6 grand for a one week cruise?

[tink1970]

I agree, "worth it" and "value" is very subjective. We are taking a Med cruise next year with 3 generations. This will be a trip of a lifetime for my mother. She is familiar with the Wonder so she'll be comfortable on the Magic, which is important. My DH also is a creature of habit, so he is amenable to the trip (so important when he's footing the large bill!). DD has deigned to accompany us (only excited about it after telling her it was Disney), so I'm thrilled we have one last family vacation before University. To me, having all of them happy and in agreement about our summer vacation is priceless.

 

[Ofinn]

the

That's the only way I think they will sell. I have no desire to have a GTY, so we'll see how MSC is in a better category for less price. I'm looking at 2017, not '16.. But I'm sure they will offer a GTY next year as well..I just can't imagine how many people will really pay the full price. Some will sure, but not enough.. I could be wrong though.

You want a GT rate not a GTY. Anyway, I expect to see many cruises discounted over the next year with GT rates and all the other discounts DCL offers. There are a few cruises each year that are reasonably priced like the transatlantics, a few of the European cruises in May and Sept, and the repositioning cruises. Other than those type cruises I'm not seeing anything I would book at full price. I do see a lot of availability on a lot of cruises though. I think their strategy is to sucker as many people in at the high prices probably the same people that come to these boards and talk about how you have to book opening day, DCL sells out all their cruises, DCL has no competition, DCL can charge what they want because people pay etc etc etc. I've been on so many cruises that were filled with cast members, military, travel agents, etc. I don't get it, but it's the way DCL does their pricing.

 

[DnA2010]

Here is an apples to apples comparison for 2 adults and 1 child (13yrs) For the week of March 11th 2017 which would be our daughter's spring break here's how the prices look today:

DCL Fantasy Eastern Caribbean for a Category 5D balcony midship room (246 sq. ft incl. balcony) would be $6,816US (or $8,936 Canadian)

RCCL Allure Eastern Caribbean for a Superior Ocean view with balcony (232 sq. ft incl. balcony) would be $4,967 Canadian (we can book in Canadian funds with RCCL). Plus the are currently offering a free $100 OBC.

Yes the DCL one is a Star Wars cruise. And trust me I'm the biggest Star Wars fan/nerd in the family! And we are gold DCL cruisers so we love cruising with the mouse!
However I can't with good conscience spend an extra $4000 on a week long caribbean cruise when we know we will have a good time at a lower price.

I was also pricing spring break 2017- later weeks, but getting similar numbers (Canadian also) while we loved loved our cruise last year on the fantasy, we also loved our cruise on oasis- we put them equal- loved different things of each. I'd prob pay $1000 more to experience Disney again someday, but not 4k

 

[lbus42]

the

You want a GT rate not a GTY. Anyway, I expect to see many cruises discounted over the next year with GT rates and all the other discounts DCL offers. There are a few cruises each year that are reasonably priced like the transatlantics, a few of the European cruises in May and Sept, and the repositioning cruises. Other than those type cruises I'm not seeing anything I would book at full price. I do see a lot of availability on a lot of cruises though. I think their strategy is to sucker as many people in at the high prices probably the same people that come to these boards and talk about how you have to book opening day, DCL sells out all their cruises, DCL has no competition, DCL can charge what they want because people pay etc etc etc. I've been on so many cruises that were filled with cast members, military, travel agents, etc. I don't get it, but it's the way DCL does their pricing.

I like how you refer to people like me as a "sucker" because I have a different opinion than you.

 

[ctnurse]

I agree that DCL prices have gotten out of hand. We sailed on the 12 Night Baltic Cruise in 2015 and have the exact same room booked for the 12 Med Cruise this summer. It is costing us $3000 more one year later. DH and I have decided we aren't sailing on DCL next summer unless we can get a GTY rate.


Instead we are going to book the #1 All Inclusive in the World for 2015 ( from Trip Advisor) for less than the cost per night that we are paying for DCL, including AI, which you can dine at 8 different restaurants, including all alcoholic drinks, even bottles of wine and champagne, excursions ( 1 for every 2 nights you stay), and 25 pieces of laundry for every 4 days you stay. It is a no-brainer to pick the Maldives instead of DCL. This is even during "peak" travel season in the Maldives.

 

[Flossbolna]

I like how you refer to people like me as a "sucker" because I have a different opinion than you.

That is not what she said. She said that Disney has a strange strategy and creates an urge that causes people to book at prices that are too high. She used "sucker" as a verb describing Disney's actions.

And I have experienced this myself. The inaugural Norwegian Fjords cruise last year was actually showing a lot of availability for a long time and prices only went up a little bit since original booking. I then heard from a friend who is friends with CMs that they were offering amazing CM rates for this cruise - far less for a verandah room than what we had paid on opening day for our 11C inside with onboard booking discount. And then it seemed that nearly 1/3 of the passengers were either travel agents or CMs or related to CMs. There never was any discount offered for our cruise, no IGT, OGT, VGT rates though. So, as someone who is a normal person and does not have access to any discounts, we still had the cheapest room available. But I can tell you that it did stink a little if you constantly heard people talk about what a fantastic deal they got for their cruise while for me it was the most expensive cruise I had taken with Disney so far (yes, even more expensive than the 15-night WBPC)!

 

[keaster]

I was also pricing spring break 2017- later weeks, but getting similar numbers (Canadian also) while we loved loved our cruise last year on the fantasy, we also loved our cruise on oasis- we put them equal- loved different things of each. I'd prob pay $1000 more to experience Disney again someday, but not 4k

I agree! $4000 can get you a whole extra vacation! I am hoping that someday DCL will allow us to book in Canadian dollars as the exchange rate is so volatile!

 

[21stamps]

I was also pricing spring break 2017- later weeks, but getting similar numbers (Canadian also) while we loved loved our cruise last year on the fantasy, we also loved our cruise on oasis- we put them equal- loved different things of each. I'd prob pay $1000 more to experience Disney again someday, but not 4k

How old were your kids when you went on the Oasis?

 

[jahber]

What's interesting is what I found in our Cruise Meets thread for our next cruise in September. There are many first time cruisers and many first time DCL cruisers. Did they check prices of the other cruise lines? I would assume so. I don't agree with the notion that there are more people leaving DCL than joining. If that was the case, attendance would be down along with prices. That obviously isn't happening. For every Platinum cruiser who goes elsewhere, there is a new cruiser that jumps on board and the cycle starts over

You know, I'm usually a really really savvy shopper. I compare prices religiously. But when we took our first cruise, it was a Disney cruise and I didn't even LOOK at other cruise lines. I wanted Disney. We sailed on a VGT rate, which ended up being the worst deal of all of our 6 cruises (but it was a truly amazing cruise, so worth it!). It was only after DCL prices started going haywire 2 years ago that we looked at other cruise lines. We've since jumped ship, so to speak. We did 6 cruises in 2 years on DCL and none in the past 2 years. I'd say they've lost a customer. Maybe for life, if they don't stop this pricing nonsense.

 

[RedSox68]

There have been many threads about the shock value anymore of Disney's prices. Ridiculous is not even a large enough word when comparing to every other cruise line. As I stated in a previous thread, we priced out Disney's 12-night British Isles cruise last year, then quickly booked one on Princess -- exact same itinerary, exact same room category, and it was about $11,000 cheaper than Disney's price! That's is beyond nuts! Disney wanted $18,000 for the three of us and we paid a little less than $8,000 on Princess. There's a limit to loyalty.

 

[Ofinn]

I like how you refer to people like me as a "sucker" because I have a different opinion than you.

It was used as verb I wasn't calling anybody that.

 

[RedSox68]

It was used as verb I wasn't calling anybody that. I'll change it to a different verb.

I get the terminology -- and you do feel suckered in because you love their brand and want to be "loyal", but there is a limit. I fall for it every single itinerary release -- putting in my waitlist request to my TA and believing that this will be the time that Disney will be reasonable with pricing!

 

[Ofinn]

That is not what she said. She said that Disney has a strange strategy and creates an urge that causes people to book at prices that are too high. She used "sucker" as a verb describing Disney's actions.

And I have experienced this myself. The inaugural Norwegian Fjords cruise last year was actually showing a lot of availability for a long time and prices only went up a little bit since original booking. I then heard from a friend who is friends with CMs that they were offering amazing CM rates for this cruise - far less for a verandah room than what we had paid on opening day for our 11C inside with onboard booking discount. And then it seemed that nearly 1/3 of the passengers were either travel agents or CMs or related to CMs. There never was any discount offered for our cruise, no IGT, OGT, VGT rates though. So, as someone who is a normal person and does not have access to any discounts, we still had the cheapest room available. But I can tell you that it did stink a little if you constantly heard people talk about what a fantastic deal they got for their cruise while for me it was the most expensive cruise I had taken with Disney so far (yes, even more expensive than the 15-night WBPC)!

This was our Hawaii cruise. No GT rates, but half the ship was Disney employees.

 

[Flossbolna]

This was our Hawaii cruise. No GT rates, but half the ship was Disney employees.

Yes, it felt like they did everything to prevent the public to see that they were not able those prestigeous itineraries at their current prices.

 

[Ofinn]

Yes, it felt like they did everything to prevent the public to see that they were not able those prestigeous itineraries at their current prices.

I'm sure this will be our Iceland cruise. A lot of people on the cruise meet thread have booked in the last two months. I don't know what discounts they booked with. DCL did offer GT rates that were about 30% off, but then they turned around and raised the prices for 2017.

 

[tinkerone]

For DCL its all perception and hope. If we perceive the ships are full than we will want to be on them because something good must be happening. It also helps the naysayers who think everything is still good (I mean look the ships are full) to keep believing that they are getting a good deal and we are losing out. I could tell things were off just by the number of commercials they now have. If things are great you don't need to waste the expensive advertising money however if you need to pull in new clients and you have lost your word of mouth then you need to advertise or sink (see what I did there??).

Happy people are still finding it a deal but for how long? How high can it go? Again, time will tell.

 

[Quellman]

I agree, "worth it" and "value" is very subjective. We are taking a Med cruise next year with 3 generations. This will be a trip of a lifetime for my mother. She is familiar with the Wonder so she'll be comfortable on the Magic, which is important. My DH also is a creature of habit, so he is amenable to the trip (so important when he's footing the large bill!). DD has deigned to accompany us (only excited about it after telling her it was Disney), so I'm thrilled we have one last family vacation before University. To me, having all of them happy and in agreement about our summer vacation is priceless.

Agree. We have a 4 generation trip coming up in the next year, was really surprised when it came to be. But, 2 of the families have never done DCL, and the Great Grandmother has sailed once before, so familiarity is a benefit, 2 families, including us, had an OBB benefit to use as well (though we had not actually booked anything with it, nor were planning to use it with the currently released schedules and itineraries. I about died when I started booking and saw the cost. I agree, the family times will be priceless and likely the last opportunity for such a family trip.

There have been many threads about the shock value anymore of Disney's prices. Ridiculous is not even a large enough word when comparing to every other cruise line. As I stated in a previous thread, we priced out Disney's 12-night British Isles cruise last year, then quickly booked one on Princess -- exact same itinerary, exact same room category, and it was about $11,000 cheaper than Disney's price! That's is beyond nuts! Disney wanted $18,000 for the three of us and we paid a little less than $8,000 on Princess. There's a limit to loyalty.

When a cruise is really really port intensive with stops in many different places each day, as is common with many of the Northern Europe and Med cruises, the ship, to me, is less of a factor. If I am literally just using it for evening shows and a place to sleep most days, $11,000 for 7 nights in a slightly bigger room with a split bathroom and broadway shows. I could use that $11,000 for some amazing excursions in all of those ports!

On cruises where there are multiple sea days or ports that I will not be getting off at, I am really paying for more of the ship, and Don't mind paying a modest increase over the competition. I like the Disney movies at the pools, the Disney trivia, and the general on board experience.

 

[Ofinn]

Agree. We have a 4 generation trip coming up in the next year, was really surprised when it came to be. But, 2 of the families have never done DCL, and the Great Grandmother has sailed once before, so familiarity is a benefit, 2 families, including us, had an OBB benefit to use as well (though we had not actually booked anything with it, nor were planning to use it with the currently released schedules and itineraries. I about died when I started booking and saw the cost. I agree, the family times will be priceless and likely the last opportunity for such a family trip.



When a cruise is really really port intensive with stops in many different places each day, as is common with many of the Northern Europe and Med cruises, the ship, to me, is less of a factor. If I am literally just using it for evening shows and a place to sleep most days, $11,000 for 7 nights in a slightly bigger room with a split bathroom and broadway shows. I could use that $11,000 for some amazing excursions in all of those ports!

On cruises where there are multiple sea days or ports that I will not be getting off at, I am really paying for more of the ship, and Don't mind paying a modest increase over the competition. I like the Disney movies at the pools, the Disney trivia, and the general on board experience.

I agree with you, but I don't know where you find a modest increase over the competition anymore. The Caribbean cruises on DCL are a lot times more than the European cruises.

 

[kaseyC]

Sometimes during the off season you may find prices a bit closer but in prime weeks the difference can be insane.

We booked RCI's new Harmony of the Seas for Spring Break 2017. We concierge cruisers so I booked one of the Crown Loft suites on the Harmony (a one bedroom 2 level suite) for under $9K for 4. A one bedroom Cat. T for the exact same week on the Fantasy for 4 is about $26K. This is a 7 night caribbean cruise, nothing exotic or new. IMO, there is nothing on DCL that makes it worth about $17K more than RCI for a standard caribbean itinerary. Even the concierge perks are better on Royal. To be fair, I booked under one of RCI's wow sales but even now with the same cabin being around $11K on RCI, it's still much less than DCL.

 

[RedSox68]

When a cruise is really really port intensive with stops in many different places each day, as is common with many of the Northern Europe and Med cruises, the ship, to me, is less of a factor. If I am literally just using it for evening shows and a place to sleep most days, $11,000 for 7 nights in a slightly bigger room with a split bathroom and broadway shows. I could use that $11,000 for some amazing excursions in all of those ports!

Exactly. We booked our pre and post cruise hotels through Princess for a total of 10 nights, and did all the excursions and still paid thousands less than Disney!