Summer cruise prices on NCLA

[sleepy99]

I am planning a trip to Hawaii this summer, and would like to include a cruise on the POAmerica. However, I really don't want to pay a thousand dollars+ per person for inside cabins (we are a family of 4) on an apparently second rate cruise ship. Does anyone have any idea when the prices for these cruises drop? How low do they go? If I book at the higher rate now to secure cabin location what are the odds of getting a price adjustment when and if the prices go down before final payment?

[CC Help Michell]

I am planning a trip to Hawaii this summer, and would like to include a cruise on the POAmerica. However, I really don't want to pay a thousand dollars+ per person for inside cabins (we are a family of 4) on an apparently second rate cruise ship. Does anyone have any idea when the prices for these cruises drop? How low do they go? If I book at the higher rate now to secure cabin location what are the odds of getting a price adjustment when and if the prices go down before final payment?

 

There were some amazing deals on the three NCLA ships in Hawaii this past summer. Whether that will happen next summer is anybody's guess. The cruiseline has reduced capacity (by removing Pride of Hawaii from the fleet) because they had too many cabins and were bleeding red ink because of those great special offers they had to make to fill cabins. This year there will be fewer cabins because there are only 2 ships doing the intra-Hawaii itineraries. Whether those prices will come down is pure speculation.

 

One note, it wouldn't be $1099 per person for all four of you if you are in the same cabin -- NCL has very nice 3rd guest (and up) rates. I did a mock booking for June 7 just to see and for an interior cabin the third and fourth guest rate would be $499 each for the inside, and $599 for a balcony. Even at the current rates, four of you could book a balcony cabin for right at $4200, versus the $4000+ you were calculating for an inside cabin -- an inside would be more like $3200 total.

 

I would not count on being able to obtain a price reduction later if you book now; there are tons of threads about this on the main NCL board (where you cross-posted this question). Many price reductions carry the dreaded "new bookings only" limitation.

 

And a final thought -- I wouldn't consider any of the NCLA ships a "second rate cruise ship." If you read the Member Reviews on these ships, and compare them to the reviews of ships from Carnival, Princess, RCCL, and HAL that also visit Hawaii on trips from the US West Coast, the star ratings are the same or higher for the NCLA ships. Like the others, they are "mainstream" cruise ships -- not luxe, or premium. But if your mindset before you even book is that the ship will be "second rate," I'm concerned about that manifesting itself in your vacation experience. I believe a great cruise (any ship, any itinerary) is about 90% up to you, and only about 10% the ship/cruiseline.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide about your Hawaii vacation -- we thought the NCLA cruise was a fabulous way to visit Hawaii for the first time (and far cheaper than we could have visited all four islands on a land-based trip). Now we know where we want to go when we return for a land vacation -- or several -- and probably when we retire as well! :)

[sleepy99]

Thank you for your reply, my estimates were based on getting 2 cabins. The cabins on this ship are VERY small. We have sailed in one cabin on other occassions, but never anything smaller than 160-170 sq ft. And this was when my kids were small, they are teens now. The POAm cabins are 138 sq feet.

 

I know what you're saying about expectations, we have taken a Med and a Baltic cruise in the past, not on "top" lines and been very happy. I didn't mean to knock NCL, but I don't expect 5* service or 5* food.

[CC Help Michell]

Thank you for your reply, my estimates were based on getting 2 cabins. The cabins on this ship are VERY small. We have sailed in one cabin on other occassions, but never anything smaller than 160-170 sq ft. And this was when my kids were small, they are teens now. The POAm cabins are 138 sq feet.

 

I know what you're saying about expectations, we have taken a Med and a Baltic cruise in the past, not on "top" lines and been very happy. I didn't mean to knock NCL, but I don't expect 5* service or 5* food.

 

Oh well, in that case (the 5* thing), you probably won't be disappointed. ;) And yes, I personally wouldn't put four grown (or semi-grown) people in an inside cabin, OR a balcony cabin, unless I was feeling particularly masochistic.... even on Carnival (which has the largest cabins I've seen on a cruise ship in "regular" categories) with three in a balcony cabin I was ready to go nuts by the third day of the cruise. I hope the price thing works out for you with two cabins.... there could well be future BIG price drops if the ships aren't filling up.

 

The sad part is.... if anyone's thinking of these cruises for '09 and beyond... if you start seeing those HUGE discounts next summer, I'd advise you to book ASAP. NCLA can't continue to hemorrhage money indefinitely. At some point they must either turn a profit on these cruises, or they'll go the way of American Hawaii.