Anyone else shocked at price increases?

[firefly333]

3 hours ago, BasicSailor said:

Look at your five-day cruise on older ships for better pricing options 😉

I did a 5 plus 5 on breeze and it was so so, I really feel like I'm more about the ship or the ports. The ones I named above. Jubilee, dream 8 day to their island, or 14 day to Panama or eastern. 

 

Vista i was just glad to be back but overpaid.  Wanted to try cheers on vista and breeze. Now I want a ship I havent done, oasis class new ports, great price  .. 

 

When I booked my 14 day i think the base price was $2298 plus fees. It was hard to tell which they used for base rate. Now $2518 and its 2024. Oct 2022, this oct. I really hoped it would drop a wee bit more. It's up almost $300.

 

I hope someone would say well a bunch of offers just ended and some new ones just havent hitmyet or something that a new lower price would appear.

 

It says jubilee from $1098 plus fees, but those lower fares arent dates I can book, already booked. For sure I'm booking...when when there be a sale? 

[wemjam]

Not sure why one would expect anything less.  Price on EVERYTHING are up everywhere.  Food, gas, etc.  Why would the price of cruises not go up as well?

 

Also, they can raise prices to try to start recouping some of the losses over the last couple years because anyone can cruise now - no more restrictions on vaxxed only.  So, demand is going to be way up and people will pay it.

[csm5986142]

41 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Glad I booked Carnival to Europe next year and the Jubilee for 2024 back earlier this year with the birthday sale.

 

I hadn't noticed the increase in prices, but I just priced our New Year's Eve cruise on Jubilee (booked around the same time you did) and I am shocked - it is over 4 times as much to book it right now.  Wow.

[jetsfan58]

Basic economics 102. Major food companies do it all the time. Less product in that air bag of chips but the same price. You are getting less for the same money. Carnival will do this until the consumers push back and say enough is enough!

[Joe817]

1 hour ago, jetsfan58 said:

Basic economics 102. Major food companies do it all the time. Less product in that air bag of chips but the same price. You are getting less for the same money. Carnival will do this until the consumers push back and say enough is enough!

Woah Nellie! For once I agree with everything you say! BUT......BUT.... the consumers pushing back will result in Carnival saying: "go ahead. If you don't like what we are offering, please be so kind as to shop somewhere  else." And the demand is so great, there will by 4 or 5 people to take your place. Basic economics 103 in high demand times. Just my opinion. 

[tallnthensome]

1 hour ago, jetsfan58 said:

Basic economics 102. Major food companies do it all the time. Less product in that air bag of chips but the same price. You are getting less for the same money. Carnival will do this until the consumers push back and say enough is enough!

Carnival pricing is way better than the other lines right now so Carnival isn't worried about people running to the other lines. My cruises booked with them are half or even a third of what the others are asking for similar cruises and I say this with cruises currently  booked with MSC, NCL and  Celebrity as well. 

[deliver42]

I'm sure they're paying more for food and other supplies, hense the [rice increases. They aren't a non profit charity.

[notplatinum]

8 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Carnival pricing is way better than the other lines right now so Carnival isn't worried about people running to the other lines. My cruises booked with them are half or even a third of what the others are asking for similar cruises and I say this with cruises currently  booked with MSC, NCL and  Celebrity as well. 

You get what you pay for

[notplatinum]

1 hour ago, jetsfan58 said:

Basic economics 102. Major food companies do it all the time. Less product in that air bag of chips but the same price. You are getting less for the same money. Carnival will do this until the consumers push back and say enough is enough!

U are correct

[tallnthensome]

2 minutes ago, notplatinum said:

You get what you pay for

Well, I also got off the Spirt 8 day to Alaska last week. Paid very little and got a lot for my money. Spectacular cruise  with my wife and two daughters .... I could have paid double on the other lines and got even less so .... um ...yea. Saying this as someone who has a history of beating up on Carnival myself admittedly. 

[firefly333]

10 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Carnival pricing is way better than the other lines right now so Carnival isn't worried about people running to the other lines. My cruises booked with them are half or even a third of what the others are asking for similar cruises and I say this with cruises currently  booked with MSC, NCL and  Celebrity as well. 

Not out of Galveston. I can do a oasis class ship cheaper than vista. Rcl gives me a solo discount after I get these next 2 cruises in sept.

 

Price sept 17 or sept 24 2023 allure with my fees and taxes is $825. After sept it will be reduced to $721. Central park balcony. Just booked today. On rcl site says prices from $420 pp, but rcl I get group prices and refundable and carnival I dont.

 

Which is why as a solo rcl is cheaper for me than carnival. I'll only do a special cruise with new jubilee or different ports.. carnival gives solos nothing

 

Imo carnival is pricing itself out of my budget. Prices on carnival are definitely up. Im fine wirh cruising either, but I'll go with whichever is the better deal. Carnival has been higher for solos for a while .. but I keep looking... hoping I find a deal. For sure I'll do jubilee. ..just waiting. 

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Well, I also got off the Spirt 8 day to Alaska last week. Paid very little and got a lot for my money. Spectacular cruise  with my wife and two daughters .... I could have paid double on the other lines and got even less so .... um ...yea. Saying this as someone who has a history of beating up on Carnival myself admittedly. 

Rcl also had some very cheap alaska rates last minute. I'm thinking people were scared to fly to seattle, so many people had flight issues. Carnival did have some great rates. I thought hard about going myself. 

[cruisingguy007]

46 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

Woah Nellie! For once I agree with everything you say! BUT......BUT.... the consumers pushing back will result in Carnival saying: "go ahead. If you don't like what we are offering, please be so kind as to shop somewhere  else." And the demand is so great, there will by 4 or 5 people to take your place. Basic economics 103 in high demand times. Just my opinion. 

 

Aren't a few folks always going on about how Carnival needs to fire some passengers anyway? Probably sounded/felt great saying that when it was aimed at others who disagreed with their positions, not so much now that they will be the ones fired and told to get bent 😁. Carnival needs all the passengers they can get and catering to a few fear mongers doesn't make the most fiscal sense. They can sail with Disney. 

[cruisingguy007]

3 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Rcl also had some very cheap alaska rates last minute. I'm thinking people were scared to fly to seattle, so many people had flight issues. Carnival did have some great rates. I thought hard about going myself. 

 

Could be that, or that those paying attention still see Alaska sailings as covid hot spots. Too many people spending time indoors on these longer cruises vs on deck like the warmer shorter cruises. I've been seeing, and still see, deals on Alaska cruises.  

[kona_wahine]

23 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Well, I also got off the Spirt 8 day to Alaska last week. Paid very little and got a lot for my money. Spectacular cruise  with my wife and two daughters .... I could have paid double on the other lines and got even less so .... um ...yea. Saying this as someone who has a history of beating up on Carnival myself admittedly. 

Have you looked at 2023 prices for Alaska? Holey Moley! We were on the Spirit June 29 CHEAP and it was my favorite cruise ever. I’d love to go next year but the prices are so much more! 

[tallnthensome]

1 minute ago, kona_wahine said:

Have you looked at 2023 prices for Alaska? Holey Moley! We were on the Spirit June 29 CHEAP and it was my favorite cruise ever. I’d love to go next year but the prices are so much more! 

Yes, that's why I was happy to have taken it this year and getting others booked into 2024 before the price boom. Alaska prices will skyrocket. How could you not love these views . Best photos I've ever taken .

[cruisingguy007]

47 minutes ago, kona_wahine said:

Have you looked at 2023 prices for Alaska? Holey Moley! We were on the Spirit June 29 CHEAP and it was my favorite cruise ever. I’d love to go next year but the prices are so much more! 

 

The port fees and excursion costs are another factor. Even with cheaper fares it adds up quickly. 

Edited August 24, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[notplatinum]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

Well, I also got off the Spirt 8 day to Alaska last week. Paid very little and got a lot for my money. Spectacular cruise  with my wife and two daughters .... I could have paid double on the other lines and got even less so .... um ...yea. Saying this as someone who has a history of beating up on Carnival myself admittedly. 

Carnival is bottom tier compared to other lines.    That's why it's cheaper

[cruisingguy007]

28 minutes ago, notplatinum said:

Carnival is bottom tier compared to other lines.    That's why it's cheaper

 

Sure seems to be plenty of complaints from other lines on these same cruises. What makes the other lines so much better specifically? 

[Joe817]

2 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Aren't a few folks always going on about how Carnival needs to fire some passengers anyway? Probably sounded/felt great saying that when it was aimed at others who disagreed with their positions, not so much now that they will be the ones fired and told to get bent 😁. Carnival needs all the passengers they can get and catering to a few fear mongers doesn't make the most fiscal sense. They can sail with Disney. 

My theory is that cruisers that have never sailed before with Carnival will flock to what ships make the most fiscal sense to them....not knowing any better. I know we did back in 2019. And I thought we got a great deal...not knowing any better.  I think that mindset with new cruisers prevail. And all of those multitude cruisers will be happy cruising with Carnival. Just my opinion.

[kona_wahine]

45 minutes ago, notplatinum said:

Carnival is bottom tier compared to other lines.    That's why it's cheaper

Maybe….but we all ended up in the same ports! And for $1200 for 2 people, including all port fees and taxes, $200 OBC, for an extended balcony… no complaints! 

[kona_wahine]

1 hour ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

The port fees and excursion costs are another factor. Even with cheaper fares it adds up quickly. 

$1200 for 2 people, extended balcony, $200 OBC. That was everything included, except prepaid gratuities. Excursions were another matter… lol but the WOW factor. Alaska is in another class. Had no idea I would love it as much as I did. 

[cruisingguy007]

30 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

My theory is that cruisers that have never sailed before with Carnival will flock to what ships make the most fiscal sense to them....not knowing any better. I know we did back in 2019. And I thought we got a great deal...not knowing any better.  I think that mindset with new cruisers prevail. And all of those multitude cruisers will be happy cruising with Carnival. Just my opinion.

 

Sometimes you gotta work with what you got, budget wise. Plus, if new folks have nothing to compare it to, it could still be a deal in their eyes. Others may have limited options as far as nearby ports to cruise out of as well, so that may influence peoples decisions as also. Flying adds costs, especially for families. Most folks look at the bottom line, still plenty of value in cruising IMO. I, however, don't subscribe to the theory of never ending replacement customers, return business matters and customer retention should never be ignored or taken for granted, nor should one be a slave to it, there is a balance but when push comes to shove, price generally wins out in the end vs ego. Sometimes paying more, is simply paying more, not necessarily getting more or getting the value-to-dollar ratio one expects. Value/means are relative.     

[cruisinqt]

10 hours ago, firefly333 said:

99% i only watch Galveston and watching Jubilee, 8 and 14 day dream. I've done the rest to death. Jubilee new ship, dream 8 day goes to their island and the 4 longer ones, 2 go eastern, st kitts etc, and 2 to colon Panama etc.

 

I checked prices a day or two ago. I could book the oct 2022 panama for starting $2638 plus $150 taxes. The jan 2024 prices started 2438 plus taxes or there about. I was hoping the oct price dropped and I might have squeezed it in. Rcl doesnt allow price drops after final so after final there are sometimes deals.

 

Wow ..Oct 2022 up almost $300 starting. Jan 2024 not up as much but 2518 plus the $150 taxes. Still up. Its only a day or two since I last looked. I dont know if prices are up all over or just the ones I want to book. Jan 2024 the price is for a 1A upper and lower. Port holes long since sold out. Gty $80 more inside. Pick a inside $160 more. ...for jan 2024!  Closer in are even higher. Eastern thru the roof for the 14 day cruises. 

 

I'm going to wait for carnival to release next batch but prices do seem up up and away on carnival. Since I rarely gamble and dont get casino offers, no incentive to book just to book. Rcl is cheaper. I'm only interested in the special cruises. Both of these are up $ last 2 days! Carnival needs more of these with a different port itinerary. Must be a big demand. 

 

 

I’m from Texas and I’ve found that cruises out of Texas are far more expensive than the rest. Many years ago I started comparing prices and I found that I could cruise out of Florida (including airfare) cheaper than cruising out of Texas. And there’s so many more ports of call and ships to choose from too. I think it’s because there’s not many ports to cruise from in Texas so with no competition to worry about they keep the prices high. But with Florida there’s lots of ports which keeps the pricing much more competitive. There’s cruises out of Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Jacksonville. We don’t cruise out of Galveston much anymore. You ought to start comparing cruises out of Florida. You might be surprised. 

[tallnthensome]

6 hours ago, notplatinum said:

Carnival is bottom tier compared to other lines.    That's why it's cheaper

You keep spinning that same tune. I've done Alaska before as on other lines and this one was a better value.....better overall. Why would I pay triple to see the same Alaska and when I had an extended balcony ? Should I pay Princess triple to take the same photos or go into port or take the same type excursions? Sounds like you enjoy paying more for less with that proven record. Food might be better elsewhere not at 3 times what I paid.   I'm a very experienced cruiser that has sailed Pricess, Holland, etc .... You can't tell me  how to interpret value.