Do Cruise Rates Seem Higher This Year?

[jtwanabe]

I've book two cruises and the one in Oct is about the same price as the one in May. I seem to remember that there was quite a bit of saving between Early summer and early fall.

 

Jt

[jenne252]

Our cruise this year is definitely higher than the one we did in summer 2013. By like several hundred smackers. I just figured it was inflation, or the fact that Triumph had all its issues and then a ship got stuck in St Maarten right before our 2013 cruise so we had some price drops

[MickCruiser]

We are saving quite a bit on our Breeze spring break cruise this vs last year, same cruise. We are one deck lower than we were and we didn't book until right after last payments were due...but still substantial savings vs last spring break, at least for us.

 

 

- JPO

[Saltz]

Ours is definitely higher this year but last year was on Conquest and this year will be the Breeze, so I suppose the increase is to be expected. I'm seriously hoping for prices to drop between now and the final payment date.

[2Shoes2Go]

Definitely not seeing the nice deals we had last year. Royal's prices are just horrid. We're trying to wait and watch, as much as possible.

[rocking-m-cruiser]

Definitely not seeing the nice deals we had last year. Royal's prices are just horrid. We're trying to wait and watch, as much as possible.

 

Yes I agree. Look at the Vista. There have been so many price increases.

[SkyMaster]

Yep, I too am having a bit of trouble finding the usual bargains that I've always found for Carnival cruises, in the past. Prices just don't seem to be moving like they have in past years. Oh well, I'll keep watching for that next fantastic Carnival cruise. :cool:

 

"SKY"

[Frank12]

I agree. CCL is milking these low fuel prices for all they are worth.... just like the airlines are doing.

As a shareholder I cannot complain . Good business practice. Lower fuel costs mean people have more vacation money in their pockets. Why lower prices when people have more money to spend?

[serene56]

I booked for Princess for January 2016 and paid the same as I did for Victory in January 2015.

[Surfwench]

Carnival hasn't had any major PR disasters in a while... prices are climbing. We got back into sailing right after the Costa Concordia disaster when cruise prices plummeted. Our Breeze sailing happened right after the 'poop' cruise debacle and we ended up with $700+ in OBC because we booked Early Saver. Poor Carnival took a lot of hits there for a few years.

[evandbob]

Carnival isn't offering single or solo fares, so for me, my cost has doubled.

 

I now have a free casino cruise booked and a 21 day B2B "once in a lifetime" cruise in Jan/Feb 2016 now booked with Carnival.

 

If Carnival continues to charge solos twice, I will cruise NCL and get a better product anyway. I love the Epic and their ultimate dining package and entertainment!

[kelkel2]

We booked an 8 day breeze with an 8M balcony and last cruise was a 7 day liberty with a 8b. So of course our rate is substantially higher, but even had we booked an 8b it would be much more. But for the Breeze it was so worth it.

I really don't see us getting any price drops either. The aft wraps are sold out, the premium balconies are sold out, and the aft extended are half gone and we have 11 months to go. But that's why I book out as far as I do. I pay a small amount a month up until final payment.

[ancfun]

We have noticed that since the Vista cruises started selling that there haven't been nearly the last minute deals that there were prior. We have been watching cruise prices for a cruise later this month and it looks like we missed out on the best rates. All of the cruises out of Florida ports have been steadily increasing. Even the pack n go rates are higher than what we could have booked for 2 months ago.

Edited February 5, 2015 by ancfun

[blondietink]

Our upcoming cruise is definitely a bargain. I do think the Vista prices are high, though. We usually book oceanview for 4 people. I think that they will probably have sales and/or drop prices after final payment to see who they can get to pay a higher price without booking ES rates, then for those of us who do book ES, we will get some OBC.

[rocking-m-cruiser]

Our upcoming cruise is definitely a bargain. I do think the Vista prices are high, though. We usually book oceanview for 4 people. I think that they will probably have sales and/or drop prices after final payment to see who they can get to pay a higher price without booking ES rates, then for those of us who do book ES, we will get some OBC.

 

I'm hoping the Vista prices lower. OBC!

[RTRMom]

I booked last month for our cruise in a couple weeks. It was probably the best deal we have ever gotten on a cruise.

[rooster1961]

I agree, I read an article last year that said cruise prices would be slightly down in 2015 because of all the new ships coming out and an additional 15,000 rooms to sell. It made sense at the time but my cruise for this year is way higher than before.

[travler27]

I thought Carnival was supposed to go out of business when all the smokers quit cruising. :eek:

[crazycatlady82]

I've noticed for the past 4-5 months, carnival has been higher than celebrity, ncl and process at times. We even booked a 3 day on royal for $150 less than carnival for march 2016.

 

Unfortunately, because of our location and work, we can't use the last min deals. Yes, we could book early saver, but it's not a guarantee it will go down... We found that out!

[Yellowbird75]

There's a graph on a competitor site, showing the average balcony price, split up by cruise line. URL is being blocked.

 

Google this: Average price per day of a balcony cabin fish

and it's the first option, kinda cool to see

Edited February 6, 2015 by Yellowbird75
URL was blocked

[ScottsSweetie]

Yes. I was wondering if anyone else thought this or if it was just me.

 

Not the last minute deals on any lines out there. We have often booked at this time of year for a last minute sailing sometime between mid-February and mid-March, but there is NOTHING out there right now.

[ma40]

RCCL and Carnival CEOs in recent interviews said no need to have bargain prices,considering the new ships available with many amenities,the ship is the destination,what the passenger receives justifies the fares. Not for me, if I can find lower prices I can sail more times each year.

 

I wonder with the many cabins to fill,what is the rate of occupancy? New York has only NCL sailing year round, the December cruise I was on was really crowded,mostly with lots of kids. I'm booked on Carnival from Baltimore,prices are good,both cruises are in the fall, doing the Bahamas. Both ships sailing from Baltimore are smaller,going under the bridge is a great experience, prices are reasonable. The big ships need lots of people to fill all those cabins, if the ship's cabins are not full, they need higher prices to make a profit.

[chengkp75]

I've been preaching that rates would increase this year, for almost as long as I've been a member here.

 

The reason: As of 1 January, all ships operating within 200 miles of the US and Canadian coasts (including USVI and Puerto Rico) must burn very expensive low sulfur diesel fuel instead of the heavy fuel oil they have been burning for years.

 

While gasoline prices have fallen, as have crude prices, ship's bunker prices have not followed that trend to the same degree. A few weeks ago, the wholesale price (not what the cruise line pays, the broker's price) for heavy fuel in Houston was just under $320/metric ton. Diesel fuel by comparison was $600/metric ton. So, for the cruise lines, fuel prices have almost doubled.

[Lady_Jag]

I'm so glad I booked our Alaskan cruise the second the rates opened up for this summer! I booked ES, because I usually get 1-2 price drops, but since booking in May, the price has climbed considerably - over $300 per person!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited February 6, 2015 by Lady_Jag

[RuthlessBoss]

I've book two cruises and the one in Oct is about the same price as the one in May. I seem to remember that there was quite a bit of saving between Early summer and early fall.

 

Jt

 

I would think they'd be higher between those times due to schools being out and cruise demand higher then.