Haven Prices Are Getting Out Of Hand

[FireEater]

WOW, I just did a mock booking for 2 years from now on a 10 day Panama Canal cruise. The less expensive Haven suite is $5,092 pp while a regular suite is approx. $3,100. A non Haven balcony is $1,577 pp.

 

They have seen how well the Haven has been received and now they appear to throw what ever they can on the walls, price wise, to see what sticks/works/sells.

 

NCL appears mighty proud of their Haven suites, but come on $1,000 + a day per couple!!!!!

 

If they want to get away from the mass market and become a high end cruise line, they need to change more then just the price and their offering of the Haven....

 

At least with the high end lines, they will some times throw in air fare and a ride to and from the airport to the dock for the price....

[PCLMassachusetts]

As long people keep paying it NCL will keep charging it.

[DMH15]

Panama Canal prices are always a premium anyways. Supply and demand.

 

We are paying roughly the same for our PC cruise on the Sun 15 nights aft PH.

 

 

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[SissasMomE]

Panama Canal prices are always a premium anyways. Supply and demand.

 

We are paying roughly the same for our PC cruise on the Sun 15 nights aft PH.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Have you done this cruise before? I was looking at the same cruise as the OP as a present for daughter's graduation. Is it typically an older crowd?

[Ilovesailing]

Looking at Panama for March 2016 P/H price is exactly the same price as what we had booked for Jan. 2015.

But our 2015 cruise is up $1105 PP and the aft P/H are now all gone,we had booked it 8/2013.

For those wanting to make a comparison.

[AF-1]

Have you done this cruise before? I was looking at the same cruise as the OP as a present for daughter's graduation. Is it typically an older crowd?

 

Yes this will be an older crowd. Average age 62. This is what I have read not only on NCL, but also on RCCl.

[Love my butler]

The price you pay for haven access is way too much. The haven is nice but hardly worth what NCL charges. It only takes a couple of unruly kids in the haven to make the peace and quiet disappear for the week.

[SissasMomE]

Yes this will be an older crowd. Average age 62. This is what I have read not only on NCL, but also on RCCl.

 

Thank you. We may need to wait a bit for this :)

[Medtech2]

WOW, I just did a mock booking for 2 years from now on a 10 day Panama Canal cruise. The less expensive Haven suite is $5,092 pp while a regular suite is approx. $3,100. A non Haven balcony is $1,577 pp.

 

They have seen how well the Haven has been received and now they appear to throw what ever they can on the walls, price wise, to see what sticks/works/sells.

 

NCL appears mighty proud of their Haven suites, but come on $1,000 + a day per couple!!!!!

 

If they want to get away from the mass market and become a high end cruise line, they need to change more then just the price and their offering of the Haven....

 

At least with the high end lines, they will some times throw in air fare and a ride to and from the airport to the dock for the price....

It's actually called the free market. They can charge what they wish and customers can choose to pay it or not. Cruises are a luxury not a necessity. I would not pay that much but if they are able to fill those cabins at that price good for them. Maybe that's how they are able to keep prices down for everyone else.

 

I will book the cabin on a ship that I can afford. If there comes a day I can't, well then, I change my idea of the ideal vacation but I certainly don't begrudge a tourist company making a profit.

[TrumpyNor]

We have a Panama Canal cruise on the Pearl (17 days) booked for October 2014. We are in a balcony cabin, and I have been monitoring prices on higher category cabins in hope of the possibility to upgrade without having to pay a "fortune" for it. Well - all balcony cabins and mini-suites are already sold out, and regular suites starts by $5.500 p.p. and Haven suites starts at $6.500 (!) p.p. for a 2-person-occupancy. Well - that is definitely out of reach for my wallet..... :mad:

[SissasMomE]

We have a Panama Canal cruise on the Pearl (17 days) booked for October 2014. We are in a balcony cabin, and I have been monitoring prices on higher category cabins in hope of the possibility to upgrade without having to pay a "fortune" for it. Well - all balcony cabins and mini-suites are already sold out, and regular suites starts by $5.500 p.p. and Haven suites starts at $6.500 (!) p.p. for a 2-person-occupancy. Well - that is definitely out of reach for my wallet..... :mad:

 

That is just crazy. I just priced a week long vacation at the Four Seasons Resort in Bora Bora in a waterfront bungalow. THAT is worth the $1,000 a night they are charging for 3 people. Not a suite on NCL :rolleyes: Crazy!

[NMLady]

Thank you. We may need to wait a bit for this :)

 

The reason it's an older crowd is because most of those who haven't yet retired can't afford that many days away from work.

[FireEater]

It's actually called the free market. They can charge what they wish and customers can choose to pay it or not. Cruises are a luxury not a necessity. I would not pay that much but if they are able to fill those cabins at that price good for them. Maybe that's how they are able to keep prices down for everyone else.

 

I will book the cabin on a ship that I can afford. If there comes a day I can't, well then, I change my idea of the ideal vacation but I certainly don't begrudge a tourist company making a profit.

 

Yep. Will bare what the market will pay. Gots to love free enterprise.

 

I agree with all you say...

[Linda the Book Lover]

We are retired and not willing to part with the money for the Haven but it is our choice. As long as I have at least a balcony to drink my wine on I am happy. We did the Panama Canal on Princess in a balcony cabin and loved it. It is true the group was older but there was no chair hogging, the spa was beautiful and the pool area was restful. We are talking about our next cruise and depending on price we will either be in a mini suite or a suite but for me the Haven is more than I want to spend (thought if I hit the Powerball I will reconsider...lol)

[barnacle_boy]

People seem to lose sight of the fact that today's fares are actually quite cheap. I own one of the first brochures NCL ever published. A 4-day cruise roundtrip from Miami in an ocean view cost $190 per person in 1966. A similar cabin on a similar itinerary today costs only $169 per person. However, once you factor in inflation, that $190 becomes $1,385! Could you imagine paying $2,770 for an ocean view cabin on a Bahamas-run on Norwegian Sky? :eek: Hopefully that perspective makes you feel a little better about today's fares.

 

The recent increases in fares are a sign of things to come. Fares dropped considerably and stayed low during the recession, but the lines are finally starting to get back to where they were in 2008. From here on out, expect considerable increases every year. Dirt cheap cruising was nice while it lasted! :p

Edited May 3, 2014 by barnacle_boy

[Linda the Book Lover]

People seem to lose sight of the fact that today's fares are actually quite cheap. I own one of the first brochures NCL ever published. A 4-day cruise roundtrip from Miami in an ocean view cost $190 per person in 1966. A similar cabin on a similar itinerary today costs only $169 per person. However, once you factor in inflation, that $190 becomes $1,385! Could you imagine paying $2,770 for an ocean view cabin on a Bahamas-run on Norwegian Sky? :eek: Hopefully that perspective makes you feel a little better about today's fares.

 

The recent increases in fares are a sign of things to come. Fares dropped considerably and stayed low during the recession, but the lines are finally starting to get back to where they were in 2008. From here on out, expect considerable increases every year. Dirt cheap cruising was nice while it lasted! :p

 

Yep, unpack once, eat all I want and have someone waiting on me and bringing me an adult beverage. Priceless...:D

[kcwingwalker]

The price you pay for haven access is way too much. The haven is nice but hardly worth what NCL charges. It only takes a couple of unruly kids in the haven to make the peace and quiet disappear for the week.

 

Agree that the Haven suites are not worth the price. While we did enjoy our suite I thought it was dated and really needed some attention. The Jewel is due for dry dock before heading for Alaska and hopefully the Owners Suite will get the attention it needs.

 

I did not complain because the service was excellent and I knew the Jewel was going into dry dock when we booked the cruise.

[DrNora]

Haven 2br suites are less expensive than the 2br suites on Royal , and offer the privacy of the Haven. Our upcoming Getaway cruise is 2 k less than we were paying for the same itinerary on Freedom- we love Freedom but have done her and never were able to find a place at the pool or in the shade, and the huge aft balcony we had was cover less.

 

But I cannot imagine what 17 nights in an s4 would be- yikes!,,,will have to wait til the kids are away at university!

[Love my butler]

People seem to lose sight of the fact that today's fares are actually quite cheap. I own one of the first brochures NCL ever published. A 4-day cruise roundtrip from Miami in an ocean view cost $190 per person in 1966. A similar cabin on a similar itinerary today costs only $169 per person. However, once you factor in inflation, that $190 becomes $1,385! Could you imagine paying $2,770 for an ocean view cabin on a Bahamas-run on Norwegian Sky? :eek: Hopefully that perspective makes you feel a little better about today's fares.

 

The recent increases in fares are a sign of things to come. Fares dropped considerably and stayed low during the recession, but the lines are finally starting to get back to where they were in 2008. From here on out, expect considerable increases every year. Dirt cheap cruising was nice while it lasted! :p

 

A clunky hand held calculator cost $200 in 1966. Today you can get one for 5 bucks.

[DMH15]

Have you done this cruise before? I was looking at the same cruise as the OP as a present for daughter's graduation. Is it typically an older crowd?

 

 

No, we are doing the PC in October. I do think the longer cruises draw older crowds. Our 15 night trans-Atlantic had very few people u fer 50.

 

For my nieces graduation we will do the seven night on the jewel.

 

 

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[DMH15]

A clunky hand held calculator cost $200 in 1966. Today you can get one for 5 bucks.

 

 

Actually my hand-held Calculator is my iPhone or my iPad, hardly five dollars.

 

 

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[surran12]

It seems like prices have climbed a bit over the last 4 years on most of their room categories and I think part of it is the fact they've really made a push to increase their fleet with 5 new top of the line ships which I'm sure are pretty expensive.

[barnacle_boy]

A clunky hand held calculator cost $200 in 1966. Today you can get one for 5 bucks.

 

I knew when I was writing that humorous anecdote someone would take it too seriously. The calculator comparison is interesting, but not entirely relevant. Certainly outsourcing, competition, and economies of scale have worked to keep the costs of both cruises and calculators on a downward trend over time, but there are significant differences. Some of the largest factors that have pushed cruise pricing down significantly, starting in the late-80’s and into the 90’s, were massive increases in both the size of individual ships and overall fleets along with the reformulation of pricing structures and revenue management prompted by such expansion. Additionally, while parts and manufacturing expenses for consumer electronics have decreased substantially, the cost of building cruise ships has continued to rise along with inflation and the increasing size of the latest newbuilds despite the development of many new timesaving techniques. At least that’s my understanding of the pricing situation from being a casual observer on the sidelines. I welcome anyone with more advanced knowledge to correct me if I’m wrong.

 

It seems like prices have climbed a bit over the last 4 years on most of their room categories and I think part of it is the fact they've really made a push to increase their fleet with 5 new top of the line ships which I'm sure are pretty expensive.

 

Indeed, cruise pricing throughout most of the industry has been on the rise in the past few years, but due to the deep initial reductions brought about during the recession (and to a lesser extend Concordia), it wasn’t until recently that it’s reached pre-2008 levels. Although growth has continued throughout the recession with the lower rates and the increase in capacity with new ships coming online, profit margins are incredibly low. Now that most lines are out of the hole, they’re eager to push for even more fare increases to help increase those margins.

[Love my butler]

Actually my hand-held Calculator is my iPhone or my iPad, hardly five dollars.

 

You are correct. For you it's actually $0 since it was just an app thrown in.

[Love my butler]

I knew when I was writing that humorous anecdote someone would take it too seriously. The calculator comparison is interesting, but not entirely relevant. Certainly outsourcing, competition, and economies of scale have worked to keep the costs of both cruises and calculators on a downward trend over time, but there are significant differences. Some of the largest factors that have pushed cruise pricing down significantly, starting in the late-80’s and into the 90’s, were massive increases in both the size of individual ships and overall fleets along with the reformulation of pricing structures and revenue management prompted by such expansion. Additionally, while parts and manufacturing expenses for consumer electronics have decreased substantially, the cost of building cruise ships has continued to rise along with inflation and the increasing size of the latest newbuilds despite the development of many new timesaving techniques. At least that’s my understanding of the pricing situation from being a casual observer on the sidelines. I welcome anyone with more advanced knowledge to correct me if I’m wrong.

 

Yup, you're right, someone took it too seriously........