Cruises need to drop prices!
Jun 10, 2020, 5:17 pm
#46
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,120
Cruises are always good for that. Final payment isn't generally due until 90 days before the cruise. We have three cruises booked in 2021, one in 2022, and we're booking another 2022 cruise this week.
Jun 13, 2020, 4:30 am
#47
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles Gold, Hilton HHonors Diamond, and Royal Caribbean Pinnacle Club
Posts: 1,009
Travel industry reports say that cruise bookings are rising weekly for cruises starting later in 2020, then 2021 and 2022. And before you all talk about future cruise credits, only about 35% of the bookings are coming from FCCs. It certainly has not fully recovered, but is improving weekly. There are even sold out cruises for 2021. I think the fact that most cruise lines and airlines are offering generous change or cancellation policies is helping as well.
Jun 13, 2020, 2:12 pm
#48
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,303
Just to back this up, I’ve been checking 2 of the 4 Royal Caribbean cruises I’m booked for in the coming year because my friends want to come but can’t because they are sold out. Even went on Sea Scanner and all the rooms are taken. The other 2 only had suites available.
Just pointing this out as some less frequent cruisers may not be familiar with these change policies since non-refundable bookings became more common a few years ago and are priced lower than refundable fares. Future cruise credit is line specific and has limited terms of usage, even with the more flexible cancellation policies https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/r...-cancellations
My 2021 Celebrity passages (initial deposit made while onboard) bookings are flexible enough to move before final payment and I expect to move them when new sailings get announced for 2022 & 2023 this fall. Some of the 2021 prices didn't appeal when I shifted the bookings in late 2019 so I was already treating them as self managed "open bookings".
Last edited by freecia; Jun 13, 2020 at 2:25 pm
Jun 13, 2020, 10:26 pm
#49
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles Gold, Hilton HHonors Diamond, and Royal Caribbean Pinnacle Club
Posts: 1,009
I'm guessing SkaterJasp is aware, but RCL went to non-refundable deposits for certain suite & guarantee categories a few years ago https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2...e-cruise-fares https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2...eposit-program as did Celebrity for suites. There is a $100 change fee to move the booking unless you happen to have an pre-regulation Future Cruise/Open future cruise booking.
That is true normally.. however, with COVID-19, RCL now have a temporary program, “cruise with confidence”. All booking made by August 1, you can change to a different booking with no fees as long as it’s done 48 hours prior to the original sailing. In some case, will even price protect.. but I think it has to be a similar cruise to what was originally booked. More details can be found at https://loyaltoyoualways.com/service...thconfidence1/ I would of posted the link directly to the Royal Caribbean site, but it’s currently down for maintenance.
Last edited by SkaterJasp; Jun 13, 2020 at 10:30 pm Reason: Added more detail
Jun 14, 2020, 1:17 pm
#50
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,303
That is true normally.. however, with COVID-19, RCL now have a temporary program, “cruise with confidence”. All booking made by August 1, you can change to a different booking with no fees as long as it’s done 48 hours prior to the original sailing. In some case, will even price protect.. but I think it has to be a similar cruise to what was originally booked. More details can be found at https://loyaltoyoualways.com/service...thconfidence1/ I would of posted the link directly to the Royal Caribbean site, but it’s currently down for maintenance.
Booking strategy might depend on how comfortable people are with being issued future cruise credit vs refund. In my mind, cash refund of refundable deposit outside final payment is more flexible than than a future cruise credit with expiry date. Paying $100 to move it without cruise with confidence might allow moving a non-refundable deposit beyond April 2022? Future bookings might have different terms, of course.
On the sort of upside, the Best Price Guarantee up until 48 hours of sailing for US bookings is a nice documented change https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence though it also leads me to suspect they may not be dropping prices very much.
Jun 14, 2020, 1:28 pm
#51
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles Gold, Hilton HHonors Diamond, and Royal Caribbean Pinnacle Club
Posts: 1,009
On the sort of upside, the Best Price Guarantee up until 48 hours of sailing for US bookings is a nice documented change https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence though it also leads me to suspect they may not be dropping prices very much.
