Says Kids Sale 50% off but not seeing a difference

[AlaskaAtLast]

at all!

 

I've been watching prices for the Sun in late March and was hoping to get a deal with what I thought was going to be Kids Sale Free (KSF). I'd be good with kids sale 50% off but there is literally NO CHANGE in the pricing with the Kids Sale 50% off. 3rd and 4th passengers are still showing EXACTLY the same price as they were all week leading up to the sale. So what gives?

 

I tried calling NCL, but of course, they close at midnight. I guess I'll call at 8 in the morning.

[BusyFLmom]

I think it all depends on the cruise your looking at. I booked our upcoming cruise next month during the last kids sale free promo and it did not qualify. Now the cruise I booked yesterday for the dawn the kids were actually free! So I think these promos are hit or miss.

[Pikaia]

3rd-8th passenger fares doubled on many sailings before the Friends & Family Sail Free/50% promotion went into effect. The dates I was watching went from $349 and $399 to $699 and $799 on Friday.

 

Look for the F&FSFree dates, and on those you'll actually save some money today.

[sunset785]

The sailing I was looking at dropped $200. I have two kids. Not exactly 50% off but better than nothing.

 

 

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[sunset785]

How long does this promo last?

 

 

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[Pikaia]

How long does this promo last?

Today (Feb 1) you can take advantage of Friends & Family Sail Free or 50% off, and if you're in an oceanview or higher category, you'll get to choose one option from among the 3 Freestyle Choice options. These options include the Ultimate Beverage Pkg (only for pax 1&2, others get soda pkg), Ultimate Dining Pkg (for all pax) or On Board Credit (amount varies by category).

 

Here's a link to today's promotion. Scroll to the bottom for a link to Terms & Conditions, which spells out the details.

 

http://www.ncl.com/promo/wave15

 

Unless today's promotion gets extended, tomorrow they'll be switching over to February's promotion, called Freestyle Choice Plus. At that point you'll still be able to use F&FSF/50% in inside cabins. Anything Oceanview or higher will get to choose ONE from among the 4 Freestyle Choice Plus options (F&FS, UDP, UBP, or OBC). That won't be as good a deal for most cabins, because you won't get F&FS along with another option. There is not yet a link on NCL's website for that promotion, but travel agents have been posting details online here and in Facebook groups.

 

If you're not planning to book a suite or an inside cabin, it's definitely worth trying to book today. In a suite or inside cabin it probably won't matter. However, on one travel agency website it appears that the OBC amount will be going down in February for most categories, including non-Haven suites.

Edited February 1, 2015 by jplain

[mpcaruth]

I just booked the Getaway for my family of 4 under this promo for next January. The price dropped $913!!! Plus we get $200 OBC from NCL and another $100 from TA. And, the deposit was only $500.

 

The Large Family Oceanview for the Getaway was a total of $3044 back in December. (Yes, I have a spreadsheet with cruise prices and rankings for our next cruise). I booked last night for $2131.

 

Originally, the Getaway priced itself out at $900 more than the Carnival Breeze, and therefore, we would be sailing the Breeze next year. I received an email with the promo yesterday in my inbox, and snagged the great price!

Edited February 1, 2015 by mpcaruth

[SeaShark]

at all!

 

I've been watching prices for the Sun in late March and was hoping to get a deal with what I thought was going to be Kids Sale Free (KSF). I'd be good with kids sale 50% off but there is literally NO CHANGE in the pricing with the Kids Sale 50% off. 3rd and 4th passengers are still showing EXACTLY the same price as they were all week leading up to the sale. So what gives?

 

I tried calling NCL, but of course, they close at midnight. I guess I'll call at 8 in the morning.

 

The sale pricing is 50% off of TODAY'S rate...you can't expect that it will be 50% off of last week's pricing. Price it at today's rate with and without the promo.

[browniegirl]

I have a question also.......I booked a few weeks ago and booked a haven suite for three of us. Two adults and one child. The price of the suite went up a few days ago about $260 an adult. So if I try and get the third sales free promo added to my freestyle promo which is going on this weekend, will they adjust the pricing on my adult prices as well? Will it go from $2289 to $2549 for the adults and then take the third person off? or will I keep my original booked price for the adults and get the third free? I find this very confusing. I have been on hold three times this weekend with no results...my pcc said he'd get back to me and hasn't. Maybe it isn't worth it for me to even bother. The third person rate is $375 on our original booking. Not bad. sorry, a little confused!

 

Leah

[SissasMomE]

at all!

 

I've been watching prices for the Sun in late March and was hoping to get a deal with what I thought was going to be Kids Sale Free (KSF). I'd be good with kids sale 50% off but there is literally NO CHANGE in the pricing with the Kids Sale 50% off. 3rd and 4th passengers are still showing EXACTLY the same price as they were all week leading up to the sale. So what gives?

 

I tried calling NCL, but of course, they close at midnight. I guess I'll call at 8 in the morning.

 

It appears they raised the 3rd + rates right before the promo. Ours is exactly the same too.

[Annmeat]

The sale pricing is 50% off of TODAY'S rate...you can't expect that it will be 50% off of last week's pricing. Price it at today's rate with and without the promo.

 

Sea shark- I adore you. But it is just crappy of NCL to double the prices and then offer 50% off. I already read your reply on another thread about NCL can't offer UBP and dinner and free money....( paraphrasing)

But people have put off booking in anticipation of this sale, been on hold for hours and then....thppppt.

It was so anticipated that the website and phone lines were crashing yesterday .

 

Semantics aside - It is a crappy way to do business.

 

No way a third person in a BD will still be 1200 after the promotion ends. That third person will go back down to 699 at the most.

 

I know this didn't happen on all categories- my Haven 3-5 cost less than my balcony third.

 

But I don't like the slimy feeling it gives me......either have an all around sale or just don't offer it on the categories where it is a wash.

Bad business.

 

 

 

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[AlaskaAtLast]

Semantics aside - It is a crappy way to do business.

 

No way a third person in a BD will still be 1200 after the promotion ends. That third person will go back down to 699 at the most.

 

I know this didn't happen on all categories- my Haven 3-5 cost less than my balcony third.

 

But I don't like the slimy feeling it gives me......either have an all around sale or just don't offer it on the categories where it is a wash.

Bad business.

 

Well said! I couldn't agree more.

 

I still bit the bullet and booked last night but I didn't like the way they went about this 'sale'. If they weren't going to really discount the fare for the 3rd+ person on that particular cruise, they should have just excluded it without playing the raise then cut game. The cruise IS in the spring and I would have understood the exclusion. This way just seems sketchy.

[LrgPizza]

I have a question also.......I booked a few weeks ago and booked a haven suite for three of us. Two adults and one child. The price of the suite went up a few days ago about $260 an adult. So if I try and get the third sales free promo added to my freestyle promo which is going on this weekend, will they adjust the pricing on my adult prices as well? Will it go from $2289 to $2549 for the adults and then take the third person off? or will I keep my original booked price for the adults and get the third free? I find this very confusing. I have been on hold three times this weekend with no results...my pcc said he'd get back to me and hasn't. Maybe it isn't worth it for me to even bother. The third person rate is $375 on our original booking. Not bad. sorry, a little confused!

 

Leah

Doubtful. You would have to cancel and rebook at the new rates. For that reason, we haven't changed our booking on our upcoming Escape cruise, because the prices are so much higher than when we booked it wouldn't benefit us.

[browniegirl]

Yes thanks....exactly what I found out too. ..our price had gone up a lot so I will not bother!! I have a long time to monitor the prices though lol

[SJ]

I think it's disingenuous of NCL to resort to this sales tactic. I can accept excluding certain sailings like it always has. This promo used to include very few cruises in the fall. This insults my intelligence like I couldn't tell the difference or something.

[browniegirl]

I know it's kind of surprising that they raised the prices and then put it on sale....weird.

[SeaShark]

Sea shark- I adore you. But it is just crappy of NCL to double the prices and then offer 50% off. I already read your reply on another thread about NCL can't offer UBP and dinner and free money....( paraphrasing)

But people have put off booking in anticipation of this sale, been on hold for hours and then....thppppt.

It was so anticipated that the website and phone lines were crashing yesterday .

 

Semantics aside - It is a crappy way to do business.

 

No way a third person in a BD will still be 1200 after the promotion ends. That third person will go back down to 699 at the most.

 

I know this didn't happen on all categories- my Haven 3-5 cost less than my balcony third.

 

But I don't like the slimy feeling it gives me......either have an all around sale or just don't offer it on the categories where it is a wash.

Bad business.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Well it is their cruise line to run as they see fit. Our options are to accept it and continue giving them business, or go somewhere else. Keeping in mind, of course, that they are aware that these are our options.

 

This kind of thing happens far more than most people realize...we just notice it here because many people are obsessed with price checking....everyone is ALWAYS looking for a better deal.

 

Spend enough time here and you'll realize just how often that excessive expectations cause cruiser dissastisfaction. You can't let yourself get caught in in marketing...there is always a cost involved in a "deal". As I pointed out in the other thread, NO WAY they could stay in business giving away dining, drinks, money, and letting friends & family sail free. Simply no way. As consumers, we should know better than to simply expect that this is whats going to happen.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

at all!

 

I've been watching prices for the Sun in late March and was hoping to get a deal with what I thought was going to be Kids Sale Free (KSF). I'd be good with kids sale 50% off but there is literally NO CHANGE in the pricing with the Kids Sale 50% off. 3rd and 4th passengers are still showing EXACTLY the same price as they were all week leading up to the sale. So what gives?

 

I tried calling NCL, but of course, they close at midnight. I guess I'll call at 8 in the morning.

 

Has to be the date your looking at. I called today (we have 3 booked on breakaway cruise already) and saved $400 with the KSF today

[Hmonster]

I know it's kind of surprising that they raised the prices and then put it on sale....weird.

 

Did you check for a price the difference?

 

I have an H6 on the Getaway. I first booked it through Costco for $400 less than NCL. Yesterday morning, NCL was $700 less. I double checked Costco and it was $4000 more!! I think it was a glitch. So, I canceled with Costco and booked through NCL. Then, for some reason, I decided to check Costco again in the afternoon and it was $500 less than when I booked with NCL in the morning. :eek: Again, I canceled, and booked hopefully for the last time, with Costco.

 

Through all of that, I was able to get the exact stateroom I wanted and in all, saved over $1800 over the original NCL price.

[browniegirl]

Did you check for a price the difference?

 

I have an H6 on the Getaway. I first booked it through Costco for $400 less than NCL. Yesterday morning, NCL was $700 less. I double checked Costco and it was $4000 more!! I think it was a glitch. So, I canceled with Costco and booked through NCL. Then, for some reason, I decided to check Costco again in the afternoon and it was $500 less than when I booked with NCL in the morning. :eek: Again, I canceled, and booked hopefully for the last time, with Costco.

 

Through all of that, I was able to get the exact stateroom I wanted and in all, saved over $1800 over the original NCL price.

 

Hi yes. I booked through NCL a few weeks ago and have been monitoring prices. They just went up about $300/US a person last week and have stayed up all week and weekend. No changes at all. It's too bad or I would have taken advantage of the kids sale free promo for our 3rd in the cabin. It just wasn't worth it to save $375 when I would have had to pay $600 more lol to cancel and rebook.......I will keep an eye on the prices, have along time to wait haha. I usually always get a couple price reductions by the time of final payment. Although this is the first time I have ever gotten perks as well as an OBC. I hope that we can retain these perks if we get a price drop?

 

Leah

[AlaskaAtLast]

Has to be the date your looking at. I called today (we have 3 booked on breakaway cruise already) and saved $400 with the KSF today

 

I put the cabin I wanted on hold and went ahead and paid the deposit yesterday. Final payment is due tomorrow so I checked again today and our cabin with 4 people in it went up $800 if you take the UBP and stayed the same price we paid without the UBP. Glad I went ahead and booked it when I did.

It would have been nice to save same money but I guess I'll just have to be content with the price we paid and the UBP we got. Although, I REALLY don't see how they will ever sell the remaining balcony cabins and mini suites at the current prices. I guess I can just dream of the upgrade fairy shining her blessings upon us.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I put the cabin I wanted on hold and went ahead and paid the deposit yesterday. Final payment is due tomorrow so I checked again today and our cabin with 4 people in it went up $800 if you take the UBP and stayed the same price we paid without the UBP. Glad I went ahead and booked it when I did.

It would have been nice to save same money but I guess I'll just have to be content with the price we paid and the UBP we got. Although, I REALLY don't see how they will ever sell the remaining balcony cabins and mini suites at the current prices. I guess I can just dream of the upgrade fairy shining her blessings upon us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They will sell to newbies that dont know any better. Rci has been running the same sale since last May with the same scenario.

 

Must be working since the sale never ends

 

Bill

 

 

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[khaide612]

I have a question also.......I booked a few weeks ago and booked a haven suite for three of us. Two adults and one child. The price of the suite went up a few days ago about $260 an adult. So if I try and get the third sales free promo added to my freestyle promo which is going on this weekend, will they adjust the pricing on my adult prices as well? Will it go from $2289 to $2549 for the adults and then take the third person off? or will I keep my original booked price for the adults and get the third free? I find this very confusing. I have been on hold three times this weekend with no results...my pcc said he'd get back to me and hasn't. Maybe it isn't worth it for me to even bother. The third person rate is $375 on our original booking. Not bad. sorry, a little confused!

 

Leah

 

 

Call & ask. Last year I had cruise booked and when they did the kids sail free I called and the third person was refunded with no change to the original booking prices (which had gone up).