$3000 out the door, is this a good deal?

[lucky1ns]

7 day out of New Orleans to the Bahamas, includes round trip air fare from sfo, taxes, fees and tips, balcony cabin for 2, 1 is a senior.

 

Should I go for it? Sails feb 2015, RCCL.

 

1st trip post recession so a little nervous about pulling the trigger. Thanks in advance..

Edited July 4, 2014 by lucky1ns

[cb at sea]

Nothing is a "good deal" if you can't afford it....if you can pay for it with no real effort, then do it!

[Underwatr]

Is it safe to assume this is in the period of July-October? Time of year affects demand and therefore the cruise fare. Hurricane season in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico goes through October.

[SadieN]

7 day out of New Orleans to the Bahamas, includes round trip air fare from sfo, taxes, fees and tips, balcony cabin for 2, 1 is a senior.

 

Should I go for it? Sails feb 2015, RCCL.

 

1st trip post recession so a little nervous about pulling the trigger. Thanks in advance..

 

What are the variables- Ship? Type of Balcony? (They are not created equal.) Plane seating? etc.

 

Are you using cruise line air? Many will find lower prices lower on their own.

 

It is HIGHLY recommended to arrive the night before. A big storm back east can effect West Coast air travel.

 

What about insurance?

 

***

If you are worried about $ might want to look at cruises out of San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego in February.

[bearette]

I think good deal airfare is $350 (from LAX). I think an average price is $100 per person per day for an inside, add 100 per week for ocean view more and $300 per week balcony more then an inside. Plus $100 for taxes and another $100 for tips. So for a week cruise in a balcony I would say around $3,000 would be a nice average good price out the door. Anything lower then that and you got a great deal.

 

So if you like the flight , can afford that price and want to take the trip, you don't need us to justify the cost- just go and have fun. You can look up to final payment to see if the price drops too ( lots of threads on this) but don't bank on a price reduction.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Forums mobile app

[Life is Good Cruising]

Not that bad of a deal. Since you have to fly anyway did you look into Allure for a Boardwalk or Central Park Balcony, newer ship, more things to do and see. Don't know how much more $ it would be, but RCI is having a lot of of sales right now on a lot of their ships.

[Hlitner]

Not that bad of a deal. Since you have to fly anyway did you look into Allure for a Boardwalk or Central Park Balcony, newer ship, more things to do and see. Don't know how much more $ it would be, but RCI is having a lot of of sales right now on a lot of their ships.

 

Perhaps they want to go on a cruise ship, not a city! :)

 

Hank

[lucky1ns]

I appreciate your input. I'm looking forward to a much deserved getaway!

[sail7seas]

Which ship?

Makes a difference as to 'how good a deal'. :)

 

[SparkleBee]

I think it sounds like a fine deal. not amazing but you are not getting ripped off either. go for it and enjoy yourself immensely!

[cruisead]

You're on Serenade if the seas? I did a mock booking for a balcony cabin on Feb 14, 2015 and the basic fare was approx $2270 for 2, not including taxes or tips. So, unless you can find airfare from SFO to NOLA for less than $600 for 2, you've got a pretty good deal.

[xnavydoc2]

7 day out of New Orleans to the Bahamas, includes round trip air fare from sfo, taxes, fees and tips, balcony cabin for 2, 1 is a senior.

 

Should I go for it? Sails feb 2015, RCCL.

 

1st trip post recession so a little nervous about pulling the trigger. Thanks in advance..

 

If you're comfortable with the price, then it's a good deal. If it was me, I'd jump on it in a heartbeat. As someone said, get to New Orleans the day before the ship leaves. Many hotels have free shuttle service to the Cruise port.

[alcpa1]

February can produce some interesting weather in NOLA. Snow is not unheard of but cold rain is more likely. With that said do go at least one night prior to the cruise. There are hotels at every price point in the downtown (including the French Quarter) and the CBD (Central Business District), some within walking distance of the cruise terminal. The terminal is part of the Morial Convention Center and if there is a huge convention the area will not only be more expensive but also congested...that's just one more reason to go at least a day prior.

One other note...If you are on the Feb. 14th sailing you are going during the Mardi Gras parade season. Streets will be blocked for parades so plan accordingly.

For ease of travel you might want to look at something out of Florida.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have you checked airline prices on your own? Cruise lines tend to arrange the worst schedules to get you to and from the port.

[travlnblueberries]

In my experience Feb 14 week is about $100 more then the week before or after.

[pmjnh]

It all depends if it is worth it to you! Keep in mind that you and your TA can watch for price reductions and often lower your pricing. When we cruised to Alaska, we ended up saving $500 due to price reductions but they are NOT automatic. Your TA can contact the cruise line to authorize the deduction. I watched the cruise website and when a reduction happened I was on the phone to my TA. This actually happened twice before sailing.

 

I agree with the others who stress arrive in port city at least a day before the cruise departure. So much less stressful and yes, it costs you another hotel room but so worth the peace of mind!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited July 5, 2014 by pmjnh

[Nebr.cruiser]

Whether this is a good deal or not depends on so many variables, including what you are willing to pay, that it's almost impossible to give a definitive answer.

 

Without really researching your cruise or airfare (I'm lazy) I'd say it's a decent deal. As someone else said, monitor price drops and check into what flights are that you book on your own. So far, I've never been able to find cruise provided air that is better than what I can find for myself.

 

My personal criteria for a good price on the cruise alone to the Caribbean is $100 pp per night for a balcony cabin, base price, or less. We are always able to accomplish this because we are very flexible as to when, what ship, itinerary, etc.

 

We would pay more for a cruise to an exotic destination, but we still shop around for the best deals.