Sale fatigue! Anyone else?

[leisuretraveler223]

I think I get about a dozen or more emails a week from various lines (RCI, Celebrity, NCL) about the "latest and greatest" sale opportunity. I'm a pretty seasoned traveler and never shy away from booking trips. But honestly, I've gotten to the point where much of the time, I can't even make sense of the sales. I wonder if the deal ever really changes, or is it just a shell game of moving around the charges and the specials?

 

Sure, once I book a cruise, I watch for price drops (or my TA does), but I just haven't found the sale offers compelling enough to ever make me bite. Maybe it's just me, but it almost seems like they've made the whole thing so convoluted that it's not easy to tell if you're seeing a good deal or not. I mean, after all, prices already change sailing to sailing.

 

Does anyone have any advice for actually sorting out all the "amazing offers!" ?:confused:

[Clarea]

The shell game is in it's 5th year now, I don't expect it to change.

[Merion_Mom]

"Delete"

[Big_G]

I don't even read them anymore. We've used two online agencies in the past in addition to booking direct and they're the only sales I look at.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[pcur]

Look for obc. I will bite if there's some free money involved. It's gotta be in my imaginary price range, too, but at least I'll look.

 

Our budget is maxed out on what's booked now, so I'm in price checking mode for 2019. The sale info helps me decide if it's worth while to go check.

 

Our cruises in 2020 are just holding the cabin, because it's gotta be a cheaper refundable deposit price for me to bite, and they aren't even showing refundable prices on RCCL's web site now. So, I'll wait on those.

[BillOh]

The shell game is in it's 5th year now, I don't expect it to change.

 

 

Agreed, any more the challenge is to find the real sale. TGFCC.

[RCCLNYMETS41]

I just don’t like the run of emails that go from 2 days left in sale to only 12 hours left in sale, then the this time we mean it only 2 days left.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[RocketMan275]

I'm not certain but I suspect a portion of each cruise fare is designated for "promotions". One week that portion will be free gratuities. Another week it will be OBC. Etc., etc.

[pcur]

Look for obc. I will bite if there's some free money involved. It's gotta be in my imaginary price range, too, but at least I'll look.

 

Our budget is maxed out on what's booked now, so I'm in price checking mode for 2019. The sale info helps me decide if it's worth while to go check.

 

Our cruises in 2020 are just holding the cabin, because it's gotta be a cheaper refundable deposit price for me to bite, and they aren't even showing refundable prices on RCCL's web site now. So, I'll wait on those.

 

Well, I take it all back..... I found an 8 night cruise yesterday with either a senior or resident discount. Inside guarantee, all fees, including tips is $650 per person. Budget cutting for the next two months coming up!!!

[rt1092]

You can still find an occasional good deal. But you have to spend more time looking.

[Hoopster95]

The best "sale" is always the unadvertised group rate with a large TA