50% off 3rd passenger - fuzzy math

[inq]

Yesterday the price of my mini suite was 1419 pp for 1st and 2 nd passenger and $599 for third passenger plus we had the beverage package. Looking online now price on 1 and 2 are the same (1419 pp), but 3rd now shows at $499.50. This sailing qualifys for 50% off. How is 50% off calculated? Obviously either the rate has risen dramatically or it's not 50% off. I still benefit by rebooking but only by $100 and not $300 as I calculated. Anyone else notice that what they calculated as 50 % off is not what shows up when you try and book?

[mom3x]

Editing - nevermind. My answer isn't related to this forum... I clicked on this one accidentally. Sorry. =)

Edited January 31, 2015 by mom3x

[GeezerCouple]

Is it possible that the earlier screen did not yet include the tax and port fees, while those are now included in the final tally?

 

Just a thought...

 

GeezerCouple

[inq]

Is it possible that the earlier screen did not yet include the tax and port fees, while those are now included in the final tally?

 

Just a thought...

 

GeezerCouple

 

Good thought, but no, the tax and port fees were listed as well as base fare.

[lamo0050]

They raised the rates of the additional people (to $999 in your case). Same thing happened to me. I booked a few days ago and my 3rd and 4th were $449, today with the discount they are $449.50 because the rate was increased to $899. Everything else stayed the same. I even called back to confirm, I thought maybe it wasn't taking the 50% off.

Edited January 31, 2015 by lamo0050

[SeaShark]

Yesterday the price of my mini suite was 1419 pp for 1st and 2 nd passenger and $599 for third passenger plus we had the beverage package. Looking online now price on 1 and 2 are the same (1419 pp), but 3rd now shows at $499.50. This sailing qualifys for 50% off. How is 50% off calculated? Obviously either the rate has risen dramatically or it's not 50% off. I still benefit by rebooking but only by $100 and not $300 as I calculated. Anyone else notice that what they calculated as 50 % off is not what shows up when you try and book?

 

The 3rd passenger rate is calculated as 50% off of TODAY's rate for the 3rd passenger. Your misunderstanding is probably because you are using yesterday's pricing.

[inq]

The 3rd passenger rate is calculated as 50% off of TODAY's rate for the 3rd passenger. Your misunderstanding is probably because you are using yesterday's pricing.

 

I agree. It is my error, however I would take this opportunity to express my distaste for these types of promotions. More transparency would be appreciated. In my opinion I am getting a deal, but not a 50% off deal.

[SeaShark]

I agree. It is my error, however I would take this opportunity to express my distaste for these types of promotions. More transparency would be appreciated. In my opinion I am getting a deal, but not a 50% off deal.

 

You said, "In my opinion I am getting a deal, but not a 50% off deal." can you clarify by explaining how you maintain that the deal was not 50% off?

[conandrob240]

I agree. It is my error, however I would take this opportunity to express my distaste for these types of promotions. More transparency would be appreciated. In my opinion I am getting a deal, but not a 50% off deal.

 

Distasteful, indeed. The price of MANY 3rd passengers has mysteriously doubled today. What a strange coincidence! Terrible business practices.

[inq]

You said, "In my opinion I am getting a deal, but not a 50% off deal." can you clarify by explaining how you maintain that the deal was not 50% off?

 

Certainly, If a price is inflated, as it was in this case, so that NCL can run a 50% off promo which results in a less than what was 50% off savings. It should be called an "up to 50%" off. While I did get 50% off the newly inflated price, It was far short of 50% off the pre non inflated price. I believe that NCL is resorting to less than transparent sales practices and while that may generate some excitement in the short run, it will create negative backlash by consumers ultimately. If I waited for an hour or more on hold today in order to take advantage of this promo I'd be livid.

[shapatack0]

Certainly, If a price is inflated, as it was in this case, so that NCL can run a 50% off promo which results in a less than what was 50% off savings. It should be called an "up to 50%" off. While I did get 50% off the newly inflated price, It was far short of 50% off the pre non inflated price. I believe that NCL is resorting to less than transparent sales practices and while that may generate some excitement in the short run, it will create negative backlash by consumers ultimately. If I waited for an hour or more on hold today in order to take advantage of this promo I'd be livid.

 

While I do agree that it's distasteful, it's become such a standard practice across such a wide variety of industries these days (for example department stores, which are constantly marking up their goods and then advertising "50 percent, 60 percent, or 70 percent off sales.")

[conandrob240]

I don't see this happen much. If there's a sale at Macy's, the item has a price. And when it goes on sale, it is a % off of that price. The original price doesn't change day to day. Not really a standard business practice at all.

[DevCruise]

While I do agree that it's distasteful, it's become such a standard practice across such a wide variety of industries these days (for example department stores, which are constantly marking up their goods and then advertising "50 percent, 60 percent, or 70 percent off sales.")

 

Sadly, JCPenny tried to go against this trend. Scrapping the constant sale promotions and just having an everyday low price. They almost ended up going out of business because people won't buy unless they feel like they're getting some sort of discount. Hell, my wife is one of these people....:(

[conandrob240]

The sale is not the debate. It is adjusting the base price of the item before, during or after the sale which is a very shady business practice thT, thankfully, is not something I see often. NCL had once price yesterday and now, the price has been doubled to account for the "sale". Shady.

[AlaskaAtLast]

The sale is not the debate. It is adjusting the base price of the item before, during or after the sale which is a very shady business practice thT, thankfully, is not something I see often. NCL had once price yesterday and now, the price has been doubled to account for the "sale". Shady.

 

Agreed! Very Shady!

[Love my butler]

The sale is not the debate. It is adjusting the base price of the item before, during or after the sale which is a very shady business practice thT, thankfully, is not something I see often. NCL had once price yesterday and now, the price has been doubled to account for the "sale". Shady.

 

NCL is guilty of many 'shady' practices. The apologists on these boards will claim 'they all do it'. Not a valid excuse in my opinion. Wrong is wrong no matter how many others may be doing it also.

[sparks1093]

NCL is guilty of many 'shady' practices. The apologists on these boards will claim 'they all do it'. Not a valid excuse in my opinion. Wrong is wrong no matter how many others may be doing it also.

 

Wrong is wrong but how can you castigate one and not castigate the others, too? I am sure there is a cruise line somewhere that does not use this marketing practice but rather than cruise with them you'd rather cruise with NCL and villify them in the process. (And I am not an apologist, I am a realist. I take the world as it is and not as I'd like it to be because I know that it will never be like I'd like it to be.)

[Pikaia]

Yeah, I find it distasteful too. Someone posted a graph in an NCL FB group that showed that average 1st and 2nd passenger fares jumped before Freestyle Choice began last year. It was more dramatic in suites, but non-suites fares also rose.

 

On the other hand, I'm not expecting a for-profit company to be my friend. The ability to re-book for new promos or lower fares (multiple times!) and cancel cruises without penalty up to final payment date (!!!) gives NCL customers a LOT of power. NCL has to sell their product, but you can take your money to another cruise line, or to an entirely different vacation option.

 

The reality of fare hikes before promotions is one of the reasons I'm grateful for this forum, as well as for the cruise fare tracking website that I use. Reading here and monitoring that site, I know when I'm getting a good or at least reasonable deal.

 

BTW, if you haven't read the thread linked below, take a look. It's a long read, but I think it's worthwhile.

 

Understanding how NCL fares are set, and why they go up and down

[shapatack0]

NCL is guilty of many 'shady' practices. The apologists on these boards will claim 'they all do it'. Not a valid excuse in my opinion. Wrong is wrong no matter how many others may be doing it also.

 

I'm certainly not an apologist for the practice, as I said, I find it distasteful. I also sometimes have to debate with my wife over the "great deal" she is getting on a "70 percent off" sweater at Macy's, pointing out how it's 70 percent off a price that nobody would actually pay ever, and the department store would never actually mark it at. The practice of marking up prices to advertise a "sale" and make it look like a better deal than it is is something that is done across so many industries these days (including most of the cruiselines), and has been mentioned elsewhere, stores like JC Penney's tried to do away with the practice and it failed miserably.

 

Another way to look at it is this: NCL is a business and will maximize the money it can make no matter what. They could have a model where prices are more flat and we all pay the same. Or they could have a model like they have with dynamic pricing, which means less savvy consumers will book at higher prices thinking they got a deal, which subsidizes the rates for the rest of us who deal hunt.

Edited February 1, 2015 by shapatack0

[SeaShark]

Certainly, If a price is inflated, as it was in this case, so that NCL can run a 50% off promo which results in a less than what was 50% off savings. It should be called an "up to 50%" off. While I did get 50% off the newly inflated price, It was far short of 50% off the pre non inflated price. I believe that NCL is resorting to less than transparent sales practices and while that may generate some excitement in the short run, it will create negative backlash by consumers ultimately. If I waited for an hour or more on hold today in order to take advantage of this promo I'd be livid.

 

Interesting argument, but I think moving the baseline to make a point is the reason for your "fuzzy math".

 

As for "less than transparent", it apparently wasn't that hard to figure out, right? It doesn't seem to be hidden.

 

You can't expect that cruise pricing, which is volatile and very market driven to act like pricing for consumer goods at a brick and mortar store.

 

 

It seems that the majority of your disappointment comes from NCL not acting according to YOUR expectations...not because the promised one thing and delivered another.

 

NCL could advertise a cruise at $599 or they could offer the same cruise at $699 with a FREE $100 OBC!!! You'd be surprised at how many people would book the latter because of the deal that they think they are getting. Especially given that the former is actually the better deal.

 

 

 

Be a realist...Free Ultimate Dining, Free Ultimate Beverage, Free OBC, Friends & Family Sail Free...first, how could any cruise line simply give that away and stay in business? Second, how much would your cruise actually cost if they didn't have to cover the expense of all of those "free" items??

[Love my butler]

Wrong is wrong but how can you castigate one and not castigate the others, too? I am sure there is a cruise line somewhere that does not use this marketing practice but rather than cruise with them you'd rather cruise with NCL and villify them in the process. (And I am not an apologist, I am a realist. I take the world as it is and not as I'd like it to be because I know that it will never be like I'd like it to be.)

 

I read and comment on the NCL boards. I cruise mainly with NCL because they do MANY things right. They are not perfect and certainly do things wrong. I don't overlook those mistakes or give them a free pass. Should I make it my mission to visit every board and comment on how unhappy I am with something they are doing wrong? Another deflection on your part. If you point out the bad practices on these boards you should point them out on every board....

 

I don't have the time or inclination. You may go ahead if it makes you happy.

 

Apolgist, realist, cheerleader. Six of one....

[Love my butler]

Or they could have a model like they have with dynamic pricing, which means less savvy consumers will book at higher prices thinking they got a deal, which subsidizes the rates for the rest of us who deal hunt.

 

Translation: NCL takes advantage of stupid people and since I am smart I pay less because stupid people pay more.

 

Certainly one way to look at it. I would prefer NCL and other businesses were more honest with all aspects of their business. I dislike deception very much and when I spot NCL doing it, I point it out.

[sparks1093]

I read and comment on the NCL boards. I cruise mainly with NCL because they do MANY things right. They are not perfect and certainly do things wrong. I don't overlook those mistakes or give them a free pass. Should I make it my mission to visit every board and comment on how unhappy I am with something they are doing wrong? Another deflection on your part. If you point out the bad practices on these boards you should point them out on every board....

 

I don't have the time or inclination. You may go ahead if it makes you happy.

 

Apolgist, realist, cheerleader. Six of one....

 

No, you don't need to go to every board and point it out, but you can acknowledge it in your posts for full disclosure if nothing else. It is a marketing strategy, nothing more and nothing less. And if what I say makes me a cheerleader than rah. I've been called far worse;).

[conandrob240]

I still call "shady" on this. In what alternate reality is the price of a third passenger ever higher than the first two? The sailing I was interested in has 1st and 2nd at $1269 but third at $1599. C'mon! That's ridiculous.

 

At 7:45 this morning, the banner on the NCL site still reflected the one day only KSF plus Choice combination. That should have been down once the promo was over.

[SeaShark]

I still call "shady" on this. In what alternate reality is the price of a third passenger ever higher than the first two? The sailing I was interested in has 1st and 2nd at $1269 but third at $1599. C'mon! That's ridiculous.

 

At 7:45 this morning, the banner on the NCL site still reflected the one day only KSF plus Choice combination. That should have been down once the promo was over.

 

A truely "shady" practice would affect everyone. Not just those who miss seeing the obvious marketing concept.

 

NCL offers FREE Dining...FREE Drinks...FREE OBC...and Friends & Family Sail FREE. (Its a wonder they can afford to stay in business)

 

Consumers scream YEAH!! and run for the phones...where they actually have to wait their turn behind other consumers (Oh the horror of it all)

 

 

What happened to the day when a smart consumer would have looked at the offer and said "Sure...all that FREE stuff. What's the catch??"