Huge Price Increase!!!

[debshomespun]

Celebrity needs to make their first payment to STX on the Edge Class 1 ship (cost- $875 million) thus the price increase.

 

LOL :D :D Sounds about right!

[ChucktownSteve]

I just got off the Summit last Sunday. During the cruise I went to the future cruise desk to check on a Panama Canal cruise in April 2018. They quoted over $10K for an obstructed balcony. :eek:

 

I told them if I wanted to pay that price, I would book with Oceania or Azamara and promptly walked out!!!

[bitob]

My b2b Caribbean cruise has gone up. The few sky suites available cost thousands more than the celebrity suite we booked. My other cruise in Asia is sold out

 

 

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[Jim_Iain]

Yesterday I saw that our Around The Horn 12/8/17 jumped from 7,149 pp (when booked 12/15/15) to a whopping 10,069 pp --- That's an increase of $5,850 over what we booked for.

 

My guess is Celebrity will drop it later by a 1,000 or more and hope people will book it thinking they got a great deal

[4cats4me]

Yikes! We just found out about the deal on the Equinox last Friday and booked on Saturday and our AQUA (A1@ an A2 price) cabin price shot up today to $6,100 (go best) from $3,750 for a 10-day with a Go Best (4 perks) promo and tons of TRavel Agent OBC, as well as Passages OBC. I did notice the fine print which stated that promos are capacity controlled. Perhaps the four perks are too popular and the price increase is how they're controlling the capacity [emoji32]

[emoji33]

 

 

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Edited August 26, 2016 by 4cats4me

[grandgeezer]

Good deals are in the eyes of the beholders. Most of the prices actually paid on this string of posts don't qualify as a deal to us otherwise we would have booked something. All the big increases in prices means nothing. The only times it is relevant is IF you would have paid more than you did, then it's an actual savings. Or, if you could sell your booking at the current highly inflated price then it would be a GREAT DEAL.

[Project_gal]

That cruise is on track to sell out. Less than 40% open cabins.

 

So they increased cabin price accordingly.

 

Yes, but the prices had already been rising to reflect how the cruise was selling. There was the same percentage price increase yesterday on our January 2018 cruise which is not selling very well yet.

[villauk]

That cruise is on track to sell out. Less than 40% open cabins.

 

So they increased cabin price accordingly.

 

The point of the post is that there actual cruise price stayed the same, the cost of the free perks sky rocketed. I wonder if their stock price being down over 30% from it's high had anything to do with it.

I wouldn't be raising prices too much with about having 40% empty cabins and less than four months to go. Christmas/New Years flights cost will only continue to climb.

I think, if they hold this pricing level, I'll wait until after final payment and get it on the cheap.

 

Agree, Grandgeezer. Compared to our Christmas cruise, it's nowhere near selling out. At this stage, we only have 5% of cabins left open. Same with Connie's Holiday cruise, only 13% still available.

 

The pricing increase, no doubt as others have said, will be linked to some sort of promotion.

Edited August 26, 2016 by villauk

[DYKWIA]

Good deals are in the eyes of the beholders. Most of the prices actually paid on this string of posts don't qualify as a deal to us otherwise we would have booked something. All the big increases in prices means nothing. The only times it is relevant is IF you would have paid more than you did, then it's an actual savings. Or, if you could sell your booking at the current highly inflated price then it would be a GREAT DEAL.

 

Yes!

[aml3679]

So glad we booked early. I check the Celebrity website often and the prices keep fluctuating. Yesterday, I made our final payment for the Equinox next April although the final payment is not due until January 3rd. I believe we got a great deal - if makes me feel better anyway. Now, to save for airfare and all the other hidden expenses.

[dutchclogs]

Yesterday I saw that our Around The Horn 12/8/17 jumped from 7,149 pp (when booked 12/15/15) to a whopping 10,069 pp --- That's an increase of $5,850 over what we booked for.

 

My guess is Celebrity will drop it later by a 1,000 or more and hope people will book it thinking they got a great deal

 

As viilauk and others say, I'd say that it's a sure bet that this price hike will be linked to some sort of 'deal', very likely the second person half price.

 

Then, depending on sales, price 'drops' may well follow .... guess marketing is all about manipulating perception of what is a great deal.

[Mynki]

guess marketing is all about manipulating perception of what is a great deal.

 

Bingo.

 

The people who are expressing relief that they booked when they did and are pleased with the price they got need to understand that they have only really paid 'market rate' for their trip and that prices this week have been artificially inflated.

 

Don't let Celebrity fool you into thinking you have received a good deal.

 

If people can figure out the website cle-guy alluded too you'll see how easy it is to keep track of historic price data and figure out what Celebrity are attempting to do.

 

Anyway, I'm off on holiday tomorrow I'll be on a short cruise and also doing some 'fishing'. Not sure if I should use a rod or a .net? :D

Edited August 26, 2016 by Mynki

[DYKWIA]

Bingo.

 

The people who are expressing relief that they booked when they did and are pleased with the price they got need to understand that they have only really paid 'market rate' for their trip and that prices this week have been artificially inflated.

 

 

It's manipulating people through marketing - we are all susceptible to it!

 

I noticed that car parking prices dockside at Southampton seems to be up by about at least 20% this year, but they seem to have a near permanent 10% discount applying. I was still umming and arring until I got the email that stated - "just thought you'd like to know we only have 20 places left for your sail date, when they're gone you'll have to park off site".

 

I have no way of no really knowing whether they have 20 or 200 places left, but I booked immediately and thoughts of paying a price that has gone up well over inflation have long since gone from my mind - comfortable in the fact of knowing we will be parking next to the ship and not relying on shuttle buses to take us to and from a yard who knows where.

 

People like to think they're getting a bargain - a while back my local supermarket had some wine on offer and the assistant was just pricing it up "was £14.99 a bottle - now 3 for £14.99", it looked a cheap product. I asked the assistant -how long they had sold it at the original price and how many they had sold at that price. It had been at that price for a month (probably due to UK regulations on sales) and to the best of his knowledge they'd sold none as each box was still full.

Edited August 26, 2016 by DYKWIA

[Cruise a holic]

I noticed also- The rates for RC also are increasing. I wonder what is going on? Carnival hasn't increased as RC and Celebrity have. Glad I booked a couple of cruises way in advance- Perhaps will consider other options in the future- all inclusive resorts or other cruise lines. Say it isn't so---Celebrity and RC!

[cheeseheads4ever]

My question is I wond why the increases our April cruise has went up too. Glad we booked early..not sure the reasoning..

[flyingv4me]

Celebrity needs to make their first payment to STX on the Edge Class 1 ship (cost- $875 million) thus the price increase.

 

You beat me to it! Gotta pay for those Edge Class ships somehow! :D

[dutchclogs]

My question is I wond why the increases our April cruise has went up too. Glad we booked early..not sure the reasoning..

 

IMHO, its all down to marketing. Word is, that there will be a new promotion next week which will be 25% discount plus a perk...

[mcrcruiser]

You beat me to it! Gotta pay for those Edge Class ships somehow! :D

 

X has another guess coming ,if they think people will pay those outrageous cruise price increases . The balcony we booked for our May 17th coastal cruise on Infiniti has doubled in cost ,according to the web site of a major TA . :eek:

 

This type of price manipulation , by any company ,for what ever reason leaves a lingering taste of distrust in the consuming publics mind . Thus ,I predict that X will need to have many sales in the future to recover from this fiasco :rolleyes:

 

Additionally I am forecasting that many former X patriots will abandon X for both other cruise lines & other types of vacations .

 

Happy sailing X . just remember you did it all to yourselves:eek:

[chamima]

X has another guess coming ,if they think people will pay those outrageous cruise price increases . The balcony we booked for our May 17th coastal cruise on Infiniti has doubled in cost ,according to the web site of a major TA . :eek:

 

This type of price manipulation , by any company ,for what ever reason leaves a lingering taste of distrust in the consuming publics mind . Thus ,I predict that X will need to have many sales in the future to recover from this fiasco :rolleyes:

 

Additionally I am forecasting that many former X patriots will abandon X for both other cruise lines & other types of vacations .

 

Happy sailing X . just remember you did it all to yourselves:eek:

 

 

There's already a taste of distrust because of the many amenities offered when we booked that have been taken away before we cruise.

On the other hand, those of us already booked at lower prices can pat ourselves on the back for the (false) perception that we got a bargain. :rolleyes:

Edited August 26, 2016 by chamima

[Orator]

There's already a taste of distrust because of the many amenities offered when we booked that have been taken away before we cruise.

On the other hand, those of us already booked at lower prices can pat ourselves on the back for the (false) perception that we got a bargain. :rolleyes:

 

Assuming that you did not change your original booking: What specific amenities offered when you booked have been removed?

Are you referring to changes like the change in Bistro on 5, or the addition of World Class Bar?

Edited August 26, 2016 by Orator

[BettyCruiser]

The price increase of the cruise I've been monitoring works for a 50% off second passenger sale, the puts the price right back where it was a couple days ago. RC has been using 30% off for a long time now, I guess it's time for X to start with the confusing pricing scheme:confused:

[teecee60]

 

It's manipulating people through marketing - we are all susceptible to it!

 

 

The first half of you statement is correct... the second half is not.

 

*I* am STILL getting my cruises at $50pp/day. :eek: :D ;)

 

 

 

I am forecasting that many former X patriots will abandon X for other cruise lines.

 

 

Already done that... 69 days booked/cruised on Royal... ZERO on Celebrity. Once again... all of them at under $50pp/night. :)

Edited August 26, 2016 by teecee60

[Orator]

The first half of you statement is correct... the second half is not.

 

*I* am STILL getting my cruises at $50pp/day. :eek: :D ;)

 

 

 

 

Already done that... 69 days booked/cruised on Royal... ZERO on Celebrity. Once again... all of them at under $50pp/night. :)

 

You've performed a valuable service in alerting those on Cruise Critic about bargain prices. I know you also provide very helpful information to your fellow cruisers when on a ship.

The new reality for Celebrity is that they no longer want the "bargain" cruiser. Their focus has been shifted to the high margin spender. The strategy appears at this time to be working well. Suite prices have been raised to very high levels and are still selling quite well. There appears to be particularly high demand for Royal and above. My sources, usually very reliable, tell me that indeed there will be no inside cabins and the ship will be Suite heavy. I suspect that major design changes will be made to accommodate more passengers in larger cabins. Wonder what the public space will be? Many long time passengers will leave as prices rise, but data must be telling Celebrity that there will be more than enough demand to replace those who leave. This is the new reality and I believe it will be at the center of the new builds. Guess we'll see if I'm right when pricing information for the first new build is released.

[cmalagngl]

Just checked my November 2017 11 night on the Reflection it is up 33% from what I booked at last winter. My experience with Celebrity is it pays to book early. Last minute deals from Southern California are rare due to airline prices at the last minute.

[chamima]

Assuming that you did not change your original booking: What specific amenities offered when you booked have been removed?

Are you referring to changes like the change in Bistro on 5, or the addition of World Class Bar?

 

 

We booked in February of 2015 for 2017.

We sail in Aqua class.

The fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juice has been removed from the room service menu along with other "special" offerings(and the orange is no longer available even in Blu),.

The daily water has been removed.

Our waiters and sommeliers have more tables.

The wines, even on the premium package , have gone up in price and the good ones seem to never be available . (They "run out" of wines a lot in the last year)

 

Luggage Valet seems to have disappeared.

 

And this is what I can think of off the top of my head.

Nothing earthshaking but just snip, snip, snip.

Edited August 26, 2016 by chamima