Wendy The Wanderer Posted September 7, 2011 #1 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Got the email this morning entitled, "3-Day Sale Starts Today | 9/7 - 9/9 with Amazing Savings". Noticed that it says you have to call to book. FREE Airfare Up to $3,000 Bonus Savings plus $200 Shipboard Credit per stateroom on select sailings The full fare for a B3 is today showing as $8398, i.e., $4199 at 2-fer-1, with air. This has not changed from what I have noticed before. So what would be the new savings? Anybody know how to interpret this sale without phoning? I know, I can just phone them, but don't like to bother them when I'm just speculating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted September 7, 2011 #2 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Wendy - I emailed my trusted TA this morning about it to see if it meant another price reduction for me on my May 2012 cruise. Here is his response "All the cruise lines are the same. The send e-mails making it look like something Changed. In the hopes the phones will ring And sell something. Usually the new promotion , in the long run Cost more. As in this case" In other words, hocus pocus -- nothing new -- a gimmick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted September 7, 2011 #3 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Three day sales are like buses. If you don't catch this one there'll be another one along in a very short time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted September 7, 2011 #4 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Just wanted to add In my experience the best rate occurs when bookings open. I always book day 1. There is no penalty for cancellation (although I have never cancelled an O cruise). Often, the price goes up. If it goes down (and it did for 2 of my O cruises), my TA gets me the reduction. That's why most of these "sales" are not sales at all - just teasers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ORV Posted September 7, 2011 #5 Share Posted September 7, 2011 This way to the egress, come see the fabulous egress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Understood Posted September 7, 2011 #6 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Before I got this same email, I was looking at my already booked cruise on Riviera just to see what the fare went up to after the numerous emails reminding me that the sale was to expire on August 31and lo and behold, after the big sale that expired Aug 31, the fares went down. I called my TA and got $1000 reduction of each of my 2 cabins. I booked on the first day Riviera was open for booking. The moral is never hurts to check even if you think the "sale" is misleading. -------------------- Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted September 7, 2011 #7 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Before I got this same email, I was looking at my already booked cruise on Riviera just to see what the fare went up to after the numerous emails reminding me that the sale was to expire on August 31and lo and behold, after the big sale that expired Aug 31, the fares went down. I called my TA and got $1000 reduction of each of my 2 cabins. I booked on the first day Riviera was open for booking. The moral is never hurts to check even if you think the "sale" is misleading.-------------------- Helen I could not agree more. That's why I send them all on to my TA to decipher. The last "sale" (before this 3 day one -- which I received by mail) actually represented a reduction in my cruise price. The point I was trying to make is that all these emails do not mean that each "sale" is any different from the previous one or represents a better deal. O and the other cruise lines are fishing for business and make every offer seem like the last best one. The bus analogy is spot on. Personally, I think business is slow all around. I have never been more bombarded with cruise mailings and emails than in the past few weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvgal Posted September 7, 2011 #8 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Three day sales are like buses. If you don't catch this one there'll be another one along in a very short time. Love it!! Thanks for the laugh Henry. Laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globevest Posted September 8, 2011 #9 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I have just checked a booking I made in their last 'book before 31 August' sale and here is what I conclude. With this new 3 day sale the price has dropped exactly $500 (total for two) compared with the price I got..... BUT the 31 August sale includes a free one night hotel. Conclusion...no price change. Just a repackaged marketing offer to possible catch a few more customers at a apparent lower price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balliett Posted September 8, 2011 #10 Share Posted September 8, 2011 my nice dallas lady just sent me a new invoice with $500 more bonus, that is, a price reduction on our 2012 cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caribbeansun Posted September 8, 2011 #11 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Some prices actually went up as they added a $17/day/person tax and gave a $200 SBC/room. I have just checked a booking I made in their last 'book before 31 August' sale and here is what I conclude. With this new 3 day sale the price has dropped exactly $500 (total for two) compared with the price I got..... BUT the 31 August sale includes a free one night hotel. Conclusion...no price change. Just a repackaged marketing offer to possible catch a few more customers at a apparent lower price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted September 8, 2011 #12 Share Posted September 8, 2011 You're welcome, Laura. Globevest, Your experience proves that the hotel rooms were never free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted September 8, 2011 #13 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Your experience proves that the hotel rooms were never free. In my view, nothing is "free." The cost of dining in the Specialty Restaurants on O, for example, is included in the fare. We are paying for them. The only difference between that item and the pre cruise hotel is that they don't allow you to opt out. Same is true for lines that include all alcohol and tips. You pay for it in the fare -- you pay for the alcohol whether you drink it or not. One of the reasons we do not choose all inclusive lines that we drink very little and thus would be paying for something we don't use. It's gamesmanship and marketing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted September 8, 2011 #14 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I have to disagree with the above poster. When they removed the "free" hotel the lowered the prices by $500. They don't play around with the specialty restaurants that way, although I do agree that the cost is probably built into the fares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted September 8, 2011 #15 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I have to disagree with the above poster. When they removed the "free" hotel the lowered the prices by $500. They don't play around with the specialty restaurants that way, although I do agree that the cost is probably built into the fares. I don't think we disagree at all. My point was that it is all built into the fares. as you say, so what seems to be "free" is really "included" and built into the fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted September 9, 2011 #16 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Exactly, Pacheccoi8. Which is why I find Regent's marketing so disingenuous. All the "free" stuff like hotel, shore excursions etc are all built into the fare and that is why Regent is the highest priced luxury cruise line now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted September 9, 2011 #17 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Exactly, Pacheccoi8. Which is why I find Regent's marketing so disingenuous. All the "free" stuff like hotel, shore excursions etc are all built into the fare and that is why Regent is the highest priced luxury cruise line now. You are so right -- since we are not big drinkers and always do private shore excursions Regent will never work for us -- we would be paying thousands of dollars for things we do not use. I think the word "free" should be removed from the lexicon of cruise marketing. Things are either included or not included in the fare. Nothing is free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted September 9, 2011 #18 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I think the word "free" should be removed from the lexicon of cruise marketing. Things are either included or not included in the fare. Nothing is free. I agree there & stop the silly 2 for 1 marketing ..many cruise lines are doing that now Just have early booking prices & stick to that time schedule Have prices with air & without air & let the customer decide what other add -ons they may want like he hotel packages & transfers Some people like to be taken care of and that is just fine JMO Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
findacruise Posted September 9, 2011 #19 Share Posted September 9, 2011 I agree there& stop the silly 2 for 1 marketing ..many cruise lines are doing that now Just have early booking prices & stick to that time schedule Have prices with air & without air & let the customer decide what other add -ons they may want like he hotel packages & transfers Some people like to be taken care of and that is just fine JMO Lyn JMO, too. Like buying a car - you get the basic model and can add on whatever extra's you want and value. Especially true when those "free" shore excursions aren't always available and you wnd up w/left overs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted September 9, 2011 #20 Share Posted September 9, 2011 JMO, too. Like buying a car - you get the basic model and can add on whatever extra's you want and value. Not too basic though...I do like some bells & whistles ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKS Posted September 10, 2011 #21 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I agree the 2-for-1 fares should go and all the "free" things we all know we've paid for in our fares. On our upcoming Panama Canal cruise we snagged a PH3 cabin for $3,800 during the pre-8/31 sale. The cruise has been sold out for over 2 months, but after 8/31 the fare now shows up on the site over $2,000 more pp. again Also disingenuous, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted September 10, 2011 #22 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I agree the 2-for-1 fares should go and all the "free" things we all know we've paid for in our fares. I am not sure what you mean by free things other than air & hotels that can be deducted from the fare :confused: some things I would not like to disappear free specialty restaurant dining ..other lines charge free soda & bottled water, coffee, ice cream, milkshakes.....others charge Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burm Posted September 10, 2011 #23 Share Posted September 10, 2011 This way to the egress, come see the fabulous egress. Only 25 cents to get back in. :D You made me smile. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted September 10, 2011 #24 Share Posted September 10, 2011 On Regent it's "free" shore excursions that should be eliminated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted September 10, 2011 #25 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I am not sure what you mean by free things other than air & hotels that can be deducted from the fare :confused: some things I would not like to disappear free specialty restaurant dining ..other lines charge free soda & bottled water, coffee, ice cream, milkshakes.....others charge Lyn Nobody wants them to disappear. I think the point is that they are not "free." They are included in the price. We are paying for them in the fare. But marketing, by using the word "free," tries to convince us that we are getting something for nothing. Not the case. With the fares Oceania charges, we have paid for water, soda and cappuccino many times over. They could throw in a few cocktails and they'd still be way ahead. "Free" is when they give me a cruise for free after I sail 100 times (I won't live that long). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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