Carnival pricing this year

[ebergg]

I booked a cruise for 4 last august on the Glory out of canaveral.

I got the veterans discount so the price was good.

I had a life threatening illness and had to cancel the cruise about 3 weeks before the sailing date, i had no trip insurance and lost half of my money.

Thats all fine . I'm still alive and feeling great now.

So i call carnival to book the same cruise for 3 and its leaving a week earlier.They gave me a price that was about $230 more per person.

I checked Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity and they show the same rates (without the supposed veterans discount) that carnival offered me .

I understand that fuel and food are up$ but it does not add up.

Any ideas??

 

Thanks in advance.

[aggieastrosfan]

Demand. Ships are sailing full, so prices are going up.

[Chigirlcruzin]

Sorry you were ill, but glad to hear you're doing better!

 

Besides demand, several factors could be impacting the pricing (well, ultimately, most of these are factors of demand).

 

Is the itinerary the same? The Glory Eastern stops at 3 ports, whereas the Western stops at 4, so port charges could have an impact if the itinerary is different.

 

What week are you sailing? You said it was one week earlier than last year...that one week could make a difference as your currently planned cruise could be during the last historical week with all the families before the kiddos headed off to school.

 

Also, you mention that you had 4 booked but now want to do 3. Did you have 4 in a cabin before or 2 cabins of 2? For this cruise, are you going to have 1 in a cabin alone and 2 in another, or all 3 in one cabin? All of these things will make a difference on how your price comes out.

 

I'm finding pricing to be slightly lower this year, but I'm not sailing at the same time, so it's not a fair comparison. I'm paying about $40 less for a 7 day late October cruise than I did for a 7 day early December cruise.

 

One more thing, and I'm sure you already know this, but get insurance this time :)

[lvtotrvl1]

AS another poster mentioned..its supply and demand. Cruises are sailing at capacity..especially summer months. If you can travel in the fall (or anytime kids are in school) you will see lower prices. CCL does not allow advertising lower than their rate, so you will find the same pricing wherever you look.

[ebergg]

Sorry you were ill, but glad to hear you're doing better!

 

Besides demand, several factors could be impacting the pricing (well, ultimately, most of these are factors of demand).

 

Is the itinerary the same? The Glory Eastern stops at 3 ports, whereas the Western stops at 4, so port charges could have an impact if the itinerary is different.

 

What week are you sailing? You said it was one week earlier than last year...that one week could make a difference as your currently planned cruise could be during the last historical week with all the families before the kiddos headed off to school.

 

Also, you mention that you had 4 booked but now want to do 3. Did you have 4 in a cabin before or 2 cabins of 2? For this cruise, are you going to have 1 in a cabin alone and 2 in another, or all 3 in one cabin? All of these things will make a difference on how your price comes out.

 

I'm finding pricing to be slightly lower this year, but I'm not sailing at the same time, so it's not a fair comparison. I'm paying about $40 less for a 7 day late October cruise than I did for a 7 day early December cruise.

 

One more thing, and I'm sure you already know this, but get insurance this time :)

Thanks , i understand your point. this years cruise leaves on 8/11 , last years was 8/19. less cruisers in cabin etc,

Maybe my question should have been about this "veterans dsicount" . why are the travel sites , (travelocity , Orbitz, etc) showing the same rates ?

[flitter306]

If you're using the military rate, there may not be anymore military rate cabins for that sailing. I think they only block off a certain number of military rate cabins and once they are full, that's it. We use my fiancee's military rate and it's usually quite a bit cheaper than the past guest rate and the regular rate.

[Frenchsnowhite]

I booked exactly that cruise for august 2008, and we choose to leave on August 16th because a week earlier was 100$ more p.p.!! We are 5, so it counts!

 

Maybe if you choose a week after the price will be better!;)

[GeoHack]

Thanks , i understand your point. this years cruise leaves on 8/11 , last years was 8/19. less cruisers in cabin etc,

Maybe my question should have been about this "veterans dsicount" . why are the travel sites , (travelocity , Orbitz, etc) showing the same rates ?

 

Although it may not seem like a big difference in date, 8/11 and 8/19 are different depending on where you live. Some schools are back in service by the time a 8/19 cruise is done. Also you won't find as good a military discount on Prime Time kids out of school sailing periods. I bet if you checked the price of that cruise for September you'll see it for 30% less if not more.

[PelicanBill]

Here's a comparison of RCI and Carnival cruise prices

we have received in the last 3 years. 2 Adults and 1

child, including insurance taxes and port charges.

 

These are all non-holiday, low season times.

 

Note that Glory was more expensive that both

Royal Caribbean ships!

 

 

Jan 2005 Carnival Gory 7 day (plus air, $600)

$2800, $400/day

 

Oct 2005 RCI Voyager of the Seas 9 day

$3579, $397/day

 

Oct 2006 RCI Explorer of the Seas 9 day

$3465, $200 OBC, net $3265, $362/day

 

Oct 2007 Carnival Destiny 7 day (plus air, $1200)

$2070, free insurance from TA, net $1900, $271/day