I was wondering if everyone noticed an increase in the costs of cruises lately. I was planing on booking a cruise aboard the Mariner/Seas in October. I procrastinated too long, and when I tried to book it recently. It seems as if it inflated to an extra $200. Royal Caribbean would be nice to solitary travelers charging them only 150% of the cruise fare. Are they now charging solitary travelers the full double occupancy price? (twice the cruise fare?).
If there is inflation in cruise prices, perhaps it's due to rising fuel costs? After all, I need not inform anyone who has filled the tank in their car recently, that the price of gasoline has really soared
So, I have been considering booking a less expensive cruise onboard the Caribbean Princess. But will driving from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale and parking my car for a week there, cost more than the difference between the Mariner and Caribbean Princess' cruise fare?
I was wondering if everyone noticed an increase in the costs of cruises lately. I was planing on booking a cruise aboard the Mariner/Seas in October. I procrastinated too long, and when I tried to book it recently. It seems as if it inflated to an extra $200. Royal Caribbean would be nice to solitary travelers charging them only 150% of the cruise fare. Are they now charging solitary travelers the full double occupancy price? (twice the cruise fare?).
If there is inflation in cruise prices, perhaps it's due to rising fuel costs? After all, I need not inform anyone who has filled the tank in their car recently, that the price of gasoline has really soared
So, I have been considering booking a less expensive cruise onboard the Caribbean Princess. But will driving from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale and parking my car for a week there, cost more than the difference between the Mariner and Caribbean Princess' cruise fare?
Frase, I think the increases have to do with everything you mentioned. The cruise lines are absolutely giddy with the strong demand for cruises and I suspect, hope to make up for the post 9/11 era by increasing prices.
Let's hope the cruiselines will feel giddy enough with this increased demand for cruises by increasing the supply of cruises. I have already begun to notice that some ships have sold-out on certain dates. I.E.: Celebrity's Millenium on her November 27th cruise date this year.
Cruise fares are indeed rising and will continue to do so as long as the demand remains high. After 9/11 the entire travel industry, particularily hotels, airlines, and car rentals faced an enormous public fear of travel and tried to over come those fears with increasingly discounted pricing. The result of this effort has forced many of the "legend" airlines into bankruptcy, and have forced them to restructure their operations.
The cruise industry, and to a lesser extent, the inclusive resort industry not only survived but prospered durring this period. However, prices remained artificially low primarily because of the over-all health of the travel sector of the economy.
We appear to be entering into a period of "normalacy" and there is a pent-up demand for travel particularly to Europe. Combined with the rising cost of fuel, the increasing consumer demand, and the increasing number of "baby-boomers" with disposble income and time, I do not foresee ant lessening on the upward pressure on the price of a cruise.
Everyone needs to remember that our dollar isn't worth what it was a short while ago.This is one reason our fuel is so high. The Eruo and most other currrencys are going up while our's go's down.This makes everything we buy cost more.When the government figure's inflation they do not figure food and fuel. Have you been to a grocery store lately?These are 2 item's that cruise lines use a LOT of. Food and fuel.Inflation is running wild in this country and Mr. Greenspan gets another term in office, go figure.
Tom
Frank B and Tom, you both make excellent points. Demand is strong because there is a huge amount of pent-up demand for international travel. That, coupled with the strong economy (really?) and the millions of recent new real estate millionaires, cruising, and travel in general, is the beneficiary.
The real issue is the fact that on an international level, the dollar has shrank to a point where price increases would be mandatory. Inflation now is seen as a weaker currency, rather than high interest rates. The price of gas has not gone up, the value of the U.S. dollar has gone down.
Until the U.S. monetary policy stabilizes the dollar, I suspect cruises will become even more expensive (in dollars, not euro).
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