BOGO WILD OFFER Starting Saturday

[lulurobby]

Gone are the days when we saw a true sale on Royal. Do the powers that be think we do not have the ability to do some math when checking out the WOW

[whitecap]

We are new to Royal Caribbean and have cruised Princess, Celebrity and Carnival. We use a TA that has been very good to us. Last May (2014) we decided that we wanted to try Royal Caribbean and saw the BUY ONE GET ONE 1/2 OFF sale. We booked Oasis for May 2015, D1 cabin, midship, back to back (14 days). Several months later we saw that the price of one of the cruises went down and the TA was able to re-book that cruise for the lower price. First cruise ended up being $2414.00 with no other benefits (OBC, beverage etc); the second cruise is $2663.00 with $200 OBC. Total for the back to back $$5077.00 with gratuities added $5077 + $336.00 = $5413.00

 

Some friends and us had booked a cruise with another cruise line for April 2016 however the cruise line has recently cancelled and so we all decided to book the Oasis for April 2016. We have booked a D2 cabin (which use to be a D1), back to back, April 2016 and the cost is $2597.45 my time dining which means gratuities are included in that price along with $200 OBC and $2664.96 my time dining (again gratuities included) and $200 OBC for a total of $5262.44.

 

Now with all that said, I feel that the pricing for our May 2015 cruise when compared to the Apr 2016 identical cruise is pretty consistent however, my problem thus far with Royal Caribbean is the web site, inconsistent figures and the fact that they, like other cruise lines, up the fare before the sale. Also, using the web site and doing a mock booking, you get a total price that sometimes includes gratuities and sometimes it doesn't. Why do they sometimes allow you to choose a dining time and sometimes their web site indicates only My Time Dining is available thus including the gratuities in the price. So Damn Confusing!

 

We are still much looking forward to our upcoming May 2015 and will have a great time.

[huckster]

Reason the prices are "jumping" when entering the bev code is your lose the BOGO part of the deal. It an OR promotion. Most of the time the bogo is the better offer.

[ulcards99]

I posted this in another post about the beverage package promo.

 

$2052.80 for an oceanview for 2 people on NOS Nov 14, 2015 - an 8 day eastern. That price includes the beverage package

 

$1592.80 this price is same cruise with the BOGO offer. Difference of $460. To me, that isn't a terrible deal in favor of the beverage package. I will also get the $100 OBC. That turns out to about $28.75 a day for the beverage package per person vs the $55 per day if I just bought the package on board

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[njmomof2]

I checked prices on a cruise I'm booking for August 2015.

 

Okay, here is the scoop. What happens is not that the rate is raised, but you actually lose the 1/2 off the second person, so the individual rates revert to standard pricing. The sale is for EITHER 1/2 off second guest OR beverage package + OBC.

 

So, when you look at the pricing, you'll see that you lose the 1/2 off second in favor of the beverage package. I guess only each person can decide if the loss of that 1/2 off makes up for the price of the drink package.

 

*I had a bunch of information that ended up being incorrect so I called the TA desk and found out what is going on.* Sorry to confuse everyone.

Edited February 14, 2015 by njmomof2

[kc320]

Glad I booked my upcoming Alaska cruise last July...

$1,629 solo rate E2 Balcony

 

Today's solo rate

$2,837

 

Solo rate with "free" beverage package

$3,721...

 

I can pay for a whole LOT of drinks myself with the $2,092 I am saving...

[coconut telegraph]

I think we will wise up and book elsewhere until this "sale" that isn't boils over.

 

It looks to me that the Florida market will find the new NCL ships to be a much better value and on board activities than what is currently available for RCCL.

[Scoobydobe7]

After this latest promotion I am insulted. Does Royal think I am an idiot? Have one cruise already with royal that is not until April 2016. My next cruise (Sept. 2015) will NOW be with Norwegian - at least they are not playing with the numbers.

[son3cruisers]

Has anyone called to speak to an agent ...for confirmation that " beverage" means a free package? I understand it accepts the code...but doesn't give confirmation on what you are actually receiving with entering that code... Other then a more expensive cruise!

Still not confirmed that anyone will actually receive free drinks.

Not the first time Royal l has advertised with a " glitch"

Imagine paying more and receiving nothing! Still not seeing where it's advertised that there even is a free drink promotion going on....except for the first post.

[huckster]

I was looking at the Feb 28 '16 Allure sailing. Found a TA with a group rate going on this sailing. Was quoted a B2 (boardwalk balcony) for $530 less then the current BOGO price.

Group has a $75 OBC. This group rate doesn't combine with promotions, so I can't get $200 more OBC or even the drink package, just the price savings. Oh it does combine with C/A, so since I am Emerald I would save another $125

on a balcony.

Guess the key to price is to find a TA who has group rates

[CRUISEFAN0001]

For the same D1 cabin on the same deck on the same ship - only 2 doors down in our hump balcony...the "Sale" price is $1634 HIGHER than what we paid 7 months ago. SO much for getting a "deal"...

[Ashland]

Is this "sale" period RCI continually tries to repackage/namechange...ever going to end...who are they trying to fool :confused::eek::mad:

[Envelope21]

It really is getting tiresome, isn't it. We have been pretty loyal to Royal over the years but our next cruise is booked with NCL. If we weren't Diamonds we'd most likely not look at Royal anymore. Every time I hear that BOGOHO spiel it starts to make me mad. lol

[MichaelCMTX]

WooHoo...I guess I'll have to drop everything and rush to my computer to book that good of a deal ;) Are they nuts? Increase the price of the second passenger by 50% and then think anyone will fall for "free" drinks.

 

On the trip we just booked for November it'd be close to a wash. For $2230/person in a GS, half that wasn't a whole lot more than 2 Premium Packages. The $200 OBC would sweeten the deal. However, Cruise Fares are mandatory, Premium Packages are optional. Would rather pay this one off and spring for a Package if I have a good bonus month.

[robtulipe]

When we booked our next cruise last month on Navigator, the first pricing that the future sales manager onboard came up was the WOW deal with 50% off for the second passenger. I had done my research and knew that we qualified for a special Crown & Anchor discount pricing that made that next cruise about $500 cheaper than the WOW deal. ;)

Edited February 14, 2015 by robtulipe

[whitecap]

I finally got concerned enough with all the discussion about the different pricing going on so I called RCI and got a travel assistant (or whatever they call them) on the phone. Told her I was thinking of booking Oasis for April of 2016; while she was bringing up the cruise for April 9th, I was bringing it up on the web site; told her I was interested in a particular cabin and she brought it up, as did I on the web site; she quoted me a price, web site gave me a different price; confirmed we were talking about the same cabin and we were; she stated that the price she had was without gratuities so I asked how much that added and she gave it to me; I continued my mock booking and selecting My Time Dining (forced to no other choices available) and got a different price. I told the young lady what I was doing and the prices I got on the web site were completely different; silence, then she said she might have looked at the wrong cabin, so we did it all again resulting in the same problem. I asked her point blank why the difference and why the web site forces you to select My Time Dining and her explanation was, "the prices change minute to minute" and "I don't know why you can only choose My Time Dining".

That was enough for me. Have contacted my travel agent and advised her to take hold off the cruise for April 2016 unless she can contact them and get an "honest" explanation and solution. The only thing I am aware of that changes "minute to minute" is the national debt!!!

[karena1]

As usual, totally not a deal for us. My cruise would go up by $771 and if I would not get my balcony discount, it would go up another $250.

 

Like someone said earlier, these promos are totally not for those of us that have been Loyal to Royal and have cruised Royal boatloads of times.

 

I got a great deal with the BOGOHO when it first came out for our April 16 Adventure so I will just stick with that. Doubt very much if it will ever go below what I paid for it

[rakes5]

Booked an Allure 7 day November 2015 sailing two weeks ago on Jan 31, and compared it to today.

At the time I was able to take advantage of a group rate, so I compared that as well.

I did not call my TA to see if a Group rate was still available or could have applied.

 

I compared:

Just the BOGO Wild offer,

added the Senior or resident rate, (was not reflected in the BEVERAGE Promotion)

then went back and signed in to add my D+ C&A $250 Balcony discount.

 

Then signed out, and went back and added the BEVERAGE Promotion for the same selections.

 

Really????

 

US$ Feb14 BEVERAGE Diffferen $/Day/Per US$Jan31 Offer

$2,739.94 $3,579.94 $ 840.00 $ 60.00 $2,679.64 BOGO Wild (Addt'l $200 OBC)

$2,679.94 $3,579.94 $ 900.00 $ 64.29 $2,451.64 +55 (Addt'l $200 OBC)

$2,489.94 $3,329.94 $ 840.00 $ 60.00 $2,429.64 BOGO Wild & C&A $250 Balcony (NO OBC)

$2,429.94 $3,329.94 $ 900.00 $ 64.29 $2,201.64 +55 or residence & C&A $250 Balcony (No OBC)

------------------ $1,430.96 $102.21 $1,898.98 Booked Group Rate (No OBC) [Compared to lowest BEVERAGE promotion rate]

[orville99]

I checked prices on a cruise I'm booking for August 2015.

 

Okay, here is the scoop. What happens is not that the rate is raised, but you actually lose the 1/2 off the second person, so the individual rates revert to standard pricing. The sale is for EITHER 1/2 off second guest OR beverage package + OBC.

 

So, when you look at the pricing, you'll see that you lose the 1/2 off second in favor of the beverage package. I guess only each person can decide if the loss of that 1/2 off makes up for the price of the drink package.

 

*I had a bunch of information that ended up being incorrect so I called the TA desk and found out what is going on.* Sorry to confuse everyone.

 

This is exactly the logic they hope works.

 

What you need to factor in to the equation is that when they implemented the original BOGO last May, they hadn't jacked up the "rack rate" on the cruises to offset the discount. It took them about a week to realize they had inadvertently actually created a real sale, and they started inching up the prices so that by the time they "extended" the sale a month later, they had jacked up the 1st. passenger price far enough so that when the half off 2nd. passenger was added, the net price was exactly what the price was before any of the "sales" started. So now they offer "free" drink packages, but in order to get that, you have to be willing to accept the already jacked-up rack rate price on both passengers.

 

What we have now is more of a buy one for the price of two "sale":eek: The cruise we booked when the first BOGO was released on 5/1/14 went from $1909 total ( after backing out the insurance and the balcony discount) to today's $1895 per person.

[later]

FOS 3/13/2016

yesterday 3398.36

today BOGO 50% off 3758.36 + 200obc

Today Beverage 4924.36 +200obc

 

Yesterday 3398.56 + 809.48 (beverage package 49/day+18% grat)= 4207.84

 

716.52 more than yesterday and we can't use the 225 discount for D+ which would account for the 200 OBC.

 

Such a deal it aint!

[rakes5]

 

What we have now is more of a buy one for the price of two "sale":eek: The cruise we booked when the first BOGO was released on 5/1/14 went from $1909 total ( after backing out the insurance and the balcony discount) to today's $1895 per person.

 

Similarly, we booked on board a celebrity ship on 4/26/14 for a 10 night Serenade Jan 2016 cruise for around $2,500 total for a D1 Balcony with our C&A discount. The onboard agent either didn't know or tell us about the upcoming BOGO offer. When we got home, I called right away, and the price had only gone up $100 per person, but we were able to get the BOGO added for a total of $2,000, with taxes and our C&A Discount.

 

Today, I priced the same D1 cabin, and with new BOGO Wild offer and it was now $3,550. or $1,550 more. That's buy one for the price of 2 1/2 "sale". :eek:

With the beverage package, it was $4,770. :eek::eek:

 

The only good news is that the Price of Royal Caribbean stock has increased from $50.62 on 5/1/14 to 75.56 yesterday, so 100 shares of stock would have increased by almost $2,300 :D

[topnole]

I know people that got a free drink package on the Liberty TA last October.

 

We were on Liberty for the 13 night TA in May and had the premium drink package included. It was $2200 with all taxes, fees etc. for the 2 of us in an aft hump balcony. Did the Liberty on the 13 night Oct TA with a balcony and it was $1500 without the drink package (although I know that they had the drink package running for that one as well for a while but prices were certainly higher when the drink promotion was going on). Still $2200 with the package was quite a deal on a trip that long. All in all, I think we netted slightly better on the first trip but it wasn't all that much different after the tab at the end for drinks, excursions, etc. It was quite fun knowing we could try mostly whatever we wanted when we had the drink package.

[Russ Lomas]

I just re priced my Allure 2106 cruise.

 

Wow!!! I did not know they were selling cruises that far out already Ken;)

 

People call me insane wanting to book for March 2017, but you booking the Allure for 2106, you win the award for the early booking.

:p

[SadmanCruiser]

I have spoken to a CSR in the UK (well Guatemala actually) regarding the latest "offer"

 

In the UK it is the select package offering soda, beers and wine up to $8.

 

US CSR could not tell me which package I would get if I used the promo code 'beverage'

 

Mt TA is US based and she cannot seem to get a straight answer either.

 

We were booked on the Vision for 19 nights in Nov/Dec, we are now booked on NCL as their CSR's do now the answers!

 

Come on Royal, tell us what is going on!

[Swazoo]

I have spoken to a CSR in the UK (well Guatemala actually) regarding the latest "offer"

 

In the UK it is the select package offering soda, beers and wine up to $8.

 

US CSR could not tell me which package I would get if I used the promo code 'beverage'

 

Mt TA is US based and she cannot seem to get a straight answer either.

 

We were booked on the Vision for 19 nights in Nov/Dec, we are now booked on NCL as their CSR's do now the answers!

 

Come on Royal, tell us what is going on!

 

That's quite the over reaction. Your really upset about a non existent sale. If that's all it takes to change a 19 day cruise I don't think the lines will care to have you as an Ambassador. 😂