WOW RCI has gotten very greedy!

[dchillis]

......I have seen the same look when parole has been denied.......;)

 

baaahahahahaha... +1

[cruzeluver]

So now its considered "bashing" to be upset when the price of s service doubles? Interesting how some define that word.

 

OP - Best of luck, sounds like Princess is the way to go for what you are wanting, and sorry some felt the need to criticize your desire for a vow renewal. I think its a lovely idea.

[CruisingWChrist]

I ran into the same problem on Carnival ship last year. I decide to have a BEACH CEREMONY. It was our 25th anniversary. We had a 10:00am ceremony, before beach goes came out. I hired local Wedding planner, who pick a free beach. Rented 30 chairs, which they pick a perfect location and sat up. Rented a R/T mini bus for guest(30) that were on the Cruise with us. Wedding planner can set up someone to do service & photographer. Couldn't have turned out better. Spend $700.00.

[Raptor2010]

Love your dress! Just curious if this was your original wedding dress or if you opted for a new one?

 

I don't think I could talk DH into doing this but it's fun to think about it. In my fantasy planning I'm trying to decide if it would be romantic to wear my original dress or buy a new one. And if I bought a new one what would it look like. Oh I just love planning a wedding! :D

 

Thanks :) I bought a new dress. Paid more for the vow renewal dress than the original one :) It was a wonderful experience and I am so glad we did it. It was our first vacation since getting married 10 years earlier and adding the renewal to it made it the PERFECT vacation. However, don't know that I would pay $1,195 for it now :eek:

[Raptor2010]

:rolleyes:

 

Can't say I blame him.:rolleyes:

 

Looks like cruel and unusual punishment to me.

 

That is probably what he was thinking ;)

[Raptor2010]

......i have seen the same look when parole has been denied.......;)

 

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha :)

[Raptor2010]

Thanks for sharing your pictures. You look beautiful:)

 

Thank you :)

[Raptor2010]

I'm with you! I don't see a need to renew our marriage vows - we're living them anyway and it's not like they expire! For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health - done all those, and probably will again.

 

DH and I have been married 42 years. Each anniversary, we have dinner at a restaurant, share a bottle of wine, clink glasses and say, "I still love you" - and that is it!

 

 

For us it was because we had been married for 10 years and had NEVER been on a vacation during that time because while we do work for a living, in our "spare" time we are animal rescuers and all of our time and money all those years had been spent being the voice of the voiceless. We saw a commercial for RCCL's Freedom of the Seas, decided it was time to do something for ourselves so we booked the cruise and then decided that renewing our vows would be a wonderful and special way to commemorate our life together thus far and our anniversary. It is not for everyone but for us it was special and will always be our best cruise ever. The renewal meant just as much as the wedding because we were saying to each other "through thick and thin YOU are STILL the person I want to spend the rest of my life with" :D

[Raptor2010]

baaahahahahaha... +1

 

My DH DOES sometimes smile in pictures :) This is from our 2010 Oasis cruise at Blue Lagoon in the Bahamas

 

[Big_G]

So now its considered "bashing" to be upset when the price of s service doubles? Interesting how some define that word.

 

OP - Best of luck, sounds like Princess is the way to go for what you are wanting, and sorry some felt the need to criticize your desire for a vow renewal. I think its a lovely idea.

 

Sorry but 'bash' was the OP's own words not anyone else.:rolleyes:

[PSkinner]

I called RCI today to make our plans for the vow renewal on our anniversary. It was $595 for renewal, flowers, a couple of photos, a cake and champagne. Oh no, WAIT! That was last week. Today the $595 includes a 10 minute ceremony.........thats it! :mad: You can now get the original package for $1,195!!! Are they kidding me???? The vow renwal was very important to us. There is no way I will pay the $595 for 10 minute ceremony and its not even the captain that does it! I may just cancel this cruise and find somewhere else to go.

 

We are doing our vow renewal on the beach at one of our ports. $500 for everything!

[pcur]

I recommend you look up some of the all-inclusive resorts in port to see if they have vow renewal packages. I would imagine for similar money you can get a nice ceremony, maybe lunch included. The hotels do all the planning and set-up: you just show up.

[Starry Eyes]

The risk of doing the ceremony in port is that the itinerary might change, so you could miss that port or be there a different day. If you are going to schedule something ashore, check the reschedule and refund policy if the ship does not come in as expected. Decide how emotional you will be if you miss that port. The same can be said for private excursions and such, but the more emotional and financial investments the more painful to miss your on shore plans.

 

As an example, as we boarded Oasis earlier this month, we received notice that the itinerary was changed...same ports, different days...This was done to allow one port to recover from mudslide and storm damage before our ship docked. That worked for me, but if I had a non changeable, nonrefundable ceremony planned in, say, Jamaica, I'd have been pretty upset.

[Sinppu]

Getting greedy is also known as "doing business".

Have fun on your non-RCCL cruise :)

[Lost_in_BC]

Getting greedy is also known as "doing business".

Have fun on your non-RCCL cruise :)

I don't know. They doubled their price in one fell swoop, pricing themselves significantly higher than the going rate. That seems a little greedy, and short sighted to me.

 

I'd understand an increase, but a 100% increase over night is excessive. We were thinking about doing this package for our anniversary cruise next year, but not at that cost. It won't make me change our cruise. We wanted a private ceremony any ways, so we'll just renew on our own now. What does that mean for RCI? well they might not have lost my business, but they sure lost my $500 dollars.

[spookwife]

I don't know. They doubled their price in one fell swoop, pricing themselves significantly higher than the going rate. That seems a little greedy, and short sighted to me.

 

I'd understand an increase, but a 100% increase over night is excessive

 

but you don't know that it was 'over night' it could have been 6 months in the making. as for the amount of upcharge, well having worked retail for many years, a 100% markup is nothing new.. hell fashion jewelry is close to 400%. you do NOT want to know what it is for make up at that L'Oreal counter...

[Starry Eyes]

I don't know. They doubled their price in one fell swoop, pricing themselves significantly higher than the going rate. That seems a little greedy, and short sighted to me.

 

I'd understand an increase, but a 100% increase over night is excessive. We were thinking about doing this package for our anniversary cruise next year, but not at that cost. It won't make me change our cruise. We wanted a private ceremony any ways, so we'll just renew on our own now. What does that mean for RCI? well they might not have lost my business, but they sure lost my $500 dollars.

 

Maybe they do not really want to do a lot of these so they post a "no thank you price" ...a price so high most customers decline. Perhaps the renewal ceremonies are more trouble than an outsider might think ... Maybe bridezillas (or missed out on the big day once befores) later become renewalzillas...I do not know, just speculating.

[Lost_in_BC]

Maybe they do not really want to do a lot of these so they post a "no thank you price" ...a price so high most customers decline. Perhaps the renewal ceremonies are more trouble than an outsider might think ... Maybe bridezillas (or missed out on the big day once befores) later become renewalzillas...I do not know, just speculating.

 

I think that's likely it.

[cruisnseas]

There seems to be some confusion here. So this is what the OP says he thought he was getting for $595 which he says costs $1195 now:

 

Ideal wedding location onboard a Royal Caribbean ship.

Memorable ceremony performed by your ship's Social Host.

Romantic, recorded ceremony music.

Simple, elegant bridal bouquet.

Matching groom's boutonniere.

Keepsake Royal Romance vow renewal certificate.

Four (4) delectable Royal Romance chocolate-covered toasting strawberries for the bridal couple.

Professional shipboard photography service for the ceremony, strawberries and sparkling wine toast (one hour of service).

 

And this is what he says he actually is getting for $595:

 

Ideal ceremony location onboard or at one of our private island

Pre-planning with a Royal Romance Specialist

Memorable ceremony performed by your ship’s Cruise Program Administrator

Romantic, recorded ceremony music

Keepsake Royal Romance vow renewal certificate

 

And here is what is actually listed as $1195

 

Pre-planning with a Royal Romance Specialist

Ideal ceremony location onboard or at one of Royal Caribbean's private beach destinations

Memorable ceremony performed by your ship's Cruise Program Administrator

Romantic, recorded music for the ceremony

Keepsake Royal Devotions certificate

Personal Wedding Coordinator onboard

Elegant bridal bouquet of 3 ivory roses accented with greenery, finished with a crisp white ribbon*

Groom's boutonniere with single matching bloom

Royal Romance chocolate-covered strawberries for the bridal couple delivered to their stateroom

Photography service, including thirty (30) 8x10 prints and one (1) CD with 15 images

 

 

The original package he thought he was getting is not the same as the one listed for $1195 now. His original package does not include a personal wedding coordinator, it does not specify the type of flowers and it includes fewer photos.

 

To the OP, the main difference between the package you thought you were getting and the one you say they are now offering you for $595 is photography and flowers. I'll be very honest and say I don't know the pricing schemes for Royal Romance other than recently Royal moved from using a third party vendor to doing in house organization of these services.

[spookwife]

Maybe they do not really want to do a lot of these so they post a "no thank you price" ...a price so high most customers decline. Perhaps the renewal ceremonies are more trouble than an outsider might think ... Maybe bridezillas (or missed out on the big day once befores) later become renewalzillas...I do not know, just speculating.

 

I concur. it's sort of like trying to price people out of smoking. the taxes on a pack or carton are sometimes 3-5 times the price of the ciggs themselves. My sister and BiL quit a few years ago because it literally became the choice between buying them and feeding their 2 kids.

 

the ones that are foolish enough to spend that kind of money on a vow renewal when there are numerous other options, well IMNSHO don't deserve the luxury of griping or complaining.