Tastings went up in price?

[jujubiee4]

Just off the Fantasy we did 3 tastings at original price. If we sail again I doubt we pay the
new prices unless we have extra OBC.

Cruise lines are probably the last industry right now to raise prices because of lack of bookings
Once things became even somewhat normal I knew the prices would rise. Look for more
of the "little things" to increase. Then the overall cruise price.

I shudder to think what 2023 will look like.

 

[Mommb]

I know people who are sailing on the wish mentioned different tastings being available and more expensive. But I didn’t think they’d raise the price mid booking period for the same sailing

Any time DCL raises prices will be within the booking period for some sailings. It does seem odd that this increase happened after the first Wish bookings instead of right before. Maybe DCL wanted to reward early bookers, or maybe they just couldn't get the change made earlier amidst all of the other website updates and issues. I'm not complaining about the delay, though, since I was able to get the lower prices for my July cruise.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Wow. I can't say I've seen them be one price and then increase before!

 

[mab2012]

So, a price increase, sure, that's more or less expected. But $40 for Mixology is a 60% increase. That's a bit much to swallow.

We usually do Mixology and Palo, but I think we might skip both on our next cruise. It's not even really about the money. I used to feel like the upcharge activities like Palo and Mixology were a good value, which was kind of nice when the cruise itself is quite expensive. Now I just feel like I'm being scammed. We took our first cruise 8 years ago; since then the cost of Mixology has doubled (at least? I think it was actually $15 on that first cruise) and Palo has definitely more than doubled for the same meal.

Really Disney? If you really feel like you need to make an extra 50 bucks off me, just increase the price of my several-thousand-dollar-per-person cruise by $50 and let me leave happy, instead of feeling like I got ripped off.

 

[Disneygirlxo91]

So, a price increase, sure, that's more or less expected. But $40 for Mixology is a 60% increase. That's a bit much to swallow.

We usually do Mixology and Palo, but I think we might skip both on our next cruise. It's not even really about the money. I used to feel like the upcharge activities like Palo and Mixology were a good value, which was kind of nice when the cruise itself is quite expensive. Now I just feel like I'm being scammed. We took our first cruise 8 years ago; since then the cost of Mixology has doubled (at least? I think it was actually $15 on that first cruise) and Palo has definitely more than doubled for the same meal.

Really Disney? If you really feel like you need to make an extra 50 bucks off me, just increase the price of my several-thousand-dollar-per-person cruise by $50 and let me leave happy, instead of feeling like I got ripped off.

I agree with you it’s a little much. We’ve done these in the past and have always enjoyed them but we won’t be doing any on our upcoming cruise I can’t justify the cost increase. We were waiting to book as we have second seating and were on the waitlist for 1st seating so some of the times we weren’t certain of. Now we won’t be doing it which is okay.

Of course I expect price increases but why not start it today on onboard bookings windows that started today and not tack it on to an already open booking window. It doesn’t seem right some guest will be paying one price while others let say who book was they board will be paying more as they do open up more on embarkation day. I understand different cruise fares etc that is a bit different but changing the price for an add on for some guest on the same cruise … just seems a bit distasteful to me. I know some people won’t agree and that’s okay.

 

[cwis]

Just checked my two forthcoming Mediterranean cruises (5/21 and 5/28).

Can confirm the prices went up, quite a steep rise:
- tastings that were $25 are now $40 (+60%)
- tastings that were $28 are now $50 (+78%)

Old prices seems to remain “locked in”. Did a screenshot of the website just in case.

 

[MillauFr]

Does that surprise you? Everything is going up in price.

Given that they are sold in with in a day I am surprised they haven't jacked up the price even higher.

 

[cwis]

Given that they are sold in with in a day I am surprised they haven't jacked up the price even higher.

Tastings always were the “cheap” upsells that you could buy without so much attention (up to a certain point of course).

What comes next? the same +70% “Disneyflation” on on-board beverages, pop-corn, shops? Of course we don't know for sure, and we can't know until the cruise actually ends.

Checking the price of everything everytime before I buy it doesn't sound like “Disney cruise” to me. At the very best it sounds like “groceries” and that's not what I plan for my vacation time.

 

[otten]

I’ve been checking availability almost daily to see if the tasting I want to do on our cruise has opened up. This morning when I checked I noticed the prices have gone up at least $15-$20 a person. For example the the chocolate and liquor has gone up for this sailing from $38 ppto now it’s showing at $50 pp we are sailing april 30th on the fantasy . Has anyone else noticed this? I know people who are sailing on the wish mentioned different tastings being available and more expensive. But I didn’t think they’d raise the price mid booking period for the same sailing

Yep on our cruise they changed the prices a few days after platinums booked and the. They updated the prices on their accounts so it looks like they don’t plan to honour the price at booking

 

[DCLMP]

Given that they are sold in with in a day I am surprised they haven't jacked up the price even higher.

I'm going to Costco today and I'm sure it will no less shocking then any of Disney's price increases.

 

[Happy100]

Yep on our cruise they changed the prices a few days after platinums booked and the. They updated the prices on their accounts so it looks like they don’t plan to honour the price at booking

Several other cruisers are reporting the prices were locked in at the old price if you had those tastings booked prior to the price change. Your booked tastings are showing the increased price?

 

[otten]

Several other cruisers are reporting the prices were locked in at the old price if you had those tastings booked prior to the price change. Your booked tastings are showing the increased price?

I haven’t booked. People in our group are reporting the change in price though. So for those who booked before the increase I would keep an eye on the pricing on your account

 

[Mommb]

The Cruise Activities section of the DCL website is still clearly showing that the tastings I booked a month ago are at the same price as when I booked them. If I look at adding a new tasting, the new price is shown. So I'm cautiously optimistic that the original price will be honored.

 

[sjuncfan]

I agree with you it’s a little much. We’ve done these in the past and have always enjoyed them but we won’t be doing any on our upcoming cruise I can’t justify the cost increase. We were waiting to book as we have second seating and were on the waitlist for 1st seating so some of the times we weren’t certain of. Now we won’t be doing it which is okay.

Of course I expect price increases but why not start it today on onboard bookings windows that started today and not tack it on to an already open booking window. It doesn’t seem right some guest will be paying one price while others let say who book was they board will be paying more as they do open up more on embarkation day. I understand different cruise fares etc that is a bit different but changing the price for an add on for some guest on the same cruise … just seems a bit distasteful to me. I know some people won’t agree and that’s okay.

I did hear about someone on a different site who changed the date of a tasting (which in essence was cancelling and rebooking the tasting) and was charged the new price. Something else to watch out for.

 

[MillauFr]

I'm going to Costco today and I'm sure it will no less shocking then any of Disney's price increases.

The only shocking thing at Costco is they are still charging $1.50 for the hot dog and soda. Also the prices on the NY Strips are still only $9.99 lb.

 

[insureman]

Nope. I usually do a couple of tastings because it was worth the price for what you got plus a little knowledge but not now.

 

[cwis]

For those having booked the old price, do make sure to check your folio if you ask GS to move one of your tastings to another day. I was told I could keep the old price, that it would be corrected by Finance team, however it had not been the case in my folio when the cruise was over. Went to ask GS and they told me the would fix it, which they eventually did.

All the tastings I attended as I had booked them were charged the initial price.

 

[ichoose2believe]

This news makes me sad. I don't sail until the end of the year but I was looking forward to doing 2 tastings this trip. I learned so much in the Martini tasting I did on the Dream in Feb. The Japanese Tea Infusion was the best by far. I am the only adult in our travel party so it was fun to do while DS was at Edge.

 

[Clarkson U]

When the new prices were announced, it was also announced that anyone who already had booked a tasting at a previous price - that the price would be honored for that existing booking. If you make a new booking even on the same sailing you could pay the new price. For example you booked Mixology old price, couldn't get Choc/Liquor right away but can now one week prior to sailing. Choc/Liquor would be new price. Old Mixology booking remains at old price. If you completely cancel a tasting and then a week later change your mind, you will pay new price for that same tasting.

I agree with many other posters, that at between $23-38 a tasting per person, it was a good value and worth it. I don't know that $40-50 still adds that value for these tastings. I have four booked for our upcoming 9-Night sailing and glad we do as these are all at old prices and doubt I would do this many at the new price points.

 

[cwis]

I agree with many other posters, that at between $23-38 a tasting per person, it was a good value and worth it. I don't know that $40-50 still adds that value for these tastings. I have four booked for our upcoming 9-Night sailing and glad we do as these are all at old prices and doubt I would do this many at the new price points.

Not sure the value changed. I did my first tastings last week so I can't compare to what it was before, I do remember the crew members still used the old price in their spiel (like, the price of the last glass alone is around 30 dollars so that alone covers the price of the tasting — hum not so much anymore).