Cruise cost

[donaldsc]

There actually is a cruise line that does not Nickle and dime you at all.  In fact you can ride it as much as you want for free.  It is called the Staten Island Ferry.  You also get great views if NYC and of lots and lots of interesting boats.

 

DON

[cruizergal70]

56 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

“The cheapest option.”  
Therein lies one of the major reasons why the quality of many mass market lines has declined so noticeably (so much so that some have created a “ship within a ship” concept to offer an alternative to their new standard of low quality everything, overcrowding, etc.)

No, the ship in a ship concept is a cash grab based on human's desire to create class and exclusivity  in every environment. 

Edited August 8, 2022 by cruizergal70

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

The worst sales pitch forced on us was actually not on the ship, but on a HAL excursion in Turkey where we were not told we would be taken to a rug factory.

 

DW did buy (not in the rug factory, a holder for her glasses for 1 Euro on that excursion. At one point at home, someone admired it and asked where she had bought it. And I guess the reply "Turkey" did not help them if they were looking to buy one for themselves. 😊

I think most ships tours  have some sort of "shopping" included   even when not in the description

Actually I enjoyed the rug  demo in Turkey  ..we were not harassed to buy   unlike  a few shops in the town LOL

[Flatbush Flyer]

31 minutes ago, cruizergal70 said:

No, the ship in a ship concept is a cash grab based on human's desire to create class and exclusivity  in every environment. 

Way too broad a generalization. Most folks who choose premium/lux lines, and even the ship-within-a-ship, want better food, service and less crowds, nickel-diming etc. 

AND, most of them could care less with who else on board is impressed, envious, etc.

[Joebucks]

The nickel-and-dime fear is overplayed. I was just pricing out some future cruises. Was thinking of the Carnival Celebration as it will be their newest ship at the time. It was $349 pp for an interior for a week. At the same time, I'd have to sit through some theories on how a $2000 pp cruise is better because "of nickels!" or some peace of mind nonsense. I probably wouldn't spend more than $500 on board and it would still be far cheaper than most vacations. 

[jsn55]

Just now, Joebucks said:

The nickel-and-dime fear is overplayed. I was just pricing out some future cruises. Was thinking of the Carnival Celebration as it will be their newest ship at the time. It was $349 pp for an interior for a week. At the same time, I'd have to sit through some theories on how a $2000 pp cruise is better because "of nickels!" or some peace of mind nonsense. I probably wouldn't spend more than $500 on board and it would still be far cheaper than most vacations. 

Now THIS is the way to evaluate a cruise!  Deal with reality, put some thought into it, and go have a good time.

[crystalspin]

57 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Actually I enjoyed the rug  demo in Turkey  ..we were not harassed to buy   

In fact, we were back on the bus when my husband admitted he'd wanted to buy a "Turkish-knot" rug -- when it was too late! Then politics and pandemic reared their heads and a second trip to Turkey has not been possible. Our new home has just the spot for such a rug, with a placeholder printed canvas in its spot.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

The nickel-and-dime fear is overplayed. I was just pricing out some future cruises. Was thinking of the Carnival Celebration as it will be their newest ship at the time. It was $349 pp for an interior for a week. At the same time, I'd have to sit through some theories on how a $2000 pp cruise is better because "of nickels!" or some peace of mind nonsense. I probably wouldn't spend more than $500 on board and it would still be far cheaper than most vacations. 

It’s not the “nickels” as much as it is the side show “barkering” and the “quality” of experiences issue. For example, a CLIA study done several years ago cited the vast difference on cruiselines’ cost per passenger for food. Mass market lines cut every possible corner. Sorry, but on the long cruises we take, the equivalent of Golden Corral just doesn’t do it.

I’m sure there are areas of your life where the “bare minimum” just doesn’t work. With cruising, it’s enough of an issue that it supports the success of entire other industry segments.

[cruizergal70]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Way too broad a generalization. Most folks who choose premium/lux lines, and even the ship-within-a-ship, want better food, service and less crowds, nickel-diming etc. 

AND, most of them could care less with who else on board is impressed, envious, etc.

From a ship in ship perspective,  they aren't getting better food or less nickel and diming. It's just a different menu composed from the same ingredients used elsewhere on the ship. The small crowds are only seen in like one pool area or one bar. It's certainly not a radically different experience from other area of the ship. The appeal is the feeling of exclusivity. 

 

Heck, for some lines, their whole marketing message is "exclusivity. "

[calliopecruiser]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

It was $349 pp for an interior for a week. At the same time, I'd have to sit through some theories on how a $2000 pp cruise is better because "of nickels!" or some peace of mind nonsense.

Not nonsense, just different -- different wants, needs, and expectations.   Travelling solo, my cruises are about $700-$900 per day, and yours are $100 per day (assuming solos pay double)........as long as we both get what we want and were expecting for our vacation budget, neither option is "nonsense". 

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I truly dislike those stops on shore excursions.  I usually leave bad reviews if they do so.  One of my high grade skills is shopping, I don’t need any help😉

It is one thing if the excursion description includes time for shopping, but this was totally different. There was no mention at all about rugs and high pressure sales pitches.

[Flatbush Flyer]

40 minutes ago, calliopecruiser said:

Not nonsense, just different -- different wants, needs, and expectations.   Travelling solo, my cruises are about $700-$900 per day, and yours are $100 per day (assuming solos pay double)........as long as we both get what we want and were expecting for our vacation budget, neither option is "nonsense". 

Only nonsense when the particular premium ship with desired amenities costs less than the mass market ship within the same desired amenities.

As has been shown on multiple occasions here on CC with actual numbers (do a search), an intercontinental cruise requiring air and the options many of us want (unlimited beverages, internet, specialty restaurants, and at least one  amenity like booze, tours or SBC plus a TA fare rebate) will almost always bottom line under or close to a well chosen/negotiated premium line quote. No brainer when you also consider the better food, service, cabin amenities, passenger load  and favorable crew and space ratios.

You gotta do the math fir your desired/preferences. But to just look at comparing cabin prices is not very savvy shopping.

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I think most ships tours  have some sort of "shopping" included   even when not in the description

Actually I enjoyed the rug  demo in Turkey  ..we were not harassed to buy   unlike  a few shops in the town LOL

As I wrote in another post, it was not included in the description for this excursion.

 

It is ok with me that you liked it, as they say "different strokes for different folks".

[jsn55]

5 hours ago, ontheweb said:

It is one thing if the excursion description includes time for shopping, but this was totally different. There was no mention at all about rugs and high pressure sales pitches.

Oh my, I know exactly what you mean.  I'm not much of a shopper, but it's fun to browse around for maybe ten minutes.  My husband loathes forced shopping, or any shopping at all, actually.  On our Yangtze cruise, Viking stuck us in some monster jade factory in China for a nearly inedible lunch, followed by NINETY MINUTES of shopping.  We were way out in the boonies somewhere and were literally prisoners.  Never again will I join a ShoreEx without knowing what kind of 'shopping' is going to be included.  I always pay for my ship's shore excursions ahead of time, a separate transaction from anything else.  If I'm ever held captive by a shopping trip of more than 15 minutes with no warning, that ShoreX will be refunded by the cruise line.  If they have an issue with my request, I'll just dispute the whole amount I prepaid for all of them. 

[Joebucks]

7 hours ago, calliopecruiser said:

Not nonsense, just different -- different wants, needs, and expectations.   Travelling solo, my cruises are about $700-$900 per day, and yours are $100 per day (assuming solos pay double)........as long as we both get what we want and were expecting for our vacation budget, neither option is "nonsense". 

 

There is nothing wrong with liking a different experience.

 

It's just the constant obsession over "free, included, and nickels and dimes". It's exhausting.

[LHT28]

9 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

There is nothing wrong with liking a different experience.

 

It's just the constant obsession over "free, included, and nickels and dimes". It's exhausting.

Agree  

I am an Oceania fan but  it does get tiring  hearing how perfect everything is

 No cruise line is perfect

JMO

[wcook]

18 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

As has been shown on multiple occasions here on CC with actual numbers (do a search), an intercontinental cruise requiring air and the options many of us want (unlimited beverages, internet, specialty restaurants, and at least one  amenity like booze, tours or SBC plus a TA fare rebate) will almost always bottom line under or close to a well chosen/negotiated premium line quote

Almost always? Nope. In my experience, it’s close to never. My last cruise was a standard one week western med cruise out of Barcelona. Inside cabin, solo supplement, with internet and drink package for $730. I could have added speciality restaurant package for <$100. R/T flight out of Boston was $500. 
 

Cheapest week I can find on Oceania anywhere, anytime is 4238€. That doesn’t include flights. Granted it’s a balcony room, but I’m sure I can find the equivalent on a mainstream line for a fraction of that price. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, wcook said:

Almost always? Nope. In my experience, it’s close to never. My last cruise was a standard one week western med cruise out of Barcelona. Inside cabin, solo supplement, with internet and drink package for $730. I could have added speciality restaurant package for <$100. R/T flight out of Boston was $500. 
 

Cheapest week I can find on Oceania anywhere, anytime is 4238€. That doesn’t include flights. Granted it’s a balcony room, but I’m sure I can find the equivalent on a mainstream line for a fraction of that price. 

And then you have to eat their food.

You get what you pay for...

[ldubs]

23 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

 

AND, most of them could care less with who else on board is impressed, envious, etc.

  

Yikes!  One poster in particular has frequently shared their need to associate with a certain passenger demographic of well-heeled passengers high on the socio-economic ladder?   The constant touting would indicate someone cares a lot about such things.   But you did say "most" and that I would agree with.  

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, wcook said:

Almost always? Nope. In my experience, it’s close to never. My last cruise was a standard one week western med cruise out of Barcelona. Inside cabin, solo supplement, with internet and drink package for $730. I could have added speciality restaurant package for <$100. R/T flight out of Boston was $500. 
 

Cheapest week I can find on Oceania anywhere, anytime is 4238€. That doesn’t include flights. Granted it’s a balcony room, but I’m sure I can find the equivalent on a mainstream line for a fraction of that price. 

 

 

I agree. The fact is under only a few carefully selected circumstances will that premium line come at the same or less.  

[jsn55]

11 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

I agree. The fact is under only a few carefully selected circumstances will that premium line come at the same or less.  

Agree here too.  I've run the numbers many times, and booking a mid-level cruise line is always a better buy for us.  The amusing thing for us right now is NCL ... we decided to try to travel less expensively 3 years ago and booked a cruise Quebec to Boston on Gem.  After many rebooks and cancellations, we have yet to cruise with NCL and we still don't know the results of our experiment!  Perhaps the cruise on Pearl will go next month ... one can only hope.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

The fact is under only a few carefully selected circumstances will that premium line come at the same or less.  

Better than the overgeneralized beliefs that stop so many from doing the real math. 
 

What are those circumstances?

Intercontinental cruises lasting more than two weeks and requiring air travel (not included in mass market fares). Cruises with more exotic itineraries. Passengers wanting more than a bare bones experience who expect to have internet, specialty restaurants, covered gratuities and SBC (for starters). Use of a line’s preferred TAs who are on a sliding scale of commissions and who make rebates.

 

If one fits that profile, they need to do the math and, even if the premium line comes out a few hundred $ more, the net daily cost difference from the mass market line should be weighed against the quality quotient.

 

A good deal and true value are not just about the single factor of price regardless of the product. Hopefully, you see that everyday in your own life.

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Better than the overgeneralized beliefs that stop so many from doing the real math. 
 

What are those circumstances?

Intercontinental cruises lasting more than two weeks and requiring air travel (not included in mass market fares). Cruises with more exotic itineraries. Passengers wanting more than a bare bones experience who expect to have internet, specialty restaurants, covered gratuities and SBC (for starters). Use of a line’s preferred TAs who are on a sliding scale of commissions and who make rebates.

 

If one fits that profile, they need to do the math and, even if the premium line comes out a few hundred $ more, the net daily cost difference from the mass market line should be weighed against the quality quotient.

 

A good deal and true value are not just about the single factor of price regardless of the product. Hopefully, you see that everyday in your own life.

 

Excuse me, but if anyone is overgeneralizing, it is your constant misrepresenting that the fares will almost always be the same or close.  

 

At least now you are admitting that only under certain  circumstances will the fares be anywhere close.   I have no doubts that your favorite line has great service and great food.  And, I also have no doubts that those things cost more.  

 

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

46 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Excuse me, but if anyone is overgeneralizing, it is your constant misrepresenting that the fares will almost always be the same or close.  

 

At least now you are admitting that only under certain  circumstances will the fares be anywhere close.   I have no doubts that your favorite line has great service and great food.  And, I also have no doubts that those things cost more.  

 

 

 

Step out of fantasyland.
I have NEVER said “almost ALWAYS better.” What I have said is to ALWAYS do the math to arrive at a “net daily rate” comparison for “all required and optionally desired costs” and then adjust for the qualitative factors.

[ldubs]

5 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Step out of fantasyland.
I have NEVER said “almost ALWAYS better.” What I have said is to ALWAYS do the math to arrive at a “net daily rate” comparison for “all required and optionally desired costs” and then adjust for the qualitative factors.

 

"Almost always better". I never said that either, but nice try.  What you constantly say is the price will be the same or close.   At least now you recognize that is not factual and are adding the qualifiers.  

 

Talking of fantasies, the fact is your net daily rate does not hold for the majority of cruise options.