When is a sale not a sale?

[cruisefan0110]

There have been several comments I have seen about RCL sale prices. Today, we got our taste. I received an email this morning from RCL announcing a new beverage package sale. One week only. The sale was the same buy 1/get 1 half off. I checked the prices. The price today is $2/day more than we purchased ours at for the same type of sale 3 weeks ago. I guess I will keep trying. Happy cruising everyone.

[marinewife67]

I wouldn't even worry about "sales" since it's all a marketing gimmick. Just book things at the price level you're willing to pay. :)

[Blizzard54]

When is a sale not a sale?

 

 

When it is advertised by RCL....

[CruisingNole]

The "price you're willing to pay" line cracks me up. Pay the cheapest price you can find. Buy what you want and then monitor for discounts and cancel/rebook as needed.

 

Personally, I'm cool with up to $55/day for a drink package, if that's my only option. Do I "like it," hell no. I will always try to find it cheaper.

[Merion_Mom]

A sale can be a sale even if you don't like the price. If someone has only seen $55 for the deluxe beverage package, $50 is a sale. If you bought it for $45, you got it at a better sale price, but that doesn't make $50 NOT a sale.

[otterden]

When is a sale not a sale?

 

 

When it is advertised by RCL....

 

Now THAT is laugh out loud funny! :')

Watched for months, got the deluxe drink for $53...advertised "on sale" as 20% off. Noticed the other day it's now at $56 and advertised "on sale" as 10% off...so I guess it's still a sale?

 

 

(and yes, I'm still watching, hoping for that elusive sub-$50 price!!)

 

Happy sailing, 142 days to go!

[TC1957]

People fall for almost any gimmick.

 

In Texas, today starts "Sales Tax Holiday" for back to school shopping. Anything someone would need to attend school (supplies, shoes, clothing, etc.) with a price of $100 or less is exempt from sales tax. Last weekend my wife and daughter went clothes shopping (both are well past school age) and found sales in virtually every store ranging from 20-40% off. The stores were almost empty. Those same items will be back up to the "non-sale" price this weekend and the stores will be packed. Why? Because I can save 8%!

 

More proof of the wisdom of Ron White.

[CruisingNole]

Now THAT is laugh out loud funny! :')

Watched for months, got the deluxe drink for $53...advertised "on sale" as 20% off. Noticed the other day it's now at $56 and advertised "on sale" as 10% off...so I guess it's still a sale?

 

 

(and yes, I'm still watching, hoping for that elusive sub-$50 price!!)

 

Happy sailing, 142 days to go!

 

I would be shocked if you are able to find lower than $53, considering you're sailing through NYE.

 

Enjoy!

[Milwaukee Eight]

Beverage sale prices are based off onboard pricing. If onboard pricing goes up or down, sale prices online change.

 

 

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[ChinaShrek]

A sale can be a sale even if you don't like the price. If someone has only seen $55 for the deluxe beverage package, $50 is a sale. If you bought it for $45, you got it at a better sale price, but that doesn't make $50 NOT a sale.

 

Companies must like your logic. I think states or the US Government could define "sales" to have a meaning that doesn't cause confusion or obfuscation. The word "sale" should only be used in advertising if the sale price is lower than any previously advertised price within a 6 month or 12 month period. Then every consumer would be treated fairly and equally. Why should companies get to decide what words mean? The community can too.

[rukkian]

Companies must like your logic. I think states or the US Government could define "sales" to have a meaning that doesn't cause confusion or obfuscation. The word "sale" should only be used in advertising if the sale price is lower than any previously advertised price within a 6 month or 12 month period. Then every consumer would be treated fairly and equally. Why should companies get to decide what words mean? The community can too.

 

Who says you get to decide? Where are you getting the definition of sale saying that it has to mean the lowest price in a certain amount of time? Pretty much every store that has ever existed has sales, and just because there is a sale does not mean it is the lowest price anybody has ever seen. Why would the government be forcing anything like this?

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Companies must like your logic. I think states or the US Government could define "sales" to have a meaning that doesn't cause confusion or obfuscation. The word "sale" should only be used in advertising if the sale price is lower than any previously advertised price within a 6 month or 12 month period. Then every consumer would be treated fairly and equally. Why should companies get to decide what words mean? The community can too.

Some people have short memories. A year or two ago, JC Penny said "we're not doing sales any more. We're going to lower our prices (to match a 'normal' sale) and leave them"

 

I think that lasted 6 months. People want to believe they are saving money, even if they aren't.

[Iamcruzin]

When is a sale not a sale?

 

 

When it is advertised by RCL....

Truer words have never been spoken.....or typed

[rukkian]

Some people have short memories. A year or two ago, JC Penny said "we're not doing sales any more. We're going to lower our prices (to match a 'normal' sale) and leave them"

 

I think that lasted 6 months. People want to believe they are saving money, even if they aren't.

 

They almost went under completely on this one. They are still struggling, but that no sale thing was a complete bomb. Part of the issue, is when people are accustomed to "sales" of 20, or 30% off, it doesn't matter if the regular price is now 40% lower than it was, people do not see the 20% off and don't buy it.

 

The same thing would happen if RCCI quit having sales (fake or not). Research shows that to get people to think they need to book now, you need limited time sales, otherwise, they sit and think about it, and may end up not doing it at all.

[BillOh]

I remember the good old days! We were headed to San Juan for a cruise on Jewel in 2014. We had already planned on booking Freedom for 2015 on board, had the room picked out and knew the price. The day we were on our way to San Juan, we got the email of the first BOGOHO sale and boy were we suprised to book Freedom about about $800 less that was we were ready to pay. We got a great deal. Oh, yea, the good old days.

[DISFANS3]

Keep looking..

[Iamcruzin]

They almost went under completely on this one. They are still struggling, but that no sale thing was a complete bomb. Part of the issue, is when people are accustomed to "sales" of 20, or 30% off, it doesn't matter if the regular price is now 40% lower than it was, people do not see the 20% off and don't buy it.

 

The same thing would happen if RCCI quit having sales (fake or not). Research shows that to get people to think they need to book now, you need limited time sales, otherwise, they sit and think about it, and may end up not doing it at all.

This is exactly why coupons and sales have an end date. They are there to create a sense of urgency.The general public is getting to wise to this and we have created a consumer who feels entitled to some kind of discount.

 

The difference is that the department store sales are legitimate They give you a starting price which may be inflated but it's something to gauge your decision on. Offering a drink package with a % off and not knowing the original price is deceptive. It seems from what the OP is describing that even the On board price fluctuates for the same sailing. If that same sale is being offered and now it's $2 more that means that the original price went up. Even department stores don't raise the MSRP price and then add a discount. Years ago when I was an assistant buyer we would bring in merchandise and price it higher than the departments planned markup %. We would bring the merchandise in early to establish price and then do a cancelation of a markup to establish a sale price. There were customers who were willing to pay the original price just like I'm sure passengers pay the on board price when they board. However you shouldn't have to board a ship to know what the on board price is.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

When is a sale not a sale?

 

 

When it is advertised by RCL....

unless it's Kids Sail Free combined with BOGO, which in our case just saved us $1,400.

I booked a cruise back in July (during KSF promotion) for $1,600 total (2 adults, 1 kid). Right now the same cruise, same type of cabin, it's actually right next to the one I booked - just over $3,000.

Edited August 10, 2018 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Desert Cruizers]

I check grocery prices very carefully, an example I saw not long ago on #2 12 pack of Pepsi for $6.99, yet 24 were going for $5.99. They think they are getting more people to buy the 2 for 6:99 when it is the same number of cans as the 24 for a dollar less.

[Iamcruzin]

People fall for almost any gimmick.

 

In Texas, today starts "Sales Tax Holiday" for back to school shopping. Anything someone would need to attend school (supplies, shoes, clothing, etc.) with a price of $100 or less is exempt from sales tax. Last weekend my wife and daughter went clothes shopping (both are well past school age) and found sales in virtually every store ranging from 20-40% off. The stores were almost empty. Those same items will be back up to the "non-sale" price this weekend and the stores will be packed. Why? Because I can save 8%!

 

More proof of the wisdom of Ron White.

We had the same gimmick here in NY before they dropped the state sales tax permanently. The store was dead until the week they dropped the 8.5% tax. The year later my company decided to run the don't wait until tax week. Save 10% off everything now. The customers couldn't grasp the concept that they sill had to pay tax and that the 10% off the total was the tax discount. The following year was worse because only the state had dropped the sales tax and the counties didn't. They were only saving 4% that year. They would have saved a hell of a lot more if they would have only come in when the coupons were sent out and we were running real sales. Now being last minute they were forced to pay regular price on items that would have been on sale.

[rukkian]

The difference is that the department store sales are legitimate They give you a starting price which may be inflated but it's something to gauge your decision on. Offering a drink package with a % off and not knowing the original price is deceptive. It seems from what the OP is describing that even the On board price fluctuates for the same sailing. If that same sale is being offered and now it's $2 more that means that the original price went up. Even department stores don't raise the MSRP price and then add a discount. Years ago when I was an assistant buyer we would bring in merchandise and price it higher than the departments planned markup %. We would bring the merchandise in early to establish price and then do a cancelation of a markup to establish a sale price. There were customers who were willing to pay the original price just like I'm sure passengers pay the on board price when they board. However you shouldn't have to board a ship to know what the on board price is.

 

Prices for goods at a department store due change, they are just not as fluid. This is closer to gas or eggs or milk, or beef. You can see discounts many grocery stores will give you $.30 off a gallon of gas for buying groceries, then you get $.30 off whatever the rate happens to be that day. It fluctuates based on hundreds of factors that you cannot see. You do not know from one day to the next what the price will be.

 

When you are getting the discount, it is based off the onboard price of the sailing you will be on. This is not a set price you can see, until you get onboard. You can choose to buy it at the "sale" prices pre-cruise (just a way to get you to buy now, so they get your money for a period of time free of charge). You do not have to purchase it now, you can wait, and hope the price is what you want to pay.

[mom2tcdx2]

Well for our sailing the current sale works in our favor. Price with the 20% has always been $48, then the buy one get one half (came out to 25%) and $45, now it is $42 a day at the 30% off. It all works based on the original price of the $48 being 20% off $60 (the normal price). I have cancelled our package that we pad $45 but need to wait for the credit to post before I can purchase it again.

[rukkian]

Well for our sailing the current sale works in our favor. Price with the 20% has always been $48, then the buy one get one half (came out to 25%) and $45, now it is $42 a day at the 30% off. It all works based on the original price of the $48 being 20% off $60 (the normal price). I have cancelled our package that we pad $45 but need to wait for the credit to post before I can purchase it again.

 

Unless you just don't have the money, I would not suggest waiting. The 30% off could go away at any time, and then you are stuck paying the new rate. It may take several days for a credit to post back to your account.

[ChinaShrek]

Who says you get to decide? Where are you getting the definition of sale saying that it has to mean the lowest price in a certain amount of time? Pretty much every store that has ever existed has sales, and just because there is a sale does not mean it is the lowest price anybody has ever seen. Why would the government be forcing anything like this?

 

 

I'm not saying that I get to decide. I am saying the people can decide what a "sale" is and not corporate America. When an item goes on "sale," I propose that it be the lowest price within 6 months for that item or the company cannot use the word sale. Let's vote on this!

[Iamcruzin]

So here is my question to all of you who keep stating that the sale is based on the on board price. What is the on board price and how do you know this to be true if the ship isn’t sailing for 6months from now? I know if I go to Macy’s the price is going to be the same no matter which branch I go to.

 

 

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