What's going on with RCCL Pricing

[bjlaac]

We usually book 6 months to a year in advance and currently have 3 cruises booked.  Started to look into next year and the prices are nuts.  The January 2024 Anthem sailings, only 3 months away, are between $1,483 and $1,550  per person (including Taxes) for a sail away interior cabin depending which of the 11 day cruises you choose   Add taxes and the range becomes $1,691 and $1,795.  If you want to pick your cabin that adds another $143pp making an interior cabin for two totaling between $3,668 and $3,876.  Six or so months ago we booked two of those cruise, picking our own interior stateroom for $2,122 and $2,060, respectively.  That's 70% to 75% increase depending on the 11 day cruise.

 

So I thought to look further into the future to January 2025 when the odyssey replaces anthem thinking booking earlier will generate better pricing.  For the first two 11 nighter's price are basically the same, maybe a little higher, however, the January 27th sailing is beyond ridiculous. It becomes an 12 nighter and comes in at $5,379 for a sail away interior cabin and balconies over $10,000 for 2.  What the heck is going on?

 

I know prices are going up but at this rate I might never sail again. 

[Another_Critic]

2 minutes ago, bjlaac said:

What the heck is going on?

People are paying, so no need for Royal to lower prices.

[irishgal432]

Cruise lines are recording record breaking bookings and capacities.  Simple supply and demand.  I have been seeing some more reasonably priced sailings last minute which is better than before.

[OCSC Mike]

8 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

I have been seeing some more reasonably priced sailings last minute which is better than before.

 

Agreed. We're not usually flexible enough to take advantage except in Summer (which is unlikely to have deals) but that did get me a "bonus" cruise at the end of this month. Booked it a couple weeks ago when some nice prices popped up and my wife was able to squeeze it into her schedule.

[molly361]

11 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

Cruise lines are recording record breaking bookings and capacities.  Simple supply and demand.  I have been seeing some more reasonably priced sailings last minute which is better than before.

Like my recently booked Dec (GGG sale) Wonder sailing.  I needed another cruise in 2023 like I need a hole in my head as the saying goes.  Oh well I'll suck it up and sail again😇

[OCSC Mike]

6 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Like my recently booked Dec (GGG sale) Wonder sailing.  I needed another cruise in 2023 like I need a hole in my head as the saying goes.  Oh well I'll suck it up and sail again😇

 

Rough life ya got there! 😁

[molly361]

Just now, OCSC Mike said:

 

Rough life ya got there! 😁

Some day you too will be old and retired 😇😱

[OCSC Mike]

7 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Some day you too will be old and retired 😇😱

 

Trying to speed up one of those two...

[irishgal432]

35 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Like my recently booked Dec (GGG sale) Wonder sailing.  I needed another cruise in 2023 like I need a hole in my head as the saying goes.  Oh well I'll suck it up and sail again😇

We are on the Harmony that week. Otherwise I would have jumped on it.

[lovesthebeach2]

22 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Trying to speed up one of those two...

Hopefully the latter of the two

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Hopefully the latter of the two

 

I hope so too! 🤞 🤣

[smokeybandit]

6-12 months in advance is too late anymore.

[Pandamonia]

Well Royal just CUT its prices in Europe so clearly bookings are NOT going the way they want. This is for 2024 Europe. 

 

Also they think Ultimate Dining Package is now worth £460 HAHAHA This used to be £190. Then £300 and now £460 in less than 2 years for the same old crappy chops grill and very mediocre food coming out of most of the "speciality" restaurants. 

 

Bookings in 2023 were hot but 2024 onwards is not looking anywhere near as good and I've got this directly from my own TA. 

 

30 countries are forecast to be in recession soon. 5-6% Base rates globally and mountains of debt. The only people who have any money are the boomers, everyone else is screwed under a mountain of debt and rising finance costs. 

[SUgwoz]

I believe booking/pricing is more in line with flights now. Booking a flight 9 months ahead of time with a completely empty flight doesn't mean you get cheap seats. As date gets closer and they haven't filled a percentage of their occupancy prices start to lower. With usually 2-3 months out being the best opportunity for a good flight price. 

[Tin can]

1 hour ago, Pandamonia said:

Well Royal just CUT its prices in Europe so clearly bookings are NOT going the way they want. This is for 2024 Europe. 

 

Also they think Ultimate Dining Package is now worth £460 HAHAHA This used to be £190. Then £300 and now £460 in less than 2 years for the same old crappy chops grill and very mediocre food coming out of most of the "speciality" restaurants. 

 

Bookings in 2023 were hot but 2024 onwards is not looking anywhere near as good and I've got this directly from my own TA. 

 

30 countries are forecast to be in recession soon. 5-6% Base rates globally and mountains of debt. The only people who have any money are the boomers, everyone else is screwed under a mountain of debt and rising finance costs. 

 

I'm finding the complete opposite for European cruises and especially UK departing cruises.

 

We are flying London - JFK for 9 nights on Liberty for less than 7 nights on Anthem from Southampton in 2024. Just checked now and no price cut so you have a very good TA working on your behalf.

[Pandamonia]

1 hour ago, Tin can said:

 

I'm finding the complete opposite for European cruises and especially UK departing cruises.

 

We are flying London - JFK for 9 nights on Liberty for less than 7 nights on Anthem from Southampton in 2024. Just checked now and no price cut so you have a very good TA working on your behalf.

 

Ive been watching the prices and both Odyssey and Oasis have been cut by hundreds per week

[orville99]

2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

6-12 months in advance is too late anymore.

How true. Every one of the cruises that we currently have booked (we always book as close to schedule release date as possible) have more than doubled in price since we booked. Some of our summer 2024 to April 2025 cruises have more than tripled.

[orville99]

5 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

 

Ive been watching the prices and both Odyssey and Oasis have been cut by hundreds per week

The real question however is how much had they already inflated the prices over time before they started to cut them by a few hundred now.

[lovesthebeach2]

2 minutes ago, orville99 said:

How true. Every one of the cruises that we currently have booked (we always book as close to schedule release date as possible) have more than doubled in price since we booked. Some of our summer 2024 to April 2025 cruises have more than tripled.

That’s what I see too…we have cruises as far out as Mar 2025. 

[FionaMG]

I got a big price drop recently on an Anthem cruise for September 2024 to the extent that I was able to upgrade from an OV GTY to a BAL GTY and still made a saving on the original price.

[orville99]

4 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

That’s what I see too…we have cruises as far out as Mar 2025. 

It will be interesting to see what prices look like when they open up the bookings for 2025-2026 in December. I just booked a Concierge class cabin on Celebrity Equinox for January 2024 (all included) for about $1,500 less than the same dates on RCL on Wonder in a basic balcony cabin (with nothing included)

[RD64]

53 minutes ago, orville99 said:

How true. Every one of the cruises that we currently have booked (we always book as close to schedule release date as possible) have more than doubled in price since we booked. Some of our summer 2024 to April 2025 cruises have more than tripled.

But how many people will cancel when the final payment date comes, and the price hasn’t dropped the price point they were expecting?

[Tin can]

35 minutes ago, Pandamonia said:

 

Ive been watching the prices and both Odyssey and Oasis have been cut by hundreds per week

 

I'm sure you are right but we are restricted to travelling during August in 2024 and prices still seem very high to us.

 

Especially departures from Southampton which are horrendously expensive with limited cabins choice especially suites which are pretty much sold out on all August sailings.

 

I thought MSC debuting Euribia out of Southampton may have influenced Royal pricing but apparently not.

 

 

[Pandamonia]

13 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

I'm sure you are right but we are restricted to travelling during August in 2024 and prices still seem very high to us.

 

Especially departures from Southampton which are horrendously expensive with limited cabins choice especially suites which are pretty much sold out on all August sailings.

 

I thought MSC debuting Euribia out of Southampton may have influenced Royal pricing but apparently not.

 

 

 

well that’s because it’s school holidays and the worst possible month to travel. Demand is always high that month no matter what. 

[Pandamonia]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

The real question however is how much had they already inflated the prices over time before they started to cut them by a few hundred now.

hard to say.  They vary so much it’s impossible to tell what the real price is.