Is this a good price?

[Rock'n Robin]

Please forgive my ignorance on cruise pricing. When we did the 4 day wonder we used DVC points; last year my parents picked up the tab.
I got a quote for two cat. 10 rooms for the 8/5/06 eastern caribbean. $7100! Wow, I thought that was high (BTW it's 2 adults, 3 kids 14,11, 8, although I know we will be paying for 4 adults for the 2 rooms). Insurance but no air (not messing around with early August sailings after this year!) This was a dreams quote.
For grins, I got a quote on the same cruise for a cat. 4 room that holds all of us. $9700!!!! That was on the DCL website.
Is this normal? Seemed high for booking almost 2 years in advance. yes I know, it's high season, but I teach and that's the only option available.
Robin M.

 

[westjones]

I noticed that the peak season rates seemed to go up a lot in 2006, but the value season rates only went up a little. I have heard that it is less expensive to get 2 Cat. 10 rooms than to get one Cat. 4 room.

Did you check around? DU and All Seasons Travel can usually beat the DCL website. For DU, click on their ad at the top of the page. For All Seasons go to their website:

http://www.allseastravel.com/

All I can say is that the prices will only go up. DCL never seems to lower their prices or offer deals. The peak seasons seem to sell no matter what the price.

Have you looked at spring break? If it isn't the week of Easter, you may get a lower price. We were looking at summer 2006, but noticed that our spring break time is less in 2006 then the summer rates.

DJ

P.S. Since you have a 14 year old in the room, you could always consider two Cat. 11 rooms to save some too. The rooms won't connect but you could get rooms right next to each other.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Hi Robin,

I've posted on this issue a couple of times this week. I thought prices were high for 2006 too, at least school vacation periods. In fact, we were planning to go with the Dis group we met on our August cruise Easter week 2006 but I just couldn't justify the difference in price of $1700 (especially since newbie friends are cruising with us next time) so now we're booked for February instead. I'm really bummed about it but we don't have money to burn. I really don't know how much higher prices can go before it's not affordable anymore. Opinions have been mixed on the boards.

Try looking at other weeks and you may be able to lower that price. (Possibly winter, May, late August or Fall??)

P.S. How is your new baby?

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I wish I could go another time, but the only other time I have a complete week off is spring break or Christmas--also peak times. And our school district is still pretty traditional in that spring break is always the week before or after Easter itself.
I EMailed dreams to see if the SPH rooms were available. The rooms we had been assigned were deck 7 forward. I also asked what the difference would be to maybe have a cat. 6 or 7 with a cat. 11 across the hall. I am looking for a little sunlight, since there are 3 days at sea. If not, I'd like to maybe get inside rooms on the other end of deck 7 so we can enjoy the "secret" verandah.
Pea-n-me-, if you mean our puppy Sophie, she is a spitfire. She is keeping us hopping. We have to watch her all of the time or she can escape from the yard, chew a shoe (right next to a chew toy), or run upstairs and pee in someone's room. She is caged at night. She's great except when she's really, really hyper, then she needs ritalin.
Robin M.