Those choosing other cruise lines- what's your $ point?

[quickcat]

A single plane ticket would be $1500 at least. For my family of 3 that would $4500 for the airfare.

Wow- that is crazy high!!! I thought our airfare sometimes was high at times from Minneapolis but boy, now I feel lucky we have the fares we do- I can't imagine paying that for airfare!

 

[cruiser21]

I found this, too. I've been pricing a RCCL sailing and the same rooms, but different sales all seem to come up with the same price. I think they offer 30% off, but raise the first rate. Again, another marketing strategy.

I also think that too many people and websites are so focused on watching DCL prices that having sales that weren't really sales (like RCCL) would backfire on them.

It's like shopping at Kohls. Everyday there is a "sale".

 

[mevelandry]

Yep. RCCL is notorious for raising the rates just enough that the "sale" isn't that big of a sale at all - if any.

Yeah, I notice that they are always on "sale" so the price end up being pretty much the same almost every time I check.

That being said, we got an excellent rate when we booked 18 months in advance for the Bermuda cruise. (735$ CND before taxes when I usually see around 1100$ before taxes).

 

[cgolf]

I think if DCL started having 'sales' on any of their sailings, there would quickly become an expectation that they might have them on other sailings. By offering select groups a deal or offering GT* rates, they get around the expectation of waiting for a sale and possibly even having to discount those that have already booked their cruises. It's a marketing strategy.

Not sure that s totally true. They are definately sales off their original prices, it is just that the different sales work out to about the same price, at least when booking for two people. Our travel agent will find us at least one sale though during the year that will either lower our cost or increase our obc. That is the nice part of a TA that will check and adjust for you.

 

[cruiser21]

Not sure that s totally true. They are definately sales off their original prices, it is just that the different sales work out to about the same price, at least when booking for two people. Our travel agent will find us at least one sale though during the year that will either lower our cost or increase our obc. That is the nice part of a TA that will check and adjust for you.

Thats good to know. Honestly I've been paying DCL prices for so long other cruise lines always look like a great deal to me sale or not. I've never priced out a Carnival NCL or Royal cruise and been shocked by the price. I do think the sales are kindly of a marketing ploy, but I'm saving thousands over DCL. I guess just by choosing another cruise line I'm getting a sale.

 

[pangyal]

I'll preface this by saying we are absolutely cruising newbies. However, I cancelled our DCL cruise to Alaska for next May in lieu of Princess. Not only was the itinerary better based on reviews and helpful comments, but we got a full suite with a wraparound balcony (690 square feet), club level service, and all of the club level perks for HALF of what we had booked an ocean view room for on DCL with no balcony. It was a very easy decision. I'd be hard pressed to see the value differential for that much, personally.

 

[RedSox68]

5500$ CDN is not a good price for a cruise (especially for the Bahamas). You can spend two weeks in Italy for that amount.

I didn't even think the USD of $4222 was a good price for a 7-day cruise!

 

[mevelandry]

I didn't even think the USD of $4222 was a good price for a 7-day cruise!

Considering the fact that we paid $1,247.06 USD for 2 Adults, on a 6 nights cruise on the Carnival Vista which is their brand new ship (it's an inside room but still...) for a Western Caribbean itinerary...

 

[Shanti]

A single plane ticket would be $1500 at least. For my family of 3 that would $4500 for the airfare.

Wow- that is crazy high!!!

Yes. I also live in a medium-sized city in the center of the U.S., & airfare to Europe is crazy expensive from here. $1,000 plus per person, minimum. And that's just for coach seats... Then you multiply that by the number of people in your family.

Pretty soon you've got a trip that is uber-expensive before even planning lodging, activities & food, and it features a very long and uncomfortable travel schedule at the beginning and end of the trip...

Feeling more like a cruise, anyone?

 

[cruiser21]

Yes. I also live in a medium-sized city in the center of the U.S., & airfare to Europe is crazy expensive from here. $1,000 plus per person, minimum. And that's just for coach seats... Then you multiply that by the number of people in your family.

Pretty soon you've got a trip that is uber-expensive before even planning lodging, activities & food, and it features a very long and uncomfortable travel schedule at the beginning and end of the trip...

Feeling more like a cruise, anyone?

I've used points to get the east coast and then bought tickets from there. I guess it depends on how much you want to see Europe. The flights the jet lag...yeah it stinks. Totally worth it in my opinion especially if your combining it with a cruise. It's fun when your watching movies with your kids and they recognize European cities that they've been to. We were watching Jason Bourne the other night. The movie started out in Reykjavik, then moved on to Athens and Berlin all places we've been and they recognized. I always think if there's a will there's a way to make it happen. I see a lot of people on these boards paying over 10k for Caribbean cruises or WDW so my thought is if they really wanted to go overseas they could. I realize it's not for everyone though, and not everyone's idea of a relaxing vacation.

 

[RedSox68]

Yes. I also live in a medium-sized city in the center of the U.S., & airfare to Europe is crazy expensive from here. $1,000 plus per person, minimum. And that's just for coach seats... Then you multiply that by the number of people in your family.

Pretty soon you've got a trip that is uber-expensive before even planning lodging, activities & food, and it features a very long and uncomfortable travel schedule at the beginning and end of the trip...

Feeling more like a cruise, anyone?

Would it be cheaper to fly to a larger city on a cheaper airline (like Frontier or Southwest) and then get a deal on a European flight from there? I know we got an amazing price on flights to Barcelona on Norwegian Air, but that was out of Newark.

 

[Shanti]

Would it be cheaper to fly to a larger city on a cheaper airline (like Frontier or Southwest) and then get a deal on a European flight from there? I know we got an amazing price on flights to Barcelona on Norwegian Air, but that was out of Newark.

It isn't cheap to fly to New Jersey or NYC from central Texas. I've seen good deals from the U.S. to Europe, but they're typically from big coastal cities. So to take advantage, you have to fly to the big coastal city, which itself isn't cheap, try to get the timing exactly right without having to pay for a hotel overnight in that city (hard to do, as the best deal flights are often scheduled at 0 dark thirty in the morning)...Add to that increased cost the hassle factor, with kids...

The point I'm trying to make is that this is why a lot of people, including myself, cruise, instead of doing an expensive and complicated pilgrimmage from middle America all the way to Europe. I work hard at a full time job and being a mom to an autistic child who is required to be on a strict gluten-free diet. A Disney cruise or a trip to WDW is affordable for us to travel to, easy to plan, my son loves the Disney characters, and Disney always provides gluten-free food, something we can't count on in random restaurants half a world away.

Disney is a vacation option that works for us right now, and we're sticking with it.

 

[jvh4]

Which Carnival ship? I know the Victory has a cute kiddie pool...

I don't recall the exact ship we looked at, but since my DD is in swim diapers, she can only go in pools/splash areas specifically designated as allowing swim diapers. Disney was the only cruise line I found that provided the filtration system needed to allow the diapers - and even then, it's just the Nemo area.

I've read that enforcement is inconsistent, but as an environmental engineer specializing in wastewater treatment, it's important to me to play this one by the rules.

 

[aggiedog]

It isn't cheap to fly to New Jersey or NYC from central Texas. I've seen good deals from the U.S. to Europe, but they're typically from big coastal cities. So to take advantage, you have to fly to the big coastal city, which itself isn't cheap, try to get the timing exactly right without having to pay for a hotel overnight in that city (hard to do, as the best deal flights are often scheduled at 0 dark thirty in the morning)...Add to that increased cost the hassle factor, with kids...

Amen, sister! Another Texan here.

That said, we do go to Europe, but suck it up and plan the extra cost. I do get suckered in all the time seeing airfare sales, just to figure out it will cost double coming from Texas.

 

[mevelandry]

Ok now I am grateful to live on the East Coast, within 20 minutes from a major airport.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

It isn't cheap to fly to New Jersey or NYC from central Texas. I've seen good deals from the U.S. to Europe, but they're typically from big coastal cities. So to take advantage, you have to fly to the big coastal city, which itself isn't cheap, try to get the timing exactly right without having to pay for a hotel overnight in that city (hard to do, as the best deal flights are often scheduled at 0 dark thirty in the morning)...Add to that increased cost the hassle factor, with kids...

The point I'm trying to make is that this is why a lot of people, including myself, cruise, instead of doing an expensive and complicated pilgrimmage from middle America all the way to Europe. I work hard at a full time job and being a mom to an autistic child who is required to be on a strict gluten-free diet. A Disney cruise or a trip to WDW is affordable for us to travel to, easy to plan, my son loves the Disney characters, and Disney always provides gluten-free food, something we can't count on in random restaurants half a world away.

Disney is a vacation option that works for us right now, and we're sticking with it.

This. Flights anywhere from Houston airports aren't cheap. Like the crazy low price sales you see advertised by budget carriers? It's NEVER that cheap from Houston. NEVER. So $300-$400 to an airport to get a less-expensive international flight....it's never a bargain. Europe, Japan, China, etc. are always well over $1k pp proposition. Multiply that times 4 and....nope. Maybe when the boys are finished with college.....

 

[cmph]

It isn't cheap to fly to New Jersey or NYC from central Texas. I've seen good deals from the U.S. to Europe, but they're typically from big coastal cities. So to take advantage, you have to fly to the big coastal city, which itself isn't cheap, try to get the timing exactly right without having to pay for a hotel overnight in that city (hard to do, as the best deal flights are often scheduled at 0 dark thirty in the morning)...Add to that increased cost the hassle factor, with kids...

The point I'm trying to make is that this is why a lot of people, including myself, cruise, instead of doing an expensive and complicated pilgrimmage from middle America all the way to Europe. I work hard at a full time job and being a mom to an autistic child who is required to be on a strict gluten-free diet. A Disney cruise or a trip to WDW is easy to plan, my son loves the Disney characters, and Disney always provides gluten-free food, something we can't count on in random restaurants half a world away.

Disney is a vacation option that works for us right now, and we're sticking with it.

I would double-like this if I could! Every family is different, and often there are very valid reasons to stick with something that works. Circumstances may change, kids will grow up, and then vacation styles change, as well. But what seems like a ridiculous cruise price difference to some families may be justified to others, or may not actually be the price difference you are assuming when you're not in that family's shoes. The Europe vs cruise discussion here is a great example. And while I don't blame anyone who has zero food restrictions for not understanding, it is extremely complicated to plan some types of travel when you do have them. Well, unless you're cool with a lot of grocery shopping and cooking on your vacation, anyway!

 

[mevelandry]

I would double-like this if I could! Every family is different, and often there are very valid reasons to stick with something that works. Circumstances may change, kids will grow up, and then vacation styles change, as well. But what seems like a ridiculous cruise price difference to some families may be justified to others, or may not actually be the price difference you are assuming when you're not in that family's shoes. The Europe vs cruise discussion here is a great example. And while I don't blame anyone who has zero food restrictions for not understanding, it is extremely complicated to plan some types of travel when you do have them. Well, unless you're cool with a lot of grocery shopping and cooking on your vacation, anyway!

Who argued on food restrictions? Did I miss a comment?

A special need is a special need. Nobody argued that.

But I believe that on the case we were talking about, yes, there is other (and probably better) options for the same price.

I mean, I like being inclusive but sometimes we're talking about specific cases.

 

[cmph]

Who argued on food restrictions? Did I miss a comment?

A special need is a special need. Nobody argued that.

But I believe that on the case we were talking about, yes, there is other (and probably better) options for the same price.

I mean, I like being inclusive but sometimes we're talking about specific cases.

I was referring back to what Shanti said about dietary restrictions being an issue for her family, in part.

It was more of a general commentary that people on these threads (the DCL vs every other cruiseline threads) often look at it from a straightforward dollar savings = better value standpoint. Which is totally fine for many families, and a perfectly valid conversation to have. And really, no one should argue that *insert any other cruiseline* is cheaper than DCL, purely in dollars. There are many, many of us who fall into your "specific cases" category though. We don't all come from the same starting point, for a multitude of reasons - location of home, dietary issues, special needs children and adults, etc. I think the discussion on flight costs to Europe is a good example of how we're all looking at travel from different perspectives, completely unrelated to dietary restrictions (which wasn't meant to be the entire point of my post or Shanti's anyway). What works and is even possible for some families may not be feasible for others, for reasons people don't realize simply b/c it doesn't apply to them and consequently they don't think about it.

Someone invents a pill for celiac - and we are off and away to options we've shelved for the time-being! That truly is our biggest hump to get over; doubling our flight costs b/c we have 2 kids is the other. For many disboard families, they have more humps though.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I was referring back to what Shanti said about dietary restrictions being an issue for her family, in part.

It was more of a general commentary that people on these threads (the DCL vs every other cruiseline threads) often look at it from a straightforward dollar savings = better value standpoint. Which is totally fine for many families, and a perfectly valid conversation to have. And really, no one should argue that *insert any other cruiseline* is cheaper than DCL, purely in dollars. There are many, many of us who fall into your "specific cases" category though. We don't all come from the same starting point, for a multitude of reasons - location of home, dietary issues, special needs children and adults, etc. I think the discussion on flight costs to Europe is a good example of how we're all looking at travel from different perspectives, completely unrelated to dietary restrictions (which wasn't meant to be the entire point of my post or Shanti's anyway). What works and is even possible for some families may not be feasible for others, for reasons people don't realize simply b/c it doesn't apply to them and consequently they don't think about it.

Someone invents a pill for celiac - and we are off and away to options we've shelved for the time-being! That truly is our biggest hump to get over; doubling our flight costs b/c we have 2 kids is the other. For many disboard families, they have more humps though.

But you seem to be assuming that other cruise lines can't or won't deal with your special needs issues. Out of Galveston, Carnival keeps their second newest ship (right now the Breeze and soon to be the Vista). Royal has one of their better ships (recently refurbished with tons of new stuff) in Galveston. Both of these lines can (and do) deal with special diets and special needs.