Prices! Am I priced out!

[Mrspeaks]

Hi,
We have cruised DCL three times in the last three years. A 7, 4 and 5 night cruise on the Fantasy, Dream and Magic. I love Disney and I love Disney cruises. We have two young girls - 4 and 2. I meant to book opening day for the 5 night 2 days at Castaway Cay, but didn't Now looking at the prices for a verandah - 6,000! That is so high. Does anyone know what the opening day rate was? I know i will bite the bullet and go on maybe one more Disney cruise in a couple of years, but that might be it. We can cruise NCL - which we did and loved before kids - for 3,000 for 7 nights. We like going to the parks too so that might be our only Disney trips with these prices.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi,
We have cruised DCL three times in the last three years. A 7, 4 and 5 night cruise on the Fantasy, Dream and Magic. I love Disney and I love Disney cruises. We have two young girls - 4 and 2. I meant to book opening day for the 5 night 2 days at Castaway Cay, but didn't Now looking at the prices for a verandah - 6,000! That is so high. Does anyone know what the opening day rate was? I know i will bite the bullet and go on maybe one more Disney cruise in a couple of years, but that might be it. We can cruise NCL - which we did and loved before kids - for 3,000 for 7 nights. We like going to the parks too so that might be our only Disney trips with these prices.

You can check prices from opening day through all increases here: https://www.cruisefish.net/

 

[tinkerone]

Your in good company Mrspeaks, lots of us feel the same way. We have book three upcoming RCCL cruises, the first being in a few weeks, without ever being on one of their ships. DCL is just to out of control, IMO, and we have decided to start expanding.
I have spoken to DH about this and we have the thought that when our 6 month old grandson hits 5 we would like to take him aboard DCL. That's a ways to go but about the time the new ships come in. Gives us time to get over the sticker shock. Till then though its other cruise lines for our $$'s.

 

[FigmentSpark]

What cruise and what date? Also, which cat? Touring plans has a price comparison from the beginning of the cruise to the current date.

 

[Buzzsawelp]

Prices are high for Disney cruises, but it is the very basic supply and demand model in full effect. As long as they have a small fleet, have their nitch market where they sell out most cruises, especially all of them during peak family off times, prices will remain high. Until enough people start talking with their wallets and they fail to sell out regularly, prices will continue to rise because they can. Will be interesting to see how things go with the park ticket prices this coming year to see how they react. With attendance lower than it has been in awhile, do they respond to the market, especially with the investments they are making at Disneyland and Hollywood Studios? Cruise Line has the same pressure upcoming with what has to be a $2.5B+ investment in the two new ships.

 

[nearlyfallinstar]

A double dip on Castaway Cay tends to be higher than a five night with only one day on the island. More demand.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

You can check prices from opening day through all increases here: https://www.cruisefish.net/

Awesome, thank you!

 

[Raptor83]

A double dip on Castaway Cay tends to be higher than a five night with only one day on the island. More demand.

Agreed; double dips at Castaway Cay aren't the norm and always carry a premium. Are you set on the double dip? If not, maybe look at a different date for the 5 day that only stops there once. Also, I love to cruise with a veranda as well, but it may be worth looking at an oceanview (porthole) room to lower the price to a more manageable level.

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

For what it's worth, I've been pricing out RCCL cruises for 2018 and they have gotten considerably more expensive as well. Flexibility seems to be key.

 

[RedSox68]

Carnival is still the best bang for your buck. We have sailed 10 Disney cruises. When we wanted to branch out to Alaska and other itineraries, we shopped around and realized we could get the same stateroom type with an identical or similar itinerary to Disney for 1/3 of the price. Our cruise on Princess last year to the British Isles for 12 nights was $7,000 less than what Disney wanted for the exact same room type, etc. The Disney icon and name brand can only go so far when it starts causing a financial deficit just to be on one of this ships!

 

[eskimoinparadise]

We just booked Dream (D7) for 10/13/17 while onboard last week, and the total was almost $200 less than RCL's Majesty of the Seas sailing the same date in one of their balcony cabins - even after deducting my D+ balcony credit.

 

[DisneySunPrincess]

You can check prices from opening day through all increases here: https://www.cruisefish.net/

Hi Shmoo....once on that site, how can you see what the opening day price was for a room. I was trying to look at it and it is confusing me. (Not that it takes much. LOL) I am looking at Category 8C on the Disney Fantasy 9/9/17.

 

[FigmentSpark]

***Edited to add correct cat type***

This is from Touring Plans fare tracker:



Looks like the opening day price was about $5190 and it's now up to $5241. You can see that last year's similar cruise had a huge jump right around the 263th day before the cruise. Yours is already at 329 days out,so there could be a jump coming. Or not.

Hope that's helpful. By the way, I know those aren't the ages of your 2 girls, but they only have sample prices, not exact prices for all ages, groups.

https://touringplans.com/disney-cruise-line/tools/fare-tracker?utf8=✓&cruise=1283&roomcat=08C&og=5

 

[RedSox68]

The newer ships are booking at higher rates because of demand; the older ships can have decent prices if it is not a new itinerary and/or not a popular itinerary (like PC or TA). We booked WBTA for 2017 and are paying thousands less than we did in 2007!

 

[FigmentSpark]

BTW - when I had the (wrong) cat 4A in the fare tracker, it said the opening fare was $5984, so it was still pretty high. I don't think you've messed up too much by waiting, but that cruise could start rising soon.

 

[DisneySunPrincess]

***Edited to add correct cat type***

This is from Touring Plans fare tracker:

View attachment 202176

Looks like the opening day price was about $5190 and it's now up to $5241. You can see that last year's similar cruise had a huge jump right around the 263th day before the cruise. Yours is already at 329 days out,so there could be a jump coming. Or not.

Hope that's helpful. By the way, I know those aren't the ages of your 2 girls, but they only have sample prices, not exact prices for all ages, groups.

https://touringplans.com/disney-cruise-line/tools/fare-tracker?utf8=✓&cruise=1283&roomcat=08C&og=5

Thanks so much! Ours is already booked but I was curious to see how much less it was from the beginning and the answer in this case is....not much. We booked at the current rate so we are talking about only $50 difference. Not enough to have made a tremendous difference. I know that can be different for different people. I am just crossing my fingers for Florida Resident rates sometime around May/June for this sailing. Then perhaps we can shave a little off. This years cruise for Florida Resident rate would have shaved off $1200 and put me in a Verandah room instead. LOL.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Wow! That's a significant savings! I hope you get it, but that's a tough waiting game, too. At least you have it booked and don't have to worry about not getting what you want.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi Shmoo....once on that site, how can you see what the opening day price was for a room. I was trying to look at it and it is confusing me. (Not that it takes much. LOL) I am looking at Category 8C on the Disney Fantasy 9/9/17.

At the top right, click on "Finder". Then scroll down the left side to the ship you are looking for. Click on the little + sign to expand that ship's cruise list. Scroll down to find your itinerary. And click on it. Then click on the specific date you are looking at.

Hover over the price of the category you are interested in on the right hand side. A little window will open showing the opening day prices and any subsequent increases (and the date that happened). Opening day price is at the bottom of the list.

 

[DisneySunPrincess]

At the top right, click on "Finder". Then scroll down the left side to the ship you are looking for. Click on the little + sign to expand that ship's cruise list. Scroll down to find your itinerary. And click on it. Then click on the specific date you are looking at.

Hover over the price of the category you are interested in on the right hand side. A little window will open showing the opening day prices and any subsequent increases (and the date that happened). Opening day price is at the bottom of the list.

Thanks!

 

[Mrspeaks]

Thanks for the touring plan info. I am open to other sailings, that was just most appealing to me. I totally agree that it's a supply and demand concept and there are pleanty of people willing to pay. It seems that the average family will not be able to keep up with the prices. I just remeber paying around 3,000 for a 7 night verandah for three people three years ago. Wonder how the new ships will impact fares.