I wish HAL would Price Match

[cruz chic]

Yes, it is Silversea. They used to do some massive sales and incentives but about three or four years ago they revamped their whole promotions and marketing approach and basically have stopped sales or have them infrequently. Anyhow, it is nice knowing that you cabin book early or whenever and not risk having a last minute sale undermine your initial fare.

 

That's the way it shoukd be.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Being able to drive to Fort Lauderdale, I book late. For a Caribbean cruise this Fall, I hoped to try Princess for the first time, specifically the Coral or Island Princess (due to their wraparound decks). Last week when I checked their prices, I could hardly believe how much more expensive they were than comparable (itinerary, month, cabin category) HAL cruises. I even wondered if their price was per cabin rather than per passenger (unfortunately, no). I'll check again for a future cruise, but if the difference is again staggering, I may stop considering Princess as an option.

[avian777]

Just to add something: you would need to compare prices for a similar size cabin on both lines/ships to be fair ... Do your own search to see what is important. Sometimes those are the differences that make a price differential important from one person to another.

...

Price matching cruises would be like price matching bananas to raspberries...very different for lots of reasons even though they are both fruits.

 

Good post. There are several other comparisons (food quality, service, decor, atmosphere/feel, etc.) that can bear on a person's choice, as well. For many, price is not the most important factor, nor IMO should it be. IMO if the mass market cruise lines were to start "price matching", they would have to make across-the-board cost cuts - and that is something I personally would hate to see - in order to remain competitive. So add me to the "no price matching" crowd.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Good post. There are several other comparisons (food quality, service, decor, atmosphere/feel, etc.) that can bear on a person's choice, as well. For many, price is not the most important factor, nor IMO should it be. IMO if the mass market cruise lines were to start "price matching", they would have to make across-the-board cost cuts - and that is something I personally would hate to see - in order to remain competitive. So add me to the "no price matching" crowd.

 

Avian777,

I also agree with you on this one!

Denise:)

[cruz chic]

Being able to drive to Fort Lauderdale, I book late. For a Caribbean cruise this Fall, I hoped to try Princess for the first time, specifically the Coral or Island Princess (due to their wraparound decks). Last week when I checked their prices, I could hardly believe how much more expensive they were than comparable (itinerary, month, cabin category) HAL cruises. I even wondered if their price was per cabin rather than per passenger (unfortunately, no). I'll check again for a future cruise, but if the difference is again staggering, I may stop considering Princess as an option.

 

I find with princess their prices fluctuate a lot within a short time period. Sometimes you have to be lucky to catch it at the right time. I get a lot of good deals as a past passanger as well. I believe those ships do partial and full transits of the canal so they will be higher priced than a typical Caribbean cruise.

Edited September 3, 2015 by cruz chic

[Randyk47]

Good post. There are several other comparisons (food quality, service, decor, atmosphere/feel, etc.) that can bear on a person's choice, as well. For many, price is not the most important factor, nor IMO should it be. IMO if the mass market cruise lines were to start "price matching", they would have to make across-the-board cost cuts - and that is something I personally would hate to see - in order to remain competitive. So add me to the "no price matching" crowd.

 

Seems to me that HAL has already has had to make several cost savings cuts to stay competitive so I'd hate to see even more. While there are still differences between supposedly same market lines I don't think the differences are as discernible they were 10 or so years ago.

[avian777]

Seems to me that HAL has already has had to make several cost savings cuts to stay competitive so I'd hate to see even more. While there are still differences between supposedly same market lines I don't think the differences are as discernible they were 10 or so years ago.

 

IMO you are spot on in all your comments above.

[Randyk47]

Yes, it is Silversea. They used to do some massive sales and incentives but about three or four years ago they revamped their whole promotions and marketing approach and basically have stopped sales or have them infrequently. Anyhow, it is nice knowing that you cabin book early or whenever and not risk having a last minute sale undermine your initial fare.

 

That's the way it shoukd be.

 

The other thing they don't regularly do, and this might be dismaying to HAL cruisers, is just upgrade passengers to higher category cabins. Case in point was our cruise in 2014. Our cabin was like two or three doors down the hall from one of the Owner's Suites. We came back to our cabin during the day and our steward and his assistant were cleaning our cabin but were almost done so we decided just to wait in the hall. The steward came out and opened the door to the Owner's Suite. We remarked it looked nice and he invited us in to look around as it wasn't booked for our cruise. Indeed it just sat empty for that 9-day leg. A waste? I guess. I found it interesting that there were very loyal long term passengers on that cruise, some who would qualify as 5-Star Mariners on HAL, so it wasn't a matter that they didn't have loyal long time passengers who could have rewarded with an upgrade. I was curious enough about the situation that at an appropriate moment and opportunity I actually asked a senior staff about it. Their simple answer was they typically don't do that unless there was a problem with another cabin or if there was big demand for a lower level cabin. Rather than potentially offend they will leave upper cabins vacant if not booked.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Randyk47

[cruz chic]

I do know how to spell should :o:D. My autocorrect has other ideas.

[dakrewser]

Why doesn't Hilton match Motel 6 prices also...

[avian777]

Why doesn't Hilton match Motel 6 prices also...

 

 

Excellent post!!!

[Jade13]

The other thing they don't regularly do, and this might be dismaying to HAL cruisers, is just upgrade passengers to higher category cabins. Case in point was our cruise in 2014. Our cabin was like two or three doors down the hall from one of the Owner's Suites. We came back to our cabin during the day and our steward and his assistant were cleaning our cabin but were almost done so we decided just to wait in the hall. The steward came out and opened the door to the Owner's Suite. We remarked it looked nice and he invited us in to look around as it wasn't booked for our cruise. Indeed it just sat empty for that 9-day leg. A waste? I guess..

 

They should do what Azamara does and give it away as a Bingo game prie. The cruise line makes money and someone gets to use the Owners Suite.

Edited September 3, 2015 by Jade13

[iancal]

If one ship is selling well, say 80 percent sold, why on earth would the management want to match pricing of a similar ship/different line that has lower price points due to lower sales?

 

Especially if their pricing model and logarithms indicate that there is more revenue to be realized by keeping prices high and then dropping their shorts 45-30 days out or less. It is all about revenue, pricing models, etc. Once the ship leaves the dock that inventory of empty cabins becomes 'dead' inventory.

[wander]

Jade - On one Loooog cruise (over 60 days as I recall) on HAL they did just that - well sort of. The Penthouse suite was empty so they gave several days/nights as prizes through an open drawing (open to all passengers) that all could enter - no cost. Not the same as upgrading one person/couple, but a fun prize for more folks. The people who won it got all the perks that go with the Penthouse for their time there. The winners I knew just treated it as you would a weekend away from home. They took some essentials with them, but would go back to their own cabin to pick-up items maybe even to change clothes, they needed when needed. They found it well worth the experience. Of course at least some of them invited their friends to see the Penthouse Suite.

[SilvertoGold]

Jade - On one Loooog cruise (over 60 days as I recall) on HAL they did just that - well sort of. The Penthouse suite was empty so they gave several days/nights as prizes through an open drawing (open to all passengers) that all could enter - no cost. Not the same as upgrading one person/couple, but a fun prize for more folks. The people who won it got all the perks that go with the Penthouse for their time there. The winners I knew just treated it as you would a weekend away from home. They took some essentials with them, but would go back to their own cabin to pick-up items maybe even to change clothes, they needed when needed. They found it well worth the experience. Of course at least some of them invited their friends to see the Penthouse Suite.

 

 

On long cruises this would work well. What an excellent marketing idea!