Most Expensive Fantasy 7 Day Ever?

[Cfudge]

Just noticed that the March 19 sailing only has Cat 5A balcony rooms left. Price for my family of four (6 and 3 year old kids plus two adults) ringing up at just over $10,000! It's a Star Wars day at sea cruise and also must line up with a ton of March Break weeks...but still, has anyone seen a 7 day (non-Christmas?) that's run more expensive?

 

[SuperDry]

I think you nailed it: Star Wars and Spring Break. And from the availability you describe, they're not having any trouble filling the ship at those prices, if only 5A's are left in the veranda category this far out.

 

[bcwife76]

Alaska is more expensive. A Cat 5A balcony will run you $11,295 for the July 4th 2016 7 day sailing.

 

[timrousbeastie]

That's a very high rate indeed. If the Star Wars cruises are successful, my guess is that the Caribbean cruises will soon abandon ports where DCL currently are not bound by contracts. Back before the Star Wars Day at Sea was announced, I was puzzled why the Western itinerary skipped Falmouth between November and April. We deliberately picked the last cruise to visit Jamaica since this is our favorite port. I thought perhaps it was weather related or due to construction in Falmouth, but it now looks like it was a carefully planned move(/experiment?) by DCL. Themed days allow Disney to leverage its brand even more, making itself stand out from the competition, and, if guests are willing to pay a steep premium, I don't see a way back. I wouldn't be at all surprised if all the 2017 Caribbean cruises will skip one of the current ports and have a themed day at sea instead.

 

[funseeker]

I priced summer 2016 in a cat 4c - deluxe family with verandah for about 10k. 7 night Caribbean on fantasy. We are a family of 5 with kids 10-15. RCL was about the same but I would need two staterooms since they don't sleep 5.

 

[steves100]

Alaska is more expensive. A Cat 5A balcony will run you $11,295 for the July 4th 2016 7 day sailing.

Glad we dis 4th of July 2 years ago : )

Used DVC points also

 

[darwinsrule]

There is a reason why a lot of us book on day of release. It isn't uncommon to see prices double (or more) for peak times.

 

[Cfudge]

Alaska is more expensive. A Cat 5A balcony will run you $11,295 for the July 4th 2016 7 day sailing.

Crazy - now the one caveat there being that balcony staterooms on the Fantasy generally seem to be cheaper than on the Magic/Wonder (supply/demand I guess). When I price similar Magic/Wonder vs Fantasy itineraries the Magic/Wonder weeks look cheaper until you bump from inside to balcony and then it's more expensive.

 

[Cfudge]

I think you nailed it: Star Wars and Spring Break. And from the availability you describe, they're not having any trouble filling the ship at those prices, if only 5A's are left in the veranda category this far out.

Amazing eh? I'm sure we could look up opening day prices and find that that week was more expensive to begin with as well...but regardless, if you're on the Fantasy that week you are likely surrounded by some deep pockets.

 

[Cfudge]

There is a reason why a lot of us book on day of release. It isn't uncommon to see prices double (or more) for peak times.

I'll dig it up from the historical posts at some point but do you know offhand what they premium markup is for a week like that over say one of the more normal weeks around it? 20%? More?

 

[KLB9]

New Years and Christmas Week run 9-10K for a veranda on the Wonder also

 

[pillow]

I'll dig it up from the historical posts at some point but do you know offhand what they premium markup is for a week like that over say one of the more normal weeks around it? 20%? More?

The link to opening day pricing is in the signature line of post #1 here: http://www.disboards.com/threads/dis-dcl-faq-new-alphabetical-listing-of-dcl-information.2068966/

Crazy prices for holiday times (and they seem to just keep increasing)! We try to book opening day, but we still don't want to pay some of those prices.

Jodie

 

[ILovePixieDust]

It actually looks for every sailing on Alaska next summer the price for a family of 4 in a 5A room is $10,000+. So crazy. And that's on the Wonder. Not even the Fantasy.

 

[pillow]

It actually looks for every sailing on Alaska next summer the price for a family of 4 in a 5A room is $10,000+. So crazy. And that's on the Wonder. Not even the Fantasy.

Its because there is such an ENORMOUS price jump between a porthole and a balcony on the classics. We initially booked a porthole room for Alaska. We got lucky at the port and were able to upgrade for a relatively small sum. That balcony was amazing to have in Alaska!

 

[darwinsrule]

I'll dig it up from the historical posts at some point but do you know offhand what they premium markup is for a week like that over say one of the more normal weeks around it? 20%? More?

With DW being a teacher we are limited when we can go. As a result we plan out 2 - 3 years in advance what we want to do. Crazy yes. But it works for us. We have 5 DCL cruises in. Three in August, two in March during our spring break. Both the spring break ones were booked day of release to the general public (since we were silvers). In the cases of the spring break cruises the prices from opening day to sail date more than doubled. With 4-5 months out the price of an inside was more than 1k more than what we originally booked our balcony for.

Basically if you are travelling peak times, book early and don't expect to get a discount.

 

[ILovePixieDust]

We did the same thing! Upgraded at the port to a balcony and it was wonderful to have for Alaska!
I do find it astonishing that these prices through the whole summer are sustainable. Christmas is one week of the year so I get that the demand for that week will be high being a special holiday and most people having vacation that week. But every week in the summer too just seems a bit much at those same prices as Christmas week.

 

[darwinsrule]

We did the same thing! Upgraded at the port to a balcony and it was wonderful to have for Alaska!
I do find it astonishing that these prices through the whole summer are sustainable. Christmas is one week of the year so I get that the demand for that week will be high being a special holiday and most people having vacation that week. But every week in the summer too just seems a bit much at those same prices as Christmas week.

The advantage of only having four ships to fill if you are DCL. Limited supply, and what must seem like unlimited demand. For our summer trips we always look at doing something the last two week before labour day (ideally however the week before). Why? A lot of schools, esp. in the Southern U.S. are back in school already. A lot of the Norther U.S. and Canadian schools don't start till after labour day. Result is slightly lower demand and thus slightly lower prices (this is DCL we are talking about after all). Same applies to the parks at WDW. Would you rather be there in mid-July when the crowd levels are in the 8 - 10 range, or the last week of August when they are a 2 - 3? Late August you can also get lucky and have them toss in free dining or a pretty sweet room discount.

 

[justafigment27]

I see the March 19 cruise now has an 11A available for the bargain basement price of $9059 ... better grab it while you can!

Seriously though, a 7A (navigator's verandah deck 7) on the Fantasy for the 4-2-16 Western sailing was $5397 on opening day for a family of 4 (2A, 2C). The price remained the same until the Star Wars Day at Sea was announced. Currently, that same cruise has 3 cabin categories available for a family of 4: $8365 for an 11A (standard inside stateroom), $9275 for a 5B (private verandah deck 8) and $9331 for a 5A (private verandah deck 9). So, not as expensive as your March date ... but still very expensive. In my mind, Star Wars is responsible for the swift increase in pricing ... the price just sat there for months, then BAM!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

It actually looks for every sailing on Alaska next summer the price for a family of 4 in a 5A room is $10,000+. So crazy. And that's on the Wonder. Not even the Fantasy.

I wanted to book Alaska for 2016 and priced out early and late season dates. Lets just say for our family of 6 it was a tad pricey. I will try again for 2018 maybe and grab it on opening day.

In the meantime I booked an eastern for fall 2016 for a mere $8500.

 

[JimGA]

Amazing eh? I'm sure we could look up opening day prices and find that that week was more expensive to begin with as well...but regardless, if you're on the Fantasy that week you are likely surrounded by some deep pockets.

We moved our Thanksgiving week reservations to April 2, 2016 on the Fantasy back at the end of January, we actually saved money, the April 2 cruise was $5400 for 2A and 2K (ages 11 and 14) Cat. 6b.. They announced the Star Wars Day a week weeks after we booked, and the price steadily rose to almost double.

I wish I could sell my Cabin on eBay and pocket the profits..lol