Australian prices and itineraries are up

[DCLMP]

They are extremely expensive for Australians, more so because they are being priced in $US so until it's paid off it could very well continue to rise.

A few years ago pre-covid I was pricing out Royal and Carnival cruises in Australia and I couldn't believe how affordable they were. That is because those cruiselines priced them in your dollars. Disney pricing them in USD will most likely backfire on them. I can foresee a lot of cancellations. I don't think the people making decisions at Disney are working with full deck these days.

 

[wendlle]

A few years ago pre-covid I was pricing out Royal and Carnival cruises in Australia and I couldn't believe how affordable they were. That is because those cruiselines priced them in your dollars. Disney pricing them in USD will most likely backfire on them. I can foresee a lot of cancellations. I don't think the people making decisions at Disney are working with full deck these days.

They are listing them with the $AU price under the $US one on the DCL website, but I agree with you. I think a lot of people may book originally but then cancel later on as they realise the real cost.

 

[Kwami]

They are listing them with the $AU price under the $US one on the DCL website, but I agree with you. I think a lot of people may book originally but then cancel later on as they realise the real cost.

Why not just pay it off and not worry about the exchange rates changing in the future?

 

[Royal Consort]

A few years ago pre-covid I was pricing out Royal and Carnival cruises in Australia and I couldn't believe how affordable they were. That is because those cruiselines priced them in your dollars. Disney pricing them in USD will most likely backfire on them. I can foresee a lot of cancellations. I don't think the people making decisions at Disney are working with full deck these days.

I agree. Many cruise lines operating in Australia charge in AUD. If Disney does not, it is hubris. To enter a new market without bothering to offer a local product in a local currency beggars belief.

 

[Kwami]

I agree. Many cruise lines operating in Australia charge in AUD. If Disney does not, it is hubris. To enter a new market without bothering to offer a local product in a local currency beggars belief.

On the other hand, if Disney sells out most of the cruises and makes more money or picks up new returning customers than they would have by sailing more Mexican cruises from San Diego or something, then maybe it's a pretty good move.

 

[wendlle]

Why not just pay it off and not worry about the exchange rates changing in the future?

Because not everyone has endless amounts of money
Exchange rates can go up and down by a lot in a year and could add hundreds or thousands of dollars to an already expensive trip

 

[Kwami]

Because not everyone has endless amounts of money
Exchange rates can go up and down by a lot in a year and could add hundreds or thousands of dollars to an already expensive trip

Or it could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars! Who knows which one is more likely? The USD is crazy strong right now against pretty much everything. Is it likely to get even stronger or will it fall a bit?

 

[wendlle]

Or it could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars! Who knows which one is more likely? The USD is crazy strong right now against pretty much everything. Is it likely to get even stronger or will it fall a bit?

No one knows, which is why some people will no doubt cancel.
If they are stretching the budget by paying for an already expensive cruise some people won’t be able to stretch further.

Which is why it’s disappointing they are charging in $US

 

[Intr3pid]

Disney charges most folks in USD - with the exception of the Brits and the Europeans.

The cruise lines that don't - like RCL - have a 2% or so exchange premium built into the converted prices (for anything more than half a year out). If you have a credit card that doesn't charge a conversion fee, you could possibly save that 2% by paying in USD.

I do agree they should find a way to quote in local currencies - to take the F/X volatility out of your mind - and maybe they will after the inaugural season.

 

[DCLMP]

I agree. Many cruise lines operating in Australia charge in AUD. If Disney does not, it is hubris. To enter a new market without bothering to offer a local product in a local currency beggars belief.

I know Carnival has an Carnival Australia web page where cruises are priced in AUD.

 

[DCLMP]

Because not everyone has endless amounts of money
Exchange rates can go up and down by a lot in a year and could add hundreds or thousands of dollars to an already expensive trip

USD is a safe haven right now because global markets and the debt market are unstable. It’s prettiest pig in the barn at the moment. I personally believe the USD will devalue it will just be the last currency to fail. By that time the global economy may be such a mess we won’t care about cruising. It’s an interesting time and not in a good way.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

This is already happening the prices bate increasing due to the interest rates.

 

[Jocelynaus]

How likely that these cruises will sell out before they go on sale for the general public?

I just saw a comment on FB with someone with status worrying they won’t get to book. It didn’t really occur to me it wouldn’t make it to general sale. Does anyone remember if the first European cruises made it to general sale?

I would have thought there were less people with status here and less interest in a cruise to nowhere from Brisbane if you didn’t live here.

 

[Royal Consort]

How likely that these cruises will sell out before they go on sale for the general public?

I just saw a comment on FB with someone with status worrying they won’t get to book. It didn’t really occur to me it wouldn’t make it to general sale. Does anyone remember if the first European cruises made it to general sale?

I would have thought there were less people with status here and less interest in a cruise to nowhere from Brisbane if you didn’t live here.

Relax. It won't sell out on Platinum, Gold or Silver level. There won't be Americans sailing and there's so few of us Australian repeat DCL cruisers. The five of us don't seem to be booking these anyway

 

[wendlle]

How likely that these cruises will sell out before they go on sale for the general public?

I just saw a comment on FB with someone with status worrying they won’t get to book. It didn’t really occur to me it wouldn’t make it to general sale. Does anyone remember if the first European cruises made it to general sale?

I would have thought there were less people with status here and less interest in a cruise to nowhere from Brisbane if you didn’t live here.

They will 100% make it to general sale.
There are some Australians who have sailed before but not enough to fill the ships for each and every sailing.
I am booking one, I decided to go for the 4 night out of Sydney on Feb 12 but I am sure everyone who wants one will be able to book.

 

[DCLMP]

They will 100% make it to general sale.
There are some Australians who have sailed before but not enough to fill the ships for each and every sailing.
I am booking one, I decided to go for the 4 night out of Sydney on Feb 12 but I am sure everyone who wants one will be able to book.

My bet is all these sailings will be heavily discounted a year from now as Disney scrambles to try to fill the ship.

 

[wendlle]

My bet is all these sailings will be heavily discounted a year from now as Disney scrambles to try to fill the ship.

I’m hoping so, then I’ll book another

 

[Jadeey]

I’m hoping so, then I’ll book another

Me too!

I don’t actually want them to make it to the heavily discounted phase though since that will mean the experiment was a failure and they won’t come back.

 

[Jadeey]

So is it platinum booking day today? Or is it the 26th US time rather than Aus/NZ time?

 

[Jocelynaus]

There are 30m people in AUNZ, they are doing just shy of one sailing per million people so I expect it will be full ships.

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