Increases in Princess Rates

[mellon1]

Is it just us...or has anyone noticed a very large increase from 2017 prices to 2018 and 2019 prices. We stay in a suite and have noticed a very very large increase. Wonder why so much. Any thoughts from all you experts out there.

[keithm]

Is it just us...or has anyone noticed a very large increase from 2017 prices to 2018 and 2019 prices. We stay in a suite and have noticed a very very large increase. Wonder why so much. Any thoughts from all you experts out there.

This happens frequently. I'd hold off a bit & do a wait & see. Nothing worse than paying now, getting past the final payment & then seeing the price drop. At that point you're screwed.

[mellon1]

This happens frequently. I'd hold off a bit & do a wait & see. Nothing worse than paying now, getting past the final payment & then seeing the price drop. At that point you're screwed.

 

We do all our vacation at once, usually 34 or 35 days to avoid the travel to and from and also the dreaded luggage moving...which we have agreed to disagree on after all these years. So for us, it is important to have the same room the entire time and not have to switch rooms. Hopefully pricing will go down. We did get sip and sail; however, changed it to OBC, while we do drink, there is no way we could drink all that.

[Astro Flyer]

Is it just us...or has anyone noticed a very large increase from 2017 prices to 2018 and 2019 prices. We stay in a suite and have noticed a very very large increase. Wonder why so much. Any thoughts from all you experts out there.

Each year that seems to become more common for all types of cabins. If you're ready to book you might consider the benefits provided with the Sip + Sail which started today.

 

https://book.princess.com/html/global/cruisedeals/sip-and-sail/

 

EDIT: Just saw your post that you made while I was composing mine.

[mellon1]

Each year that seems to become more common for all types of cabins. If you're ready to book you might consider the benefits provided with the Sip + Sail which started today.

 

https://book.princess.com/html/global/cruisedeals/sip-and-sail/

 

EDIT: Just saw your post that you made while I was composing mine.

 

Thanks for your help...we fortunately were able to take advantage of that...but still. A lot more money than before and the rooms are selling out. I wonder if this is going to be the new norm. I will have to find new ways to save for vacation and become more frugal!

[DrivesLikeMario]

Hang in there and check your prices often. They almost always start high and come down to reality - sometimes before final payment too. It's not just Princess that does this. I just got a $1200 drop in price on one of our Azamara cruises.

[mellon1]

Hang in there and check your prices often. They almost always start high and come down to reality - sometimes before final payment too. It's not just Princess that does this. I just got a $1200 drop in price on one of our Azamara cruises.

 

Wow, you are really lucky. Send some of that lady luck my way!

[paul929207]

Is it just us...or has anyone noticed a very large increase from 2017 prices to 2018 and 2019 prices. We stay in a suite and have noticed a very very large increase. Wonder why so much. Any thoughts from all you experts out there.

 

At the last meeting with stock analysts, the CEO of Carnival Corporation (owns Princess and others) said that sales were better than last year and at higher prices.

[Sea Hag]

I've noticed Princess prices going up, but I've also noticed prices going up for every other thing I buy. Don't think cruise prices have increased anymore than the other things.

[lovevacadays]

It is a supply and demand thing. The economy is good which means more people are vacationing. I think there are still good deals out there. You just have to check to see if fares go down after you book. I like making sure I get the cabin I want so I book at the current price and watch for fares to go down. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.

[A&Jfamily]

Prices are increased across the board. Carnival with its trend toward early saver starts low and only goes up. I have yet to get a price drop in the last 5 cruises - except a 4 day out of NY - and seen the rate rise $200-300 since my bookings for a balcony. It used to be that a good deal was $700 pp for a balcony for a week in the Caribbean; now the same cruises seem to start $100 higher.

 

Princess however does seem to still be old school with price drops. If DH had more vacation time and I could be more flexible then some of the flyers that come out have great deals!

 

 

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[lucksak]

Thanks for your help...we fortunately were able to take advantage of that...but still. A lot more money than before and the rooms are selling out. I wonder if this is going to be the new norm. I will have to find new ways to save for vacation and become more frugal!

 

I agree cruises have taken a big jump in price for 2018 and 2019. . Especially for us Canadians with our low $.. We will be paying $ 900.00 a person more for a Northern TA in 2018 compared to one we could of booked this year. We will have to wait and hope for a better sale.

[easyboy]

Princess however does seem to still be old school with price drops. If DH had more vacation time and I could be more flexible then some of the flyers that come out have great deals!

We do take advantage of that.

 

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[RASHOPPER2]

At the last meeting with stock analysts, the CEO of Carnival Corporation (owns Princess and others) said that sales were better than last year and at higher prices.

 

And the stock price keeps going up as a result.

[RASHOPPER2]

It is a supply and demand thing. The economy is good which means more people are vacationing. I think there are still good deals out there. You just have to check to see if fares go down after you book. I like making sure I get the cabin I want so I book at the current price and watch for fares to go down. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.

 

Lately often prices go up. Our Circle Caribbean has gone up $800 p.p. since we booked. You never can tell in advance what will happen.

[sunsetbeachgal]

The price for the British Isles cruise we have reservation on for June of 2018 is sky high. We are not big drinkers so sip and sail promotion has minimal value for us. I keep checking and hoping to see fares go down!

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

Is it just us...or has anyone noticed a very large increase from 2017 prices to 2018 and 2019 prices. We stay in a suite and have noticed a very very large increase. Wonder why so much. Any thoughts from all you experts out there.

 

 

Sip and sail is partially to blame.

[iceleven]

Sip and sail is partially to blame.

 

I agree.

 

Just today I was looking at a few cruises on the Princess website. I was looking at a few short, 4-5 day cruises. I believe it was a sale for buy one get 2nd guest in cabin 1/2 off. My jaw dropped when I saw a rate of $1,400+ for a 5 day balcony. There must be mistake so I just kept clicking through as if I was going to book something and sure enough, the final price was less the $1000 . Someone had carelessly added $1,000 to the cost of the cruise. I don't even see the sale listed now so I will assume they are attempting to make the corrections now.

[NavyVeteran]

I just compared two almost identical cruises to see what had changed. A 15-day Hawaii round-trip from Los Angeles in suite F309 on the Grand Princess in February 2015 cost $3,199 (Cruise Fare only - not taxes and fees). A 15-day Hawaii round-trip from San Francisco in the same cabin in April 2019 cost $3,539 (Cruise Fare only). That is an increase of $340 or 10.6% in four years. That is an increase of approximately 2.5% per year.

 

BTW, the April 2019 cruise includes Sip & Sail - the February 2015 cruise did not. The price for the April 2019 cruise did not change when I added Sip & Sail.

 

I do not consider this increase unreasonable, especially with the AIBP included in the 2019 cruise.

[caribill]

It is a supply and demand thing. The economy is good which means more people are vacationing. I think there are still good deals out there. You just have to check to see if fares go down after you book. I like making sure I get the cabin I want so I book at the current price and watch for fares to go down. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.

 

OP is booked in a full suite. With the relatively few full suites on board, they often get booked with early promotions and thus there will not be enough unsold to justify a significant price reduction later.

[elfinmagic]

We have booked a March b2b on the Royal which is the same cruise we did in 2017 - rates have increased but we got a large OBC and gratuities paid which more than made up the increase

[A&Jfamily]

Thanks for your help...we fortunately were able to take advantage of that...but still. A lot more money than before and the rooms are selling out. I wonder if this is going to be the new norm. I will have to find new ways to save for vacation and become more frugal!

 

How about a room less than a suite? That is going to be a HUGE price savings. We don't travel in suites when regular balcony rooms are available on a ship; as long as we have a balcony, we don't need the rest. We would much rather travel 4 times a year in a balcony than 2 in a suite.

[billco]

We would much rather travel 4 times a year in a balcony than 2 in a suite.

Some would rather travel 6 times a year in an inside than 4 in a balcony.