Sale Question

[SunTravels]

have never sailed RC and looking to try it. When I was shopping the Buy one get one half and kids sail free, I feel like all they are doing is making the first guest cost at least double what is advertised and It’s working out to be the same as the price without the sale...is this just a marketing gimic? Or am I missing something?

[geomancer]

Yes it's a gimmick. Never believe a sale, just look at the bottom line.

[rukkian]

have never sailed RC and looking to try it. When I was shopping the Buy one get one half and kids sail free, I feel like all they are doing is making the first guest cost at least double what is advertised and It’s working out to be the same as the price without the sale...is this just a marketing gimic? Or am I missing something?

For the most part, the cost of the cruise is based off supply and demand. The actual sales don't do much. Some benefit some people, whole other sales help others.

 

One thing about ksf- it only applies to the third and fourth in the room, not the second, so you have to have two adults, and normally only applies whole kids would normally be in school.

 

Bottom line- go by the price and book when it is a price you are comfortable with, since you can get reductions until final payment on most situations.

 

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[SunTravels]

Ok, Thank you. I know it’s all supposed to get you to book, I just could not believe that there was really no even a little price savings, It just seemed way to obvious that there was no sale at all...some consumers just aren’t that stupid. I work in marketing so I get sales gimics - but this was so blatant, I thought maybe I was missing the boat.

[Clarea]

Ok, Thank you. I know it’s all supposed to get you to book, I just could not believe that there was really no even a little price savings, It just seemed way to obvious that there was no sale at all...some consumers just aren’t that stupid. I work in marketing so I get sales gimics - but this was so blatant, I thought maybe I was missing the boat.

Royal has been doing the fake sale thing for 4 years now. Must be working.

[SunTravels]

For the most part, the cost of the cruise is based off supply and demand. The actual sales don't do much. Some benefit some people, whole other sales help others.

 

One thing about ksf- it only applies to the third and fourth in the room, not the second, so you have to have two adults, and normally only applies whole kids would normally be in school.

 

Bottom line- go by the price and book when it is a price you are comfortable with, since you can get reductions until final payment on most situations.

 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Forums mobile app

 

Thank you. I was looking at the room with 2 adults and then 1 with 2 adults and 2 kids - the price for the 2 adults went up when I put the 2 kids in (for the same category room) so it was clear they weren’t free they were just adjusting the price of the first 2 passangers to make it look like the kids were free, but have it come out the same.

 

Good advice to just choose something I am comfortable with.

Edited May 31, 2018 by SunTravels

[geomancer]

They do other fake deals as well. For example one week it will be $900 with $50 OBC and the next $950 with $100 OBC. In the UK, sometimes they advertise a free drink package with every booking, but the price happens to go up exactly what the package costs ... except now you can't opt out of getting it.

[SunTravels]

Royal has been doing the fake sale thing for 4 years now. Must be working.

 

Haha yes I guess it is. ;)

 

Honestly no sale, I prob will book another line or adjust to less expensive dates, but I am glad it works for some

[Ourusualbeach]

Thank you. I was looking at the room with 2 adults and then 1 with 2 adults and 2 kids - the price for the 2 adults went up when I put the 2 kids in (for the same category room) so it was clear they weren’t free they were just adjusting the price of the first 2 passangers to make it look like the kids were free, but have it come out the same.

 

Good advice to just choose something I am conmfortable with.

 

That price difference has always been there, it’s not just the sale. There are far fewer cabins that hold more than 2 guests and they charge a premium for those. The cabins that hold 4 guests are a different category than those that hold 2.

 

We’ve found that regardless of a kids sail free it is usually comparable pricing wise to get 2 cabins for 2 as opposed to 1 cabin for 4.

[SunTravels]

That price difference has always been there, it’s not just the sale. There are far fewer cabins that hold more than 2 guests and they charge a premium for those. The cabins that hold 4 guests are a different category than those that hold 2.

 

We’ve found that regardless of a kids sail free it is usually comparable pricing wise to get 2 cabins for 2 as opposed to 1 cabin for 4.

 

Oh that is a good idea to look into 2 cabins!

[Merion_Mom]

have never sailed RC and looking to try it. When I was shopping the Buy one get one half and kids sail free, I feel like all they are doing is making the first guest cost at least double what is advertised and It’s working out to be the same as the price without the sale...is this just a marketing gimic? Or am I missing something?

You know that KSF is NOT on every cruise, right? Click through to the last stage of pricing, {"view pricing by guest") and be sure that the cruise that you are pricing has it.

[yuvraj]

Sometimes the promo disadvantage certain people and occasionally benefit others.

 

For example, someone booking solo but not being savvy enough to have a dummy booking for second person will pay more than 2 people sailing under BOGOH offer.

 

We have sometimes benefited from 25% off 3rd and 4th guests. The discount tends to be on top of the reduced rate for 3rd and 4th person sharing. You have to always check the total price and sometimes it works out a lot cheaper, especially in a suite.

[SunTravels]

You know that KSF is NOT on every cruise, right? Click through to the last stage of pricing, {"view pricing by guest") and be sure that the cruise that you are pricing has it.

 

Yes I was only looking at dates that offer that.

[SunTravels]

Sometimes the promo disadvantage certain people and occasionally benefit others.

 

For example, someone booking solo but not being savvy enough to have a dummy booking for second person will pay more than 2 people sailing under BOGOH offer.

 

We have sometimes benefited from 25% off 3rd and 4th guests. The discount tends to be on top of the reduced rate for 3rd and 4th person sharing. You have to always check the total price and sometimes it works out a lot cheaper, especially in a suite.

 

Ok thank you! :) Good things to keep in mind!

[papaflamingo]

One of the problems many people have is they compare a price they paid a few months ago with a current sale and complain "prices went up before the sale." Well, no offense, but duh. They are always adjusting prices. Sometimes it works great, sometimes not. But you can't expect to add a KSF with a previous pricing. I booked 3 Crown Lofts for my retirement cruise with the kids and grandkids last year. I first booked on a very low rate for CL's (that's how I was able to do it). It also included 50% drink packages. But a number of months later a KSF came up. The cost for the adults was a few hundred more per person and we lost the 50% drink package. BUT, since I had 5 kids 12 and under, we saved a total of $2500! AND the cost to purchase cruise insurance was lower. In fact, the kids, under Royal's cruise insurance, were free even though they were on the policy. So, yeah, the price went up, but the savings overall was significant.

Personally I never worry what they call it I only care about what it costs me.

[ATC cruiser]

Oh that is a good idea to look into 2 cabins!

 

 

 

Plus if you get a second cabin, you get a second bathroom........priceless.

[Merion_Mom]

Yes I was only looking at dates that offer that.

Would you please give examples of what you are considering? Ship, time frame, category? :)

[Biker19]

It just seemed way to obvious that there was no sale at all...some consumers just aren’t that stupid.

Given the number of threads asking this, maybe not so obvious.:cool:

[dd likes to cruise]

have never sailed RC and looking to try it. When I was shopping the Buy one get one half and kids sail free, I feel like all they are doing is making the first guest cost at least double what is advertised and It’s working out to be the same as the price without the sale...is this just a marketing gimic? Or am I missing something?

 

I believe all cruiselines do the same thing with pricing. When a sale is buy one get half off, as one example, they have already ajusted that and then show the average price per person. I got fooled by it once - thinking I would see half off that price. If you look real close on that screen it usually says something about the sale price is being shown.

[NateUpNorth]

Haha yes I guess it is. ;)

 

Honestly no sale, I prob will book another line or adjust to less expensive dates, but I am glad it works for some

 

Just a heads up, SOMETIMES the KSF sale is actually that.

Rarely, but on occasion it happens.

If you'd like to give RCL or a specific itinerary a try, price it out and then watch the numbers when the "KSF" is advertised.

[kochleffel]

For example, someone booking solo but not being savvy enough to have a dummy booking for second person will pay more than 2 people sailing under BOGOH offer.

 

This wasn't necessary in a trial booking I made last week. But it is always best to try every possible combination.