Sticker Shock

[OysterD]

28 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Back before Covid we could book an Aqua Class cabin for a couple hundred more than a Concierge cabin, which was worth the cost with access to Blu.

I think people keep forgetting that AQ prices are AI by default so of course will be considerably more than the most expensive concierge cabin. 

[jelayne]

33 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

We have usually booked AQ, but lately it is getting too expensive.  I have looked at cruises where it is twice the price of a balcony cabin.  What is going on?

With Aqua the only pricing is with All Included so if you don’t want of need drinks or wi-fi it makes AQ a no go versus a veranda.
 

[George C]

3 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Our Sky suite on the Edge in January today is $2000pp more than what we booked in February 2022.  In fact, Aqua Class cabins are now more than our SS costs. Celebrity has priced us out of any future bookings. We can now book a longer cruise on Oceania with similar itinerary for less than a SS on Celebrity.

We did beyond las november for about 3k per in sky suite with 400 OBC each , it was over a thousand more for this November so we booked grand suite on rccl harmony for about half the price.

[PTC DAWG]

Too bad there is not an Oceania or Regent board.  🙂

[Orator]

34 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

We have usually booked AQ, but lately it is getting too expensive.  I have looked at cruises where it is twice the price of a balcony cabin.  What is going on?

If you book AQ you must get the Classic beverage and internet packages even you you are entitled to them as a loyalty benefit. That's why the difference. They should consider offering a discount for those who have them as a part of the loyalty program. I no longer would book a AQ or higher for that reason.

[Luvcrusn]

6 minutes ago, Orator said:

If you book AQ you must get the Classic beverage and internet packages even you you are entitled to them as a loyalty benefit. That's why the difference. They should consider offering a discount for those who have them as a part of the loyalty program. I no longer would book a AQ or higher for that reason.

Maybe. However we booked an Aqua cabin in January AI, refundable,  lots of OBC. Today booking identical category,  same inclusions refundable with less OBC and tons of cabin availability it more than 2x the price per person.  Comparing apples to apples. 

Edited August 11, 2023 by Luvcrusn

[terrydtx]

6 minutes ago, Orator said:

If you book AQ you must get the Classic beverage and internet packages even you you are entitled to them as a loyalty benefit. That's why the difference. They should consider offering a discount for those who have them as a part of the loyalty program. I no longer would book a AQ or higher for that reason.

Here is the price of higher category Vranadah cabin next November on the Beyond for 7 night cruise and on same cruise a cabin in Aq Class, both with AI included in price an almost $800pp difference in price.

Edited August 11, 2023 by terrydtx

[jelayne]

Sorry I’m confused.  Are you saying that  Prime AQ is $800 higher than the “higher” category veranda which is $1733?  What category is the veranda Ultra or Deluxe.  
 

Aqua is most often  higher because of Blu and spa access.

[killaypirate]

Taken 3 X cruises this year but holding off whilst prices seem poor value. Trying Princess next month.

[phoenix_dream]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

With Aqua the only pricing is with All Included so if you don’t want of need drinks or wi-fi it makes AQ a no go versus a veranda.
 

I hear you.  After finally achieving Zenith last year, it kills me to pay the higher prices for Aqua, although I really like dining in Blu rather than the MDR so it is a tough choice.  But we are recently considering a regular balcony with some specialty dining most nights - still a better deal for us.

[phoenix_dream]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

They are rethinking pricing. And it's going to increase. Read that last 10Q filing. There is very little reason to lower prices right now. They will continue to press harder until bookings weaken. 

And I keep thinking the bubble has to burst soon, right??  But it continues on and on.  The cruise lines have really done a great job in enticing younger people (and people new to cruising in general) to fill their ships.  But at these prices can it really last??  With US credit card debt at an all time high and I don't care what politicians claim about a good economy-  I don't see that at my local gas station or grocery store!-   I keep thinking it has to slow down sometimes.  But so far, not seeing it.  

 

But the cruise lines are also continuously coming out with more and more (and often larger and larger) ships to fill.  One has to wonder if they can continue to fill up that many berths going forward.

[Stem to Stern]

51 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I hear you.  After finally achieving Zenith last year, it kills me to pay the higher prices for Aqua, although I really like dining in Blu rather than the MDR so it is a tough choice.  But we are recently considering a regular balcony with some specialty dining most nights - still a better deal for us.

It kills me to pay twice the price or more of an inside stateroom for a regular verandah.  It kills me to pay an additional $850ish per person for AI as well.  So, considering inside staterooms cruise only.  I can stand to cut back on the booze and screen time anyway.  Or satisfy these vices in port.  I can eat well in port too for that matter, if MDR gets worse. 

 

MDR was perfectly fine on my last cruise.  And I have always been able to find something on the buffet.  Sadly, there is zero dining room ambience in the buffet in the evening unless one takes a seat outside.  The ship is merely a floating hotel on a port-intensive European cruise.  The focus for us is on the ports and mingling with fellow passengers that we organized independent excursions with. We enjoy socializing with the crew as well.

 

For our relaxing Caribbean cruises with more sea days, we do prefer to have the perks included.  But I have to question why we should shell out that kind of extra cash for AI when there are Elite discounts we are entitled to and on-and-off flash sales on the perks.

 

I may still book future Celebrity cruises.  But if I follow through on this rationale, then Celebrity will only be getting a fraction of the dollars they got out of me over the last several years.  I am looking at every potential cruise spend on a per person per night basis.  There are still fair enough prices to be had if one does enough hunting and pecking.  I don't necessarily require the newest ship, the most popular itinerary, or the peak season.  Therefore, I have bookings on three upcoming sailings that I am quite content with the pricing with AI.  I just booked Beyond September 2024 after turning my nose up for years at the Edge class infinite verandahs.  Found a TA willing to book me in a Sunset Verandah with a refundable deposit and AI for an incredible price.  It is surely all about money for the cruise line.  Well, it is all about money for me too.

Edited August 11, 2023 by Stem to Stern

[Oceansaway17]

Want to see sticker shock, check out RCI new Icon of the seas. Wow

some basic interiors for solo are over 4k for 7 days

[keesar]

2 hours ago, Orator said:

If you book AQ you must get the Classic beverage and internet packages even you you are entitled to them as a loyalty benefit. That's why the difference. They should consider offering a discount for those who have them as a part of the loyalty program. I no longer would book a AQ or higher for that reason.

 

I have seen an Aqua Class Guarantee with no perks.  Maybe you get the room under the treadmill...😀

The price was great.  

[daddyslittle girl]

Agree!we looked at an August ctuise,with land and sea...outragous,will look for a better deal.

[Jeremiah1212]

2 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

And I keep thinking the bubble has to burst soon, right??  But it continues on and on.  The cruise lines have really done a great job in enticing younger people (and people new to cruising in general) to fill their ships.  But at these prices can it really last??  With US credit card debt at an all time high and I don't care what politicians claim about a good economy-  I don't see that at my local gas station or grocery store!-   I keep thinking it has to slow down sometimes.  But so far, not seeing it.  

 

But the cruise lines are also continuously coming out with more and more (and often larger and larger) ships to fill.  One has to wonder if they can continue to fill up that many berths going forward.

 

Jason Liberty was asked about this on the last earnings call Q&A. He answered with mostly word salad but he basically said they are seeing a strong 2023, bookings are exceptional for 2024, mostly driven by Caribbean and particularly itineraries with Coco Cay and they will keep on until something signals otherwise. 

 

Side note: it's pretty clear that the new Celebrity brand President was awarded her position partially due to her stellar success record with Perfect Day. They mention Perfect Day 30+ times during the call. 

 

Here's what he said: 

 

Q: Steve Wieczynski -- Stifel Financial Corp. -- Analyst

That's great color. Thanks, guys. And then, second question, you know, as we think about the back half of the year and, you know, obviously, we can back into your yield guidance. But if we kind of break down those yields a little bit, are you assuming, you know, your customer from an onboard has obviously been extremely, extremely healthy? And, you know, are you assuming that your customer kind of stays in the same ballpark that they are now? Do you have them slowing a little bit in terms of spend levels? And then, second part of this question, which is a little bit different, but, you know, we get a lot of questions from investors about, you know, demand and demand into 2024.

And can the demand levels that are there right now persist into next year? Or is '23 being -- you know, is '23 benefiting from just still kind of reopening in COVID, you know, bookings and stuff like that? So, hopefully, all that makes sense.

 

A: Jason Liberty -- Chief Executive Officer

Yeah, sure. Well, I think -- I think, you know, obviously we don't have a crystal ball. What we know is what we see happening basically every minute of every day. I mean we're -- you know, we're taking tens and tens of thousands of bookings a day.

We've got 160,000, 170,000 people spending on our ships. And so, you know, we have a very good idea of, you know, the customer in terms of what's happening today. We also, obviously, do a lot of surveying of our customers in terms of what they're looking to do in the future. And it's obviously clear to us that they are very focused on gathering experiences and creating memories with their friends and family.

So, the other point I'll just add is, and this is more on the pre-cruise side and what they're booking on the ship for the future, if that number continues to rise, which also just shows their appetite to spend more and more on nonticket-related spend. So, I think for us, when we think about the back half of this year, our expectation is that we're going to continue to see what we're seeing. However, the mix changes a little bit. You know, Q3, we have a little bit more Europe, we have a little bit less Caribbean.

And, of course, you know, you've heard our commentary on the Caribbean is exceptionally strong, which is really what's driving the overall outperformance, while Europe is now very much coming in as we expected for the year. So, I think that probably talked a little bit about how we think about the back half of next year. Now, again, going to demand level for 2024, what we have, again, is what we're seeing day in and day out. And at this point in the year, the customer now -- and, of course, we begin to position ourselves and orient ourselves to 2024 more and more.

Certainly, the majority of the bookings we're now taking are focused on 2024. You know, we see very similar strength and acceleration from what we've been seeing close in, as well as what we've been seeing for the bookings for 2023

Edited August 11, 2023 by Jeremiah1212

[PH2]

We are on Solstice in Alaska sailing on September 8th in a Sunset Sky Suite. Our cost is $9200. Last week I did a mock booking for the same September 2024 Alaska itinerary on Edge in a Sunset Sky Suite, and the cost was $14,800.

 

Supply/demand, yadda yadda, but even if we absolutely love this cruise (our first on Celebrity), it will likely be our last in the Retreat.

[binro01]

7 hours ago, deliver42 said:

I just did a mock booking on the celebrity Edge Alaska cruise for Sept,2024.With the all In on a regular Infinity veranda the price came to $5600.00, then another $950.00 for a refundable deposit. Celebrity has gone beserk. I love Celebrity, but not at these prices. They are $2000.00 higher than Princess AND Holland America for the same package, and I get a real balcony. I've been on Princess, and like their product. Haven't tried HAL yet. I realize  the Edge is a newer ship, but so is the Discovery Princess. In fact, it's newer than the Edge. There was no Celebrity alternative from Seattle in that time frame. All the itineraries were similar, except for Glacier Bay that Celebrity can't enter.

Even though Discovery is technically newer in age, it's a much older design then the Edge class ships. The Discovery princess also has about 25% more passengers on board her but only 11% larger than the Edge, so it feels more crowded.

I understand the sticker shock though. This is why I recommend finding a good TA. I just checked some group pricing from my TA for September 6th 2024 on the Edge doing Alaska, and for a concierge class veranda with the All Included and a refundable deposit the price is 4,792.96. If you can live with a Deluxe Porthole view w/ Veranda on a higher floor vs the 6th floor, it will only cost you 3,932.96, and you also get on board credit that Celebrity currently is not offering. September 13 is even better pricing and you can get an Edge IV for 4,003.66

When comparing that to the RCI Quantum of the Seas for around the same date, it costs $2,924.68 for an obstructed balcony with tips included, no drink package, no wifi and a non-refundable deposit, so for 500.00 per person you get WiFi, Drinks and a Refundable deposit, which is not a bad value in today's current market.

Edited August 11, 2023 by binro01
Added the date I checked!

[seeyouinthesun]

Silversea, here I come! 

[Jeremiah1212]

5 minutes ago, seeyouinthesun said:

Silversea, here I come! 

Royal Caribbean Group loves to hear that 🥂 

[Mark_T]

7 hours ago, 2chiefs said:

So much for my logarithm theory. 🙂 

It certainly plays a part...

 

On our 2025 Japan cruise which is getting close to fully booked, you couldn't even get an inside cabin for what we paid for a C2 in January...

[NMTraveller]

Personally I would not cruise either Edge or Discovery unless in a suite.

Edited August 11, 2023 by NMTraveller

[Gracie115]

7 hours ago, karmamule said:

In my experience the price differences between older ships and newer ships within a cruise line have grown more extreme in the last few years. We booked a suite on Icon of the Seas for next year and it was more expensive than any Celebrity cruise we've booked. I looked at older RCL ships for the same sort of length/itinerary and they would have been WAY WAY less. 

 

 

The OP was comparing 2 new ships, Apex and Discovery with Discovery being slightly newer and much LESS expensive...so your theory doesn't work out in this situation.

[TommyD3]

3 hours ago, keesar said:

 

I have seen an Aqua Class Guarantee with no perks.  Maybe you get the room under the treadmill...😀

The price was great.  

Which ship and sailing date please ????

[deliver42]

To poster # 6. If you read the OP problem, there isn't an option out of Seattle. No S Class. No M Class