Thus spake "Warren" :
>livecam wrote:
>> The cruise product has been designed to extract maximum
>> dollars from the passenger over and above the price of passage.
>
>I've posted this before but it is worth repeating. In 1983 I booked an
>minimum outside cabin (and it was a cabin share in the lowest category)
>for the "bargain" rate of $1300 for a 7 day eatern Caribbean cruise
>from Miami. Adjusting this for inflation, this would roughly be the
>equivalent of $2500 today! (I used a web-based tool to arrive at this
>number)
I recently had a couple take a land based AI. The cost was about
$1800 pp. I warned them beforehand that it really wasn't "all
inclusive". They came back and complained that it was almost
impossiblie to get into the charge restaurants unless you were up at
6:30 am and that eating in a buffet got old quickly. And they were
shocked at the price of the excursion to Tulum. There were so many
extra charges (they also charged for alcohol unless it was the poofy
sugary drink of the day). The mandatory tips were $3.50 for the
maid (per room). The charge restaurants were in the $20-30 range.
>
>The same exact itinerary for the same exact week this year ranges from
>$550-850 in *todays* dollars for an equivalent cabin category depending
>on the ship/line.
>
>Are you willing to pay $2466 for a minimum category outside cabin for a
>7 day Caribbean cruise to eliminate some of the onboard charges? BTW,
>the sailing is during peak hurricane season.
In a word, NO. In two words F*** NO. I have no complaints with what
they charge for, or the prices. As was previously stated, we don't
buy art nor inches of gold. We buy our excursions from third parties
(mostly shoretrips, they pay a commission) and I only drink a few
sodas. We buy the occasional bottle of wine.
>
>Warren
--
dillon
JAFO |