Cruise pricing based on passenger residence

Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, HAL and others have different prices
for cruises reserved online depending on where the customer lives. For
example a particular cruise for two people may cost $1000 per person if the
site assumes you are a U.S. Resident, but (the euro equivalent) of $1200 for
a resident of France and $ 900 for a resident of Germany. Price differences
can be substantial, taking into account taxes and port charges (which are
included in the quoted prices in some countries). I understand U.S. agents
gladly sell cruises to European residents applying U.S. prices. Do the
cruiselines allow this or do they contractually have the right to adjust the
price based on the customer's residence?

It doesn't even have to be different countries. There can be substantial
differences just in different areas of the same country. At least that's
true here in the U.S. Last year my brother paid about $150 less pp for an
outside than I paid for an inside on the same cruise because he was in
Florida and I'm in Pennsylvania

--
Greg


"peter" wrote in message
...
Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, HAL and others have different prices
for cruises reserved online depending on where the customer lives. For
example a particular cruise for two people may cost $1000 per person if
the
site assumes you are a U.S. Resident, but (the euro equivalent) of $1200
for
a resident of France and $ 900 for a resident of Germany. Price
differences
can be substantial, taking into account taxes and port charges (which are
included in the quoted prices in some countries). I understand U.S. agents
gladly sell cruises to European residents applying U.S. prices. Do the
cruiselines allow this or do they contractually have the right to adjust
the
price based on the customer's residence?

On 2/28/09 3:18 AM, in article ,
"Gregory C. Read" wrote:


"peter" wrote in message
...
Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, HAL and others have different prices
for cruises reserved online depending on where the customer lives. For
example a particular cruise for two people may cost $1000 per person if
the
site assumes you are a U.S. Resident, but (the euro equivalent) of $1200
for
a resident of France and $ 900 for a resident of Germany. Price
differences
can be substantial, taking into account taxes and port charges (which are
included in the quoted prices in some countries). I understand U.S. agents
gladly sell cruises to European residents applying U.S. prices. Do the
cruiselines allow this or do they contractually have the right to adjust
the
price based on the customer's residence?



It doesn't even have to be different countries. There can be substantial
differences just in different areas of the same country. At least that's
true here in the U.S. Last year my brother paid about $150 less pp for an
outside than I paid for an inside on the same cruise because he was in
Florida and I'm in Pennsylvania

Did you book at the same time as your brother? Cruise prices change over
time based on supply and demand. My question is based on same-time price
discrepancies.

In article , peter
wrote:

Did you book at the same time as your brother? Cruise prices change over
time based on supply and demand. My question is based on same-time price
discrepancies.

As Greg explained the cruise lines sometimes have pricing in the United
States that is based on the state of residence. So a resident of
Florida a resident of Pennsylvania booking at the same time could pay
different prices for the same category cabin on the same sailing. The
cruise lines can charge different prices within the United States for
the same cabin based on residence.

As far as different countries they have different laws, regulations,
currencies, taxes; overhead for doing business there, so there will be
different pricing.

--
Charles

"peter" wrote in message
...
On 2/28/09 3:18 AM, in article ,
"Gregory C. Read" wrote:


"peter" wrote in message
...
Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, HAL and others have different
prices
for cruises reserved online depending on where the customer lives. For
example a particular cruise for two people may cost $1000 per person if
the
site assumes you are a U.S. Resident, but (the euro equivalent) of $1200
for
a resident of France and $ 900 for a resident of Germany. Price
differences
can be substantial, taking into account taxes and port charges (which
are
included in the quoted prices in some countries). I understand U.S.
agents
gladly sell cruises to European residents applying U.S. prices. Do the
cruiselines allow this or do they contractually have the right to adjust
the
price based on the customer's residence?



It doesn't even have to be different countries. There can be substantial
differences just in different areas of the same country. At least that's
true here in the U.S. Last year my brother paid about $150 less pp for
an
outside than I paid for an inside on the same cruise because he was in
Florida and I'm in Pennsylvania

Did you book at the same time as your brother? Cruise prices change over
time based on supply and demand. My question is based on same-time price
discrepancies.

There are definitely Florida specials. There can be regional specials IIRC.
One time we were looking at a sailing (forget if it was Bermuda or Canada),
and my friend Bill had a house in Martha's Vineyard, Mass at the time.
There was a Massachusetts price special that was cheaper than New Jersey,
but he didn't live in Mass. full time.

--Tom

It's good to have a travel agent in each area, and use his address for
the booking.

Gadget

"Gadget World" wrote

It's good to have a travel agent in each area, and use his address for
the booking.

That is bad advice.

When you book under a special promotion (senior, regional, military, etc)
the cruise line will verify your status when you book. If you booked
fraudulently, you get to pay the difference on the spot or you don't get on
the ship.

A few years ago a mega-agency routinely booked all their reservations under
"senior" rates when available. One cruise line caught on and started
verifying ages. As you can imagine, the people were not happy.

Another point... it doesn't matter where your travel agent is located. If
you live in New York, you get the New York rate no matter where your travel
agent is located. The qualifier is where the customer lives, not where the
travel agent is.


--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com

Cruise Specials Weblog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/

May 10, 2009 ALASKA http://www.cruisemaster.com/moagc4.htm
January 10, 2009 Southern Caribbean
http://www.cruisemaster.com/caribprin.htm
October 16, 2010 OASIS http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com

On 2/28/09 6:53 PM, in article , "George
Leppla" wrote:

Another point... it doesn't matter where your travel agent is located. If
you live in New York, you get the New York rate no matter where your travel
agent is located. The qualifier is where the customer lives, not where the
travel agent is.

But on your site at least one cruise line does not allow a customer to book
unless he or she is a U.S. resident. Does that mean that you cannot book
cruises for people living overseas or that those people must pay the
overseas rates, if higher?

"peter" wrote in message
...
On 2/28/09 6:53 PM, in article , "George
Leppla" wrote:

Another point... it doesn't matter where your travel agent is located.
If
you live in New York, you get the New York rate no matter where your
travel
agent is located. The qualifier is where the customer lives, not where
the
travel agent is.

But on your site at least one cruise line does not allow a customer to
book
unless he or she is a U.S. resident. Does that mean that you cannot book
cruises for people living overseas or that those people must pay the
overseas rates, if higher?

That is correct. For the most part, US travel agents can book US and
Canadian citizens as well as from many European countries. However, there
are exceptions.

Bottom line is that the cruise lines control who sells their cruises and
what areas they are allowed to market to.


--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com

Cruise Specials Weblog http://cruisemaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/

May 10, 2009 ALASKA http://www.cruisemaster.com/moagc4.htm
January 10, 2009 Southern Caribbean
http://www.cruisemaster.com/caribprin.htm
October 16, 2010 OASIS http://www.motherofallgroupcruises.com

On 2/28/09 8:33 PM, in article , "George
Leppla" wrote:


"peter" wrote in message


But on your site at least one cruise line does not allow a customer to
book
unless he or she is a U.S. resident. Does that mean that you cannot book
cruises for people living overseas or that those people must pay the
overseas rates, if higher?

That is correct. For the most part, US travel agents can book US and
Canadian citizens as well as from many European countries. However, there
are exceptions.

Bottom line is that the cruise lines control who sells their cruises and
what areas they are allowed to market to.

To be more specific, are you allowed to book a cruise for me if I live in
Belgium and, if so, would I pay the Belgian or the U.S. price?