HUGE Price Increase on Premium Internet Plan

[Laminator]

Just now, kazu said:

 

Yes, I think so - I was trying to help Roz and other solos who find the cruise fare with HIA too pricey - it’s another option to do HIA without paying for 2

I know a PCC can manually add the HIA for a solo traveler. I am about to try and add it by myself online for my cabin and my wifes cabin on our upcoming November cruise. I will let you know if I have any success!

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, Roz said:

 

That may be the case, but why should someone who purchased the plan yesterday get the same higher transmission speeds as someone paying the higher price today?  I'm not upset with you for supplying this info, I'm angry at HAL.

Why does the person get the same loaf of bread at a higher price today as the person that brought it for a lower price a month ago.

 

Usually the price is not locked in until you have purchased it.  

 

As with most things prices go up.  Princess raised their internet prices a couple of weeks ago.  The other cruise are also raising charges for on board items.

[Laminator]

12 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Yes, I think so - I was trying to help Roz and other solos who find the cruise fare with HIA too pricey - it’s another option to do HIA without paying for 2

I just added the HIA for my 9 day November cruise for a solo traveler. $382

 

[Florida_gal_50]

I’ve purchased the hia for $50 usd per day on a couple cruises.  I’ve also purchased it with hia pricing because it worked out less.

 

Maybe hal should stop giving away free cruises like candy and they wouldn’t have to up prices and charge for a second app in the pinnacle. 

[kazu]

40 minutes ago, Laminator said:

I just added the HIA for my 9 day November cruise for a solo traveler. $382

 

 

Excellent.  Sounds very much in line with what I paid.  

I think it’s a good solution for solo passengers.

[CNSJ]

Many on this forum have complained about service standards dropping.  With inflation running at about 7%, HAL needs to consider what its costs will be as far as 18 month out when they price things today.  If not, service may drop even more.  They are running a for profit business. 

 

The cruise lines are sailing blind when it comes to costs in the fall of 2024.  I don't recall ever seeing them kick in the "permitted fuel surcharge" even when oil was really high last year.

 

I hope they can find the right balance.  Cruise travel is still a good deal if you ask me.  Look at cost to eat in a restaurant stateside today.  

 

 

[Stateroom_Sailor]

I would suggest buying early whatever you can, beat inflation.  Speaking of which, I should probably pay the tips off on our next two cruises.

[Florida_gal_50]

I really tire of hearing how cruise lines are suffering.  Who hasn’t suffered from the pandemic?  What about the 147 years proceeding the pandemic when they were raking in the cash?  Where is all that money now?

[3rdGenCunarder]

7 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I really tire of hearing how cruise lines are suffering.  Who hasn’t suffered from the pandemic?  What about the 147 years proceeding the pandemic when they were raking in the cash?  Where is all that money now?

 

New ships, expensive contracts with ATK, BBK, LC, etc. Shareholder dividends...

[CNSJ]

Paid rightfully to the shareholders of CCL (today) and HAL before that.

The same people who saw thier "ownership" of CCL value fall by 80%.

 

They are a for profit business. 

 

[CNSJ]

Paid rightfully to the shareholders of CCL (today) and HAL before that.

The same people who saw thier "ownership" of CCL value fall by 80%.

 

They are a for profit business. 

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

New ships, expensive contracts with ATK, BBK, LC, etc. Shareholder dividends...

Hal has not had many new ships compared to other lines.  I imagine that their spending would be similar.

 

I’m so glad everyone is posting that hal is a for profit business.  I had no idea 🤪.  

Edited March 2, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[Tennessee Titan]

4 hours ago, FOPMan said:

At least as far as Internet goes, my understanding is that they are changing to a new provider. Hopefully, passengers will see improvements in tranmission speed.

Do you mean the speed in transmission of $ out of your wallet??😃

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, CNSJ said:

Many on this forum have complained about service standards dropping.  With inflation running at about 7%, HAL needs to consider what its costs will be as far as 18 month out when they price things today.  If not, service may drop even more.  They are running a for profit business. 

 

The cruise lines are sailing blind when it comes to costs in the fall of 2024.  I don't recall ever seeing them kick in the "permitted fuel surcharge" even when oil was really high last year.

 

I hope they can find the right balance.  Cruise travel is still a good deal if you ask me.  Look at cost to eat in a restaurant stateside today.  

 

 

I expect that once they have finished raising on board pricing you will see fares go up quite a bit as well over the next year.  The CEO of CCL and of RCL both commented that the cruise lines are charging a substantial discount to other travel options and now that occupancy is getting back to pre-Covid levels will be working to narrow that discount.

[Arizona Wildcat]

5 hours ago, Roz said:

 

The same thing happened to me.  Why provide an e-brochure when it's not accurate?

Roz - exactly the same as you taking an ad for a car from a few weeks ago.  The price has most likely changed.  Pretty simple pay and lock in the price when you pay.

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I really tire of hearing how cruise lines are suffering.  Who hasn’t suffered from the pandemic?  What about the 147 years proceeding the pandemic when they were raking in the cash?  Where is all that money now?

What is your point?  The issue for all companies is they got blindsided by a pandemic unprecedented since 1918.  Now everything is costing them more and they are passing on those costs (or trying to).  Many companies had to borrow to stay in business during covid.  Cruiselines were unique in being 100% closed down.

The 147 years before the pandemic they operated their business.  Paid out dividends in good years.  Made plans and budgets for the future.  Problem is income stopped in March 2020, but expenses did not.  No company budgets for that.

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I really tire of hearing how cruise lines are suffering.  Who hasn’t suffered from the pandemic?  What about the 147 years proceeding the pandemic when they were raking in the cash?  Where is all that money now?

Cruise lines have mostly been a low margin capital intensive business with limited pricing power that was lucky to make 5% profit in the good years and would lose money in the bad years.  Only in a few years just before Covid did they have profit margins that exceeded 10%. In most cases the profits were rolled back into the business in the form of these rather expensive ships that we cruise on.

 

At this point other forms of travel have increased in price significantly more than cruising.  As a result you can expect cruise pricing to go up significantly over the next year.  They started with on board expenses, but will be extending the increases to fares.

 

This is not because of the money that they borrowed, but more just as in the past they raise prices when the market indicates that they have the pricing power to raise prices.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Hal has not had many new ships compared to other lines.  I imagine that their spending would be similar.

 

I’m so glad everyone is posting that hal is a for profit business.  I had no idea 🤪.  

 

I'm in the middle here.  On one hand, there's the issue of using their profits on stock buybacks.  IMO, the mass market as a whole purchased too many ships with too many cabins, as if cruising demand would never stop growing, which makes them vulnerable to global threats, recessions, poop cruises, and generational shifts in demand.  Take a company with more careful growth like viking, who was also exposed to the pandemic, bounced back with fewer scars.

 

On the other hand, look at the prices at the grocery store!  These cruise lines are locked into cruise fares booked months prior, and can't raise them quick enough to keep up with inflation.  Profits made 147 years ago, or even 147 days ago are long gone.  Holland America doesn't have as many new ships, but they're tied financially to Princess, Carnival, Costa, P&O, Cunard, etc.  I would rather pay inflation adjusted rates and keep cruise standards up, then save money and see more cuts.

 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Stateroom_Sailor

[KAKcruiser]

Laminator, How did they figure your Have It All rate?  I have an 11 day booking that they would charge $50 per day so it would be $550.  If you have a 9 day cruise that would be $450 but you are only paying $382.  Is there a promo number or promo name that you used?

[iceman93]

4 hours ago, ldtr said:

Why does the person get the same loaf of bread at a higher price today as the person that brought it for a lower price a month ago.

 

Usually the price is not locked in until you have purchased it.  

 

As with most things prices go up.  Princess raised their internet prices a couple of weeks ago.  The other cruise are also raising charges for on board items.

Exactly.  I drove past a gas station yesterday and didn't fill up, but now today the price is ten cents a gallon more--outrageous!  (Not...)

 

I'm having trouble understanding the point of this thread.

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

I'm in the middle here.  On one hand, there's the issue of using their profits on stock buybacks.  IMO, the mass market as a whole purchased too many ships with too many cabins, as if cruising demand would never stop growing, which makes them vulnerable to global threats, recessions, poop cruises, and generational shifts in demand.  Take a company with more careful growth like viking, who was also exposed to the pandemic, bounced back with fewer scars.

 

On the other hand, look at the prices at the grocery store!  These cruise lines are locked into cruise fares booked months prior, and can't raise them quick enough to keep up with inflation.  Profits made 147 years ago, or even 147 days ago are long gone.  Holland America doesn't have as many new ships, but they're tied financially to Princess, Carnival, Costa, P&O, Cunard, etc.  I would rather pay inflation adjusted rates and keep cruise standards up, then save money and see more cuts.

 

They have not had any post Covid but they certainly did. in the years just before Covid

[Laminator]

2 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

Laminator, How did they figure your Have It All rate?  I have an 11 day booking that they would charge $50 per day so it would be $550.  If you have a 9 day cruise that would be $450 but you are only paying $382.  Is there a promo number or promo name that you used?

No promo code. I have no clue who they figured out. That was the price given on the site. My Alaska cruise coming up in May was charged at $50 per day. My last Caribbean cruise and this upcoming Caribbean cruise reflected a lower cost per day.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

What is your point?  The issue for all companies is they got blindsided by a pandemic unprecedented since 1918.  Now everything is costing them more and they are passing on those costs (or trying to).  Many companies had to borrow to stay in business during covid.  Cruiselines were unique in being 100% closed down.

The 147 years before the pandemic they operated their business.  Paid out dividends in good years.  Made plans and budgets for the future.  Problem is income stopped in March 2020, but expenses did not.  No company budgets for that.

I’m sorry you are struggling to understand.  Income stopped for a lot of companies.  Nothing different here.

[Florida_gal_50]

8 hours ago, iceman93 said:

Exactly.  I drove past a gas station yesterday and didn't fill up, but now today the price is ten cents a gallon more--outrageous!  (Not...)

 

I'm having trouble understanding the point of this thread.

Threads are easily passed by.  Gas went up 10 cents a gallon and you think that’s outrageous? Don’t come to Canada then.  It can go up 10 cents a litre in a day here.  That would be around 45 cents for you.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[FlaMariner]

Grateful I do not need/want internet when cruising/traveling.......but we are keeping a close eye on the cost of the thermal suite!!!!