New Era in Cruising

[Butterbean1000]

The omelette post got me to thinking.  With all the changes in cruising, along with the price increases in the cost of bookings, the increase in specialty dining, cut backs,  etc., what is the future in cruising? We used to order a bottle of vodka for our cabin at around $85, now it's way up over $100/. It used to be a very affordable vacation.  It's just not the same.  I do realize that costs are up all over, but the cruise industry is having a boom season so why all the increases?.  They keep building mega ships with the anticipation of filling all the cabins.  Have you seen the prices for the newest RC ship??  I just think it's sad.  

Edited December 11, 2023 by Butterbean1000

[jsglow]

Prices are up because they can be. Personally, I think the American public is still in 'revenge travel' mode.

 

You remember the 6+ month wait for Passports just last Spring? My wife and I are renewing right this very minute. I non-express Priority mailed them out on Saturday, December 2nd. Just 3 hours ago on Monday, December 11th the State Department mailed the new ones back! That's NINE days. 

 

Just wait for the recession and see what happens. Supply and demand.

Edited December 11, 2023 by jsglow

[Joanne G.]

I think a more appropriate question is, given the boom season, why wouldn't the cruise industry keep increasing prices.    Businesses don't decide at some point that they have made enough money.   Prices will rise until bookings decline.   

 

Same with air fares.  For a 2020 covid canceled vacation, my round-trip economy flight on American to London was about $540.   Now it can be 2 to 3 times that.  And when I want to go to London, I'll pay what the current rates are - to a point when I decide it's too much.  

Edited December 11, 2023 by Joanne G.

[mz-s]

Cruising absolutely is not what it used to be. But the people cruising right now - folks who have never cruised before, or might have cruised once or twice years ago - would never know it. And as long as the people filling the ships right now are happy, more power to them.

[crzndeb]

I started cruising in 1980, so I’ve definitely been through the eras…LOL

For me as a solo cruiser, I set what my price per day is, and pretty much stick with that. I have reached the solo discount point on Royal now, so that helps, but still haven’t booked anything since I reached it. 
I’m on the Panorama TP in Oct. and my price per day is $132. I can’t even book a decent hotel for that price anymore.

There are those that will spend the money on brand new cruise ships, at a premium price, but many won’t.  Lots of good deals still out there if you look. 
I think vacation travel is up for everything. As mentioned, airfare is crazy to even get anywhere, and look at theme parks. I don’t do All Inclusive resorts, but I’m sure they’re up also, and then you still have to fly there.
 

[Joanne G.]

 

Some people cruising now, such as myself, know exactly what it was like in years past - definitely different in a lot of ways.   But the joys of being at sea and seeing different places on one trip without unpacking and repacking still holds appeal to many of us.   

 

As for increasing costs, most things cost more than they did when I took my first of many cruises in 1997.  

[Earthworm Jim]

46 minutes ago, Butterbean1000 said:

... the cruise industry is having a boom season so why all the increases?

 

You answered your own question. You know how when the cruise industry is struggling prices go down to try an entice people to book? Well this is the opposite. Their bookings are selling out early, so they can charge more.

 

Your only recourse is if you don't think the product they are offering is worth the price anymore is don't buy it and spend your vacation dollars where you see a better value.

[Butterbean1000]

1 minute ago, Earthworm Jim said:

 

You answered your own question. You know how when the cruise industry is struggling prices go down to try an entice people to book? Well this is the opposite. Their bookings are selling out early, so they can charge more.

 

Your only recourse is if you don't think the product they are offering is worth the price anymore is don't buy it and spend your vacation dollars where you see a better value.

 

1 minute ago, Earthworm Jim said:

 

You answered your own question. You know how when the cruise industry is struggling prices go down to try an entice people to book? Well this is the opposite. Their bookings are selling out early, so they can charge more.

 

Your only recourse is if you don't think the product they are offering is worth the price anymore is don't buy it and spend your vacation dollars where you see a better value.

 

I failed to mention supply and demand. I get it. The nickle and diming is annoying. But, again, the allure of cruising is just not the same.  From unruly children, fighting, and the entitled attitude of many passengers has me rethinking cruising.  I'm not trying to speak for others. (I hate that)  For us, cruising is just not what I fell in love with many years ago. 

[Joanne G.]

56 minutes ago, Butterbean1000 said:

. . .  From unruly children, fighting, and the entitled attitude of many passengers has me rethinking cruising. . . . 

Thankfully I haven't encountered fighting, and I avoid school break times as much as possible in order to minimize the number of children aboard.  But I understand those things would drive someone to another type of vacation.  As for the entitled attitudes, I think that's more evident on message boards than on board the ships.  Or if those people are onboard, I'm not talking to them LOL.  

[Butterbean1000]

35 minutes ago, Joanne G. said:

Thankfully I haven't encountered fighting, and I avoid school break times as much as possible in order to minimize the number of children aboard.  But I understand those things would drive someone to another type of vacation.  As for the entitled attitudes, I think that's more evident on message boards than on board the ships.  Or if those people are onboard, I'm not talking to them LOL.  

We never cruise in the summer or around spring and Christmas breaks to avoid a lot of kids.  We absolutely avoid spring break booze cruises because of the college kids.  We haven't observed any fights, but we have witness our share of rude passengers..

[Purvis1231]

Prices have gone up and service and quality have gone down. No doubt about that but compared to other vacations the price of cruising has not gone up nearly as much. My family goes to an Orlando theme park almost every year. The prices there are crazy. I have 2 cruises booked for next year, but they are only slightly more than the cruises I booked in 2019 and 2016 for about the same time frame and ports..

[dlphn501]

I still enjoy cruising very much, as do my children.  But I think my children would enjoy any vacation LOL.  We do theme parks a lot, so just staying for a weekend in a hotel is like a vacation to me because I don't have to scoop cat $h!t or vacuum up litter before I shower.  But with cruising, I don't have to cook, all meals are already paid for, I don't have to drive, and I want to sit by the pool, play trivia, and gamble while my kids sleep or do something else, we can do that!  And we never really have to worry about the weather bc there will still be things to do, and we won't be stuck in our room playing cards.

I agree the new, big RC ships are super ridic in pricing.  Some are more $$ than Disney.  We are also within reasonable driving distance to almost all of the east coast ports.  Yes, I get the drink package every time, but have you had an adult beverage from a theme park, resort, or vacation/time share club in the last 2-3 years?  It's up to $11 for a BEER!  $15+ if you want a cocktail.  Plus poolside snack service. It adds up.

[Butterbean1000]

56 minutes ago, TreyB said:

Pretty sure the people who were cruising in the 1960’s looked at cruising in the 1990’s and said “this sucks, it ain’t what it used to be.”

 

As every generation ages they inevitably turn into the “get off my lawn” mentality.  A lot of that on here. 

This isn’t an indictment on anyone. It’s just part of the process. Times change. Luckily (for now) we still have choices on what we spend our money on. If cruising isn’t it for you anymore find something else. 🤷‍♂️

 

If I'm not happy with cruising, I should find something else??  Gee, I wish I thought of that. 😉  My first cruise was 2009.  Not so long ago I guess, but I've seen some major changes. Don't get me wrong, I don't give a darn about the omlettes, but I do miss some other  perks. I'm  not saying I'm through with cruising, I'm just not as enamored with it as I once was. We've done some pretty great road trips the past few years and had great times. 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Butterbean1000

[TiredTrucker]

4 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

 

 

I failed to mention supply and demand. I get it. The nickle and diming is annoying. But, again, the allure of cruising is just not the same.  From unruly children, fighting, and the entitled attitude of many passengers has me rethinking cruising.  I'm not trying to speak for others. (I hate that)  For us, cruising is just not what I fell in love with many years ago. 

 

I think the people problem exists everywhere now,  unfortunately. 

[ruready]

I agree. I see rude people and unruly kids on any type of vacation.  I see it at my local Target from time to time, lol. 😂 

[nhraformula00]

You need to think about as if you owned the ship. All of them sat out in the water during covid for what, over a year, They were still paying to keep it operational with a small crew and making no money. You can not just anchor it or put it in storage. Nobody bailed them out, so they had to borrow money or go bankrupt. None of them did, so now that people are back to cruising its about supply and demand. They are trying to get out of debt. If ships start to sale half full, prices will come down. 

[hurricane0226]

They have to pay for the new ships, maybe at some point it will go down, but I doubt it , we 

either get used to the new norm, or find something different I guess, we are still pretty lucky

as we get really good casino offers, and do not really spend that much in them, plus we also

get the dou everywhere, which can add up if I do the 15 drink a day, but have not made it

that far yet, lol.

[Butterbean1000]

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Edited December 12, 2023 by Butterbean1000

[Butterbean1000]

55 minutes ago, TiredTrucker said:

 

I think the people problem exists everywhere now,  unfortunately. 

True, but you're not stuck with them in the middle of the ocean.

[runner15km]

We are going to camp more and cruise way less. Less hassle less crowds. 

[craig01020]

15 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

Have you seen the prices for the newest RC ship??

Yes, it's crazy!  Especially when fares on the newest ships from NCL and Carnival are still reasonable.

Edited December 12, 2023 by craig01020

[staceyglow]

9 hours ago, hurricane0226 said:

They have to pay for the new ships, maybe at some point it will go down,

 

Again, that is not how it works.

 

If you rented out a house you owned, would you lower the rent once you paid off the mortgage?  Of course not.  You are going to charge what the going rate is for that type of property.  In other words, you will charge what people are willing to pay.  The same goes for cruises.  And for literally everything else, for that matter.

[ninjacat123]

Yesterday I mentioned to a friend how our cruise over Thanksgiving was fun but we encountered rude passengers on the ship.  My friend had went to Disney World over Thanksgiving and said she encountered the same issue there. We agreed that Covid shutdown had been a factor in this type of attitude, an "every man for himself" demeanor.  

[TiredTrucker]

7 hours ago, runner15km said:

We are going to camp more and cruise way less. Less hassle less crowds. 

We are campers going to try cruising for a change.. wish us luck.   

[LatinaInTexas]

Guess I haven't been cruising long enough to feel disenchanted yet. I'm enjoying cruising on the various lines and pretty much loving each and every cruise.