Sticker Shock

[neverlaysup]

4 hours ago, Stem to Stern said:

So, considering inside staterooms cruise only.

I did this for the first time on our last cruise and then I got sick and spent 3 days holed up in my inside cabin. The lesson that I learned was NEVER to book an inside cabin again....I felt like I was trapped in a closet with little to no airflow and t was horrible. I will pony up for a Veranda at the minimum from now on so I can at least get fresh air.

[D C]

11 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.

Thus the reason we have ZERO celebrity cruises planned after a decade of 1-3 X cruises per year. We're not so ignorantly loyal that we're shunning everything else for the X Kool Aid.    Had a very nice sailing on Princess earlier this year for so much less than X it was inexplicable (and inexcusable to not sail on P) 

[Mark_K]

21 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.

Alaska is one of the few places where a “fake” balcony might be advantageous.  It can get pretty cold out there.

[terrydtx]

20 minutes ago, Mark_K said:

Alaska is one of the few places where a “fake” balcony might be advantageous.  It can get pretty cold out there.

I would prefer to sit on a real open balcony with a blanket even in Alaska.

[luckyinpa]

23 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.

 

how much was the deposit itself. when i booked an edge villa the deposit was 900 and the non refundable price was over 2K more. no one would pay 2000 to protect 900, insanity. well i hope no one would.

 

edit. i was wrong..4K!!!

Edited August 12, 2023 by luckyinpa

[deliver42]

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

[bigbenboys]

18 hours ago, PH2 said:

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.

We are booked on your cruise also. We are in an CS for $12,400 out of Vancouver on Solstice. Just looked at now prices for an CS on Solstice. Only about $200 more than when I booked last Nov. Edge Sept 6 out of Seattle for a CS is $17,200. I've already decided to cancel our CS and have book an aft PH on Discovery Princess for Mexico.

We did 2 Alaska cruises last year. In my eyes Hubbard glacier is the glacier to see. Our cruise on Millie out of Seward was great. You get a better overall view of Alaska.

We are leaving out of Vancouver next month on Eclipse going down the west coast. The cruise is costing about $6500 for an 7 night in an CS. We booked last Sept.

[Spif Barwunkel]

1 hour ago, deliver42 said:

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

If you must cruise Celebrity, you have E-class from Seattle, S-class from Vancouver and M-class from Seward. That is not a problem that is a choice. You can get to all those places from SC. Limiting yourself to one option pretty much makes up your mind. 

[C4HCG]

From reading many threads on here, I get the impression Celebrity is doing well filling their ships so their pricing strategy can’t be too wrong.

[C4HCG]

On 8/11/2023 at 5:44 PM, islabahia said:

Celebrity needs to rethink their pricing.  If it weren’t for the fact that we had $$$ worth of FCC’s we would have cancelled our ABC cruise next December.  This will be our last X cruise.  Oceania and Regent are next on our list.

Why would they if the cabins are selling? They are running a business.

[terrydtx]

13 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

From reading many threads on here, I get the impression Celebrity is doing well filling their ships so their pricing strategy can’t be too wrong.

At some point this pricing will backfire as the cruising industry gets saturated with bookings and Celebrity will have lost many of their most loyal customers, like us. Greed with be their ultimate downfall. 

Edited August 12, 2023 by terrydtx

[C4HCG]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

At some point this pricing will backfire as the cruising industry gets saturated with bookings and Celebrity will have lost many of their most loyal customers, like us.

And at that point they reduce their prices but why do that now? No sane business would. And how do you define loyal and why does that matter. We have cruised 4 times, all Celebrity. Are we loyal or is that someone who has say cruised them 50 times out of 100? Celebrity can’t lose money just for the sake of its “loyal” customers.

Edited August 12, 2023 by C4HCG

[Spif Barwunkel]

11 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

And at that point they reduce their prices but why do that now? No sane business would. And how do you define loyal and why does that matter. We have cruised 4 times, all Celebrity. Are we loyal or is that someone who has say cruised them 50 times out of 100? Celebrity can’t lose money just for the sake of its “loyal” customers.

Just like "loyal" customers can't lose money just for the sake of Celebrity...should they think that is the case.

[C4HCG]

16 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

Just like "loyal" customers can't lose money just for the sake of Celebrity...should they think that is the case.

The concept of a loyal customer to any brand is something I don’t get. I am loyal to my local football team, win, lose or draw I will be there, through thick and thin, this to me is the definition of loyalty. I cruise with Celebrity because I like their product and feel I get value for money and will defend them and do. However I am in no way loyal to them, the day I start to dislike their product or feel they are too expensive, I will be off. I owe them nothing, they owe me nothing.

 

Anyway, my football loyalty is being tested as we’ve started this season badly, losing today 🙁

[tfred]

33 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

At some point this pricing will backfire as the cruising industry gets saturated with bookings and Celebrity will have lost many of their most loyal customers, like us. Greed with be their ultimate downfall. 

they want profitable loyal customers - not just long term "where's my free drinks and prime rib" X cruisers that come back.

 

They also aren't looking just for disgruntled Princess, MSC etc pax either as that is a limited and low percentage of the vacation crowd. .  They want the "never cruised and have the money" crowd that is at every Marriott and  Westin resort that is dropping $800/day and not saying a word and look pretty happy 

 

I understand the grief.  I used to stay at full service Marriotts on business for a long time until that $ got too big.  Then I dropped down in the food chain   It happens all the time 

[tfred]

9 minutes ago, C4HCG said:

The concept of a loyal customer to any brand is something I don’t get. I am loyal to my local football team, win, lose or draw I will be there, through thick and thin, this to me is the definition of loyalty. I cruise with Celebrity because I like their product and feel I get value for money and will defend them and do. However I am in no way loyal to them, the day I start to dislike their product or feel they are too expensive, I will be off. I owe them nothing, they owe me nothing.

 

Anyway, my football loyalty is being tested as we’ve started this season badly, losing today 🙁

the loyalty program on cruise ships is pretty weak as there are no upgrades or any real "special" customer service on board (unlike airlines or hotels). Free laundry? oh, ok Thanks 

 

I like the X product and also feel that is value for the money spent. You could say that about many cruise lines just depends on your standards of what constitutes value

 

PS. It's the first match - long season.  Ask Villa fans how their day went 

[C4HCG]

8 minutes ago, tfred said:

the loyalty program on cruise ships is pretty weak as there are no upgrades or any real "special" customer service on board (unlike airlines or hotels). Free laundry? oh, ok Thanks 

 

I like the X product and also feel that is value for the money spent. You could say that about many cruise lines just depends on your standards of what constitutes value

 

PS. It's the first match - long season.  Ask Villa fans how their day went 

Our second, Leeds fan. Scraped a last gasp draw last week and have 4 or 5 players refusing to play as they want to leave. Not the start to the season hoped for, and with our new American owners.

 

Saw the villa result, tough game though away at Newcastle.

[Jeremiah1212]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

At some point this pricing will backfire as the cruising industry gets saturated with bookings and Celebrity will have lost many of their most loyal customers, like us. Greed with be their ultimate downfall. 

Customers are cyclical. That’s to be expected.  
 

There’s no sign of saturation right now. Global volume has gone from 12 million passengers in 2003 to almost 30 million in 2019. By 2027 that’s expected to be almost 40 million passengers globally. If that doesn’t pan out almost all of the major operators have aging low yielding ships to retire and reduce capacity. 

[budmeister]

On 8/11/2023 at 11:55 AM, tfred said:

There are hundreds of thousand potential cruise customers that are now land based resort users. Those people are spending upwards of $1k/night for a very similar experience to cruising and those locations are full. Price out any Marriott resort in Florida or the Caribbean with food and booze. They are not used to nor expecting a butler, unlimited prime rib and lobster tail, unlimited entrees or free drinks from 5-7 pm   
 

X is going to align land resort experience and pricing with cruise ship. They think they have a comparable product that they don’t have to give away or load up on a bunch of unexpected goodies for new customers. 
 

moan all you want about private butlers and prime rib as X will spend any money on attracting new high spending customers who are out there. 

 

[OysterD]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

At some point this pricing will backfire as the cruising industry gets saturated with bookings and Celebrity will have lost many of their most loyal customers, like us. Greed with be their ultimate downfall. 

They're a business, not a charity. 

 

I can't think of many/any businesses who think hmm so people are willing to pay 500 gold coins for our product, and we will almost completely sell out at that price...but a few people who bought our product at 400 gold coins 2 years ago might be a bit miffed...let's only charge 400 this year to so as not to annoy those few people. 

 

Nope, that's not how it works. Businesses charge what markets will pay, that's how its always been and always will be. If too many people think they're charging too much for their product and they stop buying it, then the price will drop. But X and other lines aren't at that point, so the prices are what they are. If you don't like it go elsewhere or don't cruise, someone else will pay for that cabin you were looking at. 

[budmeister]

I can't argue with the changes you mentioned. As an indoor or balcony cruiser, I have not lost much. But I have enjoyed the value of the awesome cruise experience that I could never pay for in a a land- based comparable experience for over 20 years. I have seen what I paid for last year double and triple in current and future cruise prices. I am very happy I have next month and Jan. long booked, and am sad to see my cruising days possible coming to an end. I have not booked for next year or 2025 ( other than that Jan. 2023 booked.) I usually book a bit more than a year out. 

 

I guess I will have to visit more different places, for less days. It has been  great 23 years of cruising! 

Edited August 12, 2023 by budmeister

[budmeister]

7 minutes ago, OysterD said:

They're a business, not a charity. 

 

I can't think of many/any businesses who think hmm so people are willing to pay 500 gold coins for our product, and we will almost completely sell out at that price...but a few people who bought our product at 400 gold coins 2 years ago might be a bit miffed...let's only charge 400 this year to so as not to annoy those few people. 

 

Nope, that's not how it works. Businesses charge what markets will pay, that's how its always been and always will be. If too many people think they're charging too much for their product and they stop buying it, then the price will drop. But X and other lines aren't at that point, so the prices are what they are. If you don't like it go elsewhere or don't cruise, someone else will pay for that cabin you were looking at. 

So true!

[bikerunner]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

Greed with be their ultimate downfall. 

Kind of disagree, they are doing what is needed for their stakeholders, ie stock holder.  Will pricing hit an apex, eventually but like many pointed out they are still selling so no reason to pause.  So they lose loyal, they might gain new ones.  Yes we were all spoiled with the prices right after and right before covid.  It's a market adjustment.  There are still good deals to be found, just not as straightforward anymore.  I use a TA for mine and the pricing is fine, 25-30% min off of published rates with extra obc.  

[Spif Barwunkel]

1 hour ago, C4HCG said:

The concept of a loyal customer to any brand is something I don’t get. I am loyal to my local football team, win, lose or draw I will be there, through thick and thin, this to me is the definition of loyalty. I cruise with Celebrity because I like their product and feel I get value for money and will defend them and do. However I am in no way loyal to them, the day I start to dislike their product or feel they are too expensive, I will be off. I owe them nothing, they owe me nothing.

 

Anyway, my football loyalty is being tested as we’ve started this season badly, losing today 🙁

I feel the same way. As for your football team(s) the ladies from England are on to the semis of the Women's World Cup. A tip of the hat and a sip from a pint is due, wouldn't you say?

[C4HCG]

Just now, Spif Barwunkel said:

I feel the same way. As for your football team(s) the ladies from England are on to the semis of the Women's World Cup. A tip of the hat and a sip from a pint is due, wouldn't you say?

Indeed I would. A pint of the very best Tetleys bitter at that.