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

[AquaDame]

This thread is losing track of OPs question about what normal price increases are year to year... if we could try to keep on topic that would be swell. I don't want to stifle anyone - we do have a more general pricing/venting thread going over at https://www.disboards.com/threads/just-saying-no.3644410/ .

TIA!

 

[MUN]

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.

I'm not sure what fake news source you are using for your GDP stats, but GDP annual growth ranged from 1.5% to 2.9% from 2010 to 2016. The recession has been long over.

To get back on the OP's point, increases seem to take place every year. And as the economy has been humming along quite nicely since the end of the Great Recession, DCL has significant pricing power.


MUN

 

[RedSox68]

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.

Per my previous point above, you can do much better sailing Alaska with another cruise line!

 

[cruiser21]

I'm not sure what fake news source you are using for your GDP stats, but GDP annual growth ranged from 1.5% to 2.9% from 2010 to 2016. The recession has been long over.

To get back on the OP's point, increases seem to take place every year. And as the economy has been humming along quite nicely since the end of the Great Recession, DCL has significant pricing power.


MUN

Don't know what fake news you read but I totally disagree...moving on. Maybe it depends on where you live certainly didn't end for us in 2010. 1.5 to 2,9 is not good.

 

[JWG]

So, I wanted to go against the grain here. We just booked our next 7-day cruise for March of 2019. It will actually cost us LESS than our 2017 7-day cruise did. Now, there are a variety of reasons for that:

• Going early March instead of late, so cheaper time period (but neither was Easter pricing)
• Used OBB this time - so 10% discount
• Booked opening day this time, did not last time - pricing may have gone up before we booked
• Western vs. Eastern itinerary (but port fees are higher West)

But still, the price difference was at least 10% cheaper for us AND we moved from Cat 5B to 4B. We were pleasantly surprised.

All to say, there are a lot of factors that dictate pricing differences and while Disney continues to be more expensive and drive higher price increases (seemingly), there are scenarios where it wasn't 20%+ price increases.

 

[MUN]

Don't know what fake news you read but I totally disagree...moving on. Maybe it depends on where you live certainly didn't end for us in 2010. 1.5 to 2,9 is not good.

I took my numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis which publishes the GDP. And yes GDP growth above 2.0% per year is considered good economic growth for a country with an economy the size of the United State. This steady economic growth has allowed DCL to raise prices at a healthy clip. I agree the recession did not impact everyone equally, but, DCL certainly has been able to take substantial price increases while our economy came out of it.

MUN

 

[MUN]

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.

Do you think DCL should lower their prices?

 

[cruiser21]

I took my numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis which publishes the GDP. And yes GDP growth above 2.0% per year is considered good economic growth for a country with an economy the size of the United State. This steady economic growth has allowed DCL to raise prices at a healthy clip. I agree the recession did not impact everyone equally, but, DCL certainly has been able to take substantial price increases while our economy came out of it.

MUN

I agree with you, but just having a positive GDP doesn't make the recession go away. It takes years. I live at ground zero of the housing crisis. My husband and I just started getting raises again in 2015. If the economy was great from 2010 to 13 I would not have gotten 45% off at the Polynesian....that's all I'm saying. As some one who cruised i dcl since 2010 I've seen the biggest price jumps the last couple of years. Markets up unemployment is down consumer confidence is up.... prices are soaring on everything. At least it feels that way to me. Maybe others don't notice it, but I do.

 

[JW9DVC]

What you call "cheap" I call "smart".

Not always to that equation. Smart are the ones that manage money enough to find the value in Disney. When that no longer happens for us. We will jump ship.

 

[mevelandry]

Not always to that equation. Smart are the ones that manage money enough to find the value in Disney. When that no longer happens for us. We will jump ship.

To me, being smart with money is finding the best product for the lowest price. In french, we have an expression: "Rapport qualité-prix" which, I think, translates as "Quality-price ratio".

"quality-price ratio" I would say, is more rational than sentimental.

 

[cruiser21]

To me, being smart with money is finding the best product for the lowest price. In french, we have an expression: "Rapport qualité-prix" which, I think, translates as "Quality-price ratio".

"quality-price ratio" I would say, is more rational than sentimental.

I agree with you, but it's ok to splurge and be a little sentimental once in a while too.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

To me, being smart with money is finding the best product for the lowest price. In french, we have an expression: "Rapport qualité-prix" which, I think, translates as "Quality-price ratio".

"quality-price ratio" I would say, is more rational than sentimental.

Exactly, and that must be why all of DCL' s marketing is sentimentalism! Something happened to me a year or two ago and I just stopped being so soft. Now, their marketing just seems crass to me and their prices outrageous.
Bon voyage DCL.

 

[mevelandry]

I agree with you, but it's ok to splurge and be a little sentimental once in a while too.

I agree, If you are smart with your money for a very long time, in the end you can get some extra money and splurge.

Ex: I would do split stays in WDW staying in value or moderate on days (rarely more than one or two) I would go to the park and keep a Deluxe for the last day (without going to the park). It was our way to get a nice vacation in WDW without having to sell the house. Lol

 

[mevelandry]

Exactly, and that must be why all of DCL' s marketing is sentimentalism! Something happened to me a year or two ago and I just stopped being so soft. Now, their marketing just seems crass to me and their prices outrageous.
Bon voyage DCL.

I noticed that even a Bahamas cruise will be a couple hundreds of dollars more than what we paid for in the past. That would mean that we would have to stick to one cruise a year (instead of two) for an itinerary and the same activities we have already experienced... I want to experience different ships and different itineraries, twice a year, preferably.

I love DCL, but I think they take customers for granted with those hikes.

 

[Ray4Fun]

DCL has the right to post a price that meets there corporate requirement for income generation. My family has the right to purchase what fits our corporate need to protect our income generation. Note: Next September is our 4th Sep in a row with the family, last 3 on DCL Fantasy. (Fall Break). After 3 DCL,, we will be heading to RCL. They had a kids sail free offer last month. That along with the lower costs is saving enough to take the family on a second RCL week for a bit more than 1 week for the 5 of us on DCL. We cannot justify,,, Love the mouse.

 

[RedSox68]

Do you think DCL should lower their prices?

In a word, YES. On opening day, Disney offers zero amenities, package deals, OBC or any other booking offers (unless you book a "hold" cruise onboard) -- simply because they don't feel they have to because many will book with them no matter what the costs. Unlike other lines, their prices skyrocket the first week. There is no reason for them not to be able to level this off so everyone gets a fair shot at a more or less decent price. It's become madness and gets worse and worse with no end in sight.

And unlike almost every other cruise line, Disney never offers sails or booking amenities throughout the year except for last minute offers which any of us cannot do. Maybe when I retire

Booking on opening day, even for platinum, they offer nothing but the privilege of sailing with them. And we can't even afford to book that 11th cruise so we can finally use our platinum benefits! For us it stopped being a "privilege" years ago when I found other lines offered so much more and lower prices (sometimes by thousands). Yes, many will keep paying these prices because they don't feel their kids can have a good cruise on any other line, and many have admitted they are afraid to try another line, but when they do branch out they will be surprised at the savings.

 

[mrswillson]

Do you think DCL should lower their prices?

Since I stated there is no justification for the current prices, yes, I do believe DCL should lower their prices.

 

[MUN]

Since I stated there is no justification for the current prices, yes, I do believe DCL should lower their prices.

If people are paying the current prices, then they are justified.

Oh, how much do think they should lower them?

 

[DCLDVC1]

DCL can charge whatever they want because I think a lot of people are scared to try something different and are willing to pay a premium to stay in their comfort zone.

 

[mrswillson]

To piggy back off my last post: Disney is a great company that offers a unique experience and there is no disputing that - HOWEVER their product is not so great that it is worth double (and in some cases triple) than that of their competition. Aside from the characters and theming, what else do they have to offer that other lines don't?

Food? I've heard and seen nothing but fantastic things when comparing DCL to other cruise lines (RCCL, NCL, etc.) Unfortunately, on our honeymoon cruise last month, my husband and I were severely underwhelmed with food and service. Many times our dishes were served lukewarm, there was not enough variety for my husband throughout, and my serving experience was terrible as I have gluten and dairy intolerances and had slim pickings for choices, as well as a server who was incompetent with allergies; to top the entire experience off, at our disembarkation breakfast I was served a moldy muffin. Nothing about our experience was to "Disney" standards nor worth the price we paid.

Activities? While Disney does offer an array of things to do for children, tweens and teens, many other lines also cater with specific decks and/or locations onboard for these specific age groups. When it comes to adults, while Disney has adult-only pools, bars, and a select few restaurants, this is again not something new to the industry, and arguably less than other lines offer. Shows are specifically catered to children. Activities are specifically catered to families. When it comes to variety of things for all ages, Disney never fails to come up a little short.

Itineraries? This is a point that should already be noticeable to most, if not all who sail DCL: over the last several years there have been no earthshattering changes (and again, no variety). While other lines offer a more diverse itinerary list to places such as the Southern Pacific, Australia, Hawaii, and Northern and Southern Asia, Disney does not. If I want to see the world on a cruise line, as of now in order to have that accomplished, it will not be through DCL.

Again, I am as big a fan of Disney as everyone else here, but I do find it disheartening to a point that what Disney lacks in variety can be found elsewhere.