Is there usually this much of a price increase each year?

[darnheather]

Never said that you were dropping money thoughtlessly. Just said you were blessed. Some are frugal and work side jobs and still cannot afford a vacation.

Moving on...

Sorry, I don't believe in blessings so that was why I corrected your idea.

 

[cruiser21]

Sorry, I don't believe in blessings so that was why I corrected your idea.

She meant you are fortuanate to be able to afford vacations. I think it goes without saying that we all have to work for it.

 

[JimGA]

The cruise prices from 2012 and 2013 were probably set in 2011 during the worst recession in recent time.

 

[KashasMom]

Yeah, that one made me giggle too. Especially the entertainment part. I was shocked (in a positive way) by the amount of entertainment --for all the family-- that we found on the Carnival Vista and the list of activities I have for our Anthem of the Seas cruise.

I agree! As a family, we love the entertainment on RCI's Oasis class ships as well as all the other family activities and offerings that Disney doesn't have.

 

[justafigment27]

Since I am the one that started this thread I just wanted to let every one know that my actual question was just if that was typical increase in price from year to year or if people thought that this year seemed to have a higher price hike than in the past. I never said that it would deter me from going with Disney. I don't have intentions of going on a different line so if I can't afford Disney I simply won't go. My choice. I was just kind of shocked by the prices. And again yes I know from years past that prices increase each year I just wasn't expecting such a big difference.

Yes, they always seem go up by a decent amount and I usually find myself a little caught off guard. We aren't huge cruisers (it took us 17 years to reach Gold), but I check prices most years because I keep thinking "maybe".

Our last cruise was a SWDAS cruise on the Fantasy in April 2016 (our spring break) and we paid $5400 for 2A2C in a 7A. The price in 2017 for the same cruise (same week, same cabin) was $6400, so that's about an 18% increase in one year. A late March 2019 Fantasy eastern is running $7500 for 2A2C in a 5C, so that's about an 18% increase from 2 years earlier for a very similar cruise in a slightly higher stateroom category, so it looks like maybe less of an increase than in years past?

The Alaskan cruises are in a whole different realm as far as I'm concerned ... on opening day (for silver) for summer 2017, I priced out a 5B for 2A2C on a late June sailing and it was $11,885. According to the pricing thread from 2018, a 5B for 2A2C for late June 2018 started out at $12,979, so about a 9% increase. If there is another 9% increase when prices are released for 2019, that would put a 5B in late June 2019 for 2A2C in the $14,000 range for initial bookings.

 

[darwinsrule]

The Alaskan cruises are in a whole different realm as far as I'm concerned ... on opening day (for silver) for summer 2017, I priced out a 5B for 2A2C on a late June sailing and it was $11,885. According to the pricing thread from 2018, a 5B for 2A2C for late June 2018 started out at $12,979, so about a 9% increase. If there is another 9% increase when prices are released for 2019, that would put a 5B in late June 2019 for 2A2C in the $14,000 range for initial bookings.

And that is why we skipped DCL for Alaska this year. We had airfare, hotels, an extended balcony, excursions in every port, steakhouse dinner, Tracy's Crab Shack dinner, souvenirs, and a better itinerary (Glacier Bay) for close to 4K less than just the DCL cruise. That alone pays for a 5 nighter on Royal Caribbean in March.

 

[bcwife76]

February isn't always the low season - in Canada many (if not most) school divisions have a week off in February, as do many northern states. It's usually the week before or following President's Day.

A week off in February in Canada - where? Not in BC. We get a day off for Family day but that's it for February. We have two weeks at Spring break and that's usually the last two weeks of March.

 

[Neptune's Fork]

I saw a list on Cruise critic with the 10 most popular ships. DCL didn't even make the list. Disney has a very small market in the cruise industry. It's almost a cult following. There's just enough DCL loyalists to fill 4 ships, but in the big scheme of things they are just a blip in the cruise industry.

I don't know that that's an accurate characterization of the situation. If you are talking about total number of people worldwide that take cruises per year, then yes, DCL numbers will not be nearly as high as quite a few others because of the number of ships. But to say they are a blip and just have a cult following is not entirely accurate either. I guarantee you many, if not most all, people that take cruises are well aware of Disney Cruise Line and their reputation. I've spoken with many people that regularly take cruises, but have never done a Disney cruise, that will tell you that their impression of DCL is that of a top quality cruise experience. So I would not choose to describe it as niche, and it's just a small number of cult people that are interested. That is not accurate at all. And every major travel/cruise publication in the world would say otherwise as well. I assure you if that were the case, we would not be engaging in these conversations, because there just would not be enough people interested.

 

[cruiser21]

I don't know that that's an accurate characterization of the situation. If you are talking about total number of people worldwide that take cruises per year, then yes, DCL numbers will not be nearly as high as quite a few others because of the number of ships. But to say they are a blip and just have a cult following is not entirely accurate either. I guarantee you many, if not most all, people that take cruises are well aware of Disney Cruise Line and their reputation. I've spoken with many people that regularly take cruises, but have never done a Disney cruise, that will tell you that their impression of DCL is that of a top quality cruise experience. So I would not choose to describe it as niche, and it's just a small number of cult people that are interested. That is not accurate at all. And every major travel/cruise publication in the world would say otherwise as well. I assure you if that were the case, we would not be engaging in these conversations, because there just would not be enough people interested.

I disagree. I have a lot of friends that cruise that have no interest in Disney. In their opinion it's an overpriced kids cruise line. I find DL and WDW to be pretty polarizing most people love it or hate. There's not a lot of in between. I have family members that love Disney and family members that hate Disney. I even have a few that work for Disney. I think with only 4 ships its just a very small part of the cruise industry. If your a member of these boards I think its seems more relevant than it is. I've traveled all over the world and never read a travel magazine.

 

[mevelandry]

A week off in February in Canada - where? Not in BC. We get a day off for Family day but that's it for February. We have two weeks at Spring break and that's usually the last two weeks of March.

In Quebec the "Semaine de relâche" is usually around the end of February or the beginning of March.

 

[mevelandry]

I disagree. I have a lot of friends that cruise that have no interest in Disney. In their opinion it's an overpriced kids cruise line. I find DL and WDW to be pretty polarizing most people love it or hate. There's not a lot of in between. I have family members that love Disney and family members that hate Disney. I even have a few that work for Disney. I think with only 4 ships its just a very small part of the cruise industry. If your a member of these boards I think its seems more relevant than it is. I've traveled all over the world and never read a travel magazine.

I also find that some "Top 10" are overrated. As much as I enjoyed Animator's Palace on our Disney Wonder cruise --we had a good time and the food was good--, in no way it is one of the best restaurants in the cruise industry.

 

[JWG]

This article is starting to get dated, but it shows the shifts in pricing over the course of the year (when the peaks and valleys hit within a year - NOT year over year).

http://blog.touringplans.com/2015/01/28/least-expensive-disney-cruise/

 

[RedSox68]

The Alaskan cruises are in a whole different realm as far as I'm concerned ... on opening day (for silver) for summer 2017, I priced out a 5B for 2A2C on a late June sailing and it was $11,885. According to the pricing thread from 2018, a 5B for 2A2C for late June 2018 started out at $12,979, so about a 9% increase. If there is another 9% increase when prices are released for 2019, that would put a 5B in late June 2019 for 2A2C in the $14,000 range for initial bookings.

Oh yeah. Number one we didn't want to do DCL because they weren't doing Glacier Bay. But when we compared prices with other lines, it was a no brainer anyway. Disney's price for a 7-night for 3 adults in a 7A was well over $10,000. We booked HAL for a 20-day land and cruise tour -- 7-day cruise and 12 nights on land that included hotels, some meals, land excursions, 2-nights in Denali and the up through the Yukon with all transportation including flights back to Vancouver, for a couple thousand over the same amount we would have paid Disney for one 7-day cruise!

 

[MUN]

The cruise prices from 2012 and 2013 were probably set in 2011 during the worst recession in recent time.

The US, Canada, and the UK were out of the recession by 2011.

 

[FigmentSpark]

A week off in February in Canada - where? Not in BC. We get a day off for Family day but that's it for February. We have two weeks at Spring break and that's usually the last two weeks of March.

Saskatchewan gets a week in Feb and one in April, but they went back to school a week earlier than most other provinces to make up for it. Then again, if you've spent any time in Sk. in Feb, you'll know that's the prime time to either vacation or hunker down next to the fireplace.

 

[sunryzez]

We are a Disney family. We live in Fl so visit WDW constantly. We are DVC members and have visited DL and Aulani. I totally see both sides about Disney being expensive and people paying anyway. However we have cruised multiple times on Disney but it is getting to the point where we are being priced out. I just cannot justify the increases. In 2014 we did a 4 night magic for about 1400. We are spending 2700 on a 3 night on the wonder this March. That is almost double the price and is one day less on the cruise. The 7 night Fantasy we had wanted was 8k. We did a 7 night on the Magic 6 years prior for 2800!
I think it is wonderful for the families that can still afford at these prices but sadly I think this upcoming DCL in March will be our last for a VERY long time....

 

[Garyjames220]

Me and my partner are both late 20s and have no kids and we are jumping over to RC

We love Disney but they have priced us out

We are going on RC new sympony of the seas next year. It’s working out half the price and a balcony instead of an ocean view

Not only that but getting a free premium drinks package. So couldn’t turn that down

I just hope it’s as good as Disney for us

 

[cruiser21]

The US, Canada, and the UK were out of the recession by 2011.

Technically it may have ended, but it didn't feel like it for a lot of people or businesses. This is the first year we have had any real GDP growth. Since 2015 prices have soared at Disney. We had annual passes at WDW 2011 to 2013 parks were empty. 40% off discounts at resorts were plentiful. Lots of GT rates on cruises. People about lose their minds on the resorts board chasing room discounts these days.

 

[mrswillson]

The DCL price jump from year to year doesn’t bother me. It’s the lack of value and consistency that swayed me for our 2018 cruise, which my husband and I are doing on Royal. Our Disney Cruise this year was priced perfectly to us, but once we cruised, the price was really the only satisfying thing about the vacation, sadly.

We are a childless couple so if the food, service, and nightly entertainment are not up to standard, we don’t blink at booking with another line. We just want the best vacation experience we can buy. We love Disney vacations, but Disney is a business, and they earn our money when we are satisfied with their product. We weren’t satisfied with DCL this year, but we’ll look into them again if an itinerary looks interesting.

This is exactly how my husband and I feel, and why we have made the painful decision to nix next year's Christmas cruise with DCL, as well as plans for a 2019 Alaska sailing and have opted for RC instead. In my opinion, there is no justification for the prices that Disney is charging for their cruises when you can receive just as many - if not more - amenities on other cruise lines for a fraction of the cost; all you're missing is the mouse. Being one of the people who can't bear the thought of vacationing with anyone else, I understand the flip-side argument that only Disney can offer that "magical" feel... but you have to ask yourself at some point: is it really worth double or triple the cost?

On the Alaskan cruise alone, between the cost of the cruise itself, excursions, and roundtrip flights to Vancouver, my husband and I are looking at approximately a $10,000 vacation. $6,500 is the starting point for a 7 night Alaskan in 2019 for DCL, all the while RC is in the ball park of $3,000. You mean to tell me that being able to say you sailed on a Disney ship is work over double the price? No, hell no. (And again: this is coming from someone who lives at Disney World in her free time and would choose DCL if the pricing was more appropriate.)

DCL has priced out this family.

 

[hanscarlet]

I'm the least familiar with the Fantasy but I have to admit when I booked a 4A with them a few months ago for May 2018 and it was $7500 I almost lost my bottom lol. I have never paid more than $7k for a verandah room so I get that this boat is supposedly "awesome" but I was super surprised. Now to see folks having to pay $7K-$8k for verandahs and $6k+ for non verandah rooms on the fantasy is mind blowing in my opinion... I feel them on their frustrations... I am so glad I love the classic ships... mainly doing the Fantasy next year to say we did it and grand slam be done...

I drink the DCL koolaid but our last NYC magic cruise, service was considerably down in a few areas and it was our first time we didn't leave a comment card. Also it chapped my (you know what) to see all of the TAs getting free rooms. There I said it. I pay a premium to travel, book a year in advance to watch the boat not fill and have a bunch of people go for free? Really? And then the service sucked on top of it. I had one non refundable concierge room I had to get rid of so we booked 2019 and because I desperately want to see the Wonder and because it was a good deal (it was Lower than what I paid for in 2017 for my cat V on the Dream).

I read a recent review of a Haven's NCL experience on a different board and the guy said it blew DCL out of the water from a service and experience perspective and Haven is much cheaper than DCL concierge. Another friend described his Wonder concierge experience to be extremely disappointing... You can get suites on other lines for what you pay for an oceanview on DCL... I am preaching to the choir but we didn't get any placeholders last month and are sitting on one that will expire in 2019 so I am not sure if we'll get one next May, we'll see. I am hoping the prices stabilize when the new ships come out but who knows... just want to make sure I am getting a return on investment or spending my $ wisely