$2000 more for same cruise next year?

[Jaybear]

We are sailing on the Fantasy in four weeks (yeah!). We have always booked our next cruise while aboard, and I noticed that the same cruise next year is $2000 more (we're a family of five in a deluxe family verandah stateroom). Am I doing something wrong with the search options, or have the cruises really gone up that much in price?

Thanks.

 

[Amanda129]

I've noticed that too. It seems that the prices have gone up since Disney has added the Star Wars days at sea - I thought that this was on select cruises, but it seems to be on every cruise on the Fantasy for every date I've searched. I'm interested to know what the real reason behind the price difference is, if anyone knows

 

[squirk]

I think Leah posted that the SWDAS cruises were about 20% more than "normal" cruises at the same time. That, plus they gotta pay for those two new ships somehow, and they are already pretty aggressive in price increases under the best of circumstances.

 

[Aby]

One of the risks of waiting to book your next cruise onboard is that prices when the itineraries are first released are at the cheapest. Depending on how much time elapses between the release and your cruise, and the popularity of that cruise, there may have been more than a few significant price jumps. It can often be better to book a cruise as soon as they are released, and then when you get on board, "re-shop" it with the agent, who can tell you if based on the current pricing it would be better to cancel your booked cruise and re-book on board for the 10% and OBC, or if it would be better to keep your original reservation. Also yes, as the PP mentioned yearly price increases right off the bat have been quite high.

Aby

 

[Hundredacre]

No joke. You are right. And not just on the fantasy. We took a wonder cruise a few weeks ago where we paid about $3400. Same cruise next year with one less port (same amount of nights but a sea day in place of a port): about $4800. We could pay it but won't because we feel like we are being played for fools by Disney executives. This is not the result of not booking on release day. It was like this on release day.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

#disneycruiselife

Yep. It's the way of things.

 

[Jaybear]

My wife and I are very surprised by the increases. If we are going to pay that much for a cruise next year, we might as well consider other options like Hawaii. Disney is running the risk not only of losing loyal customers who can no longer afford this luxury, but also of having potential customers defect to other potentially more attractive options at this price point. Disney's hyperaggressive price increase strategy leaves a bad taste in my mouth and is making other options seem more attractive. What a shame.

 

[Rabb it]

It's unfortunate the jump is so drastic...

 

[Ofinn]

My wife and I are very surprised by the increases. If we are going to pay that much for a cruise next year, we might as well consider other options like Hawaii. Disney is running the risk not only of losing loyal customers who can no longer afford this luxury, but also of having potential customers defect to other potentially more attractive options at this price point. Disney's hyperaggressive price increase strategy leaves a bad taste in my mouth and is making other options seem more attractive. What a shame.

Your not alone in feeling this way. I wont cruise Dcl to the Caribbean anymore unless I get a discount. The good news is there's a lot of new ships coming to Florida that can hold their own against the Fantasy and for about half the price.

 

[Meriweather]

Yep.....noticed.
Looks like we'll be cruising on other lines

 

[Amanda129]

My wife and I are very surprised by the increases. If we are going to pay that much for a cruise next year, we might as well consider other options like Hawaii. Disney is running the risk not only of losing loyal customers who can no longer afford this luxury, but also of having potential customers defect to other potentially more attractive options at this price point. Disney's hyperaggressive price increase strategy leaves a bad taste in my mouth and is making other options seem more attractive. What a shame.

I've already started looking for other vacation options instead of my yearly WDW trips for this reason. It's insanely expensive, even if I'm super aggressive about using all the money-saving tips I've learned over the years. I've found that I can fly across the country, stay in a nicer hotel, rent a car, and be a tourist somewhere for cheaper than driving 7 hours to Disney and staying for the same amount of time. Such a shame

 

[sunryzez]

It is not you. Prices are just insane at this point. When I sailed with Disney about 5 years ago i took a 7 night western for 2600 for a family of four the week after Thanksgiving. That exact same cruise now is 5300! I understand inflation but to almost triple in only 5 years is extremely aggressive. We used to only cruise Disney exclusive but last year we started using other cruise lines too. I still love Disney cruise and will ship with them for my larger trip cruises. ( We did Disney Alaska this past year and it was amazing! Worth every penny) but for our Caribbean cruises we will more than likely cruise other lines.

 

[vandy]

Sounds like Disney is jacking up prices on their cruises like they are doing with their tickets and theme parks.

 

[ADP]

It's unfortunate the jump is so drastic...

I've been saying the same thing about theme park tickets the past 10 years. But I agree about the DCL prices. I wanted to book the same cruise in 2017, but it's $1500 more expensive for the same cabin, same ship, same people, and the same week. I'm an IT professional and its out of my league.

 

[CesD]

Yup. We went in October. While on board we tried to book for the same week and it was 40% more. No way. We booked RCL.

 

[Jaybear]

Glad to see that others share my reaction. I think DCL offers a premium product, and I understand (and am willing to pay) a premium price for it. But when Mickey tells me that I've gotta pay 33% more for the same thing next year, I kinda think he's trying to screw me. Even assuming that I'm willing to pay the bloated 2017 price, the optics are terrible when I paid $2K less for the same darn thing just a year earlier.

I understand inflation, but a 33% annual increase is not an inflationary adjustment. It's screwing customers and price gouging, and I don't think I'm gonna play.

 

[squirk]

DCL will continue to aggressively raise prices so long as the demand is there. Why wouldn't they? For every angry Gold CC member who switches to RCCL, there's plenty of fresh meat to replace them.

And if demand does drop off, they might bring back incentives like Kids Sail Free, but I don't think they will ever overtly lower fares. The best we could hope for is a price "freeze", I would think.

 

[olookasquirrel]

I've been lurking on the DIS boards for a while but I created an account specifically to respond to this thread !

I think my price narrative will be very interesting -

We booked February 2017 on the Fantasy on release day in October. My brother's inside cabin was $1288pp including taxes and fees. I warned everybody to book ASAP because prices would go up. Well, not everyone listened to me, and a couple people booked around Christmas time - for $1528pp. By end of January it was up another $150. The cabin next door is now going for $1822 per person, since they announced that it was a Star Wars cruise. So overall a 40% increase in just 5 months, which is INSANE.

So it's not so much that the best fare for the cruise has spiked, I would say it's more that the demand is so high the prices can keep going up and up and people are still booking cabins (I am on a FB group and am constantly seeing "I just booked for February 2017!!"), esp with SWDAS being added. I think booking on release date is becoming more and more important for the best prices.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

@olookasquirrel , I've been sailing Dream 4 night Bahamians with friends every year for 3 years. This year is my 4th. Over the past 2 years I've watched my same room category increase by $1k per year. That's just a 4-night. So from $2k to $3k to $4k. I'm not impressed. And I book the morning of opening day for platinum/gold every time. It's not always the lack of inventory running up the prices. These are the starting line prices.

 

[TXDCLfan]

Your not alone in feeling this way. I wont cruise Dcl to the Caribbean anymore unless I get a discount. The good news is there's a lot of new ships coming to Florida that can hold their own against the Fantasy and for about half the price.

EXACTLY