Alcove price increase :-(

[tinaincc]

I sure wish I would have booked them while they were at $149, maybe they will come up with some kind of special for all of the sea days or something...one can hope!

[dgparent]

OK maybe it is just me, but I do not see the attraction here ? You sit in a lounger with your SO or another couple and they bring you what a few drinks and a plate of food ? Can't you do this pretty much anywhere on the ship already on your own for free ?

[long time lurker]

For me the attraction is a peaceful place to go out on deck that I do not have to worry about chair hogs or leaving my chair for a little bit to attend an activity or grab a bite. I know that I will not have to hunt for two chairs together when I am done. I can leave my book and feel reasonably sure that It will be there when I return ( I would not leave anything valuable). It is a little oasis away from the crowds and noise.

[Fish Lover]

It seems to me, that depending upon the itinerary and your interest in going off ship while in port, that it may make sense for some couples to take an inside cabin and splurge on the alcove for sea days. If you will be in port from morning until evening/late afternoon....maybe it makes sense economically.

[Sonoma fans]

We have sailed on Reflection 6 times now and always book the alcove for the week. I battle a muscle disease, and can not get out of regular pool loungers etc. the chairs in the alcove work well for me with assist device and saves me some self conscious moments. We get to come and go as we please, and always have great service with folks stopping by all throughout the day. This is just part of our vacation cost planning going forward for warm weather climates. They are not for everybody, but make sense for some folks as explained. Reflection will have the new alcoves installed during dry dock 1/9/18 -1/19/18. These are the ones that were installed on solstice and are able to rotate to face water or lawn. The 249.00 is a big jump even with a bottle of liquor or Moët Chandon included due to drink packages.

[sandc4e]

We booked Alcove for 1 seaday for our April 16th sailing on Silhouette a few months ago for $149, checked after reading this and it's up to $249 - that's insane and doesn't appear to include anything additional......

 

 

We have ours reserved for the first sea day heading to Cozumel on this sailing as well.

 

We definitely would not have paid $249

 

Looking forward to a great cruise.

[anettegade]

Some of you mention, that you hang out with a group. You are only allowed 4 people in the alcoves - or how does that work?

[long time lurker]

In regards to the limit of people in the alcove, it is not a hard limit, but rather the number of people which it comfortably seats. They will not throw anyone out. Most people use to the as a kind of "home base" for the day with people coming and going during the day. It would only be any issue if you are all there and wanting to sit inside the alcove at the same time. There is plenty of room to spread out on the lawn nearby, you just would not have a chair.

[long time lurker]

Sonoma Fans- where did you hear the information about the new alcoves and dry dock? We have an alcove booked for our March 2018 sailing and seeing the new alcoves pictured on the Solstice I have to admit they look nice and it would be great to face the ocean.

[anettegade]

In regards to the limit of people in the alcove, it is not a hard limit, but rather the number of people which it comfortably seats. They will not throw anyone out. Most people use to the as a kind of "home base" for the day with people coming and going during the day. It would only be any issue if you are all there and wanting to sit inside the alcove at the same time. There is plenty of room to spread out on the lawn nearby, you just would not have a chair.

 

 

Ahh - ok. Thank you for explaining. We are travelling 3 families (kids 13-23), maybe this would be an idea after all.

[DZalumni]

So glad we booked when we did! Got it for $149

[chisoxfan]

On the NCL Getaway/Breakaway you can get a private cabana in a private beach club area limited to about 75 guests, with a dedicated bar 2 hot tubs, bathrooms and showers, and the cabanas actually face OUT TO the OCEAN, for about $350 FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK! (and you get $100 food and beverage credit)

 

 

On most Holland America ships you can get a private cabana in a private cabana club area limited to about 40 guests, with 2 dedicated butlers to fulfill your every whim, again the cabanas FACE THE OCEAN, for about $400 FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK!

 

 

Celebrity is my cruise line of choice but I find myself booking these other two for this option alone. Celebrity is crazy with the alcove fee and IMO those who pay it are a little crazy too.

 

 

I never was attracted to the X Alcoves but we did just get off the Holland Eurodam where a poolside cabana was 199 for the week. This included dedicated 'servers' a lounging bed and table. Also champagne.To me it was a great value and would make us consider Holland strongly again for this reason. NCL is a great value also but cannot be booked in advance which IMHO is a big drawback.

[donaldsc]

I was debating getting another alcove for our second sea day on the Silhouette in April. We booked the first sea day several months and it was $149. Today I checked and the sea day price has increased to $249! Port day was the same ($99). Should've booked both at the same time :-(. This early bird only got half a worm :-D.

 

 

Some people will buy stuff at any price. Some smart people decide that whatever is for sale is not worth the price. As long as the "buy at any price" people outnumber the smart folk (which they do), the prices will increase until even the "any price" people are eliminated from the market. Then and only then will the prices be reduced.

 

That is the way capitalism works.

 

As far as I am personally concerned, the acceptable price for an alcove or a cabana is zero.

 

DON

[griffy116]

While I am only familiar with RCCL, and I have only seen photos, I don't get it. We have balcony cabins next to each other for our Celebrity cruise in June. We have the doors/wall open between the balcony cabins and if we want to sit and enjoy each other's company, we just use our balcony. If we want snacks we order it from room service. Wine with the snacks? Each cabin can bring two bottles on the ship. We have the premium drink package so if we want a frozen drink, we grab one (or two) as we head to our balcony where we sit and eat and drink in privacy. I've seen photos of weddings taking place right next to these alcoves, people posting that sometimes people stop to chat with people in the alcoves...not really that private. I would venture to guess that most, or a large portion of the ones renting the alcoves have suites and many with very large balcony cabins. Am I missing what the big deal is about these alcoves?

[jsea]

For an upcoming July Solstice Alaska sailing I could only find two days remaining of alcove availability. I'm curious if and how Celebrity will tweak offerings for non-warm weather destinations.

[Sonoma fans]

Long time lurker

While on reflection for 1\28/17 and 2\4/17 sailing, the staff at the lawn club who take care of the alcoves gave me that info. Reflection is definitely going to dry dock from 1/9/18 -1/19/18 as no trips scheduled in that time frame.

[long time lurker]

Thanks for the info Sonoma Fans. We will look forward to relaxing in the new alcoves on our sailing in March. I look forward to being able to choose whether to look out at the water or the lawn. I have seen photos of the ones on the Solstice and they look very nice.

[JFontaine]

Some people will buy stuff at any price. Some smart people decide that whatever is for sale is not worth the price. As long as the "buy at any price" people outnumber the smart folk (which they do), the prices will increase until even the "any price" people are eliminated from the market. Then and only then will the prices be reduced.

 

That is the way capitalism works.

 

As far as I am personally concerned, the acceptable price for an alcove or a cabana is zero.

 

DON

 

 

So the people who book cabanas are not smart? Seems to me that they are smart enough to earn the money to afford these and not really worry about the cost. Funny how that works.

[griffy116]

So the people who book cabanas are not smart? Seems to me that they are smart enough to earn the money to afford these and not really worry about the cost. Funny how that works.

"smart enough to earn the money to afford these......" So you seem to think that anyone who doesn't have an Alcove can't afford one, right? There really are people that just don't see the point. I can understand it if, as one poster stated, they have an infirmity that makes it difficult for them to get in and out of the chairs/loungers by the pool. I'm sure you wouldn't want everyone passing by you in an Alcove to assume you can't get in and out of the chairs, right?