Deluxe Drink Package: What is 50% off a mystery number?

I will be taking a 12 day New Zealand cruise from Sydney on the Ovation of the Seas in Jan 19. The other day I got an email stating that for a limited time that for my cruise RCL had a buy one get a 50% off the second drink package. I thought this may be a good deal so I started the process and put into cart and it came to $1344 (plus gratuity) and when I looked at the details it showed both of us with the same cost. I naively thought that it would show a full price package and then a half price package so I thought there may be a mistake. With the supposed discount this averages to $56 per day which from what I read on CC is about the "normal price".

I called RCL and the person I spoke to told me that the $1344 is correct and it represented a 25% off for each of us. I said that cannot be correct and asked that based on what I had read it shouldn't it be be around $55/56 per day? He said that is incorrect and that the number is not published and that it is only in his system. I stated that did not seem ethical and that how I am supposed to know what 50% off something is when I do not know what that something is. Call did not go well from there and we will probably not get the package (which will probably save us money in the long run).

If my math is correct the non published regular daily rate based on the numbers I was given (in the RCL system) was $70 per day (plus gratuity for a total of over $1900) which seems very high. This type of deceptive advertising is illegal in many States in the US. Am I overreacting or missing something?

Thanks.

;)It is a little bit like the cruise "sales" which are not really a sale at all........Let's just call it "creative pricing" across all the lines. ;)

I think I have heard it referred to it on this site as "Royal Math"

20% off, 30% off, buy one get one 50% off-somehow they all seem to reflect the same price in the end.

We just did a 7 day MED cruise on MSC Sinfonia and had their Classic Pkg. For the both of us it was only $450 USD. That included gratuities and was a fantastic buy!

... If my math is correct the non published regular daily rate based on the numbers I was given (in the RCL system) was $70 per day (plus gratuity for a total of over $1900) which seems very high. This type of deceptive advertising is illegal in many States in the US. Am I overreacting or missing something?

 

Thanks.

You're not missing anything, Royal has been making up fake base prices and fake discount percentages for over 4 years now. I'm guessing they will continue to do this as it seems to be working for them.

The Advertised price is 50% off what you would pay if purchased package on board the ship...

We just did a 7 day MED cruise on MSC Sinfonia and had their Classic Pkg. For the both of us it was only $450 USD. That included gratuities and was a fantastic buy!

Just checked for a 7 day Caribbean on MSC Seaside and Classic Pkg is $329/person $47/day.

I think they are afraid to go back to normal "real" prices because people will complain that they are not getting a deal. It would be refreshing to see them for a change.

Sure, it would be nice to see them abandon the fake sales. However, I don't think that will happen because the facade is working for them, and they have found a reliiable way to diminish C&A benefits without actually admitting that.

I think they are afraid to go back to normal "real" prices because people will complain that they are not getting a deal. It would be refreshing to see them for a change.

Any one in the marketing professions will tell you the quickest way to make a deal is to convince someone you're getting something for free (or fifty percent off).

Any one in the marketing professions will tell you the quickest way to make a deal is to convince someone you're getting something for free (or fifty percent off).

No doubt about that but given all of the repeat threads on this subject It doesn't appear to be fooling anyone who is a member of Cruise Critic. I don't follow Royal Caribbean on Facebook so I can't say if the subject comes up there. I'm sure most of the general public who don't follow social media probably think that they are getting a great deal. I just don't understand why they wouldn't question what the regular price is. I guess they are just happy assuming that the the ad is legit.

No doubt about that but given all of the repeat threads on this subject It doesn't appear to be fooling anyone who is a member of Cruise Critic. I don't follow Royal Caribbean on Facebook so I can't say if the subject comes up there. I'm sure most of the general public who don't follow social media probably think that they are getting a great deal. I just don't understand why they wouldn't question what the regular price is. I guess they are just happy assuming that the the ad is legit.

Too happy getting something for 'free' to ask questions.

I will be taking a 12 day New Zealand cruise from Sydney on the Ovation of the Seas in Jan 19. The other day I got an email stating that for a limited time that for my cruise RCL had a buy one get a 50% off the second drink package. I thought this may be a good deal so I started the process and put into cart and it came to $1344 (plus gratuity) and when I looked at the details it showed both of us with the same cost. I naively thought that it would show a full price package and then a half price package so I thought there may be a mistake. With the supposed discount this averages to $56 per day which from what I read on CC is about the "normal price".

 

 

 

I called RCL and the person I spoke to told me that the $1344 is correct and it represented a 25% off for each of us. I said that cannot be correct and asked that based on what I had read it shouldn't it be be around $55/56 per day? He said that is incorrect and that the number is not published and that it is only in his system. I stated that did not seem ethical and that how I am supposed to know what 50% off something is when I do not know what that something is. Call did not go well from there and we will probably not get the package (which will probably save us money in the long run).

 

 

 

If my math is correct the non published regular daily rate based on the numbers I was given (in the RCL system) was $70 per day (plus gratuity for a total of over $1900) which seems very high. This type of deceptive advertising is illegal in many States in the US. Am I overreacting or missing something?

 

 

 

Thanks.

It’s typically based after on board pricing, not prices listed in Cruise Planner which are less. The BOGO 50% offer has been the best pricing I have seen over the last two years.

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Sure, it would be nice to see them abandon the fake sales. However, I don't think that will happen because the facade is working for them, and they have found a reliiable way to diminish C&A benefits without actually admitting that.

They got you (meaning us) as it is what it is. They can just about charge what they want otherwise ala carte.

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Every one does this kind of fuzzy promotions, including you favorite home town and on line retailer. We have a friend who tells me how much she saves on her RCCL cruises with her on line TA. When you look at the site they show their price compared to the "brochure" RCCL price. The next time someone actually pays the brochure price will be the first time. Its like buying diamonds or bedding, nobody pays full price. There are regulations to try and control it, but after 35+ years in the retail industry I know there are several ways around this. So they just do the same thing that everyone else does.

Yes we also call this Creative Royal Math. They seem to think we are dumb and don’t follow our drink package prices...Most of us follow it months in end. We will instantly know when a good price pops up.

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You also can't use any C&A discount.

I had the same problem when booking a voom package for 2, asked me for who and I put my husband and I, price came out to 4 x the amount. Gave the same argument poster did to Royal Said, need to show one person purchasing room package for 2 to get the correct $$.Told Royal, very misleading, and deceitful. How many people never notice and pay more then they should.

I had the same problem when booking a voom package for 2, asked me for who and I put my husband and I, price came out to 4 x the amount. Gave the same argument poster did to Royal Said, need to show one person purchasing room package for 2 to get the correct $$.Told Royal, very misleading, and deceitful. How many people never notice and pay more then they should.

Not really. You can buy 2x packages for 1 device, or 1x package for 2 devices.

Same with the beach beds, bungalows, and cabanas. The number says people, but if you put in 6, you get 6x bed/bungalow/cabana. And the price will tell you something is wrong.

This type of deceptive advertising is illegal in many States in the US. Am I overreacting or missing something?

Yes, you are overreacting. No, it's not "deceptive advertising." If you run the numbers and do one package at 100% and one at 50%, add the result and divide by 2 you get the same price you were quoted. Cruises around Australia price the drink packages with the gratuity added in. So the price of the Drink Package is likely $60 plus 18% (no "mystery number" there). As for everyone who always claims they hate this... don't buy it. If you think you're getting screwed by a sale, simply turn the sale down and pay full price. Then you won't be a "victim."

Seriously, who really cares? It's either worth the money to you or not. Who cares what they call it? We did a cruise that had the "fake sale" of Kids sail free. It was my retirement cruise so I took the whole family. The price for adults went up, but getting the 5 kids free saved me over $2000. Yeah... don't care what they called it. $2000 is $2000. I get people rolling their eyes. It's like the "going out of business" sales that last years. But honestly, RCCL like most businesses do these things to advertise their product and get people to look at cruises. And I don't know about you, but the ships seem pretty full whenever I sail and people seem to really enjoy cruising. So don't sweat the small stuff. It's worth it at the price they quote or not. Buy it or don't. Simple.

It’s really simple if you know what the current onboard price on the ship you will be sailing. The discount is based off of that price.

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It’s really simple if you know what the current onboard price on the ship you will be sailing. The discount is based off of that price.

No, to be accurate, one needs to know the onboard price on the future sailing, not the current sailing.

No, to be accurate, one needs to know the onboard price on the future sailing, not the current sailing.

Your probably right but it has always worked for us. We always get the DP and the discount has always worked out for current onboard pricing. I’ve seen the onboard pricing go up, never down, for our cruises, after we purchased ahead of times.

It’s common to see different pricing based on ship and cruise.

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