What will happen to pricing when cruises start back up?

[ECCruise]

No way prices go up.

Was anyone here around in 2009-2012?  We frequently cruised for less than $150 per day total for 2, taxes included, top level balconies.  

They either reduce prices or go out of business.  Who would pay even higher prices than the one's from the last year?

[20165]

29 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

No way prices go up.

Was anyone here around in 2009-2012?  We frequently cruised for less than $150 per day total for 2, taxes included, top level balconies.  

They either reduce prices or go out of business.  Who would pay even higher prices than the one's from the last year?

1000% agree and very true in regards to the last recession.  I dont think people will be beating down the cruise line doors to cruise, with the exception of people on this board, but we are a small percentage of cruisers.  Cruise lines are going to have to calm peoples fear of that many people being in close proximity before things go back to normal for them.

Edited March 24, 2020 by 20165

[ludocdoc]

I have a cruise booked June 14. I expect it to be cancelled. The same cruise a year away is 50% more expensive than when I booked. So the voucher wont cover rebooking. No surprise. Everyone who already planned to cruise in 2021 is booked, plus a massive captive audience of people with vouchers that must be used by end of 2021. Price gouging is already on.

[ECCruise]

3 minutes ago, ludocdoc said:

I have a cruise booked June 14. I expect it to be cancelled. The same cruise a year away is 50% more expensive than when I booked. So the voucher wont cover rebooking. No surprise. Everyone who already planned to cruise in 2021 is booked, plus a massive captive audience of people with vouchers that must be used by end of 2021. Price gouging is already on.

Way too early to determine how this will shake out.

We took our 100% refund and will watch each of our 8 booked sailings.  Price goes down (which is fully expected) we change booking.  Price goes up, we do nothing.

These cabins a year out may be very difficult to sell.

[Bradison]

One thing to remember is that cabin occupancy is a lesser part of their revenue equation.  It is like seats at the ballpark.  The real money is made on the beer and the hot dogs.  Cruise lines need people on board to spend, spend, spend.

[firefly333]

I vote none of the above. Pricing will go up is my choice, based on a lot of fcc's issued. More demand.

 

Pricing is supply and demand, a lot of empty cabins price goes down   ... or up if demand goes up. Not because the company prices higher to make up for losses. They want to fill the ships.

[lbjen]

We’ve been looking to add a second cruise out of Galveston to our summer plans and prices are the same or slightly higher than they were a few weeks ago. I’m sure that off season prices will be better, and anyone who wants to take a gamble on next Feb-Apr is probably going to have some luck. 

Edited March 25, 2020 by lbjen

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, lbjen said:

We’ve been looking to add a second cruise out of Galveston to our summer plans and prices are the same or slightly higher than they were a few weeks ago. I’m sure that off season prices will be better, and anyone who wants to take a gamble on next Feb-Apr is probably going to have some luck. 

Looks like I will have left over fcc, I paid more than I thought for liberty, just went back and checked. 

 

It will cover my jan 2nd jewel booking with a little left over. Everytime I do the 125 % math I come up with a different number. But for sure I'll have a little left over to spend or lose.

 

I've been pouring over Galveston prices myself the last few weeks. 

 

Looks like a 2nd cruise is in my future out of Galveston. If prices drop great  if not next year. Depends also about the virus when I will book that 2nd cruise

[drsel]

21 hours ago, BND said:

Prices will not drop until they have a date for cruises to start back up.  Anyone booking now will move their booking as needed and reprice anyway.  Once there is a date, expect to see some real sales for a bit. You can't go by current pricing as it's just sitting in place for now.  Their goal is to get people onboard where they will spend money-alcohol, food venues, excursions and the casino.

Yes I read that The Cruise lines make round $400 per person on a 7 week Cruise on extras

[drsel]

17 hours ago, Bradison said:

One thing to remember is that cabin occupancy is a lesser part of their revenue equation.  It is like seats at the ballpark.  The real money is made on the beer and the hot dogs.  Cruise lines need people on board to spend, spend, spend.

absolutely! they need to fill a cabins so that they can earn on alcohol shore excursions, spa photos et cetera

[drsel]

15 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I vote none of the above. Pricing will go up is my choice, based on a lot of fcc's issued. More demand.

 

Pricing is supply and demand, a lot of empty cabins price goes down   ... or up if demand goes up. Not because the company prices higher to make up for losses. They want to fill the ships.

Agreed the huge number of fccs issued will drive prices up in the short term

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, drsel said:

Agreed the huge number of fccs issued will drive prices up in the short term

I pulled up the pdf file showing what I paid for my liberty cruise. I thought the new cruise would use up the new fcc, but I paid more than I thought.

 

Lol so now to use up the fcc I will book not 1 but 2 cruises next year. Not that it's a hardship, just when  I read I cant just book 2 now and apply it to both.. I'm a planner. I like things set in place, not that I have to wait for them to issue a 2nd fcc after the first cruise I use it on.

 

I cant be the only one in this boat.

[ONECRUISER]

22 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

We have the Allure TA booked for Nov.  I have been checking for price drops every day or so for the last few weeks, right now prices are almost double over what we paid when we booked last year. 

Yet on another TA Jewel in Nov I received $1700 in 4 reductions threw last week. TA's are fickle anyway...

[mitsugirly]

15 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Looks like I will have left over fcc, I paid more than I thought for liberty, just went back and checked. 

 

It will cover my jan 2nd jewel booking with a little left over. Everytime I do the 125 % math I come up with a different number. But for sure I'll have a little left over to spend or lose.

 

I've been pouring over Galveston prices myself the last few weeks. 

 

Looks like a 2nd cruise is in my future out of Galveston. If prices drop great  if not next year. Depends also about the virus when I will book that 2nd cruise

 

If I go with the 125% and rebook (already looking at another cruise) I should have some left over as well. I was concerned about the left over amount and if you just lost it. Are you confirming that you won't? The only reason I will have any left over is because the price of another cruise is a lot higher than the one we had booked so we are having to let "them pick" our room to even be able to go...therefore, in that case, we'll have some left over. 

 

 

27 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

 

Lol so now to use up the fcc I will book not 1 but 2 cruises next year. Not that it's a hardship, just when  I read I cant just book 2 now and apply it to both.. I'm a planner. I like things set in place, not that I have to wait for them to issue a 2nd fcc after the first cruise I use it on.

 

I cant be the only one in this boat.

 

Ahh, so you have to cruise the first one before getting the rest for another cruise? That's crappy. 😞 

[Sunny AZ Girl]

19 hours ago, 20165 said:

1000% agree and very true in regards to the last recession.  I dont think people will be beating down the cruise line doors to cruise, with the exception of people on this board, but we are a small percentage of cruisers.  Cruise lines are going to have to calm peoples fear of that many people being in close proximity before things go back to normal for them.

Agree also.  From what I am hearing from the people who aren't normally cruisers like us, they are afraid at this point to get on a ship.  The media has the general public equating cruise ships with floating cesspools. I predict it will take at least a couple of years for RCI to bring in the new cruisers it has been marketing to in mass quantities.  In the meantime, they are going to have to depend on those of us who are repeat cruisers to fill the ships at discounted prices.  Unfortunately for them, we tend to be low onboard spenders.  But, once people stop hearing about cruise ships with massive infection rates and quarantines they will probably start to book  once again & prices will once again start to rise.  I for one volunteer to help the cruiselines reassure the general public that cruising is safe once this is all over!🙋‍♀️

Edited March 25, 2020 by Sunny AZ Girl

[RWMike]

On 3/24/2020 at 2:06 PM, molly361 said:

Give 125% FCC and raise prices by 25%😇

Try 50%

[Irish13]

I have been looking to replace my cruise that I had booked for May 3rd and I can't find anything even close to the range that I paid it is more than $2,000 more at this point which I am not willing to pay. 

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Irish13 said:

I have been looking to replace my cruise that I had booked for May 3rd and I can't find anything even close to the range that I paid it is more than $2,000 more at this point which I am not willing to pay. 

Early Oasis sailings are cheap.

[NateUpNorth]

I’m expecting more voodoo around fake sales that keep prices about the same for the trip. I’m also betting the booze package will be lowered slightly to look more attractive but then look to see total limits placed and  more $1/$2 per drink surcharges for “above package grade” items.

 

Basically we’ll have the appearance of no price increase but they’ll get more out of your pocket on “discretionary” minor charges that will add up, that you don’t necessarily think twice about.

[island lady]

23 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Early Oasis sailings are cheap.

 

Harmony still keeping pricing up...but I went ahead and booked this morning anyway, as replacement for lost Hawaii vacation.  Taking the gamble.  

[drsel]

If Cruises are now overpriced, I wonder for how long

[Georgia_Peaches]

I think there will be some deals to be had.  Especially after they figure out that it's better to reduce a cruise fare than to sail half full.

[RWMike]

5 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

Would you pay $20 for a hamburger?

Depends how hungry I was!

[steveru621]

2-3 months of FCC's to soak up.  Prices are likely to rise slightly.

 

[Rancher Dave]

On 3/24/2020 at 1:00 PM, drsel said:

Prices will have to go up because the cruise lines have to make up the huge losses

while I would agree if the items in question were necessities, for something that fills a want like a cruise, I don't see immediate demand being sufficient for big price increases.  Too many died on Diamond Princess and too many others spent a lot of time detained on ships and in quarantine after cruises as a result of the CV19.  Given we may well see a second wave once folks are all hanging out together again, that fear will keep some away from cruising. New cruisers have seen the bad side of cruising all up in the press and likely won't be fast to check out the high seas.   Also, consider new ships are coming onto the scene so there will be even more cabins to fill.  Also, if Alaska end up off the table (Seattle indefinitely closed and Canada until July) there are a bunch of ships to refill in other destinations.