Mercury, Big increase in price,R/T LA-Alaska

[marvin]

My T/A is in shock over the big increase in all Cabins on the Mercury April 27, 2009 round trip San Pedro (Los Angeles) to Alaska. Depending on the cabin anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000. Any other big jumps in prices that anyone knows of. Marvin

[Susan-M]

It almost appears to be a mistake in the pricing. I hope you were able to book it before the price increase.

[marvin]

I did. It is not a mistake, we had some friends that wanted to join us, now impossible for them. Marvin

[Susan-M]

The following cruise on May 11th is approx. 60% less expensive ... it's one day shorter, but prices are so far apart that it doesn't make sense (unless I'm missing something else between these two itineraries?)

 

....yes, I did miss something... the less expensive cruise ends in Vancouver, but for a difference of $3000/pp for a balcony, you could spend extra days in B.C., fly back to L.A. and have a good deal of money left over.

[marvin]

We just do not want to fly anymore. Too much of a hassle, with the luggage restrictions,taking off shoes and all the other nonsense our so called homeland security requires. We will just cruise out of Los Angeles or San Diego on round trips. We love to cruise but no more flying. Marvin

[gillianrose]

Round trip Alaska from Los Angeles? Sounds good for people from Southern California, but how would you like to fill up THAT tank of gas?!! Yikes. The prices may be due to the huge fuel bill Celebrity anticpates.

 

I'll have to look to see if there is a round trip on Celebrity from San Francisco. The fuel bill would be lower for Celebrity, and we would love to do that cruise.

[jimgev]

I don't know if this is a reason, but I read somewhere that X is hurting a bit more than other cruise lines because their ships are mostly gas turbines which use more fuel than diesels. They are supposedly considering retrofitting their gas turbine ships to diesels.

I need to say that I really don't know this as fact, I just read it somewhere.:confused:

Jim

[tbelian]

They are supposedly considering retrofitting their gas turbine ships to diesels.

 

They are not considering it, they are actually doing it. But this only applies to 'M' class vessels. Also, the retrofit is not to provide main propulsion, but rather, to supplement electrical power generation when the ship is in port and idle. They are adding diesel power plants to the 'M' class ships.

 

'C' class is not affected as they are already diesel.

[bububr]

is going for 649.00 for an inside, and 699.00 for an ocean view....

 

When we booked at the beginning of the year we got the cheapest OV at 549.00.

 

September 19th, 2008...Vancouver...Seattle...Victoria....Vancouver.

 

Add the cost of flying into Vancouver or travelling from Seattle and the cost increases quite a bit.

 

So basically at this time 3 nights on the Millie at the cheapest inside rate is 216.00 per night plus taxes per person.....PLUS the fuel surcharge.

 

I was a bit shocked when we booked and thought the prices would actually drop.....but they have only gone up as we get closer to embarkation date.

 

Dave:eek:

[Susan-M]

Hi Dave, I was just looking at some 7 day Alaska cruises for Sept. that are in the same price range that the 3 day Millennium cruise is, for inside and OV.

[bububr]

I know...

 

Problem is, John only has 2 vacation days left......So a 7 day won't work for us. We have to settle for a long weekend.

 

But thanks for the research!!!:)

 

Dave:eek:

[RockyTop2]

My T/A is in shock over the big increase in all Cabins on the Mercury April 27, 2009 round trip San Pedro (Los Angeles) to Alaska. Depending on the cabin anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000. Any other big jumps in prices that anyone knows of. Marvin

 

We had the same shock, too. We booked a 15 night Hawaii circle cruise on Mercury out of San Diego for Oct 22, 2008 a year in advance. It has continued to go up and up and recently got up to $1980 per person more than we paid...that is almost $4000 more for the cabin. We booked oceanview and recently those catagories sold out.

[bububr]

That also happened on our upcoming Med. Cruise in a week.

 

We booked onboard almost 2 years ago at 2699.00 per person. 6 months ago the came cabin category was going for 4599.00 per person. We're just glad we booked when we did.

 

Dave:eek:

[Susan-M]

I know...

 

 

But thanks for the research!!!:)

 

Dave:eek:

 

That's OK...I was searching for an Alaska cruise for us and happened to notice your post. Enjoy your Med cruise! :)

[tmyq]

Hi Marvin,

 

I know how you feel this has happened to us quite often. Luckily for us we try to book early and don't pay those rates but alot of our friends do. Most of them are now learning. Anyway I though I would let you know that yesterday I got an email from a friend who got it from his travel agent about this sailing. It looks like their agency still has alot of the orignal Low pricing for this sailing. The have inside, outside, balcony, and cc categories. I can send you the email if you'd like. My wife and I are thinking of doing this one but only have 2 weeks to decide before the rates expire. Hope this helps. Was not sure if you already had you space.

 

J.

[marvin]

TMYG:We booked sky suite on deck 12. This is the 5th cruise we have done on Mercury. I prefer Cabin 1205 but had to take 1207: 1205 shields from the wind caused by ship movement a little better than 1207. Marvin

[CA Oceanfront]

I would be interesting in speaking with your travel agent. I, too, was hit with a $600 per person price hike from the time I received a quote on cruise dot compete (5/13) and the time we booked it 3 days later (5/16).

 

Thanks!

 

p.s.: email is lavere at dock dot net

[tmyq]

Marvin,

 

Nice to see you have secured your cabin. As far as the Cabin you prefer, ask your travel agent to put it on a waitlist. If by some chance whom ever is currently in cancels then you will be the first to get it. My Uncle did this and it worked. Good Luck.

 

Jeff.

[tmyq]

Shangri-La

 

Here's my email address tmyq@aol.com. Send me an email with your info and I can email you the flyer my friend sent to me. Good Luck, from what I see these can't be beat. Hopefully I'll see you on board.

 

Jeff.

[chasetf]

My T/A is in shock over the big increase in all Cabins on the Mercury April 27, 2009 round trip San Pedro (Los Angeles) to Alaska. Depending on the cabin anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000. Any other big jumps in prices that anyone knows of. Marvin

Must be selling out quickly. With the rising costs to fly there are probably more folks wanting to do Alaska without having to fly. LA is a great place to leave from if you live nearby.

[tmyq]

Shangri-La

 

Here's my email address tmyq@aol.com. Send me an email with your info and I can email you the flyer my friend sent to me. Good Luck, from what I see these can't be beat. Hopefully I'll see you on board.

 

Jeff.

 

Marvin,

 

FYI I just got an email from Shangri-la. I sent him the flyer I had and he booked the cruise with a savings of $3100. So if you still have those friends that wanted to go but the rates were too! high they might want to check this out. The flyer has CC cat for $5138 with all the taxes. Good Luck

 

Jeff

[marvin]

Thank you,but they booked another cruise I beleive on Holland America and do not want to switch. They are going to Hawaii out of San Diego. Marvin

[NorthernLite]

I think some of the Mercury increases may be for the same reason we saw them on the Zenith in the months before they sold her. Some want to sail all the X ships or all the categories. We're hoping they'll move the Century over to do the Hawaii Circle since we have missed out on Mercury.

[florisdekort]

I think some of the Mercury increases may be for the same reason we saw them on the Zenith in the months before they sold her. Some want to sail all the X ships or all the categories. We're hoping they'll move the Century over to do the Hawaii Circle since we have missed out on Mercury.

 

Galaxy is leaving the fleet.

[marvin]

anyone else shocked by the increases. Marvin