Occupancy Rates.

[Wyuna1]

Interested to hear recent cruisers opinion on the following question. With the increased sailings and the obvious increase in the number of available cabin are ships sailing at full capacity or are the numbers down, particularly on ships operating in US$? I am booked on an early March VoS sailing an cannot believe the number of cabins still available across all categories except suites. Maybe the exchange rate is starting to kick in or is it this particular cruise which may not be as popular because it has a higher percentage of sea days than the average cruise...?

[Aus Traveller]

Usually prices will drop to fill the cabins and most cruises sail full or so close to it that it doesn't matter. What you pay to go on the ship doesn't even cover operating expenses. They need profit from discretionary spending (tours, drinks, specialty restaurant, gambling etc. etc.). They are already paying the crew because they are on a contract, so an empty cabin is incurring cost, but it is not even paying its way, let alone making a profit.:)

[GUT2407]

If they're not full they're darn close.

[clairebearinaus]

I read a recent thread on a Princess board because my late March cruise is similar, very few categories sold out.

 

It was pointed out that those cabins may look available but could be completely booked, or near enough, once the guarantee bookings are allocated their cabins. Indeed they can oversell guarantee cabins and then offer people deals to move over.