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-   -   Cruise pricing (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cruises/1745143-cruise-pricing.html)

747FC Mar 5, 2016 11:58 am


Originally Posted by mules (Post 26288702)
I just booked an Athens to Venice cruise and paid more than I wanted for late August 2016 departure.

HOWEVER I also booked business class air on American for $2600 which offsets the higher cruise price. Thanks to Flyertalk premium fare forum I knew how to look for the airfare.

Are you referring to the "Premium Fare Deals" under the Mileage Run Deals Forum?

mules Mar 5, 2016 2:08 pm

Yes. I have booked many family trips based on the information gathered there. Usually I find a deal and then we go. There is a randomness to our travel that we enjoy. I am just fortunate that this latest deal coincided with a long desired trip that a relative wants to take.

747FC Mar 5, 2016 3:49 pm


Originally Posted by mules (Post 26289543)
Yes. I have booked many family trips based on the information gathered there. Usually I find a deal and then we go. There is a randomness to our travel that we enjoy. I am just fortunate that this latest deal coincided with a long desired trip that a relative wants to take.

Thanks, I'll have to keep this in mind as my bountiful supply of F mileage seats is due to meet an untimely end :)

iluvcruising2 Mar 5, 2016 10:55 pm

If you are going to cruise during busy seasons, then book early. The prices can only go up.

We have had significant price drops in the past, because we sailed during off-peak season. E.g. sailing in the Med during Nov/Dec, you can get some good deals.

But over time, we found it more difficult to get deals. Why? The cruise lines move their ships to where the demand is!

A real example - the price kept dropping for a cruise on Celebrity Silhouette we took a few years ago - http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogsp...-adriatic.html

Thankfully we had a good travel agent who helped us get lower prices along the way, and even after final payment, she still managed to wrangle some perks out of the cruise line.

When we got on board, many passengers (most American) whom I spoke to told me that they never planned to come on this cruise, but the last minute deals were so compelling they decided to do it.

The next year, Celebrity moved the same ship to the Caribbean way earlier.

YVR Cockroach Mar 8, 2016 5:17 pm

I tend to book unpopular cruises, i.e. repos because I love them as a means of transportation. Prices tend to drop on these though TATLs are not as cheap as they once were and TPACs never were.

That said, I booked a repo to get me home from the LGB area end of the month. Cruiseco was asking a minimum of $500 for the longest time until sales department got serious in January and started to lower the price, dropping to USD 169 for all cheap cabins (internal, window and balcony grades) last week. Booked a GTY and was assigned a cabin that someone on drugs would pay that much for (USD330 for a 4 night cruise?)

Sitting in H.K. right now waiting to, hopefully, board a ship to take me TPAC in a few hours.

dogfan Mar 15, 2016 1:30 pm

Which website gives the best deal on cruise to Alaska
from Vancouver ?

jww947 Mar 15, 2016 2:35 pm


Originally Posted by dogfan (Post 26336872)
Which website gives the best deal on cruise to Alaska
from Vancouver ?

Does the type of ship/cruise matter (e.g., Disney Cruise, Carnival, etc)? What time frame: Spring, Summer Winter, Fall? Are you looking for bargain basement or bargain specialty (i.e., Bargain Business)?

DaveBlaine Mar 15, 2016 3:20 pm


Originally Posted by dogfan (Post 26336872)
Which website gives the best deal on cruise to Alaska
from Vancouver ?

Whoa! Easy there. Too many details all at once. ;)

jww947 Mar 15, 2016 3:21 pm


Originally Posted by DaveBlaine (Post 26337482)
Whoa! Easy there. Too many details all at once. ;)

Just trying to help. I'll slow down.

DaveBlaine Mar 15, 2016 3:27 pm


Originally Posted by jww947 (Post 26337491)
Just trying to help. I'll slow down.

That post wasn't meant for you. Maybe re-read it and you'll see who I quoted.

Thank you and enjoy the rest of your day.

ranles Mar 25, 2016 3:10 pm

Okay, we cruise fairly often. Mostly once a year. Our last three Holland America cruises have had price reduction (s) after our early booking (6 mos to 9 months in advance). All three times we have been able to get our travel agent to get us all or part of that new pricing and still give us the discount that that is offered by her internet/physical agency. We are Mariner members, and get special offers in the mail.

Money Magazine, April 2016 on page 46 talks about some flat cruise pricing on Princess for 7 day cruises since 2013 and some special deals on Crystal (naturally at a higher starting level) Cruises having decreased prices 6% from 2014 to 2015.

I would suspect that the lower prices are a result of low fuel costs, continued stagnation of most economies around the world, the large number of additional capacity coming on stream, and more recently the number of ports that are "hot" in term of security issues and terrorism. So more cabins to sell, lower costs for the cruise lines, matched against less ability and/or inclination to travel by ship. Seniors, a large target market, especially on long cruises, have seen interest rates of saving of nominal levels for a long time now.


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