Comparing Prices of Five Cruise Lines

Cruising in December has become a tradition of sorts for our little family. We really enjoy seeing the holiday decorations on different cruise ships, and at a reasonable price if we go before the last two weeks of the month. While researching various cruise options I thought it might be an interesting experiment to compare the cruise prices during one specific week, while choosing a singular port and particular room type. Of course you know these figures and offers are not valid forever, but they do provide a good guideline as to what the plethora of cruise lines are offering. Here are the parameters of the study:

Week of December 10, 2016- 7/8 day cruise Western Caribbean Itinerary
Standard Balcony Room Mid Ship on an upper deck
Three passengers
Debarkation Port- Port of Miami or closest to it.

Here is a breakdown of the information I attained, specifically from the individual cruise sites, not a travel agent. 

Carnival Splendor- 12/10-12/18, 8 days
Visits Belize, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Mahogany Bay, Costa Maya
Deck 8, Room 8372 Port Side
$2,060.75 
An additional $310.80 in gratuities will be expected as well.
No perks or on board cash (OBC) is being offered at this time
The Splendor is 113,300-tons and can accommodate almost 5,000 passengers. Launched in 2008 this whimsical ship offers a huge 21,000-square-foot spa, which is a for fee amenity. Complimentary food includes traditional dining as well as a buffet. Indian Tandoori, the Mongolian Wok and a burrito bar are also included in your voyage. Mini golf, comedy shows, nightclubs and evening entertainment are part of this cool cruise too. A for fee steakhouse is on board as well. The typical pools, mini golf, arcade, casino, water playground, etc., as well as daily activities are offered to all guests, both complimentary and for a fee for some activities.

Norwegian Getaway- 12/11-12/18-7 days
Visits Roatan Honduras, Costa Maya, Cozumel and Harvest Caye, Belize
Deck 10, Room 10774 Starboard Side
$2369.50 *There are many promotions offered by NCL at this time. I chose "Third Guest Sails Free" and "$50 Shore Excursion Credit" (per port) for this figure. You could choose several combinations- including unlimited beverages (you pay the gratuities per person-about $90 each) or a specialty dining package (you pay gratuities on this package which is less that $15 per person)
An additional in gratuities $271.95 will be expected as well.
Debuting two years ago in 2014 this mega-ship holds almost 4,000 passengers. Water slides, a rock wall, rope activities, mini golf, an arcade and mini bowling and pools encompass this large ship. Three complimentary dining rooms are available to passengers, as well as a buffet and a 24 hour pub/restaurant coined O'Sheehans are included dining options. Half a dozen paid restaurants are also offered, along with a dinner show titled The Illusionarium. Comedians, live music and theater style show are offered to guests at no charge too. Harvest Caye is set to be NCL's new private island for guests to chill out on the beach. 

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas-12/11-12/18-7 days
*Leaves from Fort Lauderdale 
Visits Cozumel, Falmouth and Labadee Haiti (online this original itinerary stated Cozumel and Costa Maya but changes were made to this schedule recently)
Deck 8 Balcony Guarantee Mid Ship
$2948.00-price includes the "2 free nights" promotion.
An additional $283.50 in gratuities will be expected as well.
The Allure of the Seas is an adventure playground for families. Complimentary activities include FlowRiders, ice skating, two 43 foot rock climbing walls, pools, a full sized basketball court and a Dreamworks parade children and adults will enjoy. Over 20 dining spots are offered, both complimentary and for a fee, as well as many bars and shows. Mamma Mia is the current broadway style show onboard which is included with your cruise. A visit to RCI's private island of Labadee, Haiti is also part of this western voyage, which makes this a great port stop for a relaxing beach day.

Celebrity Silhouette- 12/11-12/18- 7 days
Visits Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and Key West
Deck 9 Balcony Room 9207 Starboard Side
$3147 with Prepaid Gratuities for pax 1 & 2 - Celebrity is offering a promotion right now where you can get either Prepaid Gratuities for 2 pax or a Classic Beverage Package for 2 people, Unlimited Internet for 2 pax or $150 on board credit. There are other higher priced options to add on up to 3 perks/promotions too. 
An additional in gratuities $271.95 will be expected as well.
As part of the elegant Solstice Class ships the Silhouette has a Canyon Ranch Spa (fee) live entertainment and broadway style shows, lawn games like Croquet, Bocce and golf putting, pools, interactive video games and fun kids clubs. Complimentary dining and specialty restaurants for a fee are both abundant on this ship also. The Silhouette debuted in 2011 and hold almost 3000 passengers.


Disney Fantasy- 12/10-12/17- 7 days
Visits Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Falmouth Jamaica and Castaway Cay, their private island oasis.
Deck 9 Balcony 9562 Starboard Side
$5124.92 
An additional in gratuities of roughly $250 will be expected as well, although Disney separates the tips among certain areas and this information is available on their website. 
This Disneyriffic cruise includes broadway/Disney themed shows, a 3-D theater, character experiences, exclusive kids clubs and unique Disney only dining fun. Expect soda to be included on this ship, as well as lots of family fun! The trip to the private island of Castaway Cay is a treat for cruisers as well.

My research ended up concluding that the least expensive option is indeed the Carnival Splendor, with the Disney Fantasy costing more than double the price for a week. Norwegian offers the most options in terms of perks, with Celebrity cruises Silhouette coming in second in terms of promotions. As the Allure of the Seas is so unique in it's landscape they don't seem to need to give anything away to get cruisers right now. Overall a balcony room for a 7 day cruise on almost every line will run a couple or small family sharing a cabin around 2,000 for the week. This of course varies, and certain times of the year, itinerary, and how fast a ship is filling up all plays part in this guesstimate. Plan on paying the requested gratuities, which hover around $90 per person for a 7 day cruise. Many folks forget to factor the gratuities for their room steward and general staff in their budget and are surprised that they have a bill at the end of their cruise. You can also prepay these tips should you choose to. Whatever room you choose on your next cruise enjoy your trip!