Rates for available cabins so high a week before sailing, why?

[DaisyL]

Two weeks prior, up to 2 days before sailing day, the rates for available cabins were extremely high for our cruise? Friends were interested in joining us, last minute, but the balconies were $2400 p/p which was more than we paid for our JS!

 

Out of curiosity I started tracking the cruise immediately after and the one after that...same thing. Do they really have balcony cabins available to sell and why so high?

 

 

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[spookwife]

No more discounts after final payment.

 

 

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[DaisyL]

So they cruise with empty cabins? Doesn't make sense to me.

[Biker19]

No more discounts after final payment.

:confused: I assume you meant to say no price drops after final payment - lots of cruises have discounts after final payment.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Biker19

[Biker19]

So they cruise with empty cabins? Doesn't make sense to me.

Very unlikely - the last RCCL financial filing had occupancy up to 110% (from the usual 106%).

[island lady]

Supply and demand.

[HicksRA]

RCI’s pricing predictability is unpredictable

[Candleonwater]

As Island Lady said, pure and simple, supply and demand. I watch prices all the time, and as one cabin category starts to fill up, the price rises. At least on the ships I've been on, there haven't been any empty cabins at the time of sailing.

[DaisyL]

I guess someone bought the balcony cabins at $2400 the day before the cruise or they sailed unfilled. Believe me, I'm not complaining just trying to understand. Thought there was a special number to call, that I wasn't aware of, especially if you're C&A Diamond level or above..

 

FYI...We own a considerable amount of RCL stock and it's done very well for our portfolio so i'm not complaining. They are doing something right!

 

Thanks all.

[frisbeewife]

Out of curiosity I just looked up the Oasis sailing for November 26 and balconies start at $808 pp. Pretty good price for Oasis. Suites are around $1800. I'm retiring soon so those last-minute deals are going to be very appealing to me, since I live about 30 minutes from Port Canaveral.

 

Anyway, last-minute pricing seems to be unpredictable. It's a shame it's not working out well for OP's cruise, though.

[island lady]

As Island Lady said, pure and simple, supply and demand. I watch prices all the time, and as one cabin category starts to fill up, the price rises. At least on the ships I've been on, there haven't been any empty cabins at the time of sailing.

 

Thanks...my sentiments exactly. :cool:

 

The one thing I do enjoy doing just before cruise date is to keep an eye on cabin cats that have not filled...hoping for a self upgrade for little to no extra money...though that indeed has not happened for a long time with the ships sailing so full now.

[island lady]

Out of curiosity I just looked up the Oasis sailing for November 26 and balconies start at $808 pp. Pretty good price for Oasis. Suites are around $1800. I'm retiring soon so those last-minute deals are going to be very appealing to me, since I live about 30 minutes from Port Canaveral.

 

Anyway, last-minute pricing seems to be unpredictable. It's a shame it's not working out well for OP's cruise, though.

 

 

Join us! :D:cool:

[DaisyL]

Out of curiosity I just looked up the Oasis sailing for November 26 and balconies start at $808 pp. Pretty good price for Oasis. Suites are around $1800. I'm retiring soon so those last-minute deals are going to be very appealing to me, since I live about 30 minutes from Port Canaveral.

 

Anyway, last-minute pricing seems to be unpredictable. It's a shame it's not working out well for OP's cruise, though.

 

My cruise is done and gone and I paid an excellent rate, had a good time, so all is good. What you describe with Oasis is what I usually see too that's why I questioned this instance.

Edited November 17, 2017 by DaisyL

[navybankerteacher]

It's simply good inventory management. Any unsold balcony cabins can be offered as upgrades to people who have already booked insides or ocean views - thereby freeing up lower priced cabins to late bookers.

 

The last thing a line wants to do to is establish a record of price cuts the last week or so before sailing --- that would encourage mass late bookings.

 

If, in fact, a ship sails with a couple of empty cabins, it is still better for the bottom line than sailing full with many having been sold at substantial discounts.

[wilmingtech]

After they get to a certain capacity, prices go up. They have figured out that if they follow this trend of prices going up after final payment that people will learn to book further out allowing RCI to have better control over pricing and discounts. This is not always true though. We booked our next cruise after final payment for the cruise and we got balconies cheaper than insides. And quickly after that it was sold out.

 

-Sean

[DaisyL]

After they get to a certain capacity, prices go up. They have figured out that if they follow this trend of prices going up after final payment that people will learn to book further out allowing RCI to have better control over pricing and discounts. This is not always true though. We booked our next cruise after final payment for the cruise and we got balconies cheaper than insides. And quickly after that it was sold out.

 

-Sean

 

Your comment makes the most sense to me now. Especially combined with the the recent changes to deposits with non-refundable or refundable options.

 

Most of our cruises have been booked a year in advance or more with fares always rising as it gets closer to final payment, good for us. And all sold out or with a few scattered inside cabins, after final payment date.

 

But we have jumped on a few last minute cruises at fantastic rates, for example: last year Anthem Thanksgiving week, balcony dropped to $879 -not obstructed, booked right after final payment for the cruise and it too sold out quickly afterwards. Inside cabins had even better deals. In this case, the ship had reached the 3rd or 4th passenger capacity and only offered cabins for 2 max. Our group of 10 although traveling with kids, booked 6 cabins and scored good deals.