Crazy pricing on Royal Caribbean

[auntiedodo]

We booked b2b cruises and the prices were $2142 pp before the "BOGO", and the other $2213 pp This morning I was notified one cruise price dropped to $1552 pp and the other to $1659 pp with BOBOs still available. We immediately called Royal Caribbean and to our "amazement" when the woman figured out the price of our "new bookings" the prices were EXACTLY THE SAME as the old prices, to the penny! How do they come up with this math? The prices never changed even with the "price drop!"

[setsail]

What was their answer while you had them on the phone?

[dplusd]

I check our booked and saved cruises every time a new promotional gimmick is announced and find the same thing. Maybe not exactly the same to the penny very close to the same. It's been like this for several years. Royal just adjusts the fictitious regular prices to result in the same "sale" price.

 

Occasionally a real sale can be found, but it's not related to their latest promotional gimmick.

[Shocked91]

I wish us in the UK could take advantage of this but we can't.We can't even upgrade to a higher cabin without loosing our freebies.

[TwoTravelin]

Are you positive your "notification" was accurate?

[Ken at the beach]

Are you positive your "notification" was accurate?

 

When receiving notifications I always double check the pricing on Royals site to confirm there was an actual drop prior to calling. There have been a few times that the notifications were wrong.

[Clarea]

When receiving notifications I always double check the pricing on Royals site to confirm there was an actual drop prior to calling. There have been a few times that the notifications were wrong.

And other times when the price went down and I got no notification.

[auntiedodo]

I booked on the ship and had the paperwork showing the price we paid. We checked RCI's site and the prices were posted almost $500 each person each cruise less than our prices so yes, we confirmed the "price drop" but the price was exactly the same when we called to have the rate adjusted. Somewhow I don't think we could pull this with our business...

[Biker19]

I booked on the ship and had the paperwork showing the price we paid. We checked RCI's site and the prices were posted almost $500 each person each cruise less than our prices so yes, we confirmed the "price drop" but the price was exactly the same when we called to have the rate adjusted. Somewhow I don't think we could pull this with our business...

 

It's simple then - just book with the prices you saw on the web site and cancel your existing reservation.:confused:

[marci22]

Sometimes the rep does not put in the appropriate discounts. I have had them forget to include my NJ discount on several occasions. The reps are variable. You just say 'thank you' and call back.

 

If you're convinced they are wrong I agree try booking yourself online and then cancel the more expensive booking. (as long as you are not in a penalty period or get a charge from your TA).

 

Another thing to watch is that you are selecting the correct date. Sometimes the website automatically selects another date. Not sure why that happens.

 

You can also post the two prices you are talking about with the ship/date/how many people info and someone may check it out.

Edited July 25, 2016 by marci22

[Ken at the beach]

Sometimes the rep does not put in the appropriate discounts. I have had them forget to include my NJ discount on several occasions. The reps are variable. You just say 'thank you' and call back.

 

If you're convinced they are wrong I agree try booking yourself online and then cancel the more expensive booking. (as long as you are not in a penalty period or get a charge from your TA).

 

Had that happen a few times as well. The other thing that I found was that when checking prices the website mysteriously jumped from the date you thought you were checking to some other date that happened to be cheaper. I haven't seen it happen as much lately but when they first rolled out the new site a year or do ago it seemed to happen quite frequently.

[marci22]

The other thing that I found was that when checking prices the website mysteriously jumped from the date you thought you were checking to some other date that happened to be cheaper. I haven't seen it happen as much lately but when they first rolled out the new site a year or do ago it seemed to happen quite frequently.

 

Yes, I think it used to select the cheapest date, even if you chose another date. Maybe they fixed it because it doesn't seem to be happening now.

[BillOh]

When receiving notifications I always double check the pricing on Royals site to confirm there was an actual drop prior to calling. There have been a few times that the notifications were wrong.

 

I'll say I've seen the same thing. Not calling about my 2017 reservation though, that one has doubled.

[Big_G]

We had a little battle with the future cruises crew on Oasis last time. The first rep couldn't verify our C&A status and asked us to come back with proof. Really! We're on your ship. We went back again and after telling us the other guy was new, the second rep's price was more than the first. Turns out he was including tips but not telling us. I kept itemizing without tips and he kept telling me my math was wrong instead of telling his math included tips. I was standing ready to walk away before he finally handed over a printout that had tips included. My blood pressure must have hit an all time high that day. Anyway, I agree with the others who said the problem with onboard booking is sometimes they forget the discounts. They've always had the same base price as we see online.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[bigboffs]

The" BoGo Hoax" has been around in various forms for quite a while now. Although some of these sail prices may reflect a lower price, often the prices are either the same only reconfigured or higher. NEVER assume a RCCL sale always represents a lower price but carefully do the math.

 

The RCCL IT system has been and is a work in progress. It's reliability is often but not always, poor. In speaking with some IT "geeeks" I believe it is far more RCCL company friendly than us user/cruisers friendly.

[ATG]

I have been checking prices for our September 11 Freedom cruise. For well over a month the price for a grand suite is $800 HIGHER than the price for an owners suite! I am happy that the price I paid for my grand suite is considerably less than the current junior suite cost.

[Big_G]

I have been checking prices for our September 11 Freedom cruise. For well over a month the price for a grand suite is $800 HIGHER than the price for an owners suite! I am happy that the price I paid for my grand suite is considerably less than the current junior suite cost.

 

Everything we have booked is $600 to $700 total higher now than when we booked it.

[emdia43]

The" BoGo Hoax" has been around in various forms for quite a while now. Although some of these sail prices may reflect a lower price, often the prices are either the same only reconfigured or higher. NEVER assume a RCCL sale always represents a lower price but carefully do the math.

 

The RCCL IT system has been and is a work in progress. It's reliability is often but not always, poor. In speaking with some IT "geeeks" I believe it is far more RCCL company friendly than us user/cruisers friendly.

 

 

I wonder if anyone has filed a complaint with the FTC for deceptive advertising? I looked at a cruise this morning, inside cabin price showed $881.50 . Once I made that selection it tells me it is eligible for BOGO pricing. Now that statement tells me if I buy one fare, I should get one fare for half price. So far so good...... moving along with the reservation, when the final price comes up I have been charged two fares ($1763)and the appropriate tax and port fees, for a total of $1986. If I click on details of the prices they then show that each fare should have been $1209 and $605 was deducted from that price, to make it BOGO... No mention was made previously of the fare being $1209. Deceptive if not fraudulent, IMO :mad:

Edited July 25, 2016 by emdia43

[JaniceB]

Wow that is confusing and doesn't sound right.

[bouhunter]

And the beat goes on............ and on and on and on.......

[Biker19]

No mention was made previously of the fare being $1209. Deceptive if not fraudulent, IMO :mad:

 

Welcome to two years ago - it's been that way since then.

[dd likes to cruise]

I wonder if anyone has filed a complaint with the FTC for deceptive advertising? I looked at a cruise this morning, inside cabin price showed $881.50 . Once I made that selection it tells me it is eligible for BOGO pricing. Now that statement tells me if I buy one fare, I should get one fare for half price. So far so good...... moving along with the reservation, when the final price comes up I have been charged two fares ($1763)and the appropriate tax and port fees, for a total of $1986. If I click on details of the prices they then show that each fare should have been $1209 and $605 was deducted from that price, to make it BOGO... No mention was made previously of the fare being $1209. Deceptive if not fraudulent, IMO :mad:

 

I was caught by this pricing 1 time. I was shown the astrict next to the price and the following comment listed nearby or bottom of page.

 

*Prices are per person, cruise only, and based on double occupancy.

 

I didn't like it BUT now I know and look for such things. So what you are looking at there has already had the discount included.

Edited July 25, 2016 by dd likes to cruise