Priced out

[Love2Cruz]

Do you think the prices will be good on the new ship? Our 10-night on NCL is $3100 for the 3 of us and we got the dining package and excursion credit. It just seems so incredibly cheap!

If Vista is any indication, prices will be very good when first announced, and then will rise accordingly as time goes on.

 

[kaseyC]

If Vista is any indication, prices will be very good when first announced, and then will rise accordingly as time goes on.

Or drop as time goes by. That's what happened with many of the Vista Europe itineraries.

 

[phinz]

My husband went out yesterday and "priced" cruises on the Princess Cruise Line. Late afternoon he got a call and since he didn't know the number didn't answer it. It was someone from the Princess Cruise Line wanting to know if they could help us with questions and left a number. It's a lot cheaper and it's something we are thinking about.

We just did a Princess cruise to Alaska. I don't know exactly why, but I found it boring a goodly portion of the time that I was onboard. The cruise itself was amazing, but the staff wasn't generally as friendly, the food was so-so, the decor was ho-hum, the other guests were insular, entertainment was meh and the ship itself was a little tatty around the edges.

That said, we had a great time anyway. Alaska, especially Glacier Bay, was incredible.

 

[Ofinn]

I have two European cruises booked one on Carnival and one on NCL. I'm not worried about terrorism, but I'm thinking about cancelling the NCL and booking an Australian cruise next year. I'm also waiting to see what all these new ships are going to do like the Norwegian Joy, and the Carnival Horizon before I make a decision.

 

[AquaDame]

We just did a Princess cruise to Alaska. I don't know exactly why, but I found it boring a goodly portion of the time that I was onboard. The cruise itself was amazing, but the staff wasn't generally as friendly, the food was so-so, the decor was ho-hum, the other guests were insular, entertainment was meh and the ship itself was a little tatty around the edges.

That said, we had a great time anyway. Alaska, especially Glacier Bay, was incredible.

RCCL was not any better a couple weeks ago... our route went to Hubbard instead of Glacier Bay which I really regret - we did not have the nature talks or rangers aboard, so aside from viewing time thats all we got there. Our stateroom was in awful repair and I would say the staff was at best ambivalent and even a tad aggressive (mostly dining staff and room host). They also kept making religious references in their entertainment and comments such as 'God Bless' to us, which I do not like. Our cold water disappeared one morning leaving me soapy and scalded as I was only halfway through my shower and they messed up our guest folio on the last day. I left a lengthy bad review over on cruise critic for them and by the end had surprised myself with how long it is. Thats twice we've sailed RCCL with bad results so they are officially off our list even though I haven't sailed their newer mega ships. I'd try Carnivals' new ships before them again.

 

[Ofinn]

RCCL was not any better a couple weeks ago... our route went to Hubbard instead of Glacier Bay which I really regret - we did not have the nature talks or rangers aboard, so aside from viewing time thats all we got there. Our stateroom was in awful repair and I would say the staff was at best ambivalent and even a tad aggressive (mostly dining staff and room host). They also kept making religious references in their entertainment and comments such as 'God Bless' to us, which I do not like. Our cold water disappeared one morning leaving me soapy and scalded as I was only halfway through my shower and they messed up our guest folio on the last day. I left a lengthy bad review over on cruise critic for them and by the end had surprised myself with how long it is. Thats twice we've sailed RCCL with bad results so they are officially off our list even though I haven't sailed their newer mega ships. I'd try Carnivals' new ships before them again.

This is why I'm taking advantage of the newer ships in Europe over the next year or so. We are booked on the Carnival Vista and Norwegian Getaway. If we cruise to Australia or Asia I will book on a new ship like Ovation of the seas or Norwegian Joy. The older ships look really boring for teens. The Magic is in pretty good shape, but it's not without it's plumbing issues....and I won't even get into the prices. Alaska is tough because all the ships up there are old. The Wonder is my favorite DCL ship so this is one cruise I might book an inside room on DCL and try to do the first sailing of the year.

 

[Hundredacre]

It doesn't, but the US president may have an effect on terror around the world. Just my opinion.

Hopefully a positive effect. The way it is going now is definitely negative.

 

[RedSox68]

My husband went out yesterday and "priced" cruises on the Princess Cruise Line. Late afternoon he got a call and since he didn't know the number didn't answer it. It was someone from the Princess Cruise Line wanting to know if they could help us with questions and left a number. It's a lot cheaper and it's something we are thinking about.

We did Royal Princess last August for a 12-night British Isles cruise and we loved it. The ship was gorgeous and very classy and we loved our room (a mini-suite for half the price DCL was charging). I must confess, it was port intensive so we never went to any shows nor to even the MDR. We got onboard after each excursion and just headed up to the buffet. The food was very good and they had plenty of options each night and some themed nights. The buffet sitting area was so pretty and comfortable. My only complaint was they made you wash your hands at wall sinks before being allowed to enter the buffet area -- very odd and sometimes caused jam ups.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Do you think the prices will be good on the new ship? Our 10-night on NCL is $3100 for the 3 of us and we got the dining package and excursion credit. It just seems so incredibly cheap!

We booked our 8 night Vista Mediterranean cruise about 45 days after they started booking. For 4 of us in 2 connecting insides we originally paid $4400 including insurance and pre-paid gratuity. They ended up with a price drop so we got $200 off each stateroom and a $50 on board credit per room so ended up paying $3900 for the cruise.

 

[DCLDVC1]

My theory (based solely on my own experience) is that DCL's prices are in most cases markedly higher than the competition as, for the most part, their target audience are families who will cruise with them at most a handful of times before their kids grow out of the magic and no longer have a need to pay a premium for top notch kids clubs and kid friendly entertainment. Other cruise lines are looking to build long-term relationships with adult passengers who have a 40-50 year travel window, as opposed to a 5-8 year window on DCL.

That's where we fit in right now. We have 3 kids under the age of 10 so DCL is what they want. Our oldest is starting to become interested in some of the waterslides on other ships but the two youngest are all about Disney. We have a limited time frame so we are willing to pay more right now all though some other options are tempting. We are smack dab in the middle of the target audience DCL is seeking when they set pricing. We have a fairly high income and kids who love everything Disney. DCL has us for now and we, and they, know it. I'm guessing we'll be cruising DCL for another 5 years or so and then probably never again once the kids grow out of it.

 

[Love2Cruz]

RCCL was not any better a couple weeks ago... our route went to Hubbard instead of Glacier Bay which I really regret - we did not have the nature talks or rangers aboard, so aside from viewing time thats all we got there. Our stateroom was in awful repair and I would say the staff was at best ambivalent and even a tad aggressive (mostly dining staff and room host). They also kept making religious references in their entertainment and comments such as 'God Bless' to us, which I do not like. Our cold water disappeared one morning leaving me soapy and scalded as I was only halfway through my shower and they messed up our guest folio on the last day. I left a lengthy bad review over on cruise critic for them and by the end had surprised myself with how long it is. Thats twice we've sailed RCCL with bad results so they are officially off our list even though I haven't sailed their newer mega ships. I'd try Carnivals' new ships before them again.

I have read similar reviews like this and many say the food is not great (while others rave about it)....Part of me wants to try the megaships, but part of me thinks the crowds and having to book the shows will annoy me. I have to say I am happy with Carnival and the way they do things...I tried MSC for the first time this year and was impressed. If I sail Carnival MSC and Disney, I'll be happy....I just have that bad intuition about RCCL and NCL...maybe it will pass.

 

[Ofinn]

I have read similar reviews like this and many say the food is not great (while others rave about it)....Part of me wants to try the megaships, but part of me thinks the crowds and having to book the shows will annoy me. I have to say I am happy with Carnival and the way they do things...I tried MSC for the first time this year and was impressed. If I sail Carnival MSC and Disney, I'll be happy....I just have that bad intuition about RCCL and NCL...maybe it will pass.

I haven't cruised Carnival yet, but for some reason it appeals to me the most. The teen clubs are very similar to DCL, and I know my kids are going to prefer the pool side food options more than DCL. My kids biggest complaint about DCL is the food. They're also excited for the shake bar. I booked 8 day SC on the Vista for end of May. I booked with the nonrefundable reduced deposit rate. It was the lowest rate. I swore I would never book a nonrefundable deposit, but I did it. I've been married for 22 years, but when it comes to cruises I have commitment issues. LoL. I'm trying to change that. My dh just got a job transfer which is going to make it hard to change vacation weeks so there's that too.

I've always had a hard time getting excited about Royal. Not sure why. I think it's because most of their good itinerary's are on older ships. I would consider Ovation in Australia or Asia or any of their newer ships if I was interested in the itinerary. I like the look of the newer NCL ships, I like the prices and I like the free drinks. We're not big drinkers but if I can get a 2-3 free drinks a day I'll take it.

 

[disneyholic family]

We're pondering the following:

May 2017 - 7 Night eastern Caribbean cruise on the Oasis - Large Family Ocean view verandah for $4500 - its got the Dreamworks experience for our girls (10 & 8).

Similar cruise with DCL for the same basic itinerary start out at around $7900.

I still love the Mouse but dang, Shrek, The Boov, the animals from Madagascar and more from Dreamworks are starting to become more of a thing for my girls. And at roughly 60% of the price...its hard not to see how some could be priced out.

Or maybe not even priced out - just starting to use more economical friendly cruise lines. (Seriously these are first world problems IMO).

you'll LOVE the oasis.....
we did the 7 night eastern on the allure of the seas...(sister ship of the oasis)...
it was our first non-DCL cruise and we were admittedly nervous about it...
but it was AMAZING!!!!
that ship is unbelievable...
yes, we were on the allure, but it's oasis class, so i assume the oasis will be just as awesome...

we loved every second of that cruise....truly a wow for us!!!!!

.

 

[Love2Cruz]

I haven't cruised Carnival yet, but for some reason it appeals to me the most. The teen clubs are very similar to DCL, and I know my kids are going to prefer the pool side food options more than DCL. My kids biggest complaint about DCL is the food. They're also excited for the shake bar. I booked 8 day SC on the Vista for end of May. I booked with the nonrefundable reduced deposit rate. It was the lowest rate. I swore I would never book a nonrefundable deposit, but I did it. I've been married for 22 years, but when it comes to cruises I have commitment issues. LoL. I'm trying to change that. My dh just got a job transfer which is going to make it hard to change vacation weeks so there's that too.

I've always had a hard time getting excited about Royal. Not sure why. I think it's because most of their good itinerary's are on older ships. I would consider Ovation in Australia or Asia or any of their newer ships if I was interested in the itinerary. I like the look of the newer NCL ships, I like the prices and I like the free drinks. We're not big drinkers but if I can get a 2-3 free drinks a day I'll take it.

Ofinn, you booked a second Vista? Woohoo! I am on another June itinerary too for next year. Carnival is like Disney in that you don't have to pre-book shows or dinner (well maybe the steak house)...on the Oasis class ship, everything needs to be booked ahead of time or you don't get in...same with NCL, but add dining to that...I like to wing things on my vacation, and I don't like the idea of having to be on a timeline...I do that all year long at work...I don't want to do it on my vacations.
Carnival is very free, more free than the "freestyle" cruise line as you do what you please....They also offer any time dining now...Did that once, but I'm going back to assigned as I like to have the same wait staff. You and your family will love the food, many options. As for changing, they charge $50 pp if you have to reschedule so you don't lose your deposit, unless you cancel an early saver rate....I had to move my original Vista as I booked Europe originally but decided to go with MSC instead. I moved it to December of this year so I got charged...but still, I got a Family Harbor OV for 1800 for 2 people for 7 nights....not too shabby.
Also, with the new CEO of NCL adding more and more fees and pissing off their most loyal customers also gives me pause about booking with them.

 

[kaseyC]

I'm trying Royal for the very first time in March for our Spring Break. We are sailing on the Harmony. We got a fantastic price for a Crown Loft suite. The same week on the Fantasy in a Cat T 1 bedroom suite would have been about $17K more!

 

[Love2Cruz]

I'm trying Royal for the very first time in March for our Spring Break. We are sailing on the Harmony. We got a fantastic price for a Crown Loft suite. The same week on the Fantasy in a Cat T 1 bedroom suite would have been about $17K more!

Nice, a friend of mine had one of those cabins and loved it. Let us know how it went.

 

[mevelandry]

Ofinn, you booked a second Vista? Woohoo! I am on another June itinerary too for next year. Carnival is like Disney in that you don't have to pre-book shows or dinner (well maybe the steak house)...on the Oasis class ship, everything needs to be booked ahead of time or you don't get in...same with NCL, but add dining to that...I like to wing things on my vacation, and I don't like the idea of having to be on a timeline...I do that all year long at work...I don't want to do it on my vacations.
Carnival is very free, more free than the "freestyle" cruise line as you do what you please....They also offer any time dining now...Did that once, but I'm going back to assigned as I like to have the same wait staff. You and your family will love the food, many options. As for changing, they charge $50 pp if you have to reschedule so you don't lose your deposit, unless you cancel an early saver rate....I had to move my original Vista as I booked Europe originally but decided to go with MSC instead. I moved it to December of this year so I got charged...but still, I got a Family Harbor OV for 1800 for 2 people for 7 nights....not too shabby.
Also, with the new CEO of NCL adding more and more fees and pissing off their most loyal customers also gives me pause about booking with them.

I love booking events and dining ahead of time and having a full schedule for my vacation so I will most likely enjoy RCCL and NCL.

 

[RedSox68]

I love booking events and dining ahead of time and having a full schedule for my vacation so I will most likely enjoy RCCL and NCL.

Carnival is like Disney in that you don't have to pre-book shows or dinner (well maybe the steak house)...on the Oasis class ship, everything needs to be booked ahead of time or you don't get in...same with NCL, but add dining to that...I like to wing things on my vacation, and I don't like the idea of having to be on a timeline...I do that all year long at work...I don't want to do it on my vacations.
Carnival is very free, more free than the "freestyle" cruise line as you do what you please....They also offer any time dining now...Did that once, but I'm going back to assigned as I like to have the same wait staff. You and your family will love the food, many options. As for changing, they charge $50 pp if you have to reschedule so you don't lose your deposit, unless you cancel an early saver rate....I had to move my original Vista as I booked Europe originally but decided to go with MSC instead. I moved it to December of this year so I got charged...but still, I got a Family Harbor OV for 1800 for 2 people for 7 nights....not too shabby.
Also, with the new CEO of NCL adding more and more fees and pissing off their most loyal customers also gives me pause about booking with them.

I very much agree with this comment. We booked our upcoming cruise last summer 2015 and since then have watched the new CEO dinging every little thing with new rules and policies and charges. It is discouraging, but they had the most days at Bermuda and a pretty decent price so we are going to wing it and see what happens. I have read they have some of the smallest balconies in the industry, so that should be interesting LOL.

We did pre-book the Cirque dinner show because, for that price, I figure whatever it is is cheaper than going to a full show -- we booked it on our second sea day at 5:30 so we can do other things in the evening; we pre-booked one of the free shows (Burn the Floor) because it's a 9:30 show and only 45 minutes, so that won't interfere with any day activities; and we pre-booked one specialty restaurant -- the Moderno, the Brazilian steakhouse, because the ones in our area are upwards of $59/pp and on NCL it was only $29/pp -- a great value so we though to take advantage of it on our last night. And while I don't like having to think about onboard stuff so far out, and it fills in our schedule a bit with onboard activities -- it also allows us to get the days and times we want, and not have to take what's left over once onboard. It also enables us to plan other things around the now known activities, and not have to run around once onboard to get those reservations. We shall see how it all works out. I'll be happy to write a report when we return about our experiences onboard -- and what other "surprise" fees we get hit with

 

[laceltris3]

I had originally booked a suite on the NCL Star last year for a Northern Europe cruise in July 2016, and canceled after a number of negative changes. When they added the room service fee and banned people from taking food out of the buffet I gave up. Now we are doing the Baltic on Disney in 2017, and I think we will be happier. Following the cc NCL board during that time left a very bad taste in my mouth.

 

[Love2Cruz]

We shall see how it all works out. I'll be happy to write a report when we return about our experiences onboard -- and what other "surprise" fees we get hit with

Yes for sure, let us know.