The NCL Sky is so over priced its not even funny

[david_sobe]

I love the Sky. I've been on her twice and she is a great ship. I was pricing cruises in February 2023 from Miami.  Can you believe the NCL Sky penthouse suite is more expensive than the NCL Encore penthouse suite?  No joke.  They both sail from Miami in February 2023 however the Sky has 9 nights and the Encore 7 nights.   There is no comparison between the ships.  The Sky has no Haven complex and has only a few specialty restaurants.  The Encore has so many more bells and whistles and the experience would not even remotely be the same. I do understand you get 2 extra nights on the Sky but holy moly no way the cruise should be more than the Encore.

I realize the Sky has been refurnished but she is old and limited compared to such a megaship like Encore.  The Encore Haven passengers get a fancy personal restaurant and a personal forward lounge not to mention the sundeck, and pool, etc.  The Sky has none of that not to mention the entertainment and venues, etc.

Seriously.  NCL pricing is hard to understand.

Edited October 11, 2020 by david_sobe

[tallnthensome]

It’s is hard to understand ....at least for most of experienced cruisers. Some pricing makes no sense. There are (were) times when the moment was right to book but there are more times not to book anymore. I know what I used to pay for the NCL experience. Now they want more for a lessened unknown experience. Bad approach .

[MsTabbyKats]

The only reason my 4/21 cruise is a somewhat normal price is thanks to CN, thanks to 15% discount and thanks to the TA bonus.

Most likely I'll be canceling this cruise.  Based on the prices I just saw "down the road" I'm gonna do what I usually do...wait until it's almost time to sail and book sailaway rates.

 

Cruising on NCL used to be an inexpensive and convenient getaway.  If I'm gonna pay more (and I'm not oblivious to the economics of the situation) I want more.

[Tapi]

Is there a significant difference in itineraries? 

[drsel]

Last minute is the way to go, especially for Norwegian.
They crashed the starting price of Jade to $33 per person per night for a Singapore to Dubai Cruise in February 2020, just 30-45 days before sailing

[sverigecruiser]

7 hours ago, drsel said:

Last minute is the way to go, especially for Norwegian.
They crashed the starting price of Jade to $33 per person per night for a Singapore to Dubai Cruise in February 2020, just 30-45 days before sailing

 

I wonder how much it should cost to buy the airlinetickets that late.

 

Last minute can be good if you don't need to buy airline tickets but if you do need that, it's not worth to wait.

[david_sobe]

I could understand if it was Epic instead of the Sky.  NCL seems to put the Sky on equal footing with the new ships and the price does not even reflect the Sky has no Haven complex.  The Encore and Sky are not on equal footing.  The Sky is a great little ship.  But ships built in the 1990s are not even remotely the same as ships built today.  

I am just saying you are not getting the bang for the buck for these suite prices on Sky.  Its completely apples and oranges.  But maybe to new cruisers they see 2 more nights and think it deserves the higher price.  You may be getting 2 more nights but the list of what Encore has over the Sky would be too long to mention here.

IMHO, that's the fun of cruising older and smaller ships:  PRICE

But in FDR's world nothing is ever discounted 😉

[MsTabbyKats]

11 hours ago, Tapi said:

Is there a significant difference in itineraries? 

With me...identical itineraries.  NYC to Bahamas...same ports, same time in ports.

March 2020....a month or so before departure...about $1300 cost...sailaway balcony

April 2021....$2200.....no drinks or meals

Farther out....about $2800....no drinks or meals

 

I am retired and live walking distance to the port.  I can live without excursion credit and extra wifi time. Really, absolutely no reason to book in advance. 

[fin]

Never thought I'd see "Sky" and "expensive" in the same line.  Folks in steerage were paying $38 a night for 3 day out of Miami, drinks included.  Even the suites were triple digits.

[drsel]

I agree with Ms Tabbykats.

Absolutely no reason to book in advance.

Even the difference in economy airfare won't be much, compared to the huge amount saved when the cruise fare crashes.

 

And an airticket booked 45 days in advance is almost the same price.

Only airtickets booked up to 14 days in advance may be a lot higher.

 

Calculate the total Cruise fare + port fees + taxes + airfare + visas and divide it by the number of nights on the cruise.

You will be surprised there are many deals below 100 USD per person per night including port fees, taxes, airfare and visas.

 

 

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, drsel said:

I agree with Ms Tabbykats.

Absolutely no reason to book in advance.

Even the difference in economy airfare won't be much, compared to the huge amount saved when the cruise fare crashes.

 

And an airticket booked 45 days in advance is almost the same price.

Only airtickets booked up to 14 days in advance may be a lot higher.

 

Calculate the total Cruise fare + port fees + taxes + airfare + visas and divide it by the number of nights on the cruise.

You will be surprised there are many deals below 100 USD per person per night including port fees, taxes, airfare and visas.

 

 

 

 

 

I once looked at airfare when someone here on cc mentioned a great deal for a late booking. If I remember correct the airfare, business class from Stockholm to Miami, was more than $10000 more than what we normally pay for two people. No great deal, I think.  

[drsel]

  I once looked at airfare when someone here on cc mentioned a great deal for a late booking. If I remember correct the airfare, business class from Stockholm to Miami, was more than $10000 more than what we normally pay for two people. No great deal, I think.  

I said ECONOMY airfare.

 

"Even the difference in ECONOMY airfare won't be much, compared to the huge amount saved when the cruise fare crashes."

 

And you should look out for price drops closer to your city or country.

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

6 hours ago, drsel said:

I said ECONOMY airfare.

 

"Even the difference in ECONOMY airfare won't be much, compared to the huge amount saved when the cruise fare crashes."

 

And you should look out for price drops closer to your city or country.

 

 

 

I know that you said that but I said business class and it that case it was not a good deal. 

 

I will not look out for price drops on cruises I'm not interested in. 

[captainpaul101]

I love the Sky. I've been on her twice and she is a great ship. I was pricing cruises in February 2023 from Miami.  Can you believe the NCL Sky penthouse suite is more expensive than the NCL Encore penthouse suite?  No joke.  They both sail from Miami in February 2023 however the Sky has 9 nights and the Encore 7 nights.   There is no comparison between the ships.  The Sky has no Haven complex and has only a few specialty restaurants.  The Encore has so many more bells and whistles and the experience would not even remotely be the same. I do understand you get 2 extra nights on the Sky but holy moly no way the cruise should be more than the Encore.
I realize the Sky has been refurnished but she is old and limited compared to such a megaship like Encore.  The Encore Haven passengers get a fancy personal restaurant and a personal forward lounge not to mention the sundeck, and pool, etc.  The Sky has none of that not to mention the entertainment and venues, etc.
Seriously.  NCL pricing is hard to understand.

Wait the price will go down as it gets closer


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[sparks1093]

On 10/12/2020 at 6:20 AM, sverigecruiser said:

 

I wonder how much it should cost to buy the airlinetickets that late.

 

Last minute can be good if you don't need to buy airline tickets but if you do need that, it's not worth to wait.

What I'm hoping to do some day is decide with DW when we want to go on a cruise and buy the airfare when the price is right, then check the different cruise line prices in the 3 months leading up to the cruise to find a cruise/price point that works for that time frame. Worse case scenario if we don't find a cruise is that we have a Florida vacation. I was going to say that this won't be possible for a couple of years but actually there is nothing preventing us from doing this right now. Well, except the whole COVID thing, that will have to be settled somehow before we travel anywhere.

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

Based on OP's post, I thought I'd compare SKY prices that we paid (earlier in 2020) to what the same cruise is currently selling for.....our OS is over three times the price!  Even the kid's inside staterooms are tripled and currently almost $1K (This is a 9 day cruise.  I have my fingers crossed it goes....but who knows!?)

We like the Sky....and especially the OS, which has the hot tub on the balcony.  But, I agree with you that it doesn't have a HAVEN, doesn't have a thermal spa (and will those even be able to be used?), and is limited in the "extras" that the bigger ships enjoy.  On a cruise with a port-intensive itinerary, I can see not using the extras nor being able to make the best use of the thermal suite.  However, this one is to the Caribbean, so I would use those features, since I've been there many times.  (Although Turks and Caicos was the main allure of this cruise for me!)

I am looking forward to cruising again.....I'll take the SKY, absolutely!  But at my current price.....not an outrageous one!

[david_sobe]

17 hours ago, Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin said:

Based on OP's post, I thought I'd compare SKY prices that we paid (earlier in 2020) to what the same cruise is currently selling for.....our OS is over three times the price!  Even the kid's inside staterooms are tripled and currently almost $1K (This is a 9 day cruise.  I have my fingers crossed it goes....but who knows!?)

We like the Sky....and especially the OS, which has the hot tub on the balcony.  But, I agree with you that it doesn't have a HAVEN, doesn't have a thermal spa (and will those even be able to be used?), and is limited in the "extras" that the bigger ships enjoy.  On a cruise with a port-intensive itinerary, I can see not using the extras nor being able to make the best use of the thermal suite.  However, this one is to the Caribbean, so I would use those features, since I've been there many times.  (Although Turks and Caicos was the main allure of this cruise for me!)

I am looking forward to cruising again.....I'll take the SKY, absolutely!  But at my current price.....not an outrageous one!

Yes.  That is why I wrote this thread.  NCL pricing is insane.  They are pricing the Sky as if she is a brand new ship with all the bells and whistles.  Someone needs to remind FDR that no matter how many times you change the carpet on the Sky, she is still a 25 year old ship 🙄

[RunBikeCruiseDC]

yea - makes no sense.  I was looking at Sky vs. Escape.  We love Escape and the price is a little more for the extra day.   Escape for the win - we love the upscale dining, waterfront and Vibe...

[CruiseMH]

Guys,this is market economy, chapter 1: price is a result of offer and demand.

As long as there are enough people who pay the prices they are offering they would be stupid if they would make them cheaper.

Yes,the options on encore might be 1000 times better, but there must be a reason why NCL can charge these prices and obviously still get enough customers.

[HowardK]

Next time I go I'm booking last minute- this was a huge dissapointment this year. I can't spell but do math anyway 🙂

 

I made my final payment last December 26th- none of this was in the news as of yet. Had I waited 3 weeks I would never had paid.

[HowardK]

On 10/12/2020 at 6:33 AM, david_sobe said:

I

But in FDR's world nothing is ever discounted 😉

It was bad karma when FDR said "Once people are on our ships they spend money like there's no tomorrow"

Always bad to count your chickens before they hatch is the lesson learned.

I'm thankful he gave me the option to PREPAY my service fees BOTH times he increased them after my booking. Oh well, didn't matter in the end anyway

I miss Sheehan he liked cruising and actually went on the ships. 

[Robb]

I THOUGHT THEsame with the haven]

[reeinaz]

Yeah. My inside cabin would be $800 more if I booked it now (cruise only fare). The same itinerary on the Escape is $100 more than the Sky ($900 more than my current booking). Is there a reason that people would prefer the Sky over another ship?

[GA Dave]

1 hour ago, reeinaz said:

Yeah. My inside cabin would be $800 more if I booked it now (cruise only fare). The same itinerary on the Escape is $100 more than the Sky ($900 more than my current booking). Is there a reason that people would prefer the Sky over another ship?

The only reason I can think of is exposure to less people in a Covid environment.  I know some people have always liked the small ship atmosphere, with no rides, easier on and off, etc., but for these recent huge price increases, the only thing I can think is that NCL's leadership believes that many more people will want to go out on small ships to avoid any crowds.  Also, since there will definitely be capacity reductions mandated by the CDC and others, the fixed costs on these ships will need to be covered by less passengers than the 4,000+ ships.  They will still use the same amount of fuel, etc., whether they have 2000 passengers or 1000.

Edited November 4, 2020 by GA Dave

[Georgie562]

NCL has never really been the cheaper option. And once you start adding your perks, forget about it.