Dynamic cruise pricing is coming to cruising.  You’ve seen it with the airlines.  It goes like this: you look at an airline seat at 11.00 at night, but you’re tired, so you go back the next morning and the price has doubled – ruining your coffee.  That’s DYNAMIC PRICING. 

And the cruise lines have been studying the airlines… so buckle up.  It’s going to get wild. 

WHAT is Dynamic Cruise Pricing?

• Prices will change more frequently based on demand.  Not monthly or quarterly. 
• It’s also called “revenue management”, “demand forecasting”, “machine learning”, and “flexible inventory control”.  They are using AI and big data to maximize their revenue.
• The “Big 3” cruise conglomerates are already into this.  We’ve also seen it with Viking.
• Your cruise price will depend on what is selling, how quickly it is selling, how many cabins remain, and how it compares to the forecasts the cruise line were expecting. 
• Cruise ship rooms (or airline seats) are the ultimate “perishable” product, so they’re managing their inventory very carefully.  

WHO WIN and WHO LOSES with the cruise lines moving to Dynamic Cruise Pricing?

• Who wins?  Very simply, it enables cruise lines to make more money.  
• Who loses?  Travellers wanting to make last minute reservations on popular itineraries. 
• It has worked really well for the airlines, so this is the next iteration for travelers.

WHAT Can YOU DO About Cruise Line Dynamic Pricing?

• Book early… particularly on river cruises and luxury ocean lines.  Waiting will backfire. 
• Monitor your cruise fare, and if it goes down (doesn’t happen often), be ready to either rebook, or take some extra goodies in lieu of a lower public price.
• Know your deposit rules. Most of the time it’s refundable, in which case it’s re-bookable. 
• Look at comparable cruise lines.  Our clients travel across different luxury brands, but some really only consider their favorite.  If the price has gone up, what else is available?

Cruise Pricing Tips

• The mega-ship lines may continue to fire-sale stuff at the last minute.  
• The Luxury Lines are more hesitant to discount, because it erodes the brand, and the trust of their guests (they’re concerned about you getting on board and bragging to everyone about how much less you paid by booking last minute, so they avoid it). 
• Luxury cruise lines tend to sell “bookends” first (top cabin, and entry level cabins), and then move towards the middle range cabins. 

Dynamic cruise pricing is simply the latest revenue management technique the cruise lines are employing.  The trick is to understand that pricing will be volatile, and get out in front of them with your booking plans. 

The PODCAST:  Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED

In this episode of UNPACKED, Bob and Kim explain dynamic pricing in the cruise industry and how it may affect luxury cruise buyers, river cruise travelers, and anyone planning a meaningful vacation months in advance.

https://youtu.be/TYvtPyVfwQg

In Case You Missed It:

VIRTUOSO TRAVEL WEEK:  Why it Matters to our Clients.  We’re just back from the year’s most important trade show in Luxury Leisure Travel.  Here’s why this matters to YOU.

https://pamperedcruiser.com/luxury-travels-biggest-week-what-it-means-for-our-clients/

CANADA:  It’s right next door, and there’s lots to see – both on cruises and on land journeys and National Park Tours:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/destination-canada/

UNIWORLD:  If you like the idea of luxury train travel, and would like to combine that with a river cruise, the UNIWORLD has some suggestions for you:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/train-travel-uniworld/

Featured YOUTUBE Video:

LOCKS & BRIDGES are a key feature of a European River Cruise, and we get lots of questions about them from first-timers:

https://youtu.be/AgGNSU-7Qu8?si=BChxon3ZqDf5MkTK

Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there.  It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!

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Today’s Travel Opportunities

European Luxury with EXPLORA JOURNEYS

If you’re looking for an elevated culinary experience, and a unique entertainment concept, all while enjoying a luxury small ship experience, then Explora is worth looking at.  The entry level room is a 380 square foot veranda – bigger than the suites on the mega-ships!

CANADA & EAST COAST:  Quebec City to Miami departing October 15 for 10-nights

• Start in Quebec City and visit Saguenay, Sept-Îles, Sydney, Halifax, New York City, and finish in Miami.
• Fares from $6370

JAPAN:  Tokyo round-trip departing September 27, 2027 for 9-nights

• Start in Tokyo and visit Shimizu, Kobe, Kochi, Busan, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, and finish in Tokyo.
• Fares from $9000

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER COLLECTION

Uniworld has custom built ships to reflect the region in which they sail, and go to places the other river cruise lines don’t go:

ITALY’S VENICE LAGOON:  Venice round-trip for 8-days

• Uniworld operates a river boat in Venice – the very best way to immerse yourself in that corner of Italy.
• Explore all around Venice (several spots), Mazzorbo, Burano, Chioggia, Bologna. 
• 2026: Departures September through November from $3499
• 2027: Departures April through November from $2999
• Here’s a link to our video blog when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g?si=IJvnYEJlqJt_iV4n 

WINE CRUISE in Bordeaux, FRANCE for 8-days

• Visit Cussac (for Medoc Oyster tasting), Cadillac (Toulouse-Lautrec’s house), Blaye (for Blaye Fortress – a UNESCO site), Bourg sur Gironde, Libourne (for the Farmer’s Market), Saint Emilion
• Optional extension to Biarritz Basque Country (3-nights PRE) and/or Paris (2-nights post).
• 2026: Departures September through October from $4249
• 2027: Departures March through October from $3249

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Remote Explorations

If you are a photographer, or just like scenery and nature, NatGeo will get you to all the remote corners of the world.  Here are two close to home: 

OREGON & WASHINGTON: Columbia River from Portland to Clarkston for 6-days

• Visit Portland, The Dalles (for Multnomah Falls and fish hatchery), Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla, Palouse River.  Traverse the locks by river boat right here at home!
• Go hiking, kayaking, ride on the zodiacs, visit museums and wineries
• 2026: September/October from $4778

PACIFIC NORTHWEST: US San Juans & Canadian Gulf Islands for 8-days round-trip Seattle

• Visit Victoria BC, Desolation Sound for kayaking and hiking, Alert Bay for First Nations immersion, the Gulf Islands to visit quaint communities, Friday Harbor for the Whale museum, and other islands in Puget Sound. 
• This corner of the country is a well-kept secret.  Visit remote islands to see the sea lions, eagles, humpback and orca whales.  Go for a bike ride in Victoria; kayaking, zodiacs, and paddleboarding in remote bays.  
• 2026: Departures in October from $5061
• 2027: Departures in October from $6150

AZAMARA Small Ship Destination Cruises

Azamara has a fleet of R-Class vessels carrying just 680 guests.  They offer an affordable way to get on board a smaller ship for a more intimate experience, and better destination immersion.

Azamara’s COUNTRY INTENSIVE VOYAGES are fantastic if you really want to immerse yourself in a particular place.  Here are some examples:

• Chile
• Croatia
• Greece
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Norway
• Scotland
• Spain

If you’d like to see AZAMARA’s full line-up of COUNTRY INTENSIVE Itineraries:

https://www.azamara.com/cruises?keywords=country-intensive

ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES Yachts

All the ATLAS yachts carry less than 200 guests, so they can get you into some of the smaller places, and you’ll see the larger places differently.  

EASTERN CARIBBEAN:  From Saint Maarten to Barbados departing October 14 for 7-nights.  Go into small harbors where the big ships can’t go:

• Visit Philipsburg, St. Barts, St. Kitts & Nevis, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Vincent/Grenadines, Bridgetown. 
• Fares from $5999

ENGLAND, SCOTLAND & IRELAND:  London to Glasgow departing May 11, 2027 for 9-nights

• Start in London and visit St. Malo, St. Mary’s, Cork, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, and end in Glasgow.
• Fares from $5988

COLLETTE Premium Guided Land Journeys

SPOTLIGHT TOURS mean you only UNPACK ONCE, and can explore a city or region in depth while having the logistics taken care of for you:

NEW YORK for 5-days

• Visit Greenwich Village, Wall Street, Chinatown, Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the 9/11 Memorial.
• Includes 4-nights at the Sheraton Times Square, 5 meals, and 2 Broadway shows.
• Year-round departures from $2699.

Here are some of COLLETTE’s other SPOTLIGHT tours:

• Washington, DC: 6-days from $2699
• South Dakota, Mt. Rushmore & the Badlands: 7-days from $3199
• LONDON: 7-days from $2999
• TUSCANY: 9-days from $2249
• PARIS: 7-days from $3299
• FRENCH RIVIERA: 9-days from $2999
• NORTHERN ITALY: 9-days from $2799

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?

Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online, by phone, or on board.  Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation (even if you booked ON BOARD).

We’ll check over your reservation to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.

We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.

There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).

If you recently booked a Viking Cruise, please let us know as soon as possible.

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley