Royal Caribbean's Latest Advertising Scam

[circuitrider]

I feel silly even asking, but ah well.

 

Is there a law/rule that states you must honor an advertised sale?

 

Voyager of the Seas, 14night repo, Singapore to Sydney. It's listed right here:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com.au/dealsandmore/featuredCruises/selectLandingPromo.do?promoCode=131315&cid=edm_130820_bogoho_aus&wuc=AUS

 

The sale is for 50% off second passenger. That page lists the cruise I'm looking at, and states an Interior is $1,342pp, outside is $1,849pp. When I go through the booking process, it shows an Outside available for $1,848.65, but it's not a guarantee. It also shows an Inside Guarantee available for $1341.65, but it's the wrong guarantee (N instead of Z).

 

I just feel, perhaps wrongly, that if they're advertising a buy one get one 50% off, and there are still cabins available at the price listed...they shouldn't be able to say "well, interior guarantee cabins for $1,342 that were available in the 50% off second person sale are all sold out, cause they were Z; but we have completely different interior guarantee cabins for $1,342pp, they're different because they're N!"

 

Either have a sale, or don't. And if you're sold out, stop advertising it (shouldn't be too hard to go "ya know, we sold out of the one Category Z and one Category Y guarantees for that sailing within 30 minutes, so let's remove that sailing from the list).

[circuitrider]

Try going through a ta if no joy report to ACCC to investigate!

 

Sue

 

I think you answered my question before I finished posting it. I may look into that. Feels a bit whingy, but I'd have no problem if it wasn't stated as still being eligible for the sale. I've missed plenty of sales before, still got the bruises from beating myself up over them.

Edited September 2, 2013 by circuitrider

[circuitrider]

I called ACCC. Took my information, then said I could call Consumer Affairs Victoria. Did that, they had me go online to fill out a form.

 

I am curious though...is there any difference at all between an Interior Guarantee Category Z and an Interior Guarantee Category N? Pricing was the exact same (except for the whole "50% off second passenger is only for Interior Guarantee Category Z, not Interior Guarantee Category N")?

 

Ah well, moving along. Will just look at other things to do.

[The_Big_M]

I called ACCC. Took my information, then said I could call Consumer Affairs Victoria. Did that, they had me go online to fill out a form.

 

I am curious though...is there any difference at all between an Interior Guarantee Category Z and an Interior Guarantee Category N? Pricing was the exact same (except for the whole "50% off second passenger is only for Interior Guarantee Category Z, not Interior Guarantee Category N")?

 

Ah well, moving along. Will just look at other things to do.

 

It's not great, and RCL's site isn't and has never been good at explaining things, but they are different things.

 

Z is the general interior guarantee grade, and used for specials. This is a special category only sometimes available when they want to sell some interior cabins. i.e. many sailings won't have that grade.

 

An N guarantee is a different thing. It means that you're assigned to an N grade cabin which is one of the standard interior grades. However, unlike usual it means that you don't have a specific cabin assigned.

 

Therefore, I don't see there's any case against RCL for this issue (even though I commented what I think of the promotion above!). It's just they've sold out of Zs, but that's a different thing from the Ns.

 

Ideally, it'd be nice if they revisited the site and removed this sailing from the promotion, but they don't normally dynamically remove sailings from promotions over the course... possibly on the basis that they may be returned if people don't pay their booking/cancel.

[circuitrider]

Z is the general interior guarantee grade, and used for specials. This is a special category only sometimes available when they want to sell some interior cabins. i.e. many sailings won't have that grade.

 

An N guarantee is a different thing. It means that you're assigned to an N grade cabin which is one of the standard interior grades. However, unlike usual it means that you don't have a specific cabin assigned.

 

Ok...if I book a Category Z, what is the lowest actual category of interior cabin I might get assigned to? And if I book a Category N, what is the lowest category I might get assigned to?

 

If Category Z means I might get the absolute worst cabin available, and Category N means I'll never get that absolute worst cabin available (though I may get the next worst cabin), then point taken. If Category Z is simply a Category N, and is only a way to artificially limit supply during a sale, then my point stands. Not that I mind them limiting the number of cabins at a price point; rather that they've done so, decided they don't want to sell any more cabins at the sale price, but are still advertising the sale.

 

possibly on the basis that they may be returned if people don't pay their booking/cancel.

 

A fair point. Then I'd ask, at what point were all of the eligible cabins booked and fully paid for? I would expect (whether it's reasonable or not) that once all eligible rooms were fully sold, that the sailing would be removed from the sale page. A more dynamic solution would be to show, real-time, whether the sale was valid for that cruise (for example, if absolutely all insides are sold-out, then the details for the cruise simply say "Not Available" or "Sold Out" under; something similar could be done regarding cabins on sale).

Edited September 2, 2013 by circuitrider

[Pushka]

It is a requirement also that when offering something for sale, that there are reasonable supplies of that product available.

[The_Big_M]

Ok...if I book a Category Z, what is the lowest actual category of interior cabin I might get assigned to? And if I book a Category N, what is the lowest category I might get assigned to?

 

If Category Z means I might get the absolute worst cabin available, and Category N means I'll never get that absolute worst cabin available (though I may get the next worst cabin), then point taken.

 

Which is the case. You skip Category Q.

 

Allocation is also a bit different between Z grade and if there is a designated grade.

[The_Big_M]

It is a requirement also that when offering something for sale, that there are reasonable supplies of that product available.

 

True, but there's been nothing to suggest that is an issue.

 

Given the sale's now been running a couple of weeks, it's not unlikely for things to sell out...

[circuitrider]

Which is the case. You skip Category Q.

 

Allocation is also a bit different between Z grade and if there is a designated grade.

 

I would disagree about allocation (you might be at the front of the line for an upgrade...but are still only guaranteed an interior room). But if Category N completely skips Category Q, but Z does not...I guess they may have me on a technicality.

 

Given the sale's now been running a couple of weeks, it's not unlikely for things to sell out...

 

I'm not sure when the sale started, but I think it was around August 21 or 22. I found out about the sale last Friday, the 30th, so it'd been going just over a week. I'm 90% sure that it was sold out well before then, as I've been pricing this cruise about once a day for the past month, sometimes on the US site and sometimes on the Australia site. I actually noticed earlier (made a silly post even) that an Inside Guarantee on the US side was costing over $100,000pp. Checked with four people in one room, and two rooms with two people per room (due to Crown & Anchor and NextCruise certificate, it often costs less to have two rooms vs the one). Not once did I notice a significant savings from having an Interior Guarantee. Since I didn't know to actually check for it, I'm saying I'm only 90% sure that it wasn't actually available for any non-trivial amount of time.

 

I do thank you for your comments. I'm still not happy about things, but maybe I feel slightly better that they got me on a slightly bigger technicality (though having fine print say it must be an Interior or Outside Guarantee, and having even smaller fine print say it must be a certain Interior Guarantee...ugh I just need to let it go).

[The_Big_M]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Like I said, the website doesn't make it easy to get all the details for those into that... and when you're needing to read the fine print for offers it's good to be across it! (A bit like airlines where it's often hard to find the fare class before booking, but I digress.)

 

As said earlier as well, I'm critical of this promotion in any case. All up, you're right to just look for the best deal you can, but the way they bumped up the guarantee pricing for this 'offer' is deceptive.

[Sianli]

We just booked a buy one get one on Vision April 19-26. Only available for guaranteed inside, cat q. Awesome rate! With taxes, pre paid gratuities all done for under $900 for both of us! Super pleased! Then added repo April 26 to FLL cheaper than airfare back!

[worldspan]

Shame on you, you are offending the RCCI loyalists with your post!

 

Of course, I am just being cynical. That said, RCCI is no different than any other cruise line nowadays. They employ the most deceptive smoke and mirrors way of advertising their product. Ultimately all of that is based on bait and switch!

 

In the race to the bottom, fraud and deception in the cruise industry is as bad as anywhere!

 

Worldspan

133 cruises strong

[icat2000]

Well I have booked two RCI cruises in 2014. All because the pricing for solo was good :D So happy happy now

[MMDown Under]

We just booked a buy one get one on Vision April 19-26. Only available for guaranteed inside, cat q. Awesome rate! With taxes, pre paid gratuities all done for under $900 for both of us! Super pleased! Then added repo April 26 to FLL cheaper than airfare back!

 

That is a bargain. No wonder you are super pleased.

 

But, what does it cost you to fly to Colon, Panama, then FLL home?

 

The high cost of flights is our problem, when looking at overseas cruises.

[MicCanberra]

We just booked a buy one get one on Vision April 19-26. Only available for guaranteed inside, cat q. Awesome rate! With taxes, pre paid gratuities all done for under $900 for both of us! Super pleased! Then added repo April 26 to FLL cheaper than airfare back!

 

WOW, that is cheap. well done and great bargain hunting.:D

[Going to the Islands]

Going to the RCCL website... I chose a cruise and the fare is listed for $629. Okay... click through to book the cruise and then I check the price breakdown, which is:

 

Fare $839

with the second person Fare $839 less discount of $420

So both fares total: $1258

 

The fare listed Originally was $629, which is $1258 for both fares.

 

So.... It looks like they lure you in with a price... then just increase the fare when you try booking the cruise. (There was also a $50 OBC.)

 

What do you think of that? It makes me very uncomfortable and actually a little upset with RCCL - a company I thought was better than this.

[rugbypopsie]

Like all marketing its a lot of smoke and mirrors. No different from supermarket where it shows the original price and then discounts at end. The price is the same as advertised and it got you to look closely which was the aim.

 

I am more concerned by the brochures which advertise "40% off" when the fact us almost nobody except the very naive pay brochure price. Not talking about RCL cruise lines in general.

 

It is your money, do your research before parting with it. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. Can I book my own cabin, how long before sailing is final payment, what's above or below my cabin (noise), price drops?, names changes.

Ask friends who cruise for agency recommendation.

 

Then relax and just enjoy your cruise.

 

Sue

[Royalty X]

Much like Celebrity who increased fare prices for their All Inclusive 123 Go promo. The cruise I looked at was about $1300 total more for two people. Enough to cover the drink package. Nothing is free! The sooner people realise it, the better.

[MicCanberra]

Like any sale, do your research so you know what is a good deal or not. And do not be sucked in with "limited time only sales".

Edited December 13, 2014 by MicCanberra

[goodycruising]

It has been hashed over many times on here. The price at the start is the average price per person. They do that so that if you are comparing say on an on line TA then you will see the actual pricing offered, and then when you go in they give you the detailed breakdown.

 

We have had some good pricing with the second person half off. As per previous statements on this subject, know your prices, do lots of research.

 

If you feel ripped off, then I understand that, but the offer is for second person half off, and the way they present it may seem smoke and mirrors, but they are competing with other cruise lines and need to show the discounted price up front. It is for a cabin for 2, and the price is per person averaged.

 

If an electrical goods company has a sale, they tell you the discounted price right up front. You don't see them saying 40% off, and then when you get to the shopping cart the price is then discounted?

[The_Big_M]

Yeah, haven't been impressed with them for that, though they've done it for a while.

 

Bump up the price and then discount it. In prior offers, you could get the same cabin without the offer at a lower price.

 

At least in some instances, it would appear to fall foul of Australian consumer law.