is this really a sale?

[complawyer]

i have cruised with ncl at least once a year since 2010 and am a platinum plus member. is it just my imagination, but has anyone noticed that when ever ncl has a so-called sale, be it 30% off, $1000 off, the actual costs of the cabin remain the same. I have also noticed that when the run the 3rd person sails for free, the price for the other 2 people goes up.    Are they actually giving the public a true sale.  Whenever I call to inquire about a cabin, they always seem to manipulate or quote a price much higher than I mathematically worked out. Any thoughts or am I just mathematically challenged

[leaveitallbehind]

This is very typical of most mass market cruise lines - and most retailers, for that matter. "Sales" run frequently and typically vary in nature from some percentage off of double occupancy, or some degree of BOGO, or some other configuration that defines that "sale".  But in most cases the bottom line from one to the next is essentially the same price.  It is a "sale" in that the starting price is discounted in some manner, but it usually is set at a level that at the end of the day nets about the same price as the last one.  This of course is dependent on cruise line, ship, itinerary, and sailing date, all of which play into the starting price.

 

In our experience the best way to get lower price on a stateroom is, once booked, watch for price decreases relative to that booking between your booking date and final payment date.  That can - and does - happen frequently.  But otherwise, a sale is a sale is a sale.....

Edited January 29, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[Alrana Eris]

15 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

This is very typical of most mass market cruise lines - and most retailers, for that matter. "Sales" run frequently and typically vary in nature from some percentage off of double occupancy, or some degree of BOGO, or some other configuration that defines that "sale".  But in most cases the bottom line from one to the next is essentially the same price.  It is a "sale" in that the starting price is discounted in some manner, but it usually is set at a level that at the end of the day nets about the same price as the last one.  This of course is dependent on cruise line, ship, itinerary, and sailing date, all of which play into the starting price.

 

In our experience the best way to get lower price on a stateroom is, once booked, watch for price decreases relative to that booking between your booking date and final payment date.  That can - and does - happen frequently.  But otherwise, a sale is a sale is a sale.....

Question on NCL  a travel agent offered me up to 150.00 resort fees and on board credit can you explain this to me. I'm a bit confused. I know what an onboard credit is, not so sure what a resort fee is.  Thank you in advance!

[RocketMan275]

47 minutes ago, Alrana Eris said:

Question on NCL  a travel agent offered me up to 150.00 resort fees and on board credit can you explain this to me. I'm a bit confused. I know what an onboard credit is, not so sure what a resort fee is.  Thank you in advance!

I would ask on the NCL board about the resort fees.  Might be that NCL calls their daily gratuities a resort fee.  

Another best way to get a better price is to find a TA who discounts the fare.  Savings of 8-10% are not uncommon.  Even then, watch for price drops.

[drsel]

i have cruised with ncl at least once a year since 2010 and am a platinum plus member. is it just my imagination, but has anyone noticed that when ever ncl has a so-called sale, be it 30% off, $1000 off, the actual costs of the cabin remain the same. I have also noticed that when the run the 3rd person sails for free, the price for the other 2 people goes up.    Are they actually giving the public a true sale.  Whenever I call to inquire about a cabin, they always seem to manipulate or quote a price much higher than I mathematically worked out. Any thoughts or am I just mathematically challenged

You are spot on.
the sales are all gimmicks to fool the public into believing that they are getting a good deal, when it's almost the same price

[drsel]

However online travel agents do discount the cruise line, either by a direct discount for those who take their free membership or by giving some onboard credit

[sfaaa]

Stick around. When there is a real sale, you will see the heads up posted by some members on CC. 

[drsel]

Prices will continue to slide as long as the coronavirus keeps on multiplying

[Joebucks]

Many people are satisfied enough believing they got a sale vs actually saving any money. Marketing gimmicks, "free stuff", it's an obsession

[Mike981]

To add to the confusion when you get perks included, for me it makes it harder to compare rates to see if it has gone down. On our next cruise with Celebrity the classic drink package for two is $118 a day, WiFi is $35 a day, then add gratuities at $310 plus on board credit and the perks alone are two thirds of our cruise price. And from time to time they will change those prices.

Some use spreadsheets to keep track, I just don't have the time or compulsion to do so.

[drsel]

you can't value the unlimited drinks package at 118 per day.
you have to value it at the amount you would have spent if you did not have the package.
The same goes for Wi-Fi and gratuities.

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 1/29/2020 at 8:46 AM, complawyer said:

i have cruised with ncl at least once a year since 2010 and am a platinum plus member. is it just my imagination, but has anyone noticed that when ever ncl has a so-called sale, be it 30% off, $1000 off, the actual costs of the cabin remain the same. I have also noticed that when the run the 3rd person sails for free, the price for the other 2 people goes up.    Are they actually giving the public a true sale.  Whenever I call to inquire about a cabin, they always seem to manipulate or quote a price much higher than I mathematically worked out. Any thoughts or am I just mathematically challenged

 

Never listen to the words.

 

Always do the math.

[ed01106]

This type of deceptive advertising is not unique to the cruise lines.  I recall working at a department store many years ago.  We had a pallet of picture frames we were trying to sell for $4.99 each.  We sold about a dozen in about 4 months.  New marking manager came in and raised the price to $12.99 each for exactly one week.  Than had a 50% off sale so the price was now $6.49 and we sold out in a week.  Which was better than anyone expected as the marking plan was to have them at 50% off for a month and then clearance them at 60% off which still would have been $5.20.

[Mike981]

1 hour ago, drsel said:

you can't value the unlimited drinks package at 118 per day.
you have to value it at the amount you would have spent if you did not have the package.
The same goes for Wi-Fi and gratuities.

 

Agree, to a point. We would spend more on average than $118 a day on drinks alcohol and non. Per WiFi, we need it for our business so that is a set price and just like gratuities they would be paid either way.

 

24 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

This type of deceptive advertising is not unique to the cruise lines.  I recall working at a department store many years ago.  We had a pallet of picture frames we were trying to sell for $4.99 each.  We sold about a dozen in about 4 months.  New marking manager came in and raised the price to $12.99 each for exactly one week.  Than had a 50% off sale so the price was now $6.49 and we sold out in a week.  Which was better than anyone expected as the marking plan was to have them at 50% off for a month and then clearance them at 60% off which still would have been $5.20.

 

Reminds me of when I was a teenager and had a brief career at a crystal and glass store in an outlet mall. I would unpack the merchandise and then my manager would give me a sheet with the "original price" and then the "reduced" selling price. After a couple of weeks he just let me create the "original price" on my own, with a list for the selling price. It was a good learning experience on how retail works.

 

[drsel]

Inflate prices and then give a discount is the name of the game

[drsel]

Royal Caribbean Jewel on 24 Feb has now dropped to $269 for 7 nights, including all port fees and taxes.
Just $38 per person per night for an oceanview

[Peachypooh]

The only time I received a true sale price was the 20 percent off sale for

latitude members which ran around 8 months ago.

I had already booked the cruise but was before final payment

and they re-priced it for me. Right now cabins at a much lower category than mine

on this same sailing are priced higher with the 30% off. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by Peachypooh

[drcarp4]

1 hour ago, Peachypooh said:

The only time I received a true sale price was the 20 percent off sale for

latitude members which ran around 8 months ago.

I had already booked the cruise but was before final payment

and they re-priced it for me. Right now cabins at a much lower category than mine

on this same sailing are priced higher with the 30% off. 

I took advantage of the same 20 percent off sale. With the new 30 percent off sale my room would be about $770 more expensive and Free or Reduced Airfare isn't included either.

[SouthLyonCruiser]

I once purchased a chair at a furniture store that I loved. When the advertised a 'Midnight Madness' sale with everything marked down 50% we stood in line outside the store till they opened and went right to the chair I wanted. The store was closed all day so that they could 'mark everything down'.

Well, here is how they did it. First they removed the old tags, then, marked a price on the new tags with a 100% mark up from the old tags, then crossed that figure off and put in the price that was on the items originally.

When I called the salesman on it, his reply was "I guess you caught us".

Maybe your experience is the same just crossing off the word 'furniture' and replace it with 'cruise'.

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, Peachypooh said:

The only time I received a true sale price was the 20 percent off sale for

latitude members which ran around 8 months ago.

I had already booked the cruise but was before final payment

and they re-priced it for me.

 

Same here.  I saved quite a bit on two booked cruises that were before final payment.  The prices went up after that.

[Turtles06]

On 1/29/2020 at 12:07 PM, Alrana Eris said:

Question on NCL  a travel agent offered me up to 150.00 resort fees and on board credit can you explain this to me. I'm a bit confused. I know what an onboard credit is, not so sure what a resort fee is.  Thank you in advance!

 

On 1/29/2020 at 12:57 PM, RocketMan275 said:

I would ask on the NCL board about the resort fees.  Might be that NCL calls their daily gratuities a resort fee.  

 

 

(This thread is now on the NCL board.)  I've never heard of a "resort fee" on NCL.   NCL calls the daily gratuities the Daily Service Charge.  I would ask the TA what he or she is talking about; I'm guessing the TA is using some terminology from another cruise line.

[drsel]

Resort fees are charged by many hotels in las Vegas

[njkate]

I booked a mini suite on Star for November going to Greece and Turkey. I booked before the so called sale. I paid $1800 per person to book now during sale it would be $2029 per person 

[mking8288]

12 minutes ago, drsel said:

Resort fees are charged by many hotels in las Vegas

 

That's been in place in Sin City for over a decade - Atlantic City gaming joined the rank as well as major gaming hotel/resorts on Indian reservations.  Now, hotels in N.Y. City are in the game too, including 3 stars and even 2 stars properties of well known national/international brands, might be called a Facility Fee or Convenience Fee.  In all fairness, some of them included 2 bottles of purified/spring water a day and "free" access to (slow) WiFi ... (faster, streaming option for an optional daily surcharge.)  

 

These sales are no different than Macy's weekly Wednesday "sales" - with Tuesday as preview sales for Macy's cardholders.  Of course, certain items designated on the price tags are, never, on sale - a known secret to just about every shopper at Macy's.  If you are using one of the "special" coupons - then, you can buy most items without waiting till Wednesday or Tuesday, like one of the Friends & Families coupons ... exclusions and exceptions applied.  

 

Sound familiar, huh.  Supermarket chains do that with their weekly flyers - Coke products on sale this week, Pepsi products next week, vice versa. 

[drsel]

Norwegian becomes cheaper than Costa!
Norwegian Jade now is the cheapest cruise available at 33 dollars a day from Singapore to Dubai on Feb 27th
Be careful about paying much more than 33 dollars a day