Misleading Prices on Websites - A Call to Action

[GUT2407]

Do you mean that if they miss a port , they get to keep the port tax they charged you , instead of refunding it. :confused:

 

Well I went on a cruise that missed two or three ports and got no refund on anything, didn't expect one either so I'm not sure.

[Aussieflyer]

Well I booked Traditional dining and celebrity said I had to pre-pay.

No, when you 'customise' your cruise (about 2 steps before payment), there is the choice of traditional or anytime dining. On that page, there is a check box to pre-pay gratuities. Untick it.

It is annoying in that once you choose traditional dining it should automatically uncheck the box and then force to you tick it if you want to pre-pay gratuities.

But Celebrity do not make you pre-pay for traditional dining. I am not sure where you were given the information but it is incorrect.

[fishtaco]

Celebrity IS RCI.

Phone the reservation number, and the options are RCI, Celebrity or Azamara.

 

So Australians cannot book Celebrity through an oversees site like celebrity USA same as you must use RCI.com.au

 

I have had zero luck calling the AU RCI phone number and have never got through so I just call the one on the USA site!

 

In fact in the past i have sent emails to RCI AU and got replies from RCI Florida so I use that email as well.

 

This is why I am convinced there is no real RCI AU to speak of.

[Aussieflyer]

Fishtaco my understanding is that there is no longer a local office in Australia. There was a thread about it at one stage but I cannot recall when.

 

GUT2407, missed port taxes seem to be added as OBC so you would not have had a refund to your card, just a small amount of OBC (as in maybe $30 or so).

[GUT2407]

No, when you 'customise' your cruise (about 2 steps before payment), there is the choice of traditional or anytime dining. On that page, there is a check box to pre-pay gratuities. Untick it.

It is annoying in that once you choose traditional dining it should automatically uncheck the box and then force to you tick it if you want to pre-pay gratuities.

But Celebrity do not make you pre-pay for traditional dining. I am not sure where you were given the information but it is incorrect.

 

Except the web site wouldn't let me book so booked by phone and was told NO.

[fishtaco]

No, when you 'customise' your cruise (about 2 steps before payment), there is the choice of traditional or anytime dining. On that page, there is a check box to pre-pay gratuities. Untick it.

It is annoying in that once you choose traditional dining it should automatically uncheck the box and then force to you tick it if you want to pre-pay gratuities.

But Celebrity do not make you pre-pay for traditional dining. I am not sure where you were given the information but it is incorrect.

 

I am pretty sure you cant un check the grads box for trad dinning on the RCI AU site anymore? This is one reason I called them.

 

They may have given me miss leading info though as I was told Australians need to call RCI to change from pre paid to daily onboard option for cruises leaving from an Australian port?

Edited August 23, 2014 by fishtaco

[Aussieflyer]

Except the web site wouldn't let me book so booked by phone and was told NO.

 

I am pretty sure you cant un check the grads box for trad dinning on the RCI AU site anymore? This is one reason I called them.

 

They may have given me miss leading info though as I was told Australians need to call RCI to change from pre paid to daily onboard option for cruises leaving from an Australian port?

 

Now that is interesting as I had no problems unchecking the box in a dummy X booking (as suggested by GUT2407). As we always have pre-paid grats it doesn't usually affect us when we book anyway.

If the grats become in effect mandatory then there is an argument for including them on the price page with the taxes/fees.

[The_Big_M]

Have a gander at the Celebrity site and do a mock booking. Classic example.

 

That was the example I was thinking of as well. Even though they display it as additional below, it needs to be included... And of course, when you go further prices changes all over again.

 

Their pricing is a real shambles - ever since they upgraded their site to have a new pricing structure, everything has been messed up. They even had an outage that you couldn't make bookings here through it for over two weeks.

[The_Big_M]

GUT2407, grats are not part of the problem. You can choose Traditional dining on that cruise and remove the pre-paid gratuities.

 

Actually you do have to pay them. They have a tick box you can tick to remove gratuities on one page - but then when you go "Next" to the final booking page they're included in the total.

[angelwingsflys]

Have a gander at the Celebrity site and do a mock booking. Classic example.

 

Hi everyone,

The Celebrity site is a classic example ! A inside cabin which states,a price of $385.90 AUD per person ,+port fees(Inside Guarantee) but at the next page it says $898 for 2 passengers,then on the next page it goes up another $400 for the cabin ,I know tips are included but why advertise the cheap price if they going to charge so much more.

I rang about it to get extra friends onboard ,3 calls and they all said the same thing it is tax and fees extra .Very frustrating,when the lead in is so much lower , also when they are on other sites at cheaper prices.:confused:

Cheers Deb

[The_Big_M]

Now that is interesting as I had no problems unchecking the box in a dummy X booking (as suggested by GUT2407). As we always have pre-paid grats it doesn't usually affect us when we book anyway.

If the grats become in effect mandatory then there is an argument for including them on the price page with the taxes/fees.

 

(Heh, catching up.) Did you go through to the next page after unticking the box though? It looks like you're doing the right thing on that page, but then on the next page when you get through to confirming, the gratuities are part of the total cost again.

 

Of course, it could be just another bug on Celebrity's web site. That wouldn't be surprising either.

[angelwingsflys]

Hi everyone,

The Celebrity site is a classic example ! A inside cabin which states,a price of $385.90 AUD per person ,+port fees(Inside Guarantee) but at the next page it says $898 for 2 passengers,then on the next page it goes up another $400 for the cabin ,I know tips are included but why advertise the cheap price if they going to charge so much more.

I rang about it to get extra friends onboard ,3 calls and they all said the same thing it is tax and fees extra .Very frustrating,when the lead in is so much lower , also when they are on other sites at cheaper prices.:confused:

Cheers Deb

 

Editing due to email for confirmation just came in -the total is now $1398 for 2 passengers .

[GUT2407]

Hi everyone,

The Celebrity site is a classic example ! A inside cabin which states,a price of $385.90 AUD per person ,+port fees(Inside Guarantee) but at the next page it says $898 for 2 passengers,then on the next page it goes up another $400 for the cabin ,I know tips are included but why advertise the cheap price if they going to charge so much more.

I rang about it to get extra friends onboard ,3 calls and they all said the same thing it is tax and fees extra .Very frustrating,when the lead in is so much lower , also when they are on other sites at cheaper prices.:confused:

Cheers Deb

 

Editing due to email for confirmation just came in -the total is now $1398 for 2 passengers .

 

 

So from under $800 for two to $1398 and that's not false and misleading conduct, bait advertising or drip pricing?

Edited August 23, 2014 by GUT2407

[Sparky74]

:eek:

Oh, dear! I didn't mean to start such a controversy.

I'm feeling like a troll. :(

 

Can I just reiterate that IF (and only if) you think a certain cruiseline, travel agent or website is price dripping, report it to the ACCC. They'll investigate it and decide if the company is complying with the Australian Consumer Law.

 

Happy Sailing. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited August 23, 2014 by Sparky74

[fishtaco]

Now that is interesting as I had no problems unchecking the box in a dummy X booking (as suggested by GUT2407). As we always have pre-paid grats it doesn't usually affect us when we book anyway.

If the grats become in effect mandatory then there is an argument for including them on the price page with the taxes/fees.

 

I suppose it depends on how you read the website? once you choose your cabin cat then the grats are automatically included in the price box on sailings from Australia with a breakdown drop box showing all costs.

 

My last cruise booked I used a FCC so had to call after the hold was put on the site, this hold automatically added pre paid grats and when I called with FCC traditional dinning was not available for my cruise only waitlisted (a year out) but was available at hold time?

 

This is where I was told pre paids need to be removed by contact before the cruise start date if I did get my waitlisted Trad dinning position.I could not uncheck the grats box during a mock booking before I put on the 24 hr hold so I could not let them know at web booking time I did not want pre paid.

 

To be honest I would have thought twice about putting on the hold if trad dinning was not available because We just dont like MTD. I am quite happy to pre pay grats for trad dinning though.

 

I was directed to read the AU T&C,s on Gratuities but when doing a mock booking for a singapore to japan through RCI AU no grats are added as indicated below like our Freo to Singapore is on choosing category?

 

22. Gratuities (tips)

On all of our ships, it is customary to offer gratuities (also known as ‘service charge’ or ‘tips’) to staff members who work to enhance your cruise experience. For guests’ convenience we automatically add your onboard gratuities to our cruise fare so that they are pre-paid in Australian Dollars in advance of your holiday. If you do not wish to

pre-pay your gratuities you must make this known to us or your travel agent at the time of booking. Where guests are confirmed on My Time Dining or guests are booked within a group, pre-paid gratuities are required to be included at time of booking.

[fishtaco]

:eek:

Oh, dear! I didn't mean to start such a controversy.

I'm feeling like a troll. :(

 

Can I just reiterate that IF (and only if) you think a certain cruiseline, travel agent or website is price dripping, report it to the ACCC. They'll investigate it and decide if the company is complying with the Australian Consumer Law.

 

Happy Sailing. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I dont think you have stirred anything up its just that in the past few years the additional costs have been gradually included in the fare price for cruiselines with AU company subsidiaries.

 

RCI was the last and a bit different and it seems Celeb is still lagging behind a bit?

 

The biggest problem seems to be that when you do call a cruiseline to finalise a booking we are being told that Australians must pre pay Grats!

 

Even with Carnival USA which has no AU arm Australians who need to call to finalize booking are told Australians must pre pay grats?

[rkmw]

I dont think you have stirred anything up its just that in the past few years the additional costs have been gradually included in the fare price for cruiselines with AU company subsidiaries.

 

RCI was the last and a bit different and it seems Celeb is still lagging behind a bit?

 

The biggest problem seems to be that when you do call a cruiseline to finalise a booking we are being told that Australians must pre pay Grats!

 

Even with Carnival USA which has no AU arm Australians who need to call to finalize booking are told Australians must pre pay grats?

 

with the grats they might be going the way like the other aussie ships, include them in with the fare and no one can remove them

[Aussieflyer]

Actually you do have to pay them. They have a tick box you can tick to remove gratuities on one page - but then when you go "Next" to the final booking page they're included in the total.

 

They look like they are there but the price has been discounted on the final page so not sure where that discount was from. It looks a real IT ****up. Their programmers should be shot.

[Aussieflyer]

Sparky74 you didn't stir anything up; you just started a rather robust discussion :D

It is a very interesting discussion as it has gone further than the taxes and port fees to look at some apparent changes in the way cruise lines are dealing with pre-paid gratuities. It would seem that this is one area that should be looked at. The apparent move to including pre-paid gratuities and insisting that passengers must make it known or contact them to remove these, is IMO one thing that should be investigated as they have in effect become part of the cruise fare.

Edited August 23, 2014 by Aussieflyer

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Good on you Sparky. This topic comes up every now and again and its good to get it out in the open and discuss the pros and cons.

I think all of us find cruise pricing very confusing at times.

 

[fishtaco]

with the grats they might be going the way like the other aussie ships, include them in with the fare and no one can remove them

 

I think once RCI introduce Dynamic Dinning there will be no more Traditional dinning and even in US all grats will have to be pre paid.

 

I have no problem pre paying grats, daily auto grats or grats in the fare price, the ones that object to pre paid or in the fare are the ones who use OBC to pay grats or remove grats for cash only/reduced or removed totally, you cant use OBC for pre paid and shareholders and the like who get additional OBC usually pay autos with there OBC and choose traditional dinning to do so.

 

It seems strange that many even in US cant get trad dinning of late when booking way ahead, this puts you on waitlist but booked MTD so grats are pre paid at booking. I think RCI is trying to go down the path of all pre paid.

 

It also wouldnt be hard to disguised the OBC grat payers and grat removers from other frequent cruisers and deny them traditional dinning by saying its full so they have to pay full grats by pre paying, its all on a computer data base so not very hard to do;)

[fishtaco]

Sparky74 you didn't stir anything up; you just started a rather robust discussion :D

It is a very interesting discussion as it has gone further than the taxes and port fees to look at some apparent changes in the way cruise lines are dealing with pre-paid gratuities. It would seem that this is one area that should be looked at. The apparent move to including pre-paid gratuities and insisting that passengers must make it known or contact them to remove these, is IMO one thing that should be investigated as they have in effect become part of the cruise fare.

 

Its just part of the cruising future!

 

They introduce MTD but demand grats be pre paid and non removable,cruisers think they are getting a better service with MTD so go ahead and pre pay. Then when some realize they have no choice in tipping and want to return to traditional dinning there are no places left all of a sudden lol

 

I remember when everyone was fighting to get MTD and it was always first to waitlist, now traditional dinning is in many cases waitlisted before MTD lol

 

What is the difference between the two dinning options that require MTD only to be pre paid:confused: It can only be to stop cruisers removing grats guilt free because they dont have the same waitstaff each night, there can be no other reason because the same labour hours are involved and the same food quantities involved with both dinning options to allow the same grat system.

 

Now so many are used to pre paying for MTD many will just roll over and pre pay for any type of dinning choice in the future:)

[rugbypopsie]

I just think it a shame that for a lot of cruisers especially those who can't cruise often, the anticipation of their holiday us spoiled by agonising over gratuities. I consider it part of the cruise fare so it causes me no angst but I object strongly to it being called tips, it is not a tip it is part of the cruise lines economic strategy to subsidise wages. A tip is whatever I voluntarily give to a steward for exceptional service.

 

I like anytime dining but usually book the same time and the same table/waters...just me.

 

Sue

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[fishtaco]

I just think it a shame that for a lot of cruisers especially those who can't cruise often, the anticipation of their holiday us spoiled by agonising over gratuities. I consider it part of the cruise fare so it causes me no angst but I object strongly to it being called tips, it is not a tip it is part of the cruise lines economic strategy to subsidise wages. A tip is whatever I voluntarily give to a steward for exceptional service.

 

I like anytime dining but usually book the same time and the same table/waters...just me.

 

Sue

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I think many Australian cruisers especially more frequent feel the same as you but the issue is standardising Grats as to what they really are and part of the fare.

 

In Australia we know its part of the cruise fare and in most cases its now incorporated into the fare but with lines like RCI that still allow removal or adjustment down once onboard they have started to enforce pre paid for convenience that becomes non removable or non adjustable for Australians but not for others because they can choose not to pre pay

 

This means pre paid grats will be subsidising those who do not pay full grats.

 

OBC at most has no monetary value yet many in USA are still allowed to pay grats with OBC, OBC only has a cost price value but tips or gratuities have a full monetary value.

When a person pays grats with OBC they are paying less than a person who pays with real money.

 

By making all grats pre paid OBC would be used for cost price onboard goods only or forfeited if unused

 

Grats should be added to fares or pre paid everywhere not just Australia:)

 

Unlike yourself I actually dislike MTD because I prefer to be seated each night on a large shared table with same table guests at a late seating but this option is slowly being eroded in favour of an entire MTD style with most cruise lines.:(

[goodycruising]

I just think it a shame that for a lot of cruisers especially those who can't cruise often, the anticipation of their holiday us spoiled by agonising over gratuities. I like anytime dining but usually book the same time and the same table/waters...just me.

 

Sue

 

Sue that is what I feel too. We budget for any major purchase and our first cruise was a splurge for a close relative's milestone, and the gratuities and the extra spending on the ship was not something we realised at first. So then to have to spend the last few days of the cruise discussing the gratuities with fellow passengers, and not to be sure what was the right thing to do, it was a bit of a downer to be honest. We ended up paying those that had worked well a bit extra and now, like you say, we know and it is not thought of much, we do MTD, and just give a bit extra if we have had a good experience with either the room attendant or the wait staff.

 

I think this is a good thread, as once we have booked we do keep an eye out and it does make it hard to compare prices directly. We always have to mentally add the gratuities, and often the web site prices just bounce around from one screen to the next. We know what our "good value" price point is and when we get to the end of the booking process we either go ahead or we don't.

 

BUT...it is not right, and we have had a look at that link, and you can make an anonymous complaint, and there is the ability on that web form to add documents, so I think a couple of quick screen snips would not take long and worth taking a few minutes to do if you can see what is in front of you is basically wrong. Sparky you are not a troll! I never knew where to go to if I found something not right. So thanks for that link :)