Is Anyone Else Concerned About This Cruise Pricing Trend?

[RLM77]

Please excuse me in advance if this has already been discussed; I don't often get a chance to visit these boards.

 

I am concerned by what I see as a newer pricing trend in the cruise industry.  The price gap between a guarantee cabin and a cabin you select yourself appears to be growing significantly wider.  I have noticed this on several cruise lines, but Norwegian appears to be at the forefront.

 

As a couple struggling with advancing MS we require a cabin with accessibility features when we cruise.  When the price difference between a guarantee and a specific cabin selection was relatively small we were not bothered by paying the extra freight to select our own room.  But now, on some 7-night sailings, that difference is over $500 for a standard balcony cabin.

 

"Discrimination" is not a word I like to use or hear used.  But it does now seem as if those who require accessibility features are sometimes forced to pay a significant premium (in addition to having to book super-early) in order to enjoy a cruise.  If we were able to buy a guarantee cabin we would.  But that is not possible.

 

Am I being overly-sensitive about this?  Has anyone else noticed?  Is anyone else concerned?  Your thoughts are certainly appreciated.

 

Rich

[kokopelli-az]

I don't like the way some of the staterooms are priced, either.   However, if you require an accessible stateroom, you need to book it to make sure you get one.    If you book a guaranty stateroom, you will get whatever the cruise line assigns you in the same category or better.   

[katisdale]

I do wish there was a category for "accessible guarantee". I think it would be fair to offer this. Also I think it would be fair to offer upsells to those in accessible cabins if there is availability before offering upsells/upgrades to able bodied cruisers.

[rangeley]

My husband is in a wheelchair. We have done a few NCL cruises in the past few years. I totally agree about not being able to get a cabin at the lower price. We don't need the "free" drinks. I never thought it was fair that we could never be upgraded either. Instead of offering an upgrade, they give it to an able bodied person. 

[GUT2407]

I’ve been complaining about this for years. But then there is a lot worse discrimination I have had to face down.

[RLM77]

Thanks everyone!  I may try to rattle a few cages at NCL.  I'm not sure that the revenue teams at the large cruise lines have considered the impact of this pricing on travelers with disabilities.  I'd be (slightly) surprised if it was intentional.   Raising their awareness can't hurt anything.  And who knows?  Once in a while a long-shot pays off.

 

Rich

[mexico8]

19 hours ago, RLM77 said:

Thanks everyone!  I may try to rattle a few cages at NCL.  I'm not sure that the revenue teams at the large cruise lines have considered the impact of this pricing on travelers with disabilities.  I'd be (slightly) surprised if it was intentional.   Raising their awareness can't hurt anything.  And who knows?  Once in a while a long-shot pays off.

 

Rich

Rich I hope you can get some answers or changes made.  I have had the same issues as you with having to pay extra because I need the accessible cabin.   Hope some changes can be made for handicapped people.  Good luck and thanks.

[Joseph2017China]

So on the flip side of this.  My wife travels with a scooter, and yes, I would like to be able to have the guarantee pricing.  But a HC is much bigger with a real shower and a bathroom you can move in.  Bigger balcony also.  So should I be mad that I don't get a guarantee pricing choice, or should I be mad that I have a room the size of a JS and only paying a balcony price?  UMMM, it can be unfair both ways.  So, my next cruise, I could have saved $400.00 with a standard balcony guarantee, or pay $1500.00 more for a JS.  So maybe you win, or maybe you loose, depending on how you look at it. 

[gadaboutgal]

I think guarantee cabins are usually the "leftover" cabins after others have booked before final payment.  HDC cabins are rarely ever leftover from early bookings. Sometimes an accessible cabin is canceled after final and may become available.  Would be great if they at least kept a waiting list for them. 

[raindropsalways]

Excluding the guarantee cabins, there are some aspects we can benefit by. Yes, I agree we all need to book early to get an accessible cabin. Regardless, if you have a decent TA and your cabin category price drops before final payment, and you bring it to your TA's attention, your TA will get that lesser price for you. We have already received a big discount on a booking we made a few months ago for a 2021 sailing. I informed my TA of the price drop and the next morning we had a new confirmation with the better price.

 

As far as up-grades, it is by cabin category only and if you are in a HC cabin, they suppose to have your approval for upgrades. They do not normally check to see if the up grade cabin is an HC cabin or not. That is something you would have to verify. From what I have seen, it is not normally an HC cabin.

 

One of the cruise lines use to have a waiting list and I think it was Celebrity. Unfortunately, cancelled HC cabins normally went back into general inventory without the HC status. I do not know if that situation has changed or not. We grabbed one of those cancelled cabins once because I knew the cabin number.

[GUT2407]

But only if all accessible cabins of that type aren’t already sold out. Well that’s been my experience anyway

[lenquixote66]

On 11/3/2019 at 1:20 AM, GUT2407 said:

I’ve been complaining about this for years. But then there is a lot worse discrimination I have had to face down.

I agree with you 100 percent.

[Tsdcruiser]

On 2 of my last 3 princess bookings online, I have tried to book ocean view accessible cabins.  Since all ocean view were sold out, so they upgraded me to a balcony accessible for the same price.  My friends are paying the same price for a much smaller ocean view that I am for an accessible balcony.  It can work both ways.  Even if I didn’t need accessible, I wouldn’t ever book a guaranteed cabin.  I wouldn’t risk ending up in a cabin under the pool deck or something.   I like to choose. 

[GUT2407]

7 hours ago, Tsdcruiser said:

On 2 of my last 3 princess bookings online, I have tried to book ocean view accessible cabins.  Since all ocean view were sold out, so they upgraded me to a balcony accessible for the same price.  My friends are paying the same price for a much smaller ocean view that I am for an accessible balcony.  It can work both ways.  Even if I didn’t need accessible, I wouldn’t ever book a guaranteed cabin.  I wouldn’t risk ending up in a cabin under the pool deck or something.   I like to choose. 

I think it is only on ships that don’t have any accessible cabins of that class that they offer that. Not just that it is sold out

[meatloafsfan]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 5:57 PM, GUT2407 said:

I think it is only on ships that don’t have any accessible cabins of that class that they offer that. Not just that it is sold out

 

And I think they've ended that as well. Now when I price out on Princess, it makes me select the actual category (and shows no availability when there's no cabins in that class). We really enjoyed cruising on the Caribbean Princess but there's only 1 accessible cabin for 3 on that ship (my mom is disabled and is a full time wheelchair user and my dad uses a cane so I assist my mother and do a bit for him so it's much easier to be in one cabin) and the 1 accessible cabin for 3 is a Window Suite. It no longer shows availability except in the "Mini Suite" category where now all of the Window Suite cabins show. It used to automatically upgrade us from lesser cabin categories but not any more.

Edited December 23, 2019 by meatloafsfan

[kokopelli-az]

1 hour ago, meatloafsfan said:

 

And I think they've ended that as well. Now when I price out on Princess, it makes me select the actual category (and shows no availability when there's no cabins in that class). We really enjoyed cruising on the Caribbean Princess but there's only 1 accessible cabin for 3 on that ship (my mom is disabled and is a full time wheelchair user and my dad uses a cane so I assist my mother and do a bit for him so it's much easier to be in one cabin) and the 1 accessible cabin for 3 is a Window Suite. It no longer shows availability except in the "Mini Suite" category where now all of the Window Suite cabins show. It used to automatically upgrade us from lesser cabin categories but not any more.

We booked the Caribbean Princess for Feb 14 2021.    I choose mini-suite to begin with and it said there were no more accessible staterooms in that category but they would upgrade us to a window suite at no additional cost.  There is only one accessible stateroom in the window suites and it was available and that is what we booked.   

 

Plus since booking this accessible window suite (last October) Princess is currently having their Best Sale Ever promotion that includes drinks, wifi and gratuities (our original booking included gratuities and $300 OBC).   Our TA called Princess and they changed our reservation over to the new promotion for $25 pp per day extra (total = $350) and we got to keep the $300 OBC.   So for just $350 more total, we got drinks and wifi added on.   And we still have the gratuities and $300 OBC included.   Plus a window suite for the price of a mini-suite.

Edited December 23, 2019 by kokopelli-az

[ginger2103]

I have noticed that on NCL the accessible cabins are the most expensive within that category and it's just not right.  When we booked an inside cabin the only accessible ones are in the "family inside" category which means it's more expensive than just a basic inside.  I definitely don't think it's right. 

[Tsdcruiser]

On 12/20/2019 at 5:57 PM, GUT2407 said:

I think it is only on ships that don’t have any accessible cabins of that class that they offer that. Not just that it is sold out

No. I just booked for January 2021 and July 2021, chose Oceanview for both and got free upgrade to balcony on both.