Bump the price and 3rd or 4th guest sail FREE sale?

[Tinkerbell8]

Are you in driving distance to a port? If so, you may want to wait a bit until after final payments are being made. Even though summer prices are high now, you can still get lucky on a cruise in the slower time periods. Early to mid June, and mid to late August, you may see some last minute pricing that is a decent deal. Also I have found that the last week in July is typically less expensive than the first 3 weeks for some reason.

 

So keep checking. Even though you aren't finding good prices with kids sail free, there will be other deals coming up. They have to fill up their ships. If you are not picky about category or location you should be able to find something at a price you like if you just keep looking.

 

Thank you for your suggestion. Yes, I am in driving distance to the ports (Florida). We are staying in Orlando the whole month of July so it's easy enough to book something really lastminute. But I realise that July is a high demand month and most cruiselines are running promo's right now to fill their ships so chances are slim that prices will get any lower than they are now.

 

But anyway, we are very flexible indeed so will keep an eye out.

[tupperwarebysue]

I was able to call (through Orbitz) and cancel my original reservations and rebook the exact same cabins and saved $1,100 per cabin :)(had to pay a $75 rebooking fee to Orbitz). This promo was only for "select" sailings though it looked like most of the summer ones were listed. We are not sailing until July.

[Tapi]

Easy answer for the people complaining. Most of prices went up for simple fact the category is almost full and they want to fill up other categories. You were either late or procrastinating because a lot of people/agents knew about the promotion already at least a week before it was official..

 

 

I don't know how quickly our cruise started selling, but I'm convinced that Royal was ready to hike the prices at 12:01am on the day of the sale.

 

Before I went to bed on the night BEFORE the sale:

 

1st/2nd: $499pp

3rd/4th: $239pp

 

GRAND TOTAL: $1,744

 

As soon as I woke up on the 1st morning of the sale:

 

1st/2nd: $707pp

3rd/4th: FREE :rolleyes:

 

GRAND TOTAL: $1,682

 

Savings of: $62 (Hey, $62 is better than nothing, but it's definitely NOT kids sail free! :mad:)

 

 

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Edited March 22, 2014 by Tapi

[cruisinfanatic]

I was able to call (through Orbitz) and cancel my original reservations and rebook the exact same cabins and saved $1,100 per cabin :)(had to pay a $75 rebooking fee to Orbitz). This promo was only for "select" sailings though it looked like most of the summer ones were listed. We are not sailing until July.

Why Orbitz? No way they had a better incentive than any other TA and other TA's (most) won't charge you to rebook

[legendarysannin]

I don't know how quickly our cruise started selling, but I'm convinced that Royal was ready to hike the prices at 12:01am on the day of the sale.

 

Before I went to bed on the night BEFORE the sale:

 

1st/2nd: $499pp

3rd/4th: $239pp

 

GRAND TOTAL: $1,744

 

As soon as I woke up on the 1st morning of the sale:

 

1st/2nd: $707pp

3rd/4th: FREE :rolleyes:

 

GRAND TOTAL: $1,682

 

Savings of: $62 (Hey, $62 is better than nothing, but it's definitely NOT kids sail free! :mad:)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

You could have called at 12:01 am whatever their time zone is and possibly got that lower price =). I called 4am eastern and still was 1.5 hour wait thats why I mentioned its kinda like black friday people were waiting at 12:01.

[mac_tlc]

We had a D1 booked on the Freedom for 8/10/14 before the sale. Total all in price was $3472 for three. Immediately when the sale was announced, the price for the first two people in a D1 went up $600 per person, and the price for three was about $3800.

 

However, on the same sailing, a JS before the sale was $4600 for three, after the sale was announced, it was $4050.

 

So, it really depends not only on the sailing date but the cabin category.

 

Now, there are none of either category available (at least last time I checked a day or so ago).

 

 

Now, compare that to Celebrity -- I booked a cruise on the Silhouette for March 2015. With their Pick Your Perk + 3rd/4th sail for 50% or free, the price of the first 2 passengers did not change at all pre and post sale announcement. Booked a 1B for three for $2500 all in. Plus you get your choice of the Pick Your Perk options. Good deal.

 

 

mac_tlc

Edited March 22, 2014 by mac_tlc

[cruisinfanatic]

I don't know how quickly our cruise started selling, but I'm convinced that Royal was ready to hike the prices at 12:01am on the day of the sale.

 

Before I went to bed on the night BEFORE the sale:

 

1st/2nd: $499pp

3rd/4th: $239pp

 

GRAND TOTAL: $1,744

 

As soon as I woke up on the 1st morning of the sale:

 

1st/2nd: $707pp

3rd/4th: FREE :rolleyes:

 

GRAND TOTAL: $1,682

 

Savings of: $62 (Hey, $62 is better than nothing, but it's definitely NOT kids sail free! :mad:)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Looking at the price history for some cruises, it sure did happen. But there are just as many where there was no price increase

[MSunshine]

The promotion on the home page actually says Kids sail free but it's really the 3rd/4th person sail free sale.

 

Our girls are 15 and 13 and I was wondering what the age cut off was. Is there somewhere that specifically states that it is 3rd/4th person and not "kids sail free"?

[MADflyer]

Savings of: $62 (Hey, $62 is better than nothing, but it's definitely NOT kids sail free! :mad:)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

You are absolutely correct!

 

Now they are even messing with "Taxes, Fees and Port 'Expenses'. "

 

Booked a JS on a price drop last night at a total price I am happy with.

 

Rather than take the 'free' extra passengers, we decided to book an inside across from the stateroom that would be on the 'Going, Going, Gone Sale' today. So already spending over $500 more for our comfort, than we could have booked with the 3/4 th passenger promotion.

 

Well, the total fees for 2 passengers last night on the JS was $154.56 and this morning, 8 hours later with the 'sale' price the inside has taxes and fees of $175.78 or $21.22 more or $10.61 per person more.

 

The cruise already had a GTY available at the price of the sale so I was very clear on what the total should have been this morning, but you could get a specific cabin with the sale.

 

So, basically, they recoup 39% of the sale price by raising the fees on the cruise. Thanks RCI. They did raise it on the entire sailing, so any booking the free passengers just got another price increase of $42.44 on this 4 day sailing as well.

 

As I have two cabins booked on the same sailing booked 8 hours apart, I am going to ask them for specification of exactly what tax or fee went up on the $400 lower priced inside cabin. I do not expect much of an answer though.

 

Well, still a great deal, but come on RCI! You look CHEAP with these antics.

[MADflyer]

Our girls are 15 and 13 and I was wondering what the age cut off was. Is there somewhere that specifically states that it is 3rd/4th person and not "kids sail free"?

 

It is not really 'kids', but 3/4 person. Just price the sailing you want and if you are happy with the total, book. They choose that title for competitive reasons and pricing is per person for 1/2 passenger and then the fare for 3/4 is subtracted if your sailing qualifies for promotion.

 

It is not combinable with some discounts (military/senior), but you do see the price they want for 4 passengers prior to booking. If satisfied, book or courtesy hold cabin.

[mulan1123]

Our girls are 15 and 13 and I was wondering what the age cut off was. Is there somewhere that specifically states that it is 3rd/4th person and not "kids sail free"?

 

As MADflyer said, it's not really kids. My parents booked (they are considered seniors) and my brother and I (we are both adults) are sailing "free". I say "free" is because we both still have to pay port fees, fuel charges and taxes. My parent's fees were just under $700pp before taxes and port fees.

 

Also, they also have a Canadian sale going on and when I click on certain sailings, the 3rd/4th person sail free. But not all cabin categories are part of the sale.

[guxu]

OP here reporting a happy ending. With 2 school age kids, we have to cruise in peak seasons. We booked a Bermuda summer cruise that did not double the 1st and 2nd passenger's cruise fare when we selected a 4-person cabin. (We know we have to pay taxes and fees for 4 of us.) They did raise the cruise fare for the 1st/2nd passenger by couple hundreds. But at least they did not double the fare in real time based on the number of passengers.

 

I know the category thing. But I still believe they manipulate the category on some cruises to inflate price for 4. How can some of the inside categories (still normal 150 sq. ft. inside cabin) be more expensive than 199 sq. ft., balcony 65 sq. ft. superior balcony categories?

Edited March 24, 2014 by guxu