Are Cruises Still a Great Value?

[stevenr597]

There have been numerous threads recently posted about service cuts by CCL and their competitors. In most cases, individuals will reply with the statement that cruise line rates have not gone up, and cruises, especially Carnival's are a better bargain than they have ever been.

 

But is this true.

 

My wife and I have been cruising for well over twenty years and we have noticed that while the price for a cruise may be the same or even less, the ancillary charges that the cruise line will charge will make the cruise more expensive than advertised. For example:

 

In the past dining in the MDR was excellent with great service, great food and plenty of it. Today, especially with Carnival, food in the MDR is mediocre at best and to get a decent meal who have to pay over $30.00/person to eat in the steak house.

 

The price of drinks have gone steadily up and at the end of a cruise, a bar bill could run several hundred dollars.

 

Carnival used to advertise Broadway Style Shows and entertainment. This is no longer the case with their shows being a poor imitation of what they were in the past.

 

The Cabin Steward was "always there" with excellent service. Today you are lucky if you have ice in the room.

 

Service from all the crew members used to be excellent. But the cruise lines have put more passengers on the ships with fewer cruise members. This has led to a significant decline in the quality of service.

 

There used to be a Midnight Buffet every night. Getting food on a ship after 10:00 excellent for some select items with room service is now impossible.

 

Deck parties have become a way to supplement the ship's income with selling of drinks and drink glasses.

 

Ships tours have become much more expensive.

 

Tipping used to be for excellent service. Now it is taken our of you account automatically with a significant decline in service.

 

Bands with live music used to be all over the ship. Today most music is canned.

 

Cruise lines like Carnival are making a record profit. But they have done this at the expense of the consumer. In reality, cruises are no longer the "all-inclusive" vacations that they were in the past. Low prices offered by lines such as Carnival are a vehicle to get individuals to cruise where they have to decide between a "bare bones" experience on pay for additional services.

 

What do you think. Are cruises still a great value.

[Lovefuninthesun]

Yes, absolutely!

 

You still get room and all meals for a bargain price --currently for us it is $100 PP/PD, and that's for a balcony.

 

A nice hotel with an ocean view would be at leat $200/night (possibly more) plus meals/snacks -- easily $300 PP/PD.

[bigdog1958]

There have been numerous threads recently posted about service cuts by CCL and their competitors. In most cases, individuals will reply with the statement that cruise line rates have not gone up, and cruises, especially Carnival's are a better bargain than they have ever been.

 

But is this true.

 

My wife and I have been cruising for well over twenty years and we have noticed that while the price for a cruise may be the same or even less, the ancillary charges that the cruise line will charge will make the cruise more expensive than advertised. For example:

 

In the past dining in the MDR was excellent with great service, great food and plenty of it. Today, especially with Carnival, food in the MDR is mediocre at best and to get a decent meal who have to pay over $30.00/person to eat in the steak house.

 

The price of drinks have gone steadily up and at the end of a cruise, a bar bill could run several hundred dollars.

 

Carnival used to advertise Broadway Style Shows and entertainment. This is no longer the case with their shows being a poor imitation of what they were in the past.

 

The Cabin Steward was "always there" with excellent service. Today you are lucky if you have ice in the room.

 

Service from all the crew members used to be excellent. But the cruise lines have put more passengers on the ships with fewer cruise members. This has led to a significant decline in the quality of service.

 

There used to be a Midnight Buffet every night. Getting food on a ship after 10:00 excellent for some select items with room service is now impossible.

 

Deck parties have become a way to supplement the ship's income with selling of drinks and drink glasses.

 

Ships tours have become much more expensive.

 

Tipping used to be for excellent service. Now it is taken our of you account automatically with a significant decline in service.

 

Bands with live music used to be all over the ship. Today most music is canned.

 

Cruise lines like Carnival are making a record profit. But they have done this at the expense of the consumer. In reality, cruises are no longer the "all-inclusive" vacations that they were in the past. Low prices offered by lines such as Carnival are a vehicle to get individuals to cruise where they have to decide between a "bare bones" experience on pay for additional services.

 

What do you think. Are cruises still a great value.

 

I believe cruises are a better value today then 20 years ago. The price of a cruise is about 1/2 of what you paid 20 years ago, while the price of all-inclusive resorts have doubled in the last 20 years. What you say is true, that the food is no where near as good unless you pay for the steakhouse each night, but since the price has gone down, you could go to the steakhouse each night on the cruise and still pay less then you paid 20 years ago for the cruise. Most people today don't mind eating at applebees or olive garden, so the MDR food is fine for them. I believe cruising today allows more people to afford to cruise then could do it 20 years ago. Obviously, the food and entertainment is not as good, but the ships are newer and have more to offer as a trade off.

[aenglish1609]

I think it's a great deal!!! For instance, on our upcoming cruise on the Carnival Sunshine, we got it for 95 dollars a day TOTAL!!! That is less than you would pay for a good hotel...

I will also say I disagree with you about food in the MDR and the service, but that is purely subjective I believe... I agree about the ship tours, which is why we never book through the ship. Just booked a snorkeling tour in aruba for 80 total for 2 people. Just use Tripadvisor I say...

 

Anyway, I say a resound yes, they are an amazing value...

[johnlcruise]

I believe cruises are a better value today then 20 years ago. The price of a cruise is about 1/2 of what you paid 20 years ago, while the price of all-inclusive resorts have doubled in the last 20 years. What you say is true, that the food is no where near as good unless you pay for the steakhouse each night, but since the price has gone down, you could go to the steakhouse each night on the cruise and still pay less then you paid 20 years ago for the cruise. Most people today don't mind eating at applebees or olive garden, so the MDR food is fine for them. I believe cruising today allows more people to afford to cruise then could do it 20 years ago. Obviously, the food and entertainment is not as good, but the ships are newer and have more to offer as a trade off.

 

LIKE!! Well said..

[fuddrules]

Yes Carnival cruises are a great value.

 

If you (or anyone) want the better services you listed pick a cruise line other than Carnival.

Edited September 8, 2014 by fuddrules

[klct39lg]

I have only been going on cruises for the past 10 years, so I don't miss the way it was 20 years ago, but yes, I think it is a good value.

I will agree the food is just okay, but I am one who eats to live not the other way around. And the DJ on the pool deck is too loud, and I like to crank up a song! It is loud in such a way as if to manufacture enthusiasm that isn't there.

Edited September 8, 2014 by klct39lg

[ncovert]

Yes, absolutely!

 

You still get room and all meals for a bargain price --currently for us it is $100 PP/PD, and that's for a balcony.

 

A nice hotel with an ocean view would be at leat $200/night (possibly more) plus meals/snacks -- easily $300 PP/PD.

 

 

This is the single reason I come back to in believing that cruising is still well worth the price. Everyone's perspective of value and bargain can be different which is why I do not think the OP is wrong with their own opinion.

[riffatsea]

It depends on what other vacations you are comparing!

Cruising for a week from a USA port costs me much less than spending a week on land in Europe!

You have to know what other types of trips are available before you can say it is no longer a good value.

[Tutontow]

I just priced Tampa to Las Vegas on Southwest Airlines. The cheapest flight and hotel package is right at $1000.00. You will be herded around like cattle and then crammed into a plane like sardines.

 

Once you arrive in Las Vegas you will be on your own for everything from food to entertainment and that price includes one destination, Las Vegas.

 

For $650.00 I can go on a seven night cruise out of Tampa, a 20 minute drive from my house to the port. That price gets me an unobstructed view balcony, food, four ports and entertainment (I usually find something or someone I like to listen to).

 

If you have ever priced food and drinks in most vacation cities it's not cheap.

 

For me I love the idea that once I get on the ship I am already at my hotel, the vacation has begun. The food on a ship is not gourmet by any means but it works for me.

 

So yes I will say for me personally a cruise is a great vacation bargain, especially having five ports within a four hour drive.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Tutontow

[TeresaJ]

Cruising is a good value for our family as long as airfare is decent. We live in Wisconsin so we always fly to port.

It's much more expensive to go to an AI in the Caribbean for a week for us so we like to cruise!

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forums mobile app

[Tapi]

We paid $700 pp for an oceanview stateroom on the Tropicale in 1994. Adjusted to 2014 dollars, that's about $1,125 pp.

 

On our last Carnival cruise aboard the Dream, we paid $590 pp for a balcony stateroom.

 

So $1,125 - $590 = $535. That means that today, I'm paying almost HALF what I paid 20 years ago to go on a Carnival cruise, AND I'm now getting a balcony stateroom!

 

If Carnival doubled their prices tomorrow, I can ASSURE you that they would go out of business. They would loose most of their cruisers that choose Carnival because of their cheaper prices.

 

BTW, I dont have very fond memories of that first Carnival cruise on the Tropicale. The service sucked, the food and entertainment were mediocre, and the ship was a tugboat compared to today's ships. We were bored. I remember vividly how bad the service was because it's the ONLY time in all of my 30-plus years of cruising when I did NOT tip the cabin steward!

Edited September 8, 2014 by Tapi

[Swampbaby]

We are going to places we've never been, and would not go if we had to fly and stay in a hotel. I've always been able to find things I liked doing on the ships that I don't pay extra for. Right now we are going for $93pp/pd total which includes food (which we've always been able to find plenty we liked), piano bar, shows that are OK at best, and the ability to enjoy both outdoors and a/c within just a few steps of each other.

 

We actually picked the next one for only 3 ports and several sea days for just relaxing. Our experience has been very good in the MDR with wait staff, room steward was great and we were never wanting for anything.

 

Since I do the Bottomless Bubbles I did find ONE bar where the bartender didn't seem to want to serve me my Diet Coke from a fresh can, but that was ONE bar out of how many? I simply did not get any from that location after the first day as elsewhere there was no problem.

 

Enjoyed the piano bar and also other musical entertainment around the ship. Last cruise we finished each evening in the lobby area all but the last night where there was a duo who kept the people dancing and having a great time.

 

We have booked two excursions through Carnival. The first one we didn't actually go on due to something personal that now is a tory for a laugh, but the cost was refunded with no questions. The second was due to short time in port and have to say it is NOT one I would recommend. Gone on excursions in every port with all the rest booked outside of the cruise line.

 

Met nice people each cruise that we could socialize with at times or simply enjoy ourselves with no guilty feelings. I have never been on a land vacation where that happened as we were never around the same people the entire time.

 

Do I miss things? Yes, I was blown away at the midnight buffet on our first cruise and so thankful I took plenty of pictures for the scrapbook as that is no more.

 

The entertainment has gone down in my opinion. There was a wonderful comedian on the first cruise who did a family show in the main showroom to a packed audience and then later did an adult show, again to a packed audience in the same place. Difference now? She NEVER uttered the F-bomb nor cussed. People laughing and having a good time. While I'm not a prude, I truly did not like the overall atmosphere in the much smaller comedy club where every other word was the F-bomb. Just don't see any sense in that.

 

Miss the oh so comfy bed from our first cruise and do not buy the story that they haven't changed. The last cruise that bed was HARD with way too soft a pillow but this is something that I now know how to make much better

me.

 

Vacations on land has always cost us more overall by the time we figure in hotels, food, entertainment, gas (and not even counting the wear and tear on our automobile) or air fare, plus the little extras that always seem to occur.

 

Overall in my opinion, a cruise is still a great bargain and for a family an even greater bargain.

[BettyPC]

I love cruising. I enjoy the ocean, the people, the hustle and bustle.

 

People that aren't happy should pick another vacation option and stop

whining IMO.

[kelkel2]

We recently priced out an ocean front condo in florida. One we used to vacation at when I was a child. Yes you get the whole condo, but you get no maid service, no food, no entertainment, no transportation and no perks but a pool and beach access.

This trip was for 5 days and it was going to cost us a huge amount of money more and that's not even including a rental car for the week and breakfast, lunch and dinner for my spouse and I every single day. Plus entertainment? don't even start on entertainment....

Are they a good deal heck yes they are!!! Plus I would rather be on a ship any day!!

[Smokin J]

You CAN NOT beat the value of the cruise. It is cheaper than ANY land vacations that I have taken with similar Accommodations, food(alcohol) and entertainment . Booked on the Glory for Spa Balcony for $1195 for 7 days:D and I get to go 3 places I could never could drive to ( and if we flew to all 3 places , think of the price increase).NOW with Cheers its only$ 605(210 drinks ,$3 per drink) for someone else to Make, house and serve you what ever drinks you want to TRY all week, whether we are at the pool, a show or dinner ,The Best value still, Yes you have to pay for extras but don't you have to on land( Mc D's for $5 pp:( or local restaurant(And if you don't like something are you going to pay for something else??, Try 2-3 Appetizer or Entrees ?? IDTS :eek: for $15 pp-if you don't drink) and that's 3 meals a day plus snacks and drinks(Tea/Coffee/Lemonade). and I would have to "DRIVE".AND we haven't talked about entertainment (local night club $100 w/ drinks, putt putt $5 pp, Water park $16pp,Steam room, Sauna, Hot tub ?? and NO DRIVING

SO hands down CRUISING IS FOR ME.

 

Just My 2 Cents

 

Mr J

[BiscayneBay460]

Our first cruise was Norwegian MS Southward, 23 yrs ago. We had a tiny cabin with a double bed and a porthole. Still have the receipt - cabin C210 for 4 days was $1512.50. Now, Our family of four can travel in a balcony cabin for 7 days for almost the same. Things have changed, some good, some not so good. No more midnight buffets - have pictures of the ice sculptures and tables of desserts! But, still very much a great value. Even with flights, this next trip is less than a week at Disney World. Love cruising!

[SMSACE6]

I think they are still a good value.

 

Last year, I had a cruise booked, but had to cancel due to an ill parent. Shortly after cancelling the cruise, my Dad did an amazing comeback, so well that I tried to rebook a week or so after, but could not get the cruise back. Instead I used my flight airline credit to book new flights from here (Ottawa, Canada) to Tampa Fl, and booked a budget motel/efficiency in Treasure Island for a week. Had a wonderful week there enjoying the beach.

 

This year booked a cruise again, band both parents doing well with their health so I am thrilled to be going on a cruise again soon. My November cruise I will be travelling solo, and even at solo 200pc rate, my 8 day cruise with a hotel one night pre cruise, works out about the same, as my 7 days in Florida last year. When I factor in what I spent on provisions for self catering plus about 5 meals out in restaurants, I am pretty close in cost.

 

So I think it is still a good deal. But having said that, I am not used to luxury or even upscale cruises and hotels or restaurants, and so I am easy to please with food. So what I consider a good deal, might not be same to others.

Edited September 8, 2014 by SMSACE6

[kristy29]

I believe they are still a great bargain. I am not a big drinker, so all inclusive resorts are not a good bargain for me. When we were looking to go on a vacation, we looked at all inclusives in multiple places. The cheapest ones were $2000 for a week, plus flights (about $1000 more), and these were the ones with mediocre reviews. Ones with good reviews are $3000, plus flights. We are paying $1500 for the cruise, plus we'll have a small bar bill for just what we drink. This includes all our food and entertainment, and we are driving to the port so no airfare needed. If we went with a non all inclusive, we would still have to pay for the hotel, the airfare, the food, alcohol, entertainment, etc. It would definitely be more than the cruise. So in conclusion, when we weighed all our options, a cruise was still the best bargain out there.

[Rudyard]

I say yes. Even though I've only been cruising for a couple of years, I occasionally start to think that maybe I'll do another land vacation instead of a cruise. Then when I start pricing everything out, the cruise comes in way lower in cost.

 

A previous poster mentioned Vegas. I love Vegas, but for the price of the hotel and airline tickets I can get a week on a ship with everything paid for. Anything else I pay for is up to me (drinks, souvenirs, etc). In Vegas I'd be looking at hundreds more to feed two people for the week, plus we'd want to do two or three shows in that time and show tickets can be pricey.

 

While I'm sure the more seasoned cruisers may take it for granted, for newer cruisers like myself it's also a plus to be able to visit countries that I never thought I'd travel to and meet the people there, even if it is only for a few hours in the port area.

 

Then there are the intangibles that really make it fun for us. I've never seen a school of flying fish or a pod of dolphins in Vegas ;)

Edited September 8, 2014 by Rudyard

[Rowan555]

Our upcoming Dream cruise comes out to $65 per person per day including gratuities for the four of us. We'll probably spend about $100 in port, total, as we are doing laid back beach days. My kids have $50 each to spend on nonsense on the ship - arcade, soda card, whatever. We don't do the Steakhouse, we don't buy photos, and we don't purchase items in the gift shop. I can't think of a much cheaper way to vacation unless you pitch a tent in the woods.

[OnePsychLynne]

It's an excellent deal to me.

 

Sent from my Galaxy S4. Typos inevitable.

[USNUZULOOSE]

For us it comes down to if we can afford the cruise. Living on the west coast it can make it somewhat decent and not pricey. I can take the train round trip for a reasonable cost. Can not afford to fly. But at least the food is decent in the MDR and we really don't go into the bars or go to the shows. We like trivia, don't do bingo. It could be different for everyone and what kind of money you are spending on your vacation.

[PA Beachlovers]

We have done all inclusive resorts and cruises, they both work out to about the same price in the end, if you drink some. Best part of cruising is you are not stuck in the same place for a week, we were in Cancun for a week in January earlier this year and it rained everyday, 4 days that basically we were stuck inside the resort and the other days it rained some. On a cruise you hopefully escape the rain if you have it, plus you get to see many places in a week. Service was equally as good on the cruise as the all inclusive, we stay at a higher end, not top end all inclusive and I will give them a higher grade on the food. Entertainment about the same. I believe both are good values but still prefer cruising.

[adriennerm]

In my opinion a cruise is still worth the price. The cruise I am looking at has 4 ports in the Southern Caribbean. The total price is roughly $2600 for a Balcony. The cruise includes our room, food and entertainment. For $2600 we are visiting Aruba, Curacao, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. IMO that is an amazing price to visit 4 islands.

 

Do I miss the band on the lido deck and the live production shows; of course I do. My last cruise on the Valor in June 2012 we walked out of the show. The singer was horrible and the sound was off. I also agree that guest participate shows should not be the main show of the evening. With that being said, we still found plenty to do. It was a disappointment because we enjoy live production shows.