Just how does RCL calculate their „discounted“ Drink package prices?

[Brandis]

For the WB TA on Wonder of the Seas, RCL currently offers a „Buy 1, get 2nd for 50% off“,for the Deluxe Drink package, with the discount supposedly already calculated in the per person per day price of $66. The final invoice says „Total reflects 25% discount per Person.“

 

That only works if the regular price for the first person would be $88 per day, and 2nd person $44 (half price), so total for both per day would be $132 or $66 each.

 

However, until now, the per person per day price for the DDP on this cruise fluctuated between $60 and $64.

 

To me, RCL pretending $66 is a good deal is borderline fraud. Or am I not seeing the whole picture here?

[dcgrumpy]

13 minutes ago, Brandis said:

For the WB TA on Wonder of the Seas, RCL currently offers a „Buy 1, get 2nd for 50% off“,for the Deluxe Drink package, with the discount supposedly already calculated in the per person per day price of $66. The final invoice says „Total reflects 25% discount per Person.“

 

That only works if the regular price for the first person would be $88 per day, and 2nd person $44 (half price), so total for both per day would be $132 or $66 each.

 

However, until now, the per person per day price for the DDP on this cruise fluctuated between $60 and $64.

 

To me, RCL pretending $66 is a good deal is borderline fraud. Or am I not seeing the whole picture here?

The $60-$64 was most likely a discounted price. There is always a promotion going on. I haven't seen the base price that low in many years. If you look in the Cruiseplanner you can see the full non-discounted price (which we know no one actually pays). 

 

 

For my upcoming cruise, the base price is $98, up from $88 a week ago. The base price went up for many cruises a few days ago. So the discounted prices also went up. 

 

 

Edited April 21, 2022 by dcgrumpy

[neverbeenhere]

The calculation of beverage packages is done the same way your accountant calculates the fees you pay. The accountant stares at the ceiling for 22 minutes to contemplate what your fee should be for the month then decides that 22 minutes is close enough to a full half hour and bills you for the additional half hour. 
 

Yes, that is how it is done. 

[smokeybandit]

Supply and demand

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

39 minutes ago, Brandis said:

For the WB TA on Wonder of the Seas, RCL currently offers a „Buy 1, get 2nd for 50% off“,for the Deluxe Drink package, with the discount supposedly already calculated in the per person per day price of $66. The final invoice says „Total reflects 25% discount per Person.“

 

That only works if the regular price for the first person would be $88 per day, and 2nd person $44 (half price), so total for both per day would be $132 or $66 each.

 

However, until now, the per person per day price for the DDP on this cruise fluctuated between $60 and $64.

 

To me, RCL pretending $66 is a good deal is borderline fraud. Or am I not seeing the whole picture here?

If it's not a good deal for you, don't buy it.  It really is that simple. 

 

If not enough people purchase a product (whether drink package, excursion, dining plan, cruise, or anything else), the company will either lower prices, add some kind of value (ie: "free drink package!"), or stop offering it.  

 

As long as enough people purchase at the given price (whether "SALE!" or otherwise), why should a company discount the cost? 

[wayne_trisha]

I really don't think they know how they determine the daily non-discount cost and it does not really matter. If the price is right, buy it. You can always keep checking and refund/rebuy if the price improves.

[HBE4]

45 minutes ago, Brandis said:

For the WB TA on Wonder of the Seas, RCL currently offers a „Buy 1, get 2nd for 50% off“,for the Deluxe Drink package, with the discount supposedly already calculated in the per person per day price of $66. The final invoice says „Total reflects 25% discount per Person.“

 

That only works if the regular price for the first person would be $88 per day, and 2nd person $44 (half price), so total for both per day would be $132 or $66 each.

 

However, until now, the per person per day price for the DDP on this cruise fluctuated between $60 and $64.

 

To me, RCL pretending $66 is a good deal is borderline fraud. Or am I not seeing the whole picture here?

 

You nailed it perfectly. 

 

This post should be "pinned" to the top of the forum as the question comes up often and people struggle with the Royal math.  The problem is that few know the starting, un-discounted price on board the ship and it's never offered for sale in the Cruise Planner at full price.

 

I guess the $60-$64 range is the new $40-$44, which I always consider to be a great deal (heck, even $50-$54 wasn't too horrible).

 

[wayne_trisha]

41 minutes ago, dcgrumpy said:

The $60-$64 was most likely a discounted price. There is always a promotion going on. I haven't seen the base price that low in many years. If you look in the Cruiseplanner you can see the full non-discounted price (which we know no one actually pays). 

Last month on Independence they were selling them at the advertised boarding price

 

 

 

Last month on Independence they were selling them at the advertised boarding price of $88. I was surprised at the price and the line waiting to buy the package. I asked about a discount and was told no so we just used our diamond vouchers.

[Billy Baltic]

38 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Supply and demand

Really? I’d guess they are selling less DDPs with the C&A vouchers for diamond and up. 

[Husky1987]

56 minutes ago, Brandis said:

To me, RCL pretending $66 is a good deal is borderline fraud. Or am I not seeing the whole picture here?

Like threads on tipping and MDR dress codes, the whole CC phenomenon of pretend lawyers throwing around words like "fraud" and "bait and switch" was bound to reappear from the depths of Covid-times at some point.

[rudeney]

There are FTC regulations against a "perpetual sale".  It is considered false advertising.  One might argue that RCI's continual "sale" in the Cruise Planner is in violation of that, but it's not.  The reason is that if you go to buy onboard, it is not discounted.  It's perfectly legal to have something perpetually on sale on the website as long as it's sold at a regular price through other channels.  And as far as changing the "base price", that is perfectly legal as well, especially in today's economy.

 

[dcgrumpy]

1 hour ago, wayne_trisha said:

Last month on Independence they were selling them at the advertised boarding price of $88. I was surprised at the price and the line waiting to buy the package. I asked about a discount and was told no so we just used our diamond vouchers.

Sorry I should have clarified, I meant through the cruiseplanner before boarding.

[Brandis]

I don't drink alcohol, so the DDP wouldn't be of any use to me, I'm happy if I can get the Refreshment Package for $18. 🙂 But I like to watch the prices of all the packages and for last year's Harmony of the Seas TA, the prices for the DDP fluctuated between $47 and $54, so this year's prices between $60 and $66 are quite a raise.

 

I just wanted to point out that it is kind of funny that they advertise $66 as a good deal, while the previous and probably future pre-sale prices not advertised as sales are a much better deal.

 

Like what I have seen them doing in the past, have the prices at, for example $47 for a long time, only to raise it to $54 just before Black Friday and then advertise a special Black Friday sale at $50 🙂

[Brandis]

3 hours ago, dcgrumpy said:

The $60-$64 was most likely a discounted price. There is always a promotion going on. I haven't seen the base price that low in many years. If you look in the Cruiseplanner you can see the full non-discounted price (which we know no one actually pays). 

 

 

For my upcoming cruise, the base price is $98, up from $88 a week ago. The base price went up for many cruises a few days ago. So the discounted prices also went up. 

 

 

Strange, for me the shop page for the DBP looks completely different, also even if they advertise a sale, it never shows the supposed base price.

 

For me, it looked just like this and interestingly they have removed the BOGO flag now, but the price is still $66.

 

I also noticed that I was able to put just one into the cart, in the past it always told me that both passengers of a cabin need to buy the DBP.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Brandis

[wayne_trisha]

4 hours ago, dcgrumpy said:

Sorry I should have clarified, I meant through the cruiseplanner before boarding.

No clarification needed. We booked 3 days prior and I didn't have the time to call RCCL and wait for who knows how long to order the DBP for me and refresh for my wife (she rarely has drinks). I asked when we boarded and was shocked it was going for $88 per day and people were lined up to sign up. Based on what this I would not be surprised a new cruiser gets on their cruise planner and buys it at whatever price it is that day.

 

Our very late booking did not give us time to schedule covid testing at the free sites and we paid $105 per test. OOF!

[smeck]

You would have better luck infiltrating the CIA than finding out how Royal prices liquor packages. 

[erinsmom03]

I believe that calculating the cruise planner prices is done while playing a drinking game... think college frat parties level drinking games 😆