Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

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Kendhni
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Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#1

Post by Kendhni »

Is it just me or is the price of cruising really starting to push upwards?

We have cruises booked for 2018 and 2019 (booked when they became available) but we were looking again recently for a second holiday next year and the prices seem to have really shot up. The Med cruises we have been looking at are currently up by about 40% over what we paid in 2015.

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towny44
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

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Post by towny44 »

Yes Ken, I think its because of sterlings devaluation, most non UK lines are trying to maximise their sterling prices to negate this, and of course this allows the UK lines to raise their prices as well. But this inflationary effect is also impacting all holiday prices.
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david63
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#3

Post by david63 »

It is not something that I really take much notice of - I look at each cruise on its merits and if I am happy with the price I book and if I am not happy with the price then I don't book.

Two things that I have noticed over the last couple of years or so, certainly with P&O, is that the "best" prices are when the bookings are first available and that the nonsense of late booking prices has all but stopped. I have seen late saver prices a month or so before a cruise being higher than select prices on opening day.

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barney
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#4

Post by barney »

I agree that there has been a bit of an increase lately but our 2018 Med cruise is still only slightly more expensive than I paid for similar in 2010, by booking on opening day.
This select price difference now is about £850 for the two of us.
One thing is for sure, the bargain days are over.

I recall booking a late trip on Oriana a few years back at £54 per night each, for an outside cabin.
12 nights to the Med and back in mid October.
The weather was fantastic as well.
Friday night I paid £93 for room only in a Premier Inn.
Empty vessels .. and all that

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GillD46
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#5

Post by GillD46 »

I do think prices have risen, but we think either it's acceptable to us and we book it, or we don't. Generally, we can make a case for booking if we want to go, even if it means cutting back on another holiday. We have been known on occasion to "borrow" from our savings if it's something we really want to book, rather than pay out of income, and then put back out of income afterwards.
Gill

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#6

Post by Kenmo1 »

GillD46 wrote: 06 Aug 2017, 09:50
I do think prices have risen, but we think either it's acceptable to us and we book it, or we don't. Generally, we can make a case for booking if we want to go, even if it means cutting back on another holiday. We have been known on occasion to "borrow" from our savings if it's something we really want to book, rather than pay out of income, and then put back out of income afterwards.
I wish we were as disciplined as you Gill. We use our savings but haven't got the discipline to pay it back. It just gets spent on another cruise instead. However, I do agree with previous posters in that prices have risen and the late bargains have disappeared. We are finding that the daily rate per cabin on some longer cruises work out a bit better. Well, that's our excuse for doing the 18/19 night cruises.

Maureen


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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#7

Post by Whynd1 »

I pay the single supplement, and it has been mentioned before on this forum that a few years ago it was approx 45 to 50% nowadays it more like 75 to 80%.

If it rises any further then I will not be able to do as many cruises per year.
Two of these were booked when the brochure came out. The other although only booked a few months ago for Oriana next March was a good price.

Lindsey


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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#8

Post by Boris+ »

It's all relative

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#9

Post by Manoverboard »

Why are we surprised that the price of cruising is on the increase ..... everything else is as well.

ps .... I blame Brexit :lol:
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

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Post by oldbluefox »

Manoverboard wrote: 06 Aug 2017, 14:35
ps .... I blame Brexit :lol:
Behave!!! Actually everything else is blamed on Brexit so why not cruising? :thumbup:

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

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Post by towny44 »

oldbluefox wrote: 06 Aug 2017, 15:19
Manoverboard wrote: 06 Aug 2017, 14:35
ps .... I blame Brexit :lol:
Behave!!! Actually everything else is blamed on Brexit so why not cruising? :thumbup:
Even as a pro Brexiteer it's hard to deny that sterling's fall is due to the referendum vote, plus of course the financial pundits.
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oldbluefox
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#12

Post by oldbluefox »

Over the years financial pundits have claimed that the pound is overvalued and pre-Brexit the value of the pound against other currencies has fallen. When we first went to Germany the exchange rate was 8.50DM to the pound. When we returned to UK it was down to 4.25DM, ie half its value 15 years later.
I have no doubt the uncertainty over the process of Brexit will be a contributory factor I do believe Brexit is being blamed for some initiatives which are speculative and have no basis in Brexit whatsoever. Political wrangling does not help.

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#13

Post by oldbluefox »

I have noticed the price of cruising getting more expensive. What concerns me is that more and more is being added to the 'to be paid for' list and many of the little niceties to which we have become accustomed have quietly been dropped, presumably as cost-cutting measures.
Ultimately I fear the lure of cruising will diminish as the cost increases especially if they continue cutting back on the product they are offering.

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allatc
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#14

Post by allatc »

I think prices have definitely increased on the last 18 months. I also suspect that the only thing keeping them from rising even more is the number of cruise beds now on sale with the arrival of several large ships.


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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#15

Post by daib GC »

Certainly the prices are not as they were. However the biggest difference is the lack of very deep discounted cruises being offered within 3 to 6 month before the sailing date. Clearly due to the greater take up of cruising spaces. All recent figures show cruising from the UK rising by 8% to 9%.

All of this certainly reinforces the fact that the best time to book a cruise is on day one of release. We are still booking cruises which are less per night than our first cruise in 2001. That will do me. It does scare me when I look at the prices quoted for the cruises I have booked for the next 18 month. I could not afford some of them at all.

Cruising is more popular and so the prices go up. This will only go up with all the stories of long delays at airports.

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#16

Post by wolfie »

Many years ago when there was a cruise that was a one off, we booked when bookings opened to get the cabin of our choice and the actual cruise. Waiting on tenterhooks to see if our TA had got us what we wanted, they inevitably did as they are a cruise only agency.
This was when P&O only did US & Canada once, on one ship per year, same with Greenland.

However, booking early has not suited us for a few years now but we did so 2 years ago. Two cruises, one of 20 nights and another of 30 nights. As balcony cabins were in short supply, on this particular ship, we were happy with the price that we paid when we booked, even if it was a 5 figure sum. However, when browsing the internet one night, looking to book another cruise, I found that the price had dropped so much, and the OBC had also increased by a huge amount, that by cancelling, losing our deposit and rebooking, we actually saved over £3000.00. Our TA cancelled and rebooked the same cabins for both crusises within minutes. This was months after booking and respectively, 6 and 9 months before departure date.

Since then, as circumstances have not allowed us to book so far ahead, we have also enjoyed some excellent last minute, well, a few months away from departure cruises, at a very good price, on a select fare, with generous OBC.

So, years ago booking early may have been the way to go, and when there were not so many ships sailing from the UK, it may have been better to book early but now, I just wish that I could book anything at any price.

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#17

Post by Kendhni »

wolfie wrote: 06 Aug 2017, 22:51
I found that the price had dropped so much, and the OBC had also increased by a huge amount, that by cancelling, losing our deposit and rebooking, we actually saved over £3000.00.
I thought it was now illegal for a company to hold onto deposits beyond provable costs they have incurred with the onus being on the business to mitigate any losses. Since you rebooked there was no loss to the business therefore the deposit should be refunded (less genuine provable costs) - if it was one of those ultra low deposit bookings then admin costs may eat up the full amount, however if the deposit was substantial then you should apply to have it refunded.
Last edited by Kendhni on 07 Aug 2017, 05:34, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#18

Post by Stephen »

Trouble sleeping Ken

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towny44
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#19

Post by towny44 »

Kendhni wrote: 07 Aug 2017, 05:33
wolfie wrote: 06 Aug 2017, 22:51
I found that the price had dropped so much, and the OBC had also increased by a huge amount, that by cancelling, losing our deposit and rebooking, we actually saved over £3000.00.
I thought it was now illegal for a company to hold onto deposits beyond provable costs they have incurred with the onus being on the business to mitigate any losses. Since you rebooked there was no loss to the business therefore the deposit should be refunded (less genuine provable costs) - if it was one of those ultra low deposit bookings then admin costs may eat up the full amount, however if the deposit was substantial then you should apply to have it refunded.
Ken, can we rely on you to pursue all our claims for lost deposits with P&O?
I think the fact that deposits are non refundable is listed under P&O's booking T&Cs, which makes it rather difficult to claim them back without a darn good lawyer and very deep pockets.
John

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#20

Post by CaroleF »

We have always, well apart from one cruise and that wasn't on P&O, booked early. As we are fussy - all right I'm fussy - about which cabin I have and which dining sitting, it suits us and we generally get what we consider a decent price with a significant amount of OBC and sometime plus parking plus our usual discount from Bolsover. We booked the 65 night Aurora South America cruise next January on the day it opened. I always imagined that they might divide the trip into sectors later on but they haven't and it has sold well. When I last looked our grade of cabin had sold out. Before that when some cabins were still available the total cost had increased by £7000! That certainly made John feel better about the amount of money it was costing us - all his idea I might add, not mine, not that I argued!

Carole

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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#21

Post by barney »

I took advice from DaiB who occasionally posts on here saying always book really early OR really late - never in between.
Sound advice in my opinion.
I like to think that I have an eye for a deal, and if I don't like the look of it, I walk away.
At the end of the day, it's a holiday, nothing more, nothing less.
Empty vessels .. and all that

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wolfie
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Re: Is the price of cruising pushing upward?

#22

Post by wolfie »

Kendhni wrote: 07 Aug 2017, 05:33
wolfie wrote: 06 Aug 2017, 22:51
I found that the price had dropped so much, and the OBC had also increased by a huge amount, that by cancelling, losing our deposit and rebooking, we actually saved over £3000.00.
I thought it was now illegal for a company to hold onto deposits beyond provable costs they have incurred with the onus being on the business to mitigate any losses. Since you rebooked there was no loss to the business therefore the deposit should be refunded (less genuine provable costs) - if it was one of those ultra low deposit bookings then admin costs may eat up the full amount, however if the deposit was substantial then you should apply to have it refunded.
We cancelled, therefore lost our deposit as per the T&C's. We didn't cancel and claim on our insurance, there was no need. We didn't transfer to another cruise/s, we wanted the ones that we had booked as the itineraries were unusual.

For both cruises we had paid the usual deposit, a 4 figure + sum, not the one paid on board for £50, as it was then. However, even losing our deposit and re booking at a lower price, as well as the more generous OBC, did save us a great deal of ££££'s. Great TA who cancelled and rebooked within minutes, securing us the same cabin for both cruises. :)

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