WOW $ Off promotion?

[Clarea]

Do you have to rebook or do you get original price that we booked prior to this sale if I must rebook it isn't a good deal because price has increased but if we get original price then it's a deal

In order to get the benefit of the half off second guest, you must pay the current price.

[Russ Lomas]

I have mixed feelings about the current sale.

 

The good news - I wanted to book the cheapest inside on the Freedom for March 2016 and it was coming up a week ago at $599 Canadian before taxes. I just booked three promenade cabins (a slight upgrade from the inside) for $531 Canadian each. Result - slightly better cabins, connecting doors (which we wanted), and a $400 savings. Overall, I am very happy with this transaction.

 

The bad news - we are booked on an 8 day cruise on the Independence in March 2015. I currently have a rate of $543 Canadian plus taxes (great rate) for an inside cabin. The new sale now puts that rate up to $625.20. That rate is $80 per person more than before the sale.

 

The frustrating news...I called and did a group hold for 8 rooms on the Allure. The price showing on my computer while I was talking to the RCCL rep on the phone was $616 Canadian per person. By the time the rep had made the group booking, the rate had magically jumped to $666.75 per person even though they had said the rate was on her screen originally at the $616 rate. I called in tonight to input the names into the rooms and was told that the rate would be $690.50 per person. How can the rate constantly be changing? I was told that rooms I asked for on a courtesy hold did not guarantee me the price we had discussed 6 hours earlier. After several hours of being on hold, they agreed to honour the $666.75 price that was typed on the booking they e-mailed me, but not the original price I had the agent discuss with me that was on their website. So frustrating....

 

Even more gripes....the current price on the RCCL website shows me "from $644 per person" on their website. When you actually hit the reservation button, the price jumps to $690.50 each and the $644 price does not exist any longer. I know people always complain about the RCCL website, and this only adds to the list of complaints others have.

 

It is a good thing that I love the product RCCL offers (when you eventually get on their ship) because the booking process is enough to make one want to look elsewhere sometimes.

[mafiadon]

I just checked our cruise booked for next May and the price dropped by$640 sent an email to my agent but they are closed until tomorrow morning. Hopefully I can get it.:eek:

[Oville]

yeah they just jacked up the base fare to make up for the 50 percent off the #2 fare. its like when stores do a half off sale but jack up the original price first. sneaky

 

No they adjusted the prices on line to reflect the promo. When you go through the numbers they show original price for on and half off for the other. The online price takes into the discount. We just booked a GS on the Oasis for under $3,000.

 

Why be so negative?:mad:

[emilysmimi]

I just ran a booking for May 21st Liberty 9nt cruise. On the page where you make category selection, it says price for an E3 is $1484 pp. When I go to the next page, Cabin Selection and click on summary of charges, it shows $1979 pp and then $990 discount for 2nd person. Ridiculous!:mad:

[Oville]

I just ran a booking for May 21st Liberty 9nt cruise. On the page where you make category selection, it says price for an E3 is $1484 pp. When I go to the next page, Cabin Selection and click on summary of charges, it shows $1979 pp and then $990 discount for 2nd person. Ridiculous!:mad:

 

It's the way they are showing it, either way adds up to $2,968 for two. The website takes into account the discount but spreads it evenly between the two fares. When you select the cabin it breaks it down differently. Either way it's the same price, do the math.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Oville

[emilysmimi]

Yes, I did the math and the price is $495 more pp on the cabin selection page. They shouldn't put the price on one page different than the other. If nothing else, it makes it look very shady.

[trojan3000]

Just priced a Vision TA in 2015 for a D1 on the UK site at both persons at full price compared to the US site one at full price and one at 50% off.

 

UK site is $259 cheaper.

 

There is a massive difference on price pp

Edited May 3, 2014 by trojan3000

[Sole]

Please have your agency check all your cruises as we just had a reduction in price for a cruise at the end of this year. It was not as great a sale as 2015 sailings but have them check anyways.

 

 

Hi, thank you for your suggestion. I will check and... cross fingers ;)

[bigque]

Well since they have this sale going on, I thought I might as well book a little 3 day Bahama cruise in March 2015 to fill the gap of waiting till my Southern cruise in October 2015! This will be the first time I have had 2 cruises booked in the same calendar year, but with these prices I said why not! :cool:

[Harooni]

I was sceptical too. Not Now. Nothing sneaky about it at all because in my pocket is a savings of $2545.00 on all of my existing bookings.

 

Thank you cruise critic for letting us know about the program and for the advice on how to get the best results for our overall savings. Well done cruise mates. Not a scam, it is the real deal. Got the new documents with the new lower prices in my hands. :p

 

Oh and all the OBC is still there! Well done RCI

for those with existing reservations its a good deal, and still is a good deal , just a little deceptive in the advertising

Edited May 3, 2014 by Harooni

[orville99]

for those with existing reservations its a good deal, and still is a good deal , just a little deceptive in the advertising

 

I suppose if you've never visited RCL's booking engine before, or haven't used it since they upgraded the system, you could feel that way, but the reality is that once they changed the system to automatically apply any applicable discounts to your cruise based on your status/age/occupation/residence, etc. all of their prices display exactly the same way. The price you see (regardless of whether there's a sale going on) is after all applicable discounts. It may be a bit annoying at times, but I doubt it rises to the level of deceptive.

[Bailey & Sophie]

Those with existing bookings are making out on this deal but looking at new bookings there is something fishy going on. Gives you one price when you sign into the website and it changes and goes up if you enter a C&A number. Price of 1st person jumps substantially and 2nd person is half of that. Take out the C&A number and you get standard rates. Rates are same for both person and total is exactly the same as the supposed 50% off promotion to the penny. In short, there is no deal. Did this on multiple cruises and its exactly the same cost in the end.:mad:

Hmmmm, I saved $200 by calling.

[Oville]

for those with existing reservations its a good deal, and still is a good deal , just a little deceptive in the advertising

 

I think it's a cruise industry norm. A few years ago we looked into a true BOGO On Oceania. When we called we were told the per person price reflected the BOGO. The same thing happened with this BOGOHO, the online prices per person reflect the discount spread over both people.

[Harooni]

I think it's a cruise industry norm. A few years ago we looked into a true BOGO On Oceania. When we called we were told the per person price reflected the BOGO. The same thing happened with this BOGOHO, the online prices per person reflect the discount spread over both people.

yes, seems like it however it is a bit misleading because i booked my last cruise and pp rate was there before any discounts and now it shows pp after the bogo discount. by the number of threads and over whelming calls and hold times it is obvious many were confused.

 

it is a sales tactic make no mistake about it.

[funfamilyof6]

We already had an interior for 4 and promenade for 3 booked for 8/2015 on the Oasis. We saved $800! Thank you Cruise Critic and RCCL! :D

[Ourusualbeach]

We already had an interior for 4 and promenade for 3 booked for 8/2015 on the Oasis. We saved $800! Thank you Cruise Critic and RCCL! :D

 

You should check out the price for doing 2 interiors with 2 instead of one interior with 4. I just randomly checked one date and it was only $400 more for the 2 cabins and 2 bathrooms vs the one cabin.

[TheresaK]

Woo Hoo! Took advantage of the sale yesterday and upgraded from an oceanview to an OV with balcony for only $350.00 more! Vision of the Seas, March 21st for Western Caribbean itinerary.

[cuti]

Overall this is great - as just saved $300 on two rooms. I do think the "BOGO 50% off" is not completely honest though as it should then save 25% total. It did not... So, while I am happy, I think they'd have been better off just saying $200 of a JR suite and $100 off an interior room. I doubt that after the sale that the prices will be what they have raised the first person rate to...

[BAV2005]

Overall this is great - as just saved $300 on two rooms. I do think the "BOGO 50% off" is not completely honest though as it should then save 25% total. It did not... So, while I am happy, I think they'd have been better off just saying $200 of a JR suite and $100 off an interior room. I doubt that after the sale that the prices will be what they have raised the first person rate to...

 

I'm not sure what you mean, I saved 25% off of the full cruise fare. The cruise I have booked did not go up in price with this sale and we managed to save $431 for a balcony room for a June 2015 sailing. Glad you saved some money :D

[Brendaflamingo]

I was able to save about $300 on a PR cabin. So I also booked a New Years cruise too. Never done one always wanted to.

Even if you are sailing alone you still get the bogoho price.

Yeah!

 

Brenda

[tiggerkaj]

Does anyone know when RCCL typically releases more dates (for example June 2016). Right now I can only see dates through May 2016 and I was interested in trying to take advantage of the BOGO and schedule something for June 2016 after my daughter graduates from college. I'm worried that they show 2 years out and I might miss this one...:( TIA

[slowpoke58]

I just called Royal Caribbean after reading about the discounts, and we are on the Oasis in January 2015 and got a $348.00 drop on our cruise. So it very worth calling them.

[nelblu]

yes, seems like it however it is a bit misleading because i booked my last cruise and pp rate was there before any discounts and now it shows pp after the bogo discount. by the number of threads and over whelming calls and hold times it is obvious many were confused.

 

it is a sales tactic make no mistake about it.

 

You missed the point. They programmed their system to provide a quote net of all discounts--including balcony, savings coupons & half-off sale. In the past, prior to this change, someone had to call C&A to get the balcony discount.

[Mach1]

Question:

 

I booked a 2016 cruise with this sale with my sister. Now my DH and DD want to join us; I can add them to my room no problem.

 

My question is: if they deciede before final payment to cancel will our cruise be repriced at the current pricing at that time (more then the promo I'm sure) or will RC just cancel out the 3rd & 4th person?

 

Thank you~

Anna