Topic: Cruise chiefs meet at colosal cruise convention

QUOTE:

Neil,


The point I was trying to make is that the cruise lines fares being so much more for UK based cruises than most other parts of the world.

Why should it be that the same ship operating from a USA port can charge around one third of the price ppn than when it would leave from Southampton? Why should it be as cheap to fly to the Med or Caribbean for a cruise when you need to factor in the air fare?

It is well known that the cruise lines will charge what the market will stand and they obviously perceive that the British will pay more.

I am most certainly not saying that anyone is thick (or I would have to include myself) as , if we want to cruise, we have to choose what is available. Whilst we may be in our right minds I believe that we are being taken advantage of - by comparison to elsewhere.

This has been discussed before but it is worth clarifying. Are British and Australian residents regardless of nationality able to purchase from a US travel agent ? Most of us would have a US address that could be used if necessary, a friend or relative who lives there.

Neil , I think you mentioned once how easy it is to purchase from the UK when resident of Australia therefore it should follow that anyone could purchase anywhere.

Dan Hanrahan (Celebrity) noted that pricing in 2010 only looks better when compared to 2009. Pricing still remains well below the levels of 2006 and 2007, he said. Even then, "I don't think we had the prices we rightfully deserved," he added.

Hi all
Can anyone explain the above quote?The quote "rightfully deserved" is doing my head in.What do they do to be deserving of anything?
Does that mean they rightfully deserve to raise prices?
JC

QUOTE:

Neil,

Maybe slightly harsh terminology on a quick reply but I was not referring to being mislead by the small print.

The point I was trying to make is that the cruise lines fares being so much more for UK based cruises than most other parts of the world.

Why should it be that the same ship operating from a USA port can charge around one third of the price ppn than when it would leave from Southampton? Why should it be as cheap to fly to the Med or Caribbean for a cruise when you need to factor in the air fare?

It is well known that the cruise lines will charge what the market will stand and they obviously perceive that the British will pay more.

I am most certainly not saying that anyone is thick (or I would have to include myself) as , if we want to cruise, we have to choose what is available. Whilst we may be in our right minds I believe that we are being taken advantage of - by comparison to elsewhere.

Maybe I was a bit quick off the mark too but I have had it up to here with people calling this "Rip off Britain". I pay what I can for my cruises and have the option of using my son in the US to get tickets but seldom can I get the cruises that I want to do any cheaper from there and the airfares that I can get here are often cheaper that he can proving that much of it is swings and roundabouts.

I will try to be less pointed in future but knowing me I doubt that will happen. Regards. ....Neil

We are ripped off. One good example is the prices of DVDs that are offered at roughly half the price in the US but coded so that they can't be played on machines generaly sold in the UK.