Why DCL cost more

[Clotho]

The markup on liquor is small potatoes compared to soda. Many places try to sell it for close to $3 and then try to convice you are getting a deal with the free refills. It might cost then ten cents a glass which is around a 3000% markup.

Well Disney gets Coke for free. Including the non-Disney themed cups. So talk about markup!

 

[Minnie321]

But what really confuses me (among many other things) is certain dates or weeks that for unknown reasons the prices double or triple. e.g. the middle week in Feb. Is Valentines Day that big of a get away week? Many other Weeks jump up and down for no reason that I can see. Maybe i should go to Travel Agent school

I can answer your question about that week in February for this year - it is Mardi GRAS in Louisiana - and I think Disney has figured that our. It used to be a good time to go but now Disney puts the high prices on that week. Also whatever week presidents day falls in is also another high priced week - I think kids up north must have this week off - it is always really crowded.

 

[DLW8]

But what really confuses me (among many other things) is certain dates or weeks that for unknown reasons the prices double or triple. e.g. the middle week in Feb. Is Valentines Day that big of a get away week? Many other Weeks jump up and down for no reason that I can see. Maybe i should go to Travel Agent school

As others have mentioned, many (or most) Northeast schools have a February break which is usually the week of or before President's Day.

It has always been known on DCL that summer is peak season or any time kids are out of school the cruise price is higher so not sure what is new about this. Anytime kids are out of school the price of cruise or even airfare tend to be higher.

MJ

I have priced out RCL for the summer and they are more expensive than other times of year as well. For any destination, summer will be peak time as kids are not in school are people are more apt to travel. My sister was looking at a 7 night on RCL for the summer and could get a 9 night on RCL for the week of Thanksgiving for LESS...

it's all about supply and demand.

Prices are also high (cruises, airfare, hotels) during spring break time which really goes from March through April between college spring breaks and regular school breaks. We also get a week off in April and again, prices are insanely high.

 

[disneyholic family]

not sure about supply and demand, given the massive discounting DCL has had to offer this fall in an attempt to fill its ships...
without the discounting, most of the dream cruises in the fall would be going out more than half empty.

Had they priced the cruises more reasonably to begin with, maybe they wouldn't be having so much trouble filling them.

As it happens, i just priced an Allure cruise for next August.
The exact same week costs $2,000 more on the Fantasy for the equivalent cabin.
How can it cost $3,000 for the Allure and $5,000 for the Fantasy?

Is the Fantasy worth $2,000 more?

 

[Danmangto]

Speaking of Disney's higher prices. I booked Alaska for Sep 2013. Holland America is 30%+ cheaper than DCL. Same identical Verandah cabin, etc. Comparing apples to apples. in this case I'm not taking the kids. Otherwise I would have spent the 30% extra.

 

[Danmangto]

not sure about supply and demand, given the massive discounting DCL has had to offer this fall in an attempt to fill its ships...
without the discounting, most of the dream cruises in the fall would be going out more than half empty.

Had they priced the cruises more reasonably to begin with, maybe they wouldn't be having so much trouble filling them.

As it happens, i just priced an Allure cruise for next August.
The exact same week costs $2,000 more on the Fantasy for the equivalent cabin.
How can it cost $3,000 for the Allure and $5,000 for the Fantasy?

Is the Fantasy worth $2,000 more?

Nope, the Fantasy is not worth $2k more. Just like my Sept 2013 Alaska, DCL is not worth $1,600 more than HAL.

 

[Danmangto]

I was not complaining about the cost or the markup. I was pointing that they do fine in alcohol sales and giving an example. I have ordered wine in many fine restaurants and, seeing as I drink much of the same wine at home, I know there is a markup. If there wasn't how would they make any money?
It is the same reason I can go buy a box of pasta for $.99, a jar of sauce for $3 and some chicken for $4 or go out to dinner and spend $35 on the same thing.

Yep.. that 6 pack of imported German beer you can buy for $7, where as they will charge you $7 for each bottle. Same thing.

 

[disneyholic family]

Nope, the Fantasy is not worth $2k more. Just like my Sept 2013 Alaska, DCL is not worth $1,600 more than HAL.

the Fantasy is 67% more expensive than the Allure for basically the same verandah room on basically the same cruise...
well no....the Allure verandah is an extra large one, so it's really the better room of the two...

I think DCL needs to revisit their pricing policies.

 

[Rogillio]

the Fantasy is 67% more expensive than the Allure for basically the same verandah room on basically the same cruise...
well no....the Allure verandah is an extra large one, so it's really the better room of the two...

I think DCL needs to revisit their pricing policies.

Why? DCL is targeting a different market. Mom and Dad might have a hard sell to the kids for an Alaskan cruise for the family vacation. But but Disney in front of Alaskan cruise and everyone is on board.

Over simplification I know but we sailed in the Med and Baltic with Disney. Cruises to these places never was even considered before Disney went there.

 

[jjgarv]

Only Disney does Disney...if you want Disney, you have to pay for it. If the 'Disney' part isn't important to you, then sail on a less expensive cruise. We sail Disney primarily for the ship and the Disney experience...can't get that anywhere else.

 

[tajz90]

Only Disney does Disney...if you want Disney, you have to pay for it. If the 'Disney' part isn't important to you, then sail on a less expensive cruise. We sail Disney primarily for the ship and the Disney experience...can't get that anywhere else.

Only Disney... They do it right! I've never had an Ugh moment on Disney, but we have on other ships. We certainly don't sail Disney for their characters. We sail them for their service.

We priced Royal and Carnival this summer for a quick trip. When we saw the price, we didn't think "wow that's a great deal!". We thought "man that's a lot". We knew what we were getting for that money and it wasn't worth it. No, I'm not knocking the other lines. I'd sail them if need be, but we like Disney.

 

[ilovetexas]

not sure about supply and demand, given the massive discounting DCL has had to offer this fall in an attempt to fill its ships...
without the discounting, most of the dream cruises in the fall would be going out more than half empty.

Had they priced the cruises more reasonably to begin with, maybe they wouldn't be having so much trouble filling them.

As it happens, i just priced an Allure cruise for next August.
The exact same week costs $2,000 more on the Fantasy for the equivalent cabin.
How can it cost $3,000 for the Allure and $5,000 for the Fantasy?

Is the Fantasy worth $2,000 more?

Actually, the situation you just spelled out is the law of demand: a higher price for a good or service, other things being equal, leads people to demand a smaller quantity of that good or service. (and vice versa) That's why DCL is finding they are having to discount their prices in their "off" season now; people are no longer paying the higher price.

As to the OP's original point, all cruise lines that cater to families (yes, including Carnival) raise their prices during school break periods. The number of people available for cruising during those times increases; that is a shift factor of demand (which price is NOT) and causes a shift to the right of the demand curve.

So as to not sound like an ECON textbook:

All else being equal, a change in price will cause inverse shifts along the demand curve. Prices go up, demand goes down.

EXCLUDING PRICE, changes in:: 1-prices of related goods or services, 2-income, 3-number of people, 4-tastes and preferences, 5-expectations (future prices or availability) will all cause shifts left or right in the entire demand curve. Which explains why cruise lines (and other travel industry establishments) can actually charge MORE during summer and still fill their ships.

Oops, that still sounded like an ECON text book.

Having not sailed the Allure I can't specifically answer the comparison question but I'd save the 2 grand and go RCI.

 

[Topper]

I'm probably don't communicating well.

Say what?

 

[Topper]

FYI, this is a VERY typical markup for all cruises, parks, restaurants, etc. 100-300% is a typical markup on wine and spirits. This is not just DCL.

Link please (addressing cruise lines)

Well Disney gets Coke for free. Including the non-Disney themed cups. So talk about markup!

Link please

 

[disneyholic family]

Actually, the situation you just spelled out is the law of demand: a higher price for a good or service, other things being equal, leads people to demand a smaller quantity of that good or service. (and vice versa) That's why DCL is finding they are having to discount their prices in their "off" season now; people are no longer paying the higher price.

As to the OP's original point, all cruise lines that cater to families (yes, including Carnival) raise their prices during school break periods. The number of people available for cruising during those times increases; that is a shift factor of demand (which price is NOT) and causes a shift to the right of the demand curve.

So as to not sound like an ECON textbook:

All else being equal, a change in price will cause inverse shifts along the demand curve. Prices go up, demand goes down.

EXCLUDING PRICE, changes in:: 1-prices of related goods or services, 2-income, 3-number of people, 4-tastes and preferences, 5-expectations (future prices or availability) will all cause shifts left or right in the entire demand curve. Which explains why cruise lines (and other travel industry establishments) can actually charge MORE during summer and still fill their ships.

Oops, that still sounded like an ECON text book.

Having not sailed the Allure I can't specifically answer the comparison question but I'd save the 2 grand and go RCI.

what i was saying is that DCL's general pricing policy seems to assume a very low demand elasticity.
This may have been true in the past, but seems to be less true today.

so rather than massively discount in an attempt to fill the ship, if their price elasticity isn't as low as they think it is, a small change in the original price to the general public may result in improved sales (before discounting).

 

[tvguy]

The Disney name has value for many people, value they are willing to pay extra for. There are other cruises that offer nearly the same thing for less.
Perceived value is what it is. Why do people buy a Lexus instead of the same car with a Toyota name? A Cadillac Escalade instead of a Chevy Tahoe? An Infinity instead of a Nissan? A Lincoln instead of a Ford? Perceived value, that's why.
And in my experience, Disney cruisers are more likely to take their kids out of school for a vacation than folks who cruise other lines, which is why Disney ships tend to be fuller during non-peak weeks.

And living on this board for 9 years, it is amazing to me how many random weeks school kids get off these days. When I was a kid, we got 2 weeks at Christmas and 1 week at Easter. Now in many parts of the country they get a fall break (or Jersey week, good lord why that isn't done the week before school I don't know) 3 weeks at Christmas, a week for Presidents Day, and Easter Week.

 

[justmestace]

Only Disney... They do it right! I've never had an Ugh moment on Disney, but we have on other ships. We certainly don't sail Disney for their characters. We sail them for their service.

We priced Royal and Carnival this summer for a quick trip. When we saw the price, we didn't think "wow that's a great deal!". We thought "man that's a lot". We knew what we were getting for that money and it wasn't worth it. No, I'm not knocking the other lines. I'd sail them if need be, but we like Disney.

You are extremely lucky indeed. I've had "UGH" moments on almost every vacation I've ever taken, including Disney. Sometime when we have an hour or so, let me tell you about how I broke my ribs on a Disney ship, thanks to a careless CM, and how Disney did nothing about it, except for paying for the xrays I had taken onboard. And then they lied about it all afterward.


I should say....this could have easily happened onboard any other cruise line, it could have happened at any resort in the world, and the outcome may or may not have been the same. But the fact is, it happened on Disney, and I honestly have to say that I expected better treatment from them.


People who think Disney is more expensive because they offer a better product should read the book "The Dark Side of Disney" by Leonard Kinsey.
If you can get past the foul language he sometimes uses, it's an eye opener, for sure.

 

[justmestace]

The Disney name has value for many people, value they are willing to pay extra for. There are other cruises that offer nearly the same thing for less.
Perceived value is what it is. Why do people buy a Lexus instead of the same car with a Toyota name? A Cadillac Escalade instead of a Chevy Tahoe? An Infinity instead of a Nissan? A Lincoln instead of a Ford? Perceived value, that's why.
And in my experience, Disney cruisers are more likely to take their kids out of school for a vacation than folks who cruise other lines, which is why Disney ships tend to be fuller during non-peak weeks.

And living on this board for 9 years, it is amazing to me how many random weeks school kids get off these days. When I was a kid, we got 2 weeks at Christmas and 1 week at Easter. Now in many parts of the country they get a fall break (or Jersey week, good lord why that isn't done the week before school I don't know) 3 weeks at Christmas, a week for Presidents Day, and Easter Week.

If it's perceived value, then people aren't REALLY getting something better....they're just paying more for the same thing, right?

 

[tajz90]

I tend not to have UGH on any vacation, really, not just Disney I guess I should clarify that, I'm just so happy to be out and about

We just like Disney and the feeling they portray, not just from the employees, but from other guests too.

 

[justmestace]

I tend not to have UGH on any vacation, really, not just Disney I guess I should clarify that, I'm just so happy to be out and about

We just like Disney and the feeling they portray, not just from the employees, but from other guests too.

I'm that way, too. I don't care if they stick me in a closet for a room, as long as I'm on vacation....but sometimes those "Ugh" moments just kind of sneak up on you. But ask my friends, I seem to have a few more "accidents" then the average person.