Do you expect MORE when NCL makes you PAY more to cruise????

[expectthebest]

Fellow Cruisers,

Here I sit perusing the ‘24 cruises for  next year and I must say the prices for balcony and above for family of 4 are becoming borderline INSANE!!
 

My wife tries to get me to calm down by rationalizing that everything goes up and it’s just part of the overall VALUE of cruising. 
 

My question to the critic community:

During Covid.. I understand running a business especially the cruise business must have had its set of challenges.. I get it… Now most areas are out of the woods and have been for over a year and the vast majority are ready to set sail again.. but at what NEW cost of cruising?? Are these extremely high prices here to stay? 
 

Cruising 10 years ago used to be a cheap vacation that allowed you to see parts of the world for minimal cost.. Now that cruise fares have risen to unattainable levels are we settling for poor service and very low expectations that seem to be the new normal? I feel like if I am paying in my opinion a premium to cruise I should be getting premium service that should mirror the higher costs?

 

what are your thoughts? 

[ChiefMateJRK]

I think you should find a vacation that better fits your budget.

[complawyer]

dream on my friend, reality hurts sometimes.

[BunnyHutt]

I guess it really depends on an individual’s definition of high prices, value and premium. 
 

Currently on my first NCL cruise - Encore in AK. We’ve had less than stellar weather, but are not surprised since it’s the end of September. But, other than a borderline argument I got into with someone at the service desk regarding the date on a customs form,  we haven’t received anything less than what I would consider to be excellent service. And amenities definitely worth price paid. 
 

My friend and I are now looking at booking a 10-day Greece/Italy on Prima next fall. About $300/night (per person) for food/drink/accommodation several levels higher than an interior cabin on a one year old ship. And NCL is constantly running a promo for free/almost free 3rd & 4th guests. Good luck finding that finding that when booking and paying for  hotel/meals/transport in Europe. Even during shoulder season. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[dexddd]

Plan vacation and book late.  Prices crazy on NCL yet people accepting it.

[Tapi]

I don’t expect more. I just expand my search and look at other cruise lines and itineraries until I find something that fits my budget. Not going to stick to one cruise line.

 

Take for example NCL’s sailings from San Juan on the Viva. Rightfully, they’re priced very high since it’s a brand new ship. But if you look at Celebrity or Royal Caribbean prices for the same dates from San Juan, they’re literally 1/3 the prices of NCL. Would love to sail on Viva, but not at those prices. Glad to have options. 
 

On a separate note, there are still great deals to be found that mimic pre-COVID pricing. We’re sailing on MSC from Port Canaveral during the summer of 2024 for less than $50pp/pd (booked early, 10% discount for past guest, and kids sail free promo). 
 

We also booked a Northern Europe cruise for the summer of 2025 and we’re paying almost the same as what we paid pre-COVID in 2018 to sail the Mediterranean. 
 

Deals are out there. But maybe not on the newest ships, or the most popular routes or sailing dates. The pricing on those (no matter the cruise line) can be heart attack inducing. But with some flexibility, you can still get some great deals. 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Tapi

[RD64]

Nobody makes you pay more - it is a choice. If you choose not to purchase an NCL cruise for whatever reason, there are other options.

[hallux]

Do tell, how is NCL insanely MORE than Royal?  Just compared a 5-day cruise for 4 to Bermuda, the Joy for NCL and Liberty of the Seas for Royal, balcony for both.  NCL came in $400 LESS than Royal, on a newer ship and with the Free At Sea package so it has the open bar grats. on the NCL cruise.  Screenshots for proof...

Royal -

NCL -

 

I guess the "insane" prices compared to other lines depend on the itinerary...

[bkrickles1]

As far as I can tell, nothing has really changed, except that everything has gone up in price.

I sailed Joy in July and while it was more than I paid the previous year, it was still a tremendous value compared to any land based vacations.

I just booked a 10 day on Getaway for next April and I'm paying approximately $175 per day/per person. That's with all the FAS perks. That's just ridiculous value, as far as I'm concerned!

I'll drink that much by dinnertime every day! Lmao!!

I've compared pricing/value to other lines and it's all very similar to what I remember it being pre covid.

Sometimes more, sometimes less. I'm certainly not confining myself to one cruiseline, but I could not find better value for when I want to sail next year and I looked at Royal, Celebrity and MSC.

210 days until Getaway!!

[hallux]

8 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

it was still a tremendous value compared to any land based vacations.

Isn't that true!  I recently stayed in a hotel geared for long-term stays (had a kitchenette) for work, a 10 day trip.  The bill JUST for the lodging was almost what my inside room on a 15-day Panama Canal cruise cost, and that cruise includes food an entertainment!!

[insidecabin]

Just wait and shop around.

 

look at Virgins new slogan  while everyone else is cutting back we are not.

 

Been plenty of cheap options in Europe this year(2023),  some 1/3rd the price they were when on sale in 2022

 

eg. the late cruises from UK this year Star 10n round Ireland entry around £550(inc tax)  similar cruise May 2024 is over £1k some others in the £600-£700 range are over £1,500

Been hitting $equivilant) $65pppd with free at sea when it has been 50% off in the UK.

[Liljo22]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

Do tell, how is NCL insanely MORE than Royal?  Just compared a 5-day cruise for 4 to Bermuda, the Joy for NCL and Liberty of the Seas for Royal, balcony for both.  NCL came in $400 LESS than Royal, on a newer ship and with the Free At Sea package so it has the open bar grats. on the NCL cruise.  Screenshots for proof...

 

I guess the "insane" prices compared to other lines depend on the itinerary...

Yeah I don't get it.  People complaining about NCL's prices need to check out the outrage on the Royal board about how crazy pricing has gotten.  I have been looking at a summer cruise and I just can't justify going with Royal currently.  An ocean view balcony for 4 on the Harmony OTS out of Galveston is $9k.  I would never pay $9k for a standard balcony. 

 

Even looking in Miami so I can compare NCL and RCCL and there isn't really a comparison.  A balcony on the Breakaway is $1,000 less than an ocean view balcony on the Allure OTS and I would need to spend $1200 on a drinks package on the Allure. 

 

 

[NYcruzzer]

Even at current and future prices cruising is still one of the best values vs. other types of vacations. For example I recently went to Cape May NJ with the family. Room was $750.00 per night. With food, drinks, and attractions we spent over 4k for 3 nights. I don't even want to think what a family of 4 would spend on a 7 day trip to Disney or an All inclusive...

[KateQ22003]

I for one have seen a HUGE decrease in the value of NCL since Covid. I did 3 cruises to Bermuda this summer and each one had less services and amenities than the one before. It is very noticeable. What stood out most to me was the lack of staff and how overworked everyone was, and the amateur level of the theater shows. One night they even had "deal or no deal" as the featured show. Really? It is sad to me. I get they lost a lot of money during covid, but they can't expect to make it up in a year.

Edited September 22, 2023 by KateQ22003

[European_CruiseGirl]

Yes RCI has very high prices too on their new ships. And their drink package prices are horrible: around $70-90/day/person and they are never included on the cruise prices 😬

 

For me it is either some other cruiseline (for example MSC on a better cabin/experience) or land based vacations which for me (situated in Europe) seem really appealing right now. 14 day all inclusive in far east (Thailand) or Mauritius/Seychelles is much cheaper than a 10-11 day balcony cruise on a new NCL ship. Heck any NCL ship. I can for example get 14 days at either Thailand or Mauritius at a 4-5 star hotel (all inclusive) at a price of 6000-7000e for two which includes also flights (!) whereas balcony cabins on NCL would be in minimum around 7000e plus daily service charge - excluding flights! 😶

 

Now which one to choose is my choice obviously and well my choice is currently to forget NCL and concentrate on enjoying my life in AI’s as mentioned above. 

Edited September 22, 2023 by European_CruiseGirl

[Asawi]

I really don't get it. Yes, NCL prices are high, but are they really higher than the competition? For me as a solo traveller it's a clear "no" to that! I admit, I haven't compared anything but inside cabins and maybe that makes a difference. But I cruise NCL because it's the most bang for bucks for ME!

Apart from the price issue, there is of course the itineraries. I'm not into Bahamas or (most of) Caribean and I'm Europe based. That may also make a difference.

Have you guys done any land vacations lately? Wow! Prices a insane there as well! On both sides of the Atlantic. Hotel prices has skyrocketed in many places. Eating out has become way more expensive and so on.

Edit: When I say land vacation I don't mean resort/staying in one place but actually travel around for example northern Europe (and no, Belgium, Netherlands and so on is not northern Europe! Says the Swede... 😉 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Asawi

[Sxm13616]

I just priced a Bermuda cruise for next year. The NCL came in better than the Royal or Celebrity. That was including the free at sea which the other 2 do not offer

[schmoopie17]

4 hours ago, dexddd said:

Plan vacation and book late.  

I'll never understand the concept of booking "late". Especially when there is virtually no risk of booking early. If price drops, no problem. Call in and get the new price. After final payment? Still no problem. Call in and get FCC. (Assuming you're planning another cruise in the future).

 

Plus, booking early gets you a better choice of cabins before they're gone. And it's always exciting to have an upcoming cruise in "the hopper".

 

Like they say, the early bird...

Edited September 22, 2023 by schmoopie17

[Liljo22]

4 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

I'll never understand the concept of booking "late". Especially when there is virtually no risk of booking early. If price drops, no problem. Call in and get the new price. After final payment? Still no problem. Call in and get FCC. (Assuming you're planning another cruise in the future).

 

Plus, booking early gets you a better choice of cabins before they're gone.

 

Like they say, the early bird...

I can see the advantage for older cruisers that can be flexible.  For those of us that need to schedule our PTO and work around kids school schedules, it just isn't an option.  I can't wait until a month or two before and hope prices go down and not up.  

[ngrund]

the price of everything has gone up-

 

A  hotel room (Hampton Inn and their equivalents) unless peak time or place, used to be able to getit for about $125 or so, lately I don't think I've seen anything less than $175,

 

plane tickets?, same thing-

 

Gone to a supermarket or restaurant lately?

 

I just received my auto insurance renewal-went from $1500 to almost $1800 for 6 months

[schmoopie17]

23 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

I can see the advantage for older cruisers that can be flexible.  

Since I turn the big 7-0 next month, I guess that qualifies me as an "older cruiser". But we almost always book early, regardless.

[ngrund]

21 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Since I turn the big 7-0 next month, I guess that qualifies me as an "older cruiser". But we almost always book early, regardless.

[ngrund]

46 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

I can see the advantage for older cruisers that can be flexible.  For those of us that need to schedule our PTO and work around kids school schedules, it just isn't an option.  I can't wait until a month or two before and hope prices go down and not up.  

 

22 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Since I turn the big 7-0 next month, I guess that qualifies me as an "older cruiser". But we almost always book early, regardless.

I only turn the big 55 in 6 weeks, but that means retirement and full flexibility* for booking trips

 

*as long as wife agrees

[ICutTheCheese]

She is rght.  Everythign is goign up, snd it id doing so miuch more dramatically than it had been prior to 2020.  I wonder what changed in ths country in 2020?  Hmm, oh yeah,  I know...

As we all know in a free market system, teh buyer ultimately sets the price.

Simple solution (as will all purchase decisions), if you think someting is being offered at a price that is tohugh, do not buy it. BINGO.


BTW no one MAKES you book a cruise, rspecially 24 times a year!

[skittl1321]

Cruise pricing is up because demand is there.  LOTS of people want to cruise, and ships are selling out at these high prices, with the lower level of service.  There is no reason a cruise line would increase service or reduce pricing when the market is telling them that the premium prices they are charging are appropriate. 

When cruising was cheaper than a land vacation, it was because there was less demand for it. When service was premium, it was because that was how the lines had to be to attract customers. 

If you, and everyone else, stop buying at the price, they will come back down or the offerings will change to bring more value.