These prices are, well.... pricey! Ha!

[RCCL Fan]

Is it just me or are prices for 2021 much much higher than normal?

 

We had to cancel our Greek Isle cruise this summer, trying to rebook for 2021 and prices are about triple what we paid this year.

 

Looking at another cruise for next year on a route we take often, and again prices substantially higher  nearly double what we paid this year.

 

It's got us considering doing something land based instead.

 

I know RCI is hurting so discounts are tough, but many of us are itching to get out of town and are planning and booking travel, and I just can't comprehend leaving prices so high. 

 

All we're doing is planning vacations, if prices weren't so high I would have booked by now.

 

 

[Coralc]

There have been a bunch of threads about that. I have been reading them with interest because we don't have anything booked until November, that we booked over a year ago. 

One theory is that with all the FCC's, they are trying to recoup money. Another is just that they are trying to recoup money. 

I think they are going to have to lower prices when they start sailing again. Because unlike Cruise Critic members, I don't think most people are jumping at the chance to get on a cruise. And we're not really even that excited about sailing again while there are still issues.. 

[LMaxwell]

I wouldn't be in any rush to book.  And I'm certain there are many more who feel the same. I believe prices will come down when operations resume.  

[Tapi]

Last week, I booked a Princess Cruise for February 2021. I wasn’t planning on it, but it was an absolutely fantastic price for our family. I don’t know if we will actually go, but I couldn’t  pass it up. So there are some good deals out there.

 

We also have a Royal Caribbean cruise for November 2020 booked (which I’m 50/50 about canceling) and I’ve been checking prices for drops, but so far, rates are considerably higher than what we booked.

 

My theory is that the cruise lines are assuming that the reduced capacity created by all the cancelations will allow them to charge increased fares (the good ol’ rule of supply and demand). But if passengers don’t return the way that the cruise lines may be expecting, then we’ll see prices drop as we get closer to sailing date. 

[firefly333]

My theory is lots of fccs out there pushing up prices. For every person I've heard asked for a refund I've heard someone say they booked the next month after being cancelled. One guy says he is rolling it over until he has a free cruise. A lot booked upcoming may cruises last month with the expectation of being cancelled and a 125% voucher to spend.

 

I've asked some who newly booked late may cruises if they did it to get the fcc, most say oh maybe the cruise will go. Yea right. Free money, take it while it lasts, but then the prices next year started going up, which made me book. Usually I book last minute but watched 3 weeks of price increases. Now prices settled down, but yep to me they are up. 

 

People gotta use those fccs by the end of next year, they have to book or lose the money. Me too. If I didnt have fccs to use I'd sit on my hands and wait and see after final payments like usually I do.

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, Coralc said:

There have been a bunch of threads about that.

Hit and miss. Some higher, some prices lower. Ones I been looking at and Booking are lower 

[Ourusualbeach]

The price for 2021 and 2022 cruises were high before this started.  People now looking at this time period are having sticker shock but these for the large part are the prices that Royal released them at this past fall.  In general Royal increased pricing across the board by 15-20% for 2021/2022 releases prior to this pandemic

 

Since they are still far out Royal has not yet started dropping prices on cruises that haven’t been selling whereas the cruises people are currently booked on they may have purchased closer to the sail date where supply and demand has kicked in.

 

 

[Roger88]

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The price for 2021 and 2022 cruises were high before this started.  People now looking at this time period are having sticker shock but these for the large part are the prices that Royal released them at this past fall.  In general Royal increased pricing across the board by 15-20% for 2021/2022 releases prior to this pandemic

 

Since they are still far out Royal has not yet started dropping prices on cruises that haven’t been selling whereas the cruises people are currently booked on they may have purchased closer to the sail date where supply and demand has kicked in.

 

 

I dont understand why people are so surpised seeing that prices are going up. Yes, its understandable that the majority of people think that because there is no demand at the moment, the prices should go down. But apperently its the other way around. The demand is low at the moment due to the virus but as soons as this pandemic ends the demand will skyrocket and the cruisers want their lost money back + the increase of the demand in general = prices 2021. This is simple my friends. Just get your wallets ready when the time comes 

[mac_tlc]

6 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

The price for 2021 and 2022 cruises were high before this started.  People now looking at this time period are having sticker shock but these for the large part are the prices that Royal released them at this past fall.  In general Royal increased pricing across the board by 15-20% for 2021/2022 releases prior to this pandemic

 

Since they are still far out Royal has not yet started dropping prices on cruises that haven’t been selling whereas the cruises people are currently booked on they may have purchased closer to the sail date where supply and demand has kicked in.

 

 

Exactly. The prices were already high in 2021/22, well before they started printing FCCs. From my observation, Celebrity is even worse. Once we get closer to that timeframe, the prices will reflect the then-current market conditions, but not now. 
 

if you are looking at booking something in 2021, I’d wait and watch. (This from the person who has 4 booked in 2021🙄)

 

mac_tlc

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, irzero said:

What happened between then and now? Situation got worse.

But people may have been booking or some pricing algorithm RCI uses has kicked in.

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Never mind 2021, my September 2020 Anthem to the Canaries is £2000 more (for 1 in a balcony) than when I booked late last year.

 

Oh, but there is $100 more OBC!

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[KelSny1011]

Initially, I was open to taking the FCC and possibly pushing our Southern Caribbean out to next Spring 2021.  When I did a mock booking it showed that I was going to pay an additional $800 just on the cruise alone.  Not to mention the additional fees I would also pay since the FCC for each family member would be different than what I was trying to currently book, I opted for the refund.  

 

I have been researching cruises for the following year, and noticed that cruises that fall on non holiday/peak times are significantly higher than what I booked during a holiday week.  It is what it is, but we too are looking at land base vacations until prices become more affordable for us. ☹️

[ECCruise]

Does anyone truly believe that these prices will fly in the future?  Does anyone not on a Cruise Addict message board not realize how incredibly difficult every one of these beds is going to be to unload?

[hotsauce126]

It's pretty obvious that they got all you guys to take the 125% fcc then jacked up all the prices 25%

[Biker19]

5 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Does anyone truly believe that these prices will fly in the future? 

The pricing inside final payment (<90 days) is likely to be the way forward.

[Biker19]

22 minutes ago, irzero said:

Or maybe they just know only the suckers are booking cruises at inflated prices right now so it's time to cash in.

The poster mentioned a sailing inside final payment - those are anything but inflated, higher than perhaps a couple of weeks ago, but still well below "normal".

[Sherri914]

11 hours ago, Tapi said:

We also have a Royal Caribbean cruise for November 2020 booked (which I’m 50/50 about canceling) and I’ve been checking prices for drops, but so far, rates are considerably higher than what we booked.

 

 

I have been checking our Symphony November 2020 cruise every few days for price drops and Friday night .... jackpot.  Dropped $400.  Called in at around midnight Friday night and had no problem getting the reprice done.  Took maybe 10 minutes on the phone.  

[Oceansaway17]

6 hours ago, hotsauce126 said:

It's pretty obvious that they got all you guys to take the 125% fcc then jacked up all the prices 25%

 

Prices are up and down a lot and will be.

Just like some sales are not really sales. 

 

I think 2021 will be busy for cruising as some folks eager to get back. 

Even after 911, eventually folks started to fly again.