Is it just me or have Spring cruise prices gone way up? I wish I had booked earlier this Summer....

[seasidemama]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

Well if you find that mythical line, let us know

 

MSC/NCL both very promising.  If price is the only concern then Carnival is a very good option too. All three pricing at much less than Royal even when you factor in their packages that include drinks/wifi etc. Personally didn't care for carnival's atmosphere/clientele too much from my past experience and I've gotten much too much of that with Royal this past summer so looking to venture out. An international crowd might just do the trick.

[Leo-the-fox]

I booked my feb 2025 Symphony of the Seas 7 nights for 2.6k one month ago (to be excat on 7/23) . Since then I have been checking the price several times and found it slowly going up. I just checked today and it's 3k now, $400 up just in 1 month plus 4 days! I told DH I should have booked the trip half years ago it would be only $600 ?! LOL! DH said no way! the $3k will come down and up. Let's wait and see.

[LilBlackDress]

In November 2022 I booked a JS for 2 people on Oasis for February 2024. for $3100... Like everyone else, I have looked for price drops but it has only been going up, up, and up!! Today I did a mock booking and the JS is $5200
I am no math wiz like my DH but that is one heck of a price jump!!

About 6 months ago I looked to book my bonus son on the same sailing... The lowest price I could book a gty balcony for was $2150 for 2 people using my discount. Today it was $2300. 

 

I have been saying this is my last RC cruise unless prices start coming back down... 
I haven't looked at other cruise lines, but I have looked into All-Inclusive Resorts. 

 

[nimbex1970]

10 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

Well if you find that mythical line, let us know

I priced out the full UDP with royal, and am cheaper with virgin voyages in NOV.  So we booked that instead.  Add in a new port, and we are pleased.  Our repo cruises were cheaper, comparing UDP and drink packages with NCL with fewer sea days.  So there are two examples for ya right there.

[firefly333]

10 hours ago, seasidemama said:

 

MSC/NCL both very promising.  If price is the only concern then Carnival is a very good option too. All three pricing at much less than Royal even when you factor in their packages that include drinks/wifi etc. Personally didn't care for carnival's atmosphere/clientele too much from my past experience and I've gotten much too much of that with Royal this past summer so looking to venture out. An international crowd might just do the trick.

For the last year or two I can book a inside balcony on oasis class for less than a inside on carnival. When was the last time you booked carnival .. not when was the last time you cruised with them.. booked so you saw their prices. True royal gives me a nice discount but royal is almost always less expensive. 

 

Royal cruises are the least expensive when I compare out of Galveston.. I havent really compared florida but out of texas carnival doesnt have cheaper prices. And I check often. 

[Hutcha]

Booked Icon, about 10 months ago, for a Mar 2024 sailing. Got the two of us in an OV Balcony for around $3K. Those cabins are now going for $8K. For that price, for the same week, I can book The Haven on NCL, The Retreat on Celebrity, and Yacht Club on MSC. ...AND get drinks, Wi-Fi, and all the other perks that go with their suites. 

 

It's not prices everywhere going up. It's RCL taking advantage of their loyal customers. It won't stop until the customers start putting their foot down. Look at all the other prices that are going up. The drink package for my cruise is at $1,500 (for 2). Overwater cabana, $3,500. Water park, $180pp.

 

Look at all the other main cruise line boards. The first page on most will contain at least one thread from a "long time RCL cruiser" trying this brand for the first time. Everyone is adding inventory. Royal's prices will have to come down. Let's help them out by voting with our credit cards.

[Hutcha]

19 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Royal cruises are the least expensive when I compare out of Galveston.. I havent really compared florida but out of texas carnival doesnt have cheaper prices. And I check often

I was already doing a mock booking for my previous post, so I went back to it when I read your post. Comparing OV balconies out of Galveston for the same week, NCL comes out over $800** cheaper. It's on one of their newest ships, vs  HOTS. You get drinks, wifi, and specialty dining. If those things are important to you, you save at least another $1,000. If not, you're still saving over $800. My point is, RCL is losing their advantage. I will not book another one until they do something to earn back my business. A competitively priced drink package would be a great start. 

 

**NCL was priced with a military discount of 10%

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Hutcha

[firefly333]

8 minutes ago, Hutcha said:

Booked Icon, about 10 months ago, for a Mar 2024 sailing. Got the two of us in an OV Balcony for around $3K. Those cabins are now going for $8K. For that price, for the same week, I can book The Haven on NCL, The Retreat on Celebrity, and Yacht Club on MSC. ...AND get drinks, Wi-Fi, and all the other perks that go with their suites. 

 

It's not prices everywhere going up. It's RCL taking advantage of their loyal customers. It won't stop until the customers start putting their foot down. Look at all the other prices that are going up. The drink package for my cruise is at $1,500 (for 2). Overwater cabana, $3,500. Water park, $180pp.

 

Look at all the other main cruise line boards. The first page on most will contain at least one thread from a "long time RCL cruiser" trying this brand for the first time. Everyone is adding inventory. Royal's prices will have to come down. Let's help them out by voting with our credit cards.

Comparing Icon price to other ships doesnt seem like apples to apples. Maybe compare ships being built prices to Icon. Wonder is my highest but I have DP340 so not close to your price. I vote my wallet and except for my Bella cruises which I ignore price .. royal prices win for me. Unlike others here I havent been loyal to royal. I book best value and no other line gives solos a discount.

 

I'm just going by my wonder prices .. wonder Icon and utopia are higher than the rest of the fleet. I've been checking ncl prima and carnival jubilee .. my harmony balcony is less. 

[nolegirl01]

Agreed, everything went up... we booked the Odyssey in April for my husband's birthday and I can't believe the price for a basic balcony. We only booked because it's my husband's 40th and we wanted to cruise. Then we looked at booking a day bed at coco cay, which we've done times before and I was shocked that they are now $399... The other times I went they were $199.... insanity!!!! What is RCL doing??

Edited August 28, 2023 by nolegirl01

[Hutcha]

50 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

but I have DP340 so not close to your price.

Curious what your discount gets you on the cruise I quoted above. Although, as you mentioned, is it really not fair to compare the Prima to HOTS?

 

I've been looking for a cruise next summer. OV balcony on Wonder is $5800. For about the same price (a little less), I can get YC on MSC's newest US based ship

Edited August 28, 2023 by Hutcha

[firefly333]

15 minutes ago, Hutcha said:

Curious what your discount gets you on the cruise I quoted above. Although, as you mentioned, is it really not fair to compare the Prima to HOTS?

 

I've been looking for a cruise next summer. OV balcony on Wonder is $5800. For about the same price (a little less), I can get YC on MSC's newest US based ship

The most expensive in my signature is wonder feb 2025 about $1600. Inside balcony. I prefer shade but will take whatever balcony. Utopia 4 day $997 for boardwalk. Over $200 a day. I agree, pricey but not 3k. If I was seeing 3k I wouldn't book either. If I was seeing 3k I too would say no. I'd show you any of my bookings. .. jubilee and prima much higher.

 

The 4 I booked on harmony, 3 are well under 1k. Oct 2024 right at $1k for 8 days to coco cay. I recently added the 3 on adventure .. decided I had to make some decisions about moving to florida and assume I will get there. The 2 that are 8 day are one below and one over $1300. New ports. I agree pushing $200 a day and its adventure OTS but DR, etc new ports to me. Looking forward to new ports. I was shocked prices doubled before I booked, but not so bad I didnt book. I read someone got a nice balcony for xmas 2024 for $750 and am jealous, but booked the 6 day 2024 xmas too. Adventure. 

 

My signature has from $659 and $666 allure next month, inside balconys up to the nearly $1600 wonder. I've never done 3 weeks in a row, booked harmony nov 26, dec 3 and dec 10 and thought well I can always cancel 1. Now that I'm seeing new prices i am going to do all 3 weeks. Cant book harmony any more for not much above $100 a day. While no good deals, also not so awful imo I am unwilling to book. I just try and not think how much 13 booked cruises is in total. Then I feel bad. How much I spend cruising. 

[Hutcha]

38 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

The most expensive in my signature is wonder feb 2025 about $1600. Inside balcony. I prefer shade but will take whatever balcony. Utopia 4 day $997 for boardwalk. Over $200 a day. I agree, pricey but not 3k. If I was seeing 3k I wouldn't book either. If I was seeing 3k I too would say no. I'd show you any of my bookings. .. jubilee and prima much higher.

 

The 4 I booked on harmony, 3 are well under 1k. Oct 2024 right at $1k for 8 days to coco cay. I recently added the 3 on adventure .. decided I had to make some decisions about moving to florida and assume I will get there. The 2 that are 8 day are one below and one over $1300. New ports. I agree pushing $200 a day and its adventure OTS but DR, etc new ports to me. Looking forward to new ports. I was shocked prices doubled before I booked, but not so bad I didnt book. I read someone got a nice balcony for xmas 2024 for $750 and am jealous, but booked the 6 day 2024 xmas too. Adventure. 

 

My signature has from $659 and $666 allure next month, inside balconys up to the nearly $1600 wonder. I've never done 3 weeks in a row, booked harmony nov 26, dec 3 and dec 10 and thought well I can always cancel 1. Now that I'm seeing new prices i am going to do all 3 weeks. Cant book harmony any more for not much above $100 a day. While no good deals, also not so awful imo I am unwilling to book. I just try and not think how much 13 booked cruises is in total. Then I feel bad. How much I spend cruising. 

 

First, never feel bad about spending money on something you enjoy.

 

Are those prices per person? On the Feb 2025 Wonder cruise I'm getting $2,300pp.

 

So I can compare apples to apples, can you quote a price for that March 2024  OV balcony on Harmony?

Edited August 28, 2023 by Hutcha

[firefly333]

41 minutes ago, Hutcha said:

 

First, never feel bad about spending money on something you enjoy.

 

Are those prices per person? On the Feb 2025 Wonder cruise I'm getting $2,300pp.

 

So I can compare apples to apples, can you quote a price for that March 2024  OV balcony on Harmony?

Yes of course those are per person. My TA quotes the whole amount, not pp. I'm solo. Group, then D+, then DP340. My feb wonder and yours might originally be the same except I had solo added to the price you said. I did a screen shot of harmony nov 26. But I have 3 more on harmony. You asked for march 2024 on harmony. My TA probably has lower group rates... but just going on rcl site i see $1718 solo for a ov balcony plus fees. I dont have quotes as I'm not a TA on the group rates he has.

 

Hopefully I got identifying info blacked out. Harmony .. then my most expensive, wonder. 

 

[Kiki and The Noush]

All of the prices are up.  I'm okay with that - I get it.  What I really hate is the 'double dipping'.  For instance, the price of the UDP has gone up considerably - fair enough, but they have also devalued it by decreasing what it will get you.  UDP costs more, the ala carte stipend was reduced from $35 to $20 and now they have increased the prices at Playmaker's and Portside by about 50%.  Again, I get the increases... I just hate the double dipping.

[cruiselvr04]

2 hours ago, Hutcha said:

Curious what your discount gets you on the cruise I quoted above. Although, as you mentioned, is it really not fair to compare the Prima to HOTS?

 

I've been looking for a cruise next summer. OV balcony on Wonder is $5800. For about the same price (a little less), I can get YC on MSC's newest US based ship

That’s about $414 pp a day.  Plus alcohol plus special dining if you want that. Plus tips. On a main stream cruise line.  I do not see the value for my money.

 

We have booked all we are going to through early 2025. We are content in the prices we got on Royal but we are mostly on older ships and some cruises are an ocean view instead of balconies which is a concession we had to make due to cost. After those I will be closely looking at comparing prices on different lines if this crazy pricing doesn’t resolve.  I say crazy as we went on 3 Oasis class ships in the last 6 months in oceanview balconies for max of $2300 for 7 nights for 2.  Prices are double.  More inclusive premium lines are becoming more attractive.  

[moesyk4]

We were very lucky we booked when we did. Did two insides on the Oasis and paid around 3500 total. It has gone up significantly since we booked a couple of months ago.

[PACrew]

Just booked two cruises, one NCL and another MSC. We wanted to take Royal in March but MSC from NY was 1/2 the price for basically same itinerary (ocean cay v coco cay). $4k savings…sorry but Anthem and Coco aren’t worth an extra $4k. 
 

We will just cruise other lines for the time being. 

[ReneeFLL]

12 hours ago, firefly333 said:

For the last year or two I can book a inside balcony on oasis class for less than a inside on carnival. When was the last time you booked carnival .. not when was the last time you cruised with them.. booked so you saw their prices. True royal gives me a nice discount but royal is almost always less expensive. 

 

Royal cruises are the least expensive when I compare out of Galveston.. I havent really compared florida but out of texas carnival doesnt have cheaper prices. And I check often. 

It depends on the port the cruise starts from, the time of year, the ship and if it's an inside cabin. You might be finding them cheaper, but it seems like a lot of others are finding other cruise lines or other types of vacations cheaper. 

[George C]

I sailing on harmony in November in a grand suite for 5300 total including insurance and tips . That also includes WiFi , suite dining room , 3 hour happy hour, plus I get 5 free drinks daily since we are diamond plus. I did add UDP for another 250 each . Cheapest celebrity suite was way over 1k more each. 

[Tiggercat]

On 8/23/2023 at 3:52 PM, minnie00 said:

if anyone wants to send me a message on TA they use...I would be curious. thanks

My TA had a group formed over spring break before the prices went up! 

(March 10-17 on Oasis) We got a balcony for $1080 per person, including taxes and port fees.  Those balconies are now over $1700 per person!!

[Tree_skier]

On 8/28/2023 at 6:43 AM, Hutcha said:

Booked Icon, about 10 months ago, for a Mar 2024 sailing. Got the two of us in an OV Balcony for around $3K. Those cabins are now going for $8K. For that price, for the same week, I can book The Haven on NCL, The Retreat on Celebrity, and Yacht Club on MSC. ...AND get drinks, Wi-Fi, and all the other perks that go with their suites. 

 

It's not prices everywhere going up. It's RCL taking advantage of their loyal customers. It won't stop until the customers start putting their foot down. Look at all the other prices that are going up. The drink package for my cruise is at $1,500 (for 2). Overwater cabana, $3,500. Water park, $180pp.

 

Look at all the other main cruise line boards. The first page on most will contain at least one thread from a "long time RCL cruiser" trying this brand for the first time. Everyone is adding inventory. Royal's prices will have to come down. Let's help them out by voting with our credit cards.

I booked Icon for Nov 30/24 when itineraries were first released.  I booked a D4 balcony for ~$2750.  D4's are sold out but a very similar cabin cat., C5, is now a similar cabin is ~$7100.  I can't imagine a world where I would consider $7100 for a balcony cabin going to the Caribbean. SMH 

[minnie00]

On 8/28/2023 at 8:23 PM, George C said:

I sailing on harmony in November in a grand suite for 5300 total including insurance and tips . That also includes WiFi , suite dining room , 3 hour happy hour, plus I get 5 free drinks daily since we are diamond plus. I did add UDP for another 250 each . Cheapest celebrity suite was way over 1k more each. 

wow great price for a GS

[minnie00]

in all my years of cruising...its insane. $3600 for a large balcony on Symphony, $4100 for an OV balcony guarantee on Oasis....🙄 these are early March prices and Feb isn't cheaper.  In the past...pre covid....we had paid those prices for GS...and JS. 

I am disheartened to see so many increases on all aspects of the cruise now. We cruised in March of this year for $1800 in a balcony on Allure out of Galveston....nothing close to those prices now. 

[firefly333]

On 8/28/2023 at 9:21 PM, ReneeFLL said:

It depends on the port the cruise starts from, the time of year, the ship and if it's an inside cabin. You might be finding them cheaper, but it seems like a lot of others are finding other cruise lines or other types of vacations cheaper. 

Just my opinion, but the big difference is the DP340, the 25% off for solo is why for me royal is cheaper than carnival. Carnival gives no discount for solo, royal does. That's the difference.

 

No other line is giving me a discount for a solo booking. 

[George C]

4 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Just my opinion, but the big difference is the DP340, the 25% off for solo is why for me royal is cheaper than carnival. Carnival gives no discount for solo, royal does. That's the difference.

 

No other line is giving me a discount for a solo booking. 

About 5 years ago msc had no up charge for single cabins several people on my cruise in yacht club were singles , of course this no longer exists .