Ncl pricing is ridiculous

[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

So....if you can book it cheaper, just do so. Why complain about it? Do you want them to raise the pricing to be the same, because that is what they will do.

 

If they're offering the guarantee cabins without a singles supplement it's because they can't fill the ship. They want to raise the prices and have even more empty cabins? Their choice.

 

The logical thing is to at least lower the singles supplement to 50% on non-guarantee cabins.

[abe3]

Another reason their pricing is ridiculous:

 

I can book an inside cabin with the perks they offer AND a balcony guarantee for $50 less then a Balcony with the perks they offer.

 

Balcony cabin with NCL perks = $1,798

 

Inside room WITH NCL perks & Balcony Sail Away rate = $1,748

 

So I can book 2 cabins on the same cruise with perks, get a balcony cabin AND an inside cabin for LESS then a balcony cabin with the NCL perks.

 

Makes a ton of sense doesn't it?

 

 

 

So what are you complaining about?

 

 

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[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

So what are you complaining about?

 

 

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Read the title of the thread. NCL pricing is ridiculous...and it is just that. Just look at the examples I provided.

[SeaShark]

If they're offering the guarantee cabins without a singles supplement it's because they can't fill the ship. They want to raise the prices and have even more empty cabins? Their choice.

 

The logical thing is to at least lower the singles supplement to 50% on non-guarantee cabins.

 

First, they aren't guarantee cabins. Guarantee cabins DO come with the perks. What you are seeing are called "Sail Away" rates for IX, OX, BX, or MX category cabins...These DO NOT come with the perks.

 

Second, NCL does not follow the "Discount to Fill" model any longer. They moved away from that to the "Market to Fill" model about 2 1/2 years ago. You can't use "Discount to Fill" logic to try to understand the new pricing model...it just won't work.

[SeaShark]

Read the title of the thread. NCL pricing is ridiculous...and it is just that. Just look at the examples I provided.

 

We have looked at your examples. You state that you can book the sail away rate and then buy the perks for a lower price than NCL is asking if you book with perks.

 

The answer is ... Duh! Then just book the lower price and enjoy your savings. What are you complaining about? Would you like NCL to raise up the price and remove the possibility for savings? If you don't just take the lower price, then I'd say you are the one who is ridiculous.

Edited September 26, 2017 by SeaShark

[abe3]

Read the title of the thread. NCL pricing is ridiculous...and it is just that. Just look at the examples I provided.

 

 

 

Not ridiculous at all. If you don’t like it why even bother choosing NCL. Maybe a different line would be better for you.

 

 

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[tel2]

I am just perplexed about what you are actually complaining about. As you said, if you take the balcony sail away guarantee, and purchase the beverage package, it comes to about the same $1200. that you suggest NCL should be offering for a balcony with perks for a solo. What's the difference? Cost is the same. This way, a non-drinker who isn't interested in purchasing the package, or instead wants only the dinner package or the Internet, will come out way ahead with a tremendous savings. Doing it do your way would penalize any solo who wasn't interested in the UBP.

[Budget Queen]

Booking 2 cabins for 2 people rather than 1 cabin for 2 people will never be cheaper, and it's not what i'm advocating at all.

.

 

 

I book single cabins all the time. I want the x- no perks rates since they are rock bottom. My group of travel people ALWAYS book single cabins- Each get the $125 Cruise Next savings, and each get all the Platinum and above perks.

 

The single rates have been coming out later than in the past, often within the week, which doesn't matter at all to me. I just did 2 Dawn sailings booking each 2 days ahead of sailing.

 

I cruise at least very month and haven't paid a single supplement yet. :)

[buttrfly78]

As a person who would probably only have 3-4 drinks a day, I think $649 for a balcony on a 7 day cruise is a great deal! I am booked on this cruise and paid much much more....wish i could get this rate.

[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

Not ridiculous at all. If you don’t like it why even bother choosing NCL. Maybe a different line would be better for you.

 

 

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The "complaining" is because there's no single supplement for a Sail Away cabin which is a guarantee, but for everything else you pay double. So if I as a solo traveler want to get a Spa Balcony I'd have to pay the equivalent of 4 Sail Away Balcony rooms.

 

They can keep the Sail Away rates the way they are, and it would make sense if they had something for all their other cabin categories such as at least a 50% supplement instead of 100%. That's what I've been saying yet most people on here like to post to get their post count up rather then take a minute to understand the pricing dilemma.

[donnajo]

Lol

[ray98]

That's what I've been saying yet most people on here like to post to get their post count up rather then take a minute to understand the pricing dilemma.

 

 

.....or people simply think your 'complaint' is absurd and you should be happy they are even extending a special offer for singles instead of complaining that isn't good enough.

[DeBlonde1]

I agree, it doesn't make sense to me. Not to mention if you put 2 people in a cabin with perks- NCL gives away double the perks, 2 UBP and 2 dining packages. It seems like it would cost them more in the long run with 2 people drinking for free and an extra set of free specialty meals versus 1 person. I faced this same dilemma and booked the Sail away rate. I was debating between paying for drinks as I go or buying one of the beverage packages. Since the price was so good on the cruise, I felt I could justify paying for the package. They could at least lower the cost of the BF category, which was a guaranty with perks when I last booked. This would avoid the potential situation others described above (2 people booking 2 cabins). It is definitely a head scratcher on how they come up with this stuff.

[rtkenmore]

Booking 2 cabins for 2 people rather than 1 cabin for 2 people will never be cheaper, and it's not what i'm advocating at all.

 

A Balcony cabin in this instance is $1,798 for 1 or 2 people. It doesn't make a difference. That includes the perks. The balcony guarantee is $649 without the perks. I can go and buy the beverage package for $550 so that brings the cost to $1,200 for a balcony guarantee with the beverage package. So essentially the difference between a balcony guarantee ($1,200) with the beverage package bought and a standard balcony with the perks ($1,798) is $600...that's a 50% increase. That's what doesn't make sense to me. A standard balcony where you choose your room and you get the perks for 1 person should be $1,200-1,300...not $1,798. I'm not expecting a handout but one can see how the pricing doesn't make any sense. It's like those people that have reported getting upgrade offers with a minimum bid that is HIGHER then what it would actually cost them to upgrade at full price.

 

You're missing the point... Two people paying $1798 would get TWO beverage packages and TWO additional of something else for that price.

 

You, booking as a single person on a guarantee rate, get nothing and will pay for the beverage package $550. So you're right, you're up to $1200 at that point but the full fare cabin gets another beverage package ($550) and two more perks (either free dinners, wifi, shore excursion). The free shore excursion is worth $150-$200 depending on the itinerary. The free dinners is worth about $200 as well.

 

So as several people have pointed out... Be happy you can get a sail-away rate so inexpensive and if the perk you want is ultimate drinks, then add it and you still get off cheaper than paying double fare single supplement.

[rtkenmore]

I agree, it doesn't make sense to me. Not to mention if you put 2 people in a cabin with perks- NCL gives away double the perks, 2 UBP and 2 dining packages. It seems like it would cost them more in the long run with 2 people drinking for free and an extra set of free specialty meals versus 1 person. I faced this same dilemma and booked the Sail away rate. I was debating between paying for drinks as I go or buying one of the beverage packages. Since the price was so good on the cruise, I felt I could justify paying for the package. They could at least lower the cost of the BF category, which was a guaranty with perks when I last booked. This would avoid the potential situation others described above (2 people booking 2 cabins). It is definitely a head scratcher on how they come up with this stuff.

 

Two people are more likely to spend more money on board, i.e. spa services, gambling, shopping, etc. They expect to make more money on discretionary spending from two people than they do from one person.

[HowardK]

As mentioned above in the post- it defintely has changed now that it is fill to market vs. fill via discount.

in 2013 and 2014 I was able to get cheap upgrades from a Studio to Balcony but those seem to be gone now (with the exception of the sailaway rates).

 

My workaround was to go back to a Studio, and sign up for the NCL card to save $200 + a $50 credit on my first cruise and a $50 credit so far on second cruise.

 

I totally understand your frustration though- I had no intention of booking a IX , BX etc... but by choosing the studio personally I can get the UBP which for the promo charge covers it for me at 2-3 drinks a day.

[OrlandoSingleCruiser]

Two people are more likely to spend more money on board, i.e. spa services, gambling, shopping, etc. They expect to make more money on discretionary spending from two people than they do from one person.

 

Correct, and that's why a single traveler pays more. However, if they're offering a Sail Away rate for $649 and a normal rate is $1,798 (100% supplement) then wouldn't it make sense to offer all the other categories at a 50% supplement instead of 100% and get the additional revenue? A 50% supplement would mean a regular balcony for $1,350 where you get to choose your cabin and get the perks they offer. So the customer isn't particularly happy because you have to pay triple the price just to choose a cabin, and NCL loses out on revenue.

 

The title of the thread is that NCL pricing is ridiculous, not that they're too expensive. The "if you don't like it then don't book it" comments are purely moronic.

[HowardK]

The good deal ended when leadership changed. In my opinion the studio is now the best deal whereas before last minute discounts were possible that included the choice of a cabin. I went from a studio to a balcony the next 2x but will now be in a studio the next 2x which is fine with me for the most part but I would prefer having the option to at least have a reasonable offer that includes choice of a cabin and a promo

[Daytonasailor]

I got a studio cabin with drink package for $749 on my Dec sailing. Oh yea, this is minus tax and bev tax. No complaints here.

[jpcdds6]

We are booked on a 9 day Dec. cruise on the Pearl in an SF suite. All in with promos cost me $3,800. That same cabin is now over $6,800. Now, THAT'S ridiculous.

[Daytonasailor]

We are booked on a 9 day Dec. cruise on the Pearl in an SF suite. All in with promos cost me $3,800. That same cabin is now over $6,800. Now, THAT'S ridiculous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Daytonasailor]

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I see $3099 for a suite on the NCL site.

 

 

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[DirtyDawg]

I don't concern myself with the pricing policies of cruise lines or any other businesses for that matter (unless they are paying me my consulting fee, of course. :D). If there is some ridiculous abnormality in the fee structure that you can take advantage of, go for it, save yourself a few hundred bucks, sit back, have a drink, :whiskey-glass: and enjoy your cruise.

[jpcdds6]

I see $3099 for a suite on the NCL site.

 

 

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Those prices I quoted were for two people.

[NLH Arizona]

 

I don't know who does the NCL pricing but considering that even their studio cabins are sold out they should offer competitive pricing for singles in other cabins.

The only cruise line that I know that discounts the single supplement sometimes is Celebrity with their Tuesday Specials (only on specific cruises). Maybe you should try that line. Also, Crystal's single supplement can be as low as 25 percent depending on cabin category.