rakes5 Posted February 11, 2015 #1 Share Posted February 11, 2015 On today's Cruise Critic Live! Royal Caribbean President Michael Bayley answered a question and revealed a new promotion. Here is a link to the Q/A and the text: Hi Mr. Bayley, I really like the 123Go you introduce on Celebrity, any plans on brining any similar promotions to RCI?by cruiseboy305 9:38 AM Michael Bayley: To show our love, on Valentine's day we'll be launching a new promotion which will feature a beverage package, shhh don't tell anyone! 9:40 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted February 11, 2015 #2 Share Posted February 11, 2015 ....and like they've done in the UK and perhaps other places, they will "adjust" the base price to account for the beverage package. Very few things in life are free.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phamer55 Posted February 11, 2015 #3 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Great, they are following Celebrity! NCL now offers this in their current promotion too. I like this new trend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRUISEBOY305 Posted February 11, 2015 #4 Share Posted February 11, 2015 On today's Cruise Critic Live! Royal Caribbean President Michael Bayley answered a question and revealed a new promotion. Here is a link to the Q/A and the text: [/indent] that was my question :D:D:D:D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken at the beach Posted February 11, 2015 #5 Share Posted February 11, 2015 There was a thread yesterday about rates taking a big jump. Now we know why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_G Posted February 11, 2015 #6 Share Posted February 11, 2015 that was my question :D:D:D:D:D Nice job. We like the 123Go too. Now if they stop with those stupid slips on RCI, we might consider taking the package. Some ships do and some don't. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerxspeedy Posted February 11, 2015 #7 Share Posted February 11, 2015 RCI must be seeing an increase in sales at Celebrity due to the drink promotion. NCL offers this as well. If you are cross shopping RC "sales" no longer appears to offer any true value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garavar Posted February 11, 2015 #8 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Well this is a huge disappointment. By giving Drink Package as a sale that means us ultra light drinkers now will have to pay more for our base fare. Great Sent from my SGH-T699 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRUISEBOY305 Posted February 11, 2015 #9 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Well this is a huge disappointment. By giving Drink Package as a sale that means us ultra light drinkers now will have to pay more for our base fare. Great Sent from my SGH-T699 using Forums mobile app Celebrity's 123Go Promo offers a choice of Drink package, On board credit and Free Gratuities. If you book a concierge class cabin or above you get all 3 Maybe Royal will offer a similar promo ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardface Posted February 11, 2015 #10 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Here's the question, though.... If you book now, when the prices inevitably fall after the promotion ends, can you still call up and get the lower rate? Cause if so, who gives a hoot about the temporary increase now. Asking cause I have a couple friends I'm trying to convince to come on a trip with us in 2016, and I don't want to scare them away with these prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonV1 Posted February 11, 2015 #11 Share Posted February 11, 2015 The question is will Royal keep prices similar to what they are now. Celebrity seems very competitively priced even with 123GO added, at least for 7 day routes. Enough so to sway me away from Royal for next years spring break cruise. The biggest question is is this trend towards a more inclusive cruise here to stay (I think so). NCL seems to go a bit farther by including drinks and speciality dining, whereas Celebrity does drinks/OBC/grats (for more expensive cabins anyway). Royal is a bit behind the times in the US at the moment (with regard to promos) so adding the package now isn't anything to revolutionary. Royal is a bit different in that they really don't need to offer any significant promos on Oasis class ships due to how popular they are, but the rest of the fleet may be a different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molly361 Posted February 11, 2015 #12 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Here's the question, though.... If you book now, when the prices inevitably fall after the promotion ends, can you still call up and get the lower rate? Cause if so, who gives a hoot about the temporary increase now. Asking cause I have a couple friends I'm trying to convince to come on a trip with us in 2016, and I don't want to scare them away with these prices. If it is not a rate limited to New Bookings only you can get price adjustments up until final payment date. That said you will also be subject to whatever promotion is at that time. You may lose any OBC that you had on the booking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm3750 Posted February 11, 2015 #13 Share Posted February 11, 2015 What is the difference between 123go and the ultimate package? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardface Posted February 11, 2015 #14 Share Posted February 11, 2015 If it is not a rate limited to New Bookings only you can get price adjustments up until final payment date. That said you will also be subject to whatever promotion is at that time. You may lose any OBC that you had on the booking. Depending on what the net out for OBC and whatever promotion it is, you're probably going to make out better in the end by flipping to whatever low price you see. For example, back in August I booked for 2016 on Freedom and locked in at about $900 a person after all taxes and fees for a balcony. I looked early last week, and I was seeing those same kind of prices. Now, under the BOGOHO sale, the price is $200 more per person than what I am paying. With this promotion, I can't imagine the price wouldn't further increase from there. So what I'm saying is... Don't sweat what the price is when you book... Just book it now, and when you see the price fall (and it WILL fall) before your final payment, give them a call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjlee3333 Posted February 11, 2015 #15 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Celebrity's 123Go Promo offers a choice of Drink package, On board credit and Free Gratuities. If you book a concierge class cabin or above you get all 3 Maybe Royal will offer a similar promo ? I'd hope so. I drink only water so unless they'd include unlimited water (delivered to the room so I have it in the morning w/o having to go to the bar at midnight to get one), I'd never get any use out of a drink package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketMan275 Posted February 11, 2015 #16 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I'd hope so. I drink only water so unless they'd include unlimited water (delivered to the room so I have it in the morning w/o having to go to the bar at midnight to get one), I'd never get any use out of a drink package. Unlimited water is already delivered to your room at all times, midnight included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSLeesburg Posted February 11, 2015 #17 Share Posted February 11, 2015 RCI must be seeing an increase in sales at Celebrity due to the drink promotion. NCL offers this as well. If you are cross shopping RC "sales" no longer appears to offer any true value. I like the NCL promotion better, as it allows you to opt for free specialty dining the entire cruise. Now, that is a great perk. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules815 Posted February 11, 2015 #18 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I wonder what this means for those of us who already have suites booked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSLeesburg Posted February 11, 2015 #19 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I wonder what this means for those of us who already have suites booked? My guess would be that we don't get the new benefits. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shocked91 Posted February 11, 2015 #20 Share Posted February 11, 2015 All Royal has done is bump the prices up when offering the drinks package.I booked Anthem on the very first day the sailings opened up.I asked my ta to check what the price would be today with the same cabin grade and the price was an extra £800 each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigi65 Posted February 11, 2015 #21 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Any idea on when it will take effect? We are cruising 2/22.... I was planning to purchase our drink packages on the ship.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipper123 Posted February 11, 2015 #22 Share Posted February 11, 2015 (edited) Wow! Yup RCI has definitely increased the price of the fares to coincide with this "promotion"! I had checked my prices for my FOS sailing in 2016, less than two weeks ago on Jan. 30 and just since that time my balcony cabin has increased $680 and the oceanview has increased by $700 with two people in each room! Edited February 11, 2015 by Clipper123 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisegirl1 Posted February 11, 2015 #23 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Any idea on when it will take effect? We are cruising 2/22.... I was planning to purchase our drink packages on the ship.. 2/22 of 2015? Likely it is an announcement of some sort of promotion when booking, not sailing. Doubt you will be able to benefit from any booking promotion if you are sailing in February of 2015. good luck M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules815 Posted February 11, 2015 #24 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Wow! Yup RCI has definitely increased the price of the fares to coincide with this "promotion"! I had checked my prices for my FOS sailing in 2016, less than two weeks ago on Jan. 30 and just since that time my balcony cabin has increased $680 and the oceanview has increased by $700 with two people in each room! Just checked mine for September on FOS and it hasn't gone up yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisegirl1 Posted February 11, 2015 #25 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Well this is a huge disappointment. By giving Drink Package as a sale that means us ultra light drinkers now will have to pay more for our base fare. Great Sent from my SGH-T699 using Forums mobile app Agree, I can't imagine the prices staying the same with some sort of beverage package. When Celebrity started the promotions, you could select one of 3 ...the beverage package, gratuities or OBC. Those who don't drink could select the gratuities or a small OBC. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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