was one that was just a few days (maybe 3 or 4), but this is 10 days.

 

But there are some others now at similar prices for inside cabins. But also PGs are less than we paid a few years ago for an outside.

 

I think that distance is key here, I did a 12 day repo from Miami to Barcelona via the Azores and somewhere else. I would think that it would take 7/8 days non stop to het to Southampton from Rome.

[ColumbiaSC]

Cunard

would be wise, I should think, to offer 1.50 percent fares for Single Occupancy (rather than 1.75 percent or even 2.00 percent) on Grand/World Voyages.

 

Prices for the 78-day 2015

Queen Victoria

Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale Grand Voyage starting Feb. 2, 2015, from FLL (it is part of the longer Southampton to Southampton voyage) is about $11,500 for each of two passengers in an Inside cabin, but the quote for

Single Occupancy

comes to about $21,500 for the cheapest Inside cabin --- and a Diamond Level World Club person (or anyone else) doesn't have gratuities included in this "leg" of the World Voyage as has been traditional in previous America-to-America legs of such "World" treks.

 

So what seems very good value for money turns out to be not so good for the solo traveler.

[Cruise Liner Fan]

Cunard

would be wise, I should think, to offer 1.50 percent fares for Single Occupancy (rather than 1.75 percent or even 2.00 percent) on Grand/World Voyages.

 

Prices for the 78-day 2015

Queen Victoria

Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale Grand Voyage starting Feb. 2, 2015, from FLL (it is part of the longer Southampton to Southampton voyage) is about $11,500 for each of two passengers in an Inside cabin, but the quote for

Single Occupancy

comes to about $21,500 for the cheapest Inside cabin --- and a Diamond Level World Club person (or anyone else) doesn't have gratuities included in this "leg" of the World Voyage as has been traditional in previous America-to-America legs of such "World" treks.

 

So what seems very good value for money turns out to be not so good for the solo traveler.

Amen. You are so right. Maybe somehow Cunard will realize that single passengers and there are plenty of us deserve to pay up to a 150% single passenger supplement fare year round not just the world cruise or world cruise segments. Regards,Jerry

[Classiccruiser777]

Despite what the politicians & chattering classes say, the economy is still precarious at best.

[balf]

Maybe. Perhaps if Cunard fundamentally changed everything about itself and was indistinguishable from other cruise lines. Maybe then those cruisers who prefer travelling on other cruise lines would give Cunard a try?

 

I know this doesn't apply to all cruise lines but, such as P&O (UK and Europe) Saga and even dear old Fred Olsen are little different in formality than Cunard.

 

A snob would say that the factor dragging any line down is not relaxation of dress code, but some of the people taking cruises nowadays. But I couldn't possibly comment.

 

David.

[Pennbank]

I know this doesn't apply to all cruise lines but, such as P&O (UK and Europe) Saga and even dear old Fred Olsen are little different in formality than Cunard.

 

A snob would say that the factor dragging any line down is not relaxation of dress code, but some of the people taking cruises nowadays. But I couldn't possibly comment.

 

David.

 

Not saying Nothink

[pepperrn]

A snob would say that the factor dragging any line down is not relaxation of dress code, but some of the people taking cruises nowadays.

Sorry about that... (must mean me), I should know my place...

But I couldn't possibly comment. David.

Why not?... :confused:

[fantasy51]

;)I have wondered if the cheap cruises at this time of year are because the hard-core cruisers have booked for a World Cruise and don't want to go on a cruise just before that?

 

I have only just returned from a cruise but I am thinking of going again. There are a couple of QV cruises showing up with excellent prices for November. Of course, it would mean returning from Southampton one day and flying to Australia the next evening. I'm sure I could turn around my packing that quickly. All in a good cause. ;)

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I cruised aboard the Queen Elizabeth between Rome and Southampton last year (10-day cruise in late November/early December) at an excellent rate. I booked an inside cabin (as a single) and was upgraded to an obstructed view outside cabin. The weather was cooler and the ports were not crowded. This was a very nice cruise and a great bargain.

 

Chuck

[bobby1119]

It's all very confusing. Cunard relaxed the dress code, so why aren't the ships full to the brim with full fare paying passengers?

 

After all, that was the problem….wasn't it?

 

Whitemarsh, I am not so sure that the dress code was the problem. I think the challenges of filling the ships transcend the dress code question.

 

The discounting of almost all sailings makes me suspect that there is strong competition from other cruise lines. The relaxation of the dress code notwithstanding, Cunard's per diem fares at the outset tend to be considerably higher than those of competing brands both within and outside the Carnival family (P & O, Celebrity HAL, Princess, etc.). I have learned on good authority that the North America market is a particularly difficult sell.

 

I have also observed a theme in postings herein and member reviews that the onboard experience does not measure up to nor does not merit the higher per diem tariff, especially when one considers the perception that there is evidence of cost cutting. One wonders if prospective passengers/guests ask themselves if paying a higher per diem is worth what will be delivered onboard.

 

I am sure Cunard is keenly watching their competitors, especially Celebrity, whom I feel, is probably the cruise line on which they are modeling some of their changes such as the relaxation of the dress code and the implementation of onboard revenue-producing programs such as wine and beverage packages, behind-the-scene tours, weddings at sea, changes in the shore excursion reservation policy, etc.

 

With new management at the helm, it should be very interesting to see what further changes transpire. I hope that the core traditions and history that have kept me loyal for many years are not further diminished or disregarded.

[Salacia]

Whitemarsh, I am not so sure that the dress code was the problem. I think the challenges of filling the ships transcend the dress code question.

 

The discounting of almost all sailings makes me suspect that there is strong competition from other cruise lines. The relaxation of the dress code notwithstanding, Cunard's per diem fares at the outset tend to be considerably higher than those of competing brands both within and outside the Carnival family (P & O, Celebrity HAL, Princess, etc.). I have learned on good authority that the North America market is a particularly difficult sell.

 

I have also observed a theme in postings herein and member reviews that the onboard experience does not measure up to nor does not merit the higher per diem tariff, especially when one considers the perception that there is evidence of cost cutting. One wonders if prospective passengers/guests ask themselves if paying a higher per diem is worth what will be delivered onboard.

 

I am sure Cunard is keenly watching their competitors, especially Celebrity, whom I feel, is probably the cruise line on which they are modeling some of their changes such as the relaxation of the dress code and the implementation of onboard revenue-producing programs such as wine and beverage packages, behind-the-scene tours, weddings at sea, changes in the shore excursion reservation policy, etc.

 

With new management at the helm, it should be very interesting to see what further changes transpire. I hope that the core traditions and history that have kept me loyal for many years are not further diminished or disregarded.

 

Bobby, most of the things you mentioned have been in place on various CCL ships for sometime. Cunard is being made to catch up, as it were. To me, it seems that there is a melding of operations on various CCL ships, as evidenced by changes in management positions. Not quite 'one size fits all' yet, but less distinctions across brands in the CCL fleet (with the distinction of Carnival Fun Ships which are in a class all by themselves.

 

I share your hope that "the core traditions and history that have kept me loyal [to Cunard] for many years are not further diminished or disregarded"

Regards, -S.

[glojo]

Can it also be there are slowly getting to be far too many ships competing for 'x' number of passengers?

 

Will we see a continual cut-throat competitive market and if so with this cutting of costs, will this see a cutting of standards in both service, ship maintenance and dare I say the cruising speed of these ships? (speed equates to using more fuel) and then more time in port and fewer ports per cruise?

[balf]

Will we see a continual cut-throat competitive market and if so with this cutting of costs, will this see a cutting of standards in both service, ship maintenance and dare I say the cruising speed of these ships? (speed equates to using more fuel) and then more time in port and fewer ports per cruise?

 

I think we are seeing all this already. Soon we will have P&O Britannia to add to the capacity, 3600 more passengers and the line is confident the ship will sell well.

 

Customers are now well used to low price deals, and it is difficult to imagine ever getting back to priceing levels of only a few years ago.

 

I don't think we should expect much change in service or food, or entertainment any time soon.

 

David.

[ToadOfToadHall]

Can it also be there are slowly getting to be far too many ships competing for 'x' number of passengers?

 

Spot on. This happened in the 1990s with golf clubs. Golf become hugely popular and new courses were springing up all over the place. Fees went though the room and then it all went horribly wrong. Now you can play a round a golf for less than you could 20 years ago.

 

And there is another similarity between cruise ships and golf courses; both takes a long time to build, and once you start building there's no point stopping. The result ? Over capacity.