BLACK FRIDAY / CYBER MONDAY SALES

[Naomigruis]

Hi Everyone, 

 

We have just rebooked our cancelled 2022 Quantum OTS to a 6 Dec 2021 Ovation OTS (double C&A points a big factor here) 

 

This leaves the timing between next years sales and our cruise way to tight to wait until then to take advantage of the sales, which I have always found to be the best price for Drinks, food and Internet packages.

 

So this leads to my questions, 

 

1 / Has anyone seen recent "sales" on packages for their cruise and if so what where they (we are Aussies so please let me know if in US or Aus $) 

 

and 

 

2/ What are your thoughts / inside information on these sales this year? Will the go ahead? will they be better than normal? what is a good price point for Drinks package post COVID?

 

 

I know there is a chance the cruise wont go ahead and I'm good with that, but i am working on the assumption it will. 

 

Thanks 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by Naomigruis

[Ourusualbeach]

Too hard to predict.  
 

BF/CM was pretty good in 2018 but wasn’t great last year.

 

Really it doesn’t matter.  Just buy want you want then if you see it on sale at another time cancel and repurchase at a lower price.  Too often people miss out on a decent price waiting for a better sale. 

[BecAus]

1/ not seeing any recent sales that I've noticed, certainly not on our Aus site.  Last price drop I know of was before they cancelled our TP for September this year from Hnl to Syd.

 

2/ as Ourusualbeach said: who knows.  Personally I'm waiting for the Thanksgiving sales at the moment and hoping there'll be some discounts there.  

Prices currently are only available on the TP I've got booked for next Sept '21 at the moment, no pricing yet on the cruise planner for our 29 December '21 Queensland cruise out of Brisbane.

 

I purchased Refreshment and Deluxe Beverage pkgs in the sales last year at the end of November

 

Refreshment: last year paid $26AUD/day (~18USD), 

current pricing is $49.32AUD/day (~35USD)

 

Deluxe Pkg: last year paid $68.50AUD/day (~48USD),

current pricing is $91.79AUD/day (~65USD)

 

Gratuities included in those prices.

 

The pricing on the deluxe did drop again before the cruise was cancelled, it dropped to something around $58-$60AUD/day, but they knew it wasn't sailing by then so I don't put much stock in that!!

 

Current prices are way too high for me to consider paying, I'll wait and see what they might bring out at end of November and will consider locking in something then if the prices are more reasonable.

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by BecAus

[PigsCanFly]

We have purchased soda package for $7.49/day and $7.99/day on sales.  We have not purchased anything for upcoming cruises unless it is a good price.  eg. we purchased 3 nt specialty dining when it was $79.  If it is the normal $99 we don't bother to contribute to the RCI cash holding account.  I do not purchase the big beverage package for several reasons, first, I am at masters tier and mainly drink alcohol in the Casino, second, I travel with my wife and son neither of them are drinkers, so it would be a waste due to the everyone in the cabin must purchase option.  I will be checking out the Soda and dining prices for BF/CM for the other cruises we have booked.  (all $ were US$)

[Naomigruis]

21 minutes ago, PigsCanFly said:

We have purchased soda package for $7.49/day and $7.99/day on sales.  We have not purchased anything for upcoming cruises unless it is a good price.  eg. we purchased 3 nt specialty dining when it was $79.  If it is the normal $99 we don't bother to contribute to the RCI cash holding account.  I do not purchase the big beverage package for several reasons, first, I am at masters tier and mainly drink alcohol in the Casino, second, I travel with my wife and son neither of them are drinkers, so it would be a waste due to the everyone in the cabin must purchase option.  I will be checking out the Soda and dining prices for BF/CM for the other cruises we have booked.  (all $ were US$)

 

Thanks so much, this is a great guide for the dinning packages. 🙂

 

[Naomigruis]

1 hour ago, BecAus said:

1/ not seeing any recent sales that I've noticed, certainly not on our Aus site.  Last price drop I know of was before they cancelled our TP for September this year from Hnl to Syd.

 

2/ as Ourusualbeach said: who knows.  Personally I'm waiting for the Thanksgiving sales at the moment and hoping there'll be some discounts there.  

Prices currently are only available on the TP I've got booked for next Sept '21 at the moment, no pricing yet on the cruise planner for our 29 December '21 Queensland cruise out of Brisbane.

 

I purchased Refreshment and Deluxe Beverage pkgs in the sales last year at the end of November

 

Refreshment: last year paid $26AUD/day (~18USD), 

current pricing is $49.32AUD/day (~35USD)

 

Deluxe Pkg: last year paid $68.50AUD/day (~48USD),

current pricing is $91.79AUD/day (~65USD)

 

Gratuities included in those prices.

 

The pricing on the deluxe did drop again before the cruise was cancelled, it dropped to something around $58-$60AUD/day, but they knew it wasn't sailing by then so I don't put much stock in that!!

 

Current prices are way too high for me to consider paying, I'll wait and see what they might bring out at end of November and will consider locking in something then if the prices are more reasonable.

 

 

 

I would be happy with the $68, our last cruise we booked the "mistake" price of $60 per day when they had a pricing glitch. 

[LilBlackDress]

11 minutes ago, Naomigruis said:

 

 

I would be happy with the $68, our last cruise we booked the "mistake" price of $60 per day when they had a pricing glitch. 

I have learned not to look at the sale wording... I look at the bottom-line. If I can justify the price I book, if I can't I wait 

If you do find a price you like and you purchase it, keep checking to see if there are any price drops! 

On a side note, My sister is booked on the same cruise as you! She keeps tempting me but I have to wait and see what vacation time frame my DH gets. 

[NateUpNorth]

I predict huge massive sales on anything scheduled in 2020.

A.K.A interest free loans for sailings that probably won't sail.

Anything beyond that date will be the same usual "meh"

[molly361]

Like Ken said 2018 was a good year.  Last year the beverage packages and dining packages on my cruises were the same sale price that they were all during the year.

[Naomigruis]

Well overnight the deluxe package has come down to $68.50 each which is about what we have paid in the past

 

We are going to go for it, and if it comes down again we will cancel and rebook.

 

will wait on Internet and Dinning package for those ones 

[Ourusualbeach]

24 minutes ago, Naomigruis said:

Well overnight the deluxe package has come down to $68.50 each which is about what we have paid in the past

 

We are going to go for it, and if it comes down again we will cancel and rebook.

 

will wait on Internet and Dinning package for those ones 

Dining and internet haven't  yet started to go on sale for December cruises.  It was only a couple months ago that my July cruise started to see lower prices when they ran their sales.  Lately it’s been about 3very 3-4 weeks there will be a cruise planner sale.  I have a December cruise that I have been watching for the sales to start.  

[Naomigruis]

26 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Dining and internet haven't  yet started to go on sale for December cruises.  It was only a couple months ago that my July cruise started to see lower prices when they ran their sales.  Lately it’s been about 3very 3-4 weeks there will be a cruise planner sale.  I have a December cruise that I have been watching for the sales to start.  

 

Have just booked the deluxe package plus surf and Vroom for $79.46 PP per day.

 

I am happy with that and if it comes down, bonus.  

 

I like to pre pay as much as I can before the cruise, no currency conversion, and I know exactly what the holiday is going to cost us.  

[BecAus]

4 hours ago, Naomigruis said:

Well overnight the deluxe package has come down to $68.50 each which is about what we have paid in the past

 

We are going to go for it, and if it comes down again we will cancel and rebook.

 

will wait on Internet and Dinning package for those ones 

 

That's amazing - RCI must have been watching and saw someone wants to give them some $$ so put the price down for you!!

Seriously, that''s great though.  At least you know you've got it at a price that you're happy to pay and if it comes down even more in the sales or later on, even better.

 

It is the same price on mine, not sure if I'm going to get it though.  I'll be solo on that 17n TP and got to have a think whether I'll get value out of it.  I think it works out at 48 USD which is only 4 x cocktails or glasses of wine (if memory serves me) and that doesn't include coffee's or mock-tails that I might have in the morning if it's too early to drink alcohol!  I'll have to think about whether to include internet too.

Given it's a TP though and heavy on the sea days I probably will end up deciding to get it.  Like you, I prefer to have it pre-paid and not have to think about it.

Just don't want to be getting completely sloshed every day though when I'm sailing by myself!  

 

Well done, glad you got it sorted so quickly.

 

No prices yet on my 29 Dec '21 cruise that my husband and teenage son will be on so need to keep checking for that one.

Edited October 27, 2020 by BecAus

[Naomigruis]

26 minutes ago, BecAus said:

 

That's amazing - RCI must have been watching and saw someone wants to give them some $$ so put the price down for you!!

Seriously, that''s great though.  At least you know you've got it at a price that you're happy to pay and if it comes down even more in the sales or later on, even better.

 

It is the same price on mine, not sure if I'm going to get it though.  I'll be solo on that 17n TP and got to have a think whether I'll get value out of it.  I think it works out at 48 USD which is only 4 x cocktails or glasses of wine (if memory serves me) and that doesn't include coffee's or mock-tails that I might have in the morning if it's too early to drink alcohol!  I'll have to think about whether to include internet too.

Given it's a TP though and heavy on the sea days I probably will end up deciding to get it.  Like you, I prefer to have it pre-paid and not have to think about it.

Just don't want to be getting completely sloshed every day though when I'm sailing by myself!  

 

Well done, glad you got it sorted so quickly.

 

No prices yet on my 29 Dec '21 cruise that my husband and teenage son will be on so need to keep checking for that one.

 

 

We made the mistake of sailing on a Cruise Line that does not have a drink package..... $10,000 Aud later over 10 days for 4 adults.....and never again.....lol  yes we like to drink and we like to drink cocktails. 

 

Our last 5-6 cruise have all had drink packages and I don't think we have paid more that $70 Aud each per night, although one of them was 24 nights TP and at that time not both in the cabin had to have it, so we just purchased it for my partner and i paid as i went. 

 

You will love the longer cruise and the many seas days, you really get a chance to unwind and relax. 

[Ourusualbeach]

23 hours ago, Naomigruis said:

 

Have just booked the deluxe package plus surf and Vroom for $79.46 PP per day.

 

I am happy with that and if it comes down, bonus.  

 

I like to pre pay as much as I can before the cruise, no currency conversion, and I know exactly what the holiday is going to cost us.  

New cruise planner sale started today.  Go back and check your prices. 

[BecAus]

3 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

New cruise planner sale started today.  Go back and check your prices. 

 

On 10/27/2020 at 8:22 AM, Naomigruis said:

Have just booked the deluxe package plus surf and Vroom for $79.46 PP per day.

 

Prices didn't change with this.  The cruise planner options have a nice new '40% off onboard prices' across them now but price hasn't changed so it had already been lowered.  $68.50AUD/day now, previous to that it was $91.79/day so it is a pretty good savings.  No other prices seem to have changed either.

$68.50/day is a pretty good price for us down here, rarely do you see it go down below that at any time.

 

I'm really undecided on whether to purchase or not.  I really want to ask a question/opinion but wary about doing so because sometimes these things descend into a bit of chaos with people having varying different opinions, understandably.

 

I'm just wondering how we're feeling about the solvency / viability going through the end of '21 into '22.

I thought the last I read on it the feeling was RCI had enough $$ to get them through '21 if needed?

 

I just got back a $300NRD by shifting around bookings - this was on our cancelled Sept TP that I didn't want to pay final on but didn't want to lose the $300.

However, I've now ended up paying two more deposits for Sept '21 - $400 and Dec '21 - $600, both NRD as it was literally $1000's more to make it refundable.

Are you feeling comfortable putting down $$ on cruise planner items like drink packages.  Any concerns or none at all?

It's ~ $1350 I'd be looking at putting down on top of the $1K deposits I have down already.

 

Decisions, decisions ......

 

[Ourusualbeach]

6 minutes ago, BecAus said:

Prices didn't change with this.

Depends on the sailing.

 

drink packages and internet dropped on my August Jewel cruise

drinks, Internet, dining and shore excursions dropped on my July Ovation cruise. 

[BecAus]

8 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Depends on the sailing.

 

drink packages and internet dropped on my August Jewel cruise

drinks, Internet, dining and shore excursions dropped on my July Ovation cruise. 

 

Sorry, I was referring more to the Aus cruise that the OP was talking about. I should have been clearer.

Other markets seem to fluctuate a lot more than ours do down here.

[Jeff13]

They have been offering a 40% off deal off and on all summer and fall.  How much longer they will depends on when they start sailing again.  Of course demand drives it too.  In my experience, the 40% off deals are as good as it gets.  I would for sure watch on Black Friday to see what happens.

 

I tend to check every day what the price is.  They usually go to no deal at all in a morning and the leads to a change in the offer later that day.  That day is not static.  It is kind of unpredictable.

[sfaaa]

My 8/2021 cruise has the $40 pp discounted drink package deal. Also notice some excursion prices have dropped as well.