just love these "deals"

[Half Pint]

Probably because the OBC for pre-paid gratuities excludes Alaska (among other sailings).

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Promotions/Snapshot_of_Current_Offers.pdf

 

Most of their promotions exclude Alaska. This was a strict price increase, due to the price being raised for this "sale".

[bouhunter]

We have 6 cruises booked in the next 18 months. ALL of them are pricing much higher than what we booked at. Timing is everything. And a sale is not always a sale.....

[niklynn1]

We booked 3 cabins on Friday night for a family trip. I signed on this morning and checked our prices after the new sale. For about an hour this morning, all 3 of our cabins showed a price drop of between 250 and 350 dollars.

 

I wrote these down, and screen shotted them. Unfortunately, by the time my lunch break came around and I had time to call about the price drop, the prices were different and MORE expensive than I paid on Friday night.

 

Of course the rep on the phone knew nothing and could only see the higher prices. :confused:

 

Anyone else had this happen before? She said there was "no way" it could have been lower for only an hour or so.

[molly361]

We booked 3 cabins on Friday night for a family trip. I signed on this morning and checked our prices after the new sale. For about an hour this morning, all 3 of our cabins showed a price drop of between 250 and 350 dollars.

 

I wrote these down, and screen shotted them. Unfortunately, by the time my lunch break came around and I had time to call about the price drop, the prices were different and MORE expensive than I paid on Friday night.

 

Of course the rep on the phone knew nothing and could only see the higher prices. :confused:

 

Anyone else had this happen before? She said there was "no way" it could have been lower for only an hour or so.

 

Years ago that happened to me. I saw a price drop while at work and waited to call them until I got home at lunch time. Price had gone back up. by then.

 

Prices can rise and fall at anytime and for any length of time.

Edited April 4, 2016 by molly361

[KiwiGal117]

We saved a LOT of money on our recent price drop. Are you guys saying pretty much that, what they do, is nothing but clever marketing tools by making everyone think they're getting a decent deal? If so, please explain it to me. We saved literally over $1200 in a price drop. I think that's pretty good.

 

Seeing as no one else has responded I will!! That's a fabulous price drop! I'd be pretty darn excited to get that. Though, I think you are the exception rather than the rule, based on what I see around here. Our cruise has gone up $2000 since we booked, but the ship is also getting close to capacity, so not surprising. Supply and demand and all of that Econ 101 stuff!:p

[P&C4/16/67]

DH tracks and said most cruises were just raised again today for the second time. The Grandeur that is.

Edited April 4, 2016 by P&C4/16/67
clarify

[sandystx]

Looking at the Freedom 10 night Europe Oct 2017. On friday it was $2728 all in for 2 people. Today with the sale it is $2908 with $270 OBC. So yah, that puts me $90 to the better but not exactly the great deal I would hope for from a promo deal......

[bigboffs]

Another BoGo Hoax.

[Cuizer2]

royal sure knows how to cut a deal. between 30 percent off last week and the 50 percent off second passenger plus free pre paid gratuities and some OBC this week, well, i've done the math and the rates have gone up just enough with this new promotion so that it comes out to the same as last weeks when everything is added up. terrific marketing campaign though. smh

 

It is exactly this game that Royal Caribbean is playing that has me looking at other cruise lines again.

[MrsPete]

royal sure knows how to cut a deal. between 30 percent off last week and the 50 percent off second passenger plus free pre paid gratuities and some OBC this week, well, i've done the math and the rates have gone up just enough with this new promotion so that it comes out to the same as last weeks when everything is added up. terrific marketing campaign though. smh

I know you're right because I've done the math too. Price drops are real and unpredictable, but sales are all marketing.

 

What I wonder: Just how many people do you think watch their cruise prices carefully? I'm going to bet something like 10-20% are frugal enough to watch their prices like a hawk.

I don't think they care much about folks who check prices and are familiar with the endless fake sales. They are looking for the folks who are new to the cruise line and are not aware of the marketing ploys.

Yeah, but these techniques aren't limited to cruises. Car dealers, mattress stores, even the grocery store does this raise-the-price-so-you-can-have-a-sale thing.

 

However, I'm a teacher, and I assure you that perhaps 30% of our high school students just don't want to think -- about anything. Ever. They will go to great lengths to avoid brain work of any type, and I can see that type of person NOT realizing this "gimmick".

[Clarea]

... However, I'm a teacher, and I assure you that perhaps 30% of our high school students just don't want to think -- about anything. Ever. They will go to great lengths to avoid brain work of any type, and I can see that type of person NOT realizing this "gimmick".

Not disputing this at all. Our daughter is a high school teacher and we hear similar stories.

[Beachammo]

I had four of my cruises go up from the 30% sale....

+220

+316

+440

+468

 

The other three are sold out categories

[Clarea]

I had four of my cruises go up from the 30% sale....

+220

+316

+440

+468

 

The other three are sold out categories

Shelton, I wonder if those numbers are directly related to the number of days in those cruises, i.e., the price went up to cover the "free" gratuities.

[scorpluvsdolphins]

I'm so mad at myself.

I meant to change two cruises of mine last night.

They are now priced way higher than when the 30% sale was going on.

When you go solo, it doesn't help if they pay the gratuities for two.

So the price is higher.

I will wait until the new schedules come out, then change them.

 

Hey Bob

Check your email.

Terri

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Clarea]

I'm so mad at myself.

I meant to change two cruises of mine last night.

They are now priced way higher than when the 30% sale was going on.

When you go solo, it doesn't help if they pay the gratuities for two.

So the price is higher.

I will wait until the new schedules come out, then change them.

 

Hey Bob

Check your email.

Terri

Saw the email, will answer later tonight.:)

[Hoopster95]

For the first time since BOGOHO#1 back in May 2014 I've been seeing some decent prices on the Going Going Gone flyer in recent weeks... so much so that today I booked for the first time off of the flyer in several years. Not all the sailings are great, but there's two or three that I've definitely noticed recently. Of course these prices do not include any perks (free grats, etc)

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

 

If you can book last minute to Europe for May, both Rhapsody and one of Jewel's sailings in May are extremely good bargains imho.

[tinkertwo]

how is this free gratuities working? when I go into a cruise to book I see that there is a $190 obc. when I go to book there is no spot to pre pay gratuities. does that mean that you can't prepay, that you have to do it onboard or does that mean the tips are considered done plus there is a $190 obc.

 

very confusing.

[Beachammo]

Shelton, I wonder if those numbers are directly related to the number of days in those cruises, i.e., the price went up to cover the "free" gratuities.

 

Bob.....

 

It's very close.

 

Wish we could get the free grats and the balcony discount!!

[Clarea]

Bob.....

 

It's very close.

 

Wish we could get the free grats and the balcony discount!!

I noticed the same effect on two of our cruises. These were in an OV, so I thought I might come out on the plus side, but no, the price went up just enough to cover the "free" gratuities.

[Bound4Bermuda]

basically what they've done is this: you can have this quarter right here, or this hot new deal of 5 nickels. OR... wait for it.. two dimes and five pennies!!!!

 

 

Lol! Love it! In my case, for the first time, this "sale" is different from the last "sale"--$105pp more with no OBC. But all of the other sales have been exactly the same "sale" price with the exception of OBC. I think the free gratuities would be worth a bit more than I have in OBC, so that might balance out why the room price is a bit more now. But I guess enough of us are watching for price drops that it's not worth it to them for it to really be much different because then they'd need to offer us that same discount. But by having a new "sale" every few weeks, they can drum up new business with people signing up right away for the amazing limited-time offer. I know I fell for it when I booked--telling my husband we only had 3 days to decide...before they extended their offer up until the next offer, and repeat.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[PGPrendy]

how is this free gratuities working? when I go into a cruise to book I see that there is a $190 obc. when I go to book there is no spot to pre pay gratuities. does that mean that you can't prepay, that you have to do it onboard or does that mean the tips are considered done plus there is a $190 obc.

 

very confusing.

 

When I read the fine print for the promotion, it states that the gratuities will be provided in the form of OBC.

[Clarea]

When I read the fine print for the promotion, it states that the gratuities will be provided in the form of OBC.

Correct, so it's important to remove prepaid gratuities if you want to use that OBC for gratuities.

[Cruzin-K]

My inbox has been flooded with emails indicating prices increases. Not that I didn't expect it with a new "sale".

 

I only have one cruise booked, but the price went up. I booked it hoping for price drops. bwahaha :(

 

I don't think they care much about folks who check prices and are familiar with the endless fake sales. They are looking for the folks who are new to the cruise line and are not aware of the marketing ploys.

 

So true. I have a co-worker who was booking a cruise today for her whole family (10 people) and she's quite happy with her OBC and free gratuities :rolleyes: I didn't tell her that booking last week probably would have saved her family hundreds of dollars.

[Beachammo]

I noticed the same effect on two of our cruises. These were in an OV, so I thought I might come out on the plus side, but no, the price went up just enough to cover the "free" gratuities.

 

Tried it "sign out" too.

 

Royal is pretty slick.....raising prices to cover the "free" grats. I don't check prices near as much since buying cruises on release day. The thrill of finding a cheaper fare is gone.

[Tommy the crack]

The meta categories are a new concept for me. It turns out that as far as balconies go, c = central, b = boardwalk, and d = ocean view. So you can't get a ocean view balcony for the price of a Central Park balcony because they are in different meta categories. That surprised me this morning when I adjusted my reservation(s). All balconys are not in the same meta category.