Cruise Planner Prices

[erinsmom03]

We moved our Indy Dec 27 2021 4 nt Bahamas cruise to a Freedom Jan 3 2022 4 nt Bahamas cruise. I had bought many things on our Indy cruise planner, and kept a close eye on the prices to make sure I had the best deal. Once we switched to Freedom, I was happy to see that cruise planner items were pretty much the same price. In fact, everything is exactly the same price between the two cruises with two exceptions. The Surf & Stream 3 devices was $19.99 per day on Indy, and it is $30.99 on Freedom. The Key was $19.99 pp/pd on Indy, and it is $17.99. I wasn't thinking about getting The Key, but now I'm wondering because of the high price on internet. All the other good prices I had gotten on Indy are the same on Freedom (refreshment package $20, UDP $95, Beach Club $106.99).

 

The way I imagine how things will probably go when cruising resumes, I don't know that there would be any real benefit to The Key for arrival purposes. Not sure if I should just go ahead and pay the $30.99 pd for internet and hope for a lower price? Or give The Key a try for $53.97 pd for the three of us. Would it be worth it?

 

Why were all the prices the same except for these two things?

 

Now, if they would just lower the cabana prices for the Beach Club, I'd go for one of those!

[firefly333]

I'd wait for black friday deals and not purchase now for a cruise jan 2022 that I didnt like the internet prices. Keep watching sales.

[dswallow]

You're asking if there's any rhyme or reason behind pricing differences between sailings?  You know who you're dealing with, right? 🙂

 

I've tried to collect info to just watch various trends and presentations to be able to figure things out, and frankly some days I think it's just a roll of the dice what price could be offered.

 

I'll share my current capture of prices with everyone at least to help going forward. Since nowadays you can't see prices without an active booking, this might help some. I only just started collecting the info this way.

 

From 3/25/2021, just before the current Cruise Planner sale went into effect:

 

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Adventure_2021.06.12/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.25.11.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Adventure_2021.06.19/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.25.11.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Adventure_2021.06.26/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.25.11.00.pdf

 

From 3/27/2021, just after the current Cruise Planner sale started:

 

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Adventure_2021.06.12/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Adventure_2021.06.19/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Adventure_2021.06.26/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Oasis_2021.08.29/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf
http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Oasis_2021.09.05/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf
http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Oasis_2021.10.03/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf
http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Oasis_2021.10.10/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf
http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Oasis_2021.10.17/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf
http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Enchantment_2021.11.13/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Anthem_2021.12.05/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Anthem_2021.12.12/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Anthem_2022.01.31/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

http://www.2150.com/files/cc/Anthem_2022.02.11/Cruise_Planner_2021.03.27.22.00.pdf

[GSRDPM]

Thanks for posting this. We’re booked on the June 12th cruise on Adventure. Originally, when we booked, the Coco Cay beach club had two prices ...from my best recollection, one was for about $70 pp and the other for about $160 pp. Looking at the details, I could not see any difference between the two. I knew a sale was coming up, so I figured I’d wait to see what happens.... now the less expensive option is no longer listed....Oh well...

[dswallow]

5 minutes ago, GSRDPM said:

Thanks for posting this. We’re booked on the June 12th cruise on Adventure. Originally, when we booked, the Coco Cay beach club had two prices ...from my best recollection, one was for about $70 pp and the other for about $160 pp. Looking at the details, I could not see any difference between the two. I knew a sale was coming up, so I figured I’d wait to see what happens.... now the less expensive option is no longer listed....Oh well...

 

There were definitely some pricing oddities for a short time. Even the June 19 sailing still shows some of them -- much reduced Ultimate Dining Package price, for example, but also a separate listing at the higher price. But the lower price isn't actually bookable. Most of the dining options still remain duplicated, at different prices, in the June 19 Cruise Planner for Adventure.

Royal Caribbean had a whole year to sort this crap out with their backend system. I guess they truly just are clueless about it. 🙂

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, erinsmom03 said:

We moved our Indy Dec 27 2021 4 nt Bahamas cruise to a Freedom Jan 3 2022 4 nt Bahamas cruise. I had bought many things on our Indy cruise planner, and kept a close eye on the prices to make sure I had the best deal. Once we switched to Freedom, I was happy to see that cruise planner items were pretty much the same price. In fact, everything is exactly the same price between the two cruises with two exceptions. The Surf & Stream 3 devices was $19.99 per day on Indy, and it is $30.99 on Freedom. The Key was $19.99 pp/pd on Indy, and it is $17.99. I wasn't thinking about getting The Key, but now I'm wondering because of the high price on internet. All the other good prices I had gotten on Indy are the same on Freedom (refreshment package $20, UDP $95, Beach Club $106.99).

 

The way I imagine how things will probably go when cruising resumes, I don't know that there would be any real benefit to The Key for arrival purposes. Not sure if I should just go ahead and pay the $30.99 pd for internet and hope for a lower price? Or give The Key a try for $53.97 pd for the three of us. Would it be worth it?

 

Why were all the prices the same except for these two things?

 

Now, if they would just lower the cabana prices for the Beach Club, I'd go for one of those!

Current sale prices only go out as far as Dec 2021.  Be patient and wait 

[erinsmom03]

51 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Current sale prices only go out as far as Dec 2021.  Be patient and wait 

 

My husband would be the first one to tell you that patience isn't one of my better qualities lol! But I will go with your advice and hold off. Should I just hold out until Black Friday as @firefly333suggests? 

[dswallow]

3 minutes ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

My husband would be the first one to tell you that patience isn't one of my better qualities lol! But I will go with your advice and hold off. Should I just hold out until Black Friday as @firefly333suggests? 

 

There's generally a pattern/maximum discount you'll find online for various things. Like until the pandemic, you'd almost never see the Deluxe Beverage package over 30% discount, or the combo Deluxe Beverage package with VOOM for better than about 35% off. But the main thing to remember is that you always can cancel for a refund and buy it again if you find the price goes down. You just need to decide when you're willing to have the money tied up, and the cruise planner refunds do take a few days to a week, though if any OBC was used, that comes back immediately and can be reused right away.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, erinsmom03 said:

 

My husband would be the first one to tell you that patience isn't one of my better qualities lol! But I will go with your advice and hold off. Should I just hold out until Black Friday as @firefly333suggests? 

Quite frankly I found that many of the i times I had purchased were cheaper at times other than Black Friday.  The only two things I saw that were cheaper Black Friday and only bu a couple $ were the soda and refreshment package,  

[erinsmom03]

15 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Quite frankly I found that many of the i times I had purchased were cheaper at times other than Black Friday.  The only two things I saw that were cheaper Black Friday and only bu a couple $ were the soda and refreshment package,  

 

Thanks. I'm probably going to book everything but the internet package. I'll wait for better with that. The rest seem like decent prices. I can always cancel and rebook if I find a better price.

[twangster]

While Jan. 2022 is a long way away the general smart play with Royal is to buy when you see a price you are comfortable with and then to watch for sales.

 

Black Friday and no sale is ever straight across the board, every ship, every sail date.  For example, if a particular sail date has strong DX sales there will be no DX discounts for that sail date on black Friday.   Royal has proven this time and again.

 

Almost everything Royal does is influenced by acquisition trends.  If something has been selling well it might never be discounted again.  

 

I have often done better randomly watching for price drops but like all things Royal... YMMV.

[RFerrington]

I noticed that with this latest "sale", the UDP prices are as low as they have been recently, but the price on the 3 night dining pkg for O class ships actually went up from where it had been during other recent "sales".  Same with the DBP+wifi.  While the DBP+wifi came down a little, it has not yet returned to the low "sale" price that I've been tracking in the past few months.  One point of reference doesn't tell you much, but I wonder if the uptick for CP purchases that I and others have been predicting, is coming to pass.  I guess we'll see in coming weeks.