El Cheapo Cruises Thread

[MicCanberra]

Like many lines now, there are no formal nights on P&O, but you can still dress to kill if you wish.

[lyndarra]

Pulled the trigger today on what I thought is a good deal. Sydney/Singapore 16 days Westerdam o/v 3/1/2023. $2500 including return flight.

[NSWP]

58 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Pulled the trigger today on what I thought is a good deal. Sydney/Singapore 16 days Westerdam o/v 3/1/2023. $2500 including return flight.

Great deal that. Is the $2500 for solo or twin share?

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Great deal that. Is the $2500 for solo or twin share?

Twin share PP.

Edited June 17, 2022 by lyndarra

[Sparky74]

Royal Caribbean have a free balcony upgrade promotion at the moment. 
Basically it’s guarantee balcony cabins for the same price as oceanview for saplings from Australian ports until April 2023. Check the fine print here. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/aus/en/terms-and-conditions/promotions?country=AUS
 

This cruise looks to me to be the best deal. 

 

10 Night South Pacific Cruise

Quantum of the Seas sailing from Brisbane on Sun, Nov 27 2022

Interior $837

Balcony $931

That’s $93/person/night for a balcony!

[Sparky74]

I have a T-shirt which says, "I have no Cruise Control - They just seem to book themselves!” I’m starting to believe it. 

Going through my usual agent I picked up 8 nights to the Islands out of Brisbane next February. $1,721.70 for the two of us in a guarantee balcony cabin after I applied my Crown & Anchor discount. That’s about $107.60/person/day!

 

Why wouldn’t I book it?

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, Sparky74 said:

I have a T-shirt which says, "I have no Cruise Control - They just seem to book themselves!” I’m starting to believe it. 

Going through my usual agent I picked up 8 nights to the Islands out of Brisbane next February. $1,721.70 for the two of us in a guarantee balcony cabin after I applied my Crown & Anchor discount. That’s about $107.60/person/day!

 

Why wouldn’t I book it?

I must admit I am a tad disappointed. It seems that P&O hasn't had a flash sale going for at least a week now. 😉

 

Is that price auto-tips inclusive?  It is a good deal, but does that include the possibility of an obstructed balcony? I am tempted.

[B'Elanna]

18 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

10 Night South Pacific Cruise

Quantum of the Seas sailing from Brisbane on Sun, Nov 27 2022

Interior $837

Balcony $931

That’s $93/person/night for a balcony!

 

Solo pricing on this one is excellent. Will I...?

[SinbadThePorter]

18 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

10 Night South Pacific Cruise

 

I hope it goes, but at the moment it's still a hypothetical cruise.

[Sparky74]

5 hours ago, arxcards said:

I must admit I am a tad disappointed. It seems that P&O hasn't had a flash sale going for at least a week now. 😉

 

Is that price auto-tips inclusive?  It is a good deal, but does that include the possibility of an obstructed balcony? I am tempted.

It’s almost easier to say when P&O does not have a flash sale! 🤣

I did, however, manage to get very good pricing our upcoming B2B P&O cruises in one of the flash sales. 
 

I'm assuming gratuities are included, they usually are for RCI when purchased in Australia. I’ll have to check but it’s still a good deal IMHO even if they’re not. 
 

We're fully expecting it to be an obstructed balcony. It’s still a step up from our usual inferior (I mean, interior) cabin like we had on Coral Princess last week. In fact, this is the 5th upcoming cruise we have booked and they are all balcony cabins! I asked DW if we are turning into balcony people?😱

 

4 hours ago, B'Elanna said:

 

Solo pricing on this one is excellent. Will I...?

Go on, do it! 😁

 

3 hours ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

I hope it goes, but at the moment it's still a hypothetical cruise.

Aren’t all cruises hypothetical until they sail? 🤷‍♂️
We've booked a 10 night cruise on Pacific Encounter to PNG booked for October. I would be surprised if that itinerary doesn’t change. DW twisted my arm as I’m not really a fan of P&O but she wanted to go to PNG. I’m sure I'll cope whatever happens. I’m just happy to be cruising again and making up for lost time. 

[Jean C]

3 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

It’s still a step up from our usual inferior (I mean, interior) cabin like we had on Coral Princess last week. In fact, this is the 5th upcoming cruise we have booked and they are all balcony cabins! I asked DW if we are turning into balcony people?

It'll be hard to go back to anything less than a balcony after those cruises 😄 Our first cruise was a window cabin, the next was a good deal on a balcony and we've never looked back since 😊

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, Jean C said:

It'll be hard to go back to anything less than a balcony after those cruises 😄 Our first cruise was a window cabin, the next was a good deal on a balcony and we've never looked back since 😊

Prior to Covid, I was excited to be upgraded from an inside cabin to a porthole or window.  Now I guess there are a lot of passengers like me, balcony only.  

[Sparky74]

3 hours ago, Jean C said:

It'll be hard to go back to anything less than a balcony after those cruises 😄 Our first cruise was a window cabin, the next was a good deal on a balcony and we've never looked back since 😊

I dunno. 
On our first ever cruise (4 nights on Legend of the Seas in 2010) we received a free upgrade to an oceanview room, but there was 3 of us sharing a cabin. Since then we’ve sailed in inferior (I mean, interior), oceanview, and balcony cabins. For DW's 40th I surprised her with a Junior Suite.

We’ve always said that we’d prefer to be able to sail twice a year in an inferior cabin than only to sail once a year with a balcony. But we’d spring for Oceanview if the price difference wasn’t too great. It’s nice to wake up and know if it’s daytime or still the middle of the night. 
Last week was our 19th cruise. We sailed on the Coral Princess and were quite happy in our inferior cabin while Auntie, who sailed with us, wouldn’t have anything less than a balcony. Auntie also refuses to fly economy. Maybe when we inherit her fortune… 🤑
Pricing structures have changed over the years (and so has our financial position). Balcony cabins are now often much less than twice the price of inferior cabins which was the case 10 years ago. We have four more cruises booked for this year as well as the one in February 2023. All balcony cabins. I commented to DW that maybe we’re turning into balcony people! 😱

[JTHoli]

Wow some bargains in the days gone by! Hopefully the demand will bounce back!

[Sparky74]

22 hours ago, arxcards said:

…Is that price auto-tips inclusive?  It is a good deal, but does that include the possibility of an obstructed balcony? I am tempted.

 

17 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

…I'm assuming gratuities are included, they usually are for RCI when purchased in Australia. I’ll have to check but it’s still a good deal IMHO even if they’re not. 
 

We're fully expecting it to be an obstructed balcony…

I can confirm that gratuities are indeed included. 😁

[Sparky74]

I found this deal online this morning. Of course you’d need to factor in international flights but still…
 

HAL Nieuw Statendam Sailing on Sat, April 1, 2023 for 21 nights from Fort Lauderdale To Barcelona

Interior:  $1,459 ($69/day)

Oceanview:  $1,619 ($77/day)

Verandah: $1,699 ($80/day)

Suite: $3,139 ($149/day)

 

[NSWP]

4 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

I found this deal online this morning. Of course you’d need to factor in international flights but still…
 

HAL Nieuw Statendam Sailing on Sat, April 1, 2023 for 21 nights from Fort Lauderdale To Barcelona

Interior:  $1,459 ($69/day)

Oceanview:  $1,619 ($77/day)

Verandah: $1,699 ($80/day)

Suite: $3,139 ($149/day)

 

Cheap as chips, Repositioning cruises are generally a good deal.  Done a few 'Repos' over the years.

Edited July 8, 2022 by NSWP

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Cheap as chips, Repositioning cruises are generally a good deal.  Done a few 'Repos' over the years.

I've done a few repositioning cruises also.  The cost of Flights can be a problem flying into US out of Europe.  But more affordable now with the availability of one way flights.  

[Sparky74]

RCI Quantum of the Seas

5 nights Sydney Explorer Cruise 

7th December 2022

ex Brisbane 

Interior $549pp

Oceanview $648pp

Balcony $649pp

[Hammer61]

I was looking at the RCI site today, 18 nights Honolulu to Brisbane on the Quantum of the Seas, departs 13th October.

 

Interior rooms from $1699 ($94 per night), Balcony’s from $1999 ($111 per night) thought that was very good value especially compared to the very similar ship and cruise but to Sydney on Ovation sailing 3 days earlier that will see a Balcony start at $3699 ($194 per night) 

 

Only problem with these deals is the price of flights to Honolulu from Sydney or Brisbane have shot through the roof, a direct 9 hour one way from Sydney currently $1300pp 🤑 its less if you stop once but extend the trip out to 21 hours!!!!

 

A few months ago the same flights were around $700 😲

[arxcards]

BTW, P&O has yet another "Flash Sale"

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

BTW, P&O has yet another "Flash Sale"

P&O seem to have a flash sale every couple of weeks.

[Kaylacool]

P & O Pacific Explorer - Fiji Adventure departs Sydney August 8, 2022 for 12 nights only 3 ports.

Interesting itinerary in that it goes down to Auckland and then back up to Lautoko and Dravuni Island.  9 sea days :O

Interior from $1024 ($85 per night)  Balcony for $1749 ($145 per night)

[arxcards]

42 minutes ago, Kaylacool said:

P & O Pacific Explorer - Fiji Adventure departs Sydney August 8, 2022 for 12 nights only 3 ports.

Interesting itinerary in that it goes down to Auckland and then back up to Lautoko and Dravuni Island.  9 sea days 😮

Interior from $1024 ($85 per night)  Balcony for $1749 ($145 per night)

Yes, interesting. This itinerary was altered last week, with Auckland replacing Noumea & Mystery Island. It would still be a nice break with all those sea days, but a think some must have taken the option of transferring to another cruise when the altered itinerary was announced. Nice price though.

[NSWP]

16 hours ago, Kaylacool said:

P & O Pacific Explorer - Fiji Adventure departs Sydney August 8, 2022 for 12 nights only 3 ports.

Interesting itinerary in that it goes down to Auckland and then back up to Lautoko and Dravuni Island.  9 sea days 😮

Interior from $1024 ($85 per night)  Balcony for $1749 ($145 per night)

After the current issues on board with lurgy, 12 night cruises might be curtailed for a while.. We shall see. The Kiwis may not want the ship in.😢