Error in Deluxe Beverage package pricing?

[TheMiz]

 

 

This is my thinking and mine alone, is that Royal is now in damage control and they have to be carful on how 

they are going to handle this,  the last thing they would want is a Bait-and-Switch problem.    

 

 

Edited July 3 by TheMiz

[SuiteLady]

56 minutes ago, rusty nut said:

We bought the package at $18. It still shows in our purchases as valid. We have not received an email from Royal Caribbean. I am not upset, why should I be. I knew it was i mistake when I booked it. If RC cancels our package, so be it, no skin off my nose. I will not look at RC any differently than I do now.

I would be impressed, however, if RC did offer some kind of gesture to those that purchased at the $18.

A promo code, linked to your account that would offer 40% off the website price of the deluxe package, that you could use at any time between now and the date of your cruise would be above and beyond for me. Not seriously looking for much, though, and I'm okay with that. 

My thoughts exactly! 

[suesnake2002]

I say move call centers back to the usa. Had that been the case I'm sure this would have been shut down sooner. 

Instead you have people reading from a script. 

This is were royal is in deep poop. Their employees told numerous people and TA that the price was correct. 

Had call centers been in usa, anyone with half a brain would have sent up a red flag. 

[awestover89]

5 minutes ago, TheMiz said:

 

 

This is my thinking and mine alone, is that Royal is now in damage control and they have to be carful on how 

they are going to handle this,  the last thing they would want is a Bait-and-Switch problem.    

 

 

 

They are definitely in damage control. The initial problem was mostly minor; the only caveat was how to handle people who cancelled a previously purchased beverage package to book the new one. Having the phone agents saying it was a legit sale also wasn't great, but not insurmountable.

 

Where the excrement really hit the rapidly spinning cooling device was the lack of an official statement combined with the back and forth in unofficial social media statements. Yes it's a legit sale. No it's not but we'll honor it. We aren't honoring it and we aren't compensating anybody beyond refunds. We aren't honoring it but we'll give you a discount to make up for it. We aren't honoring it and the discount will be based off of on board prices, not the already discounted online prices. We'll let you know what's been decided at 2. At 4. At 6. Tonight. Tomorrow. 

[Tasm3n]

1 minute ago, awestover89 said:

 

Where the excrement really hit the rapidly spinning cooling device was the lack of an official statement combined with the back and forth in unofficial social media statements. Yes it's a legit sale. No it's not but we'll honor it. We aren't honoring it and we aren't compensating anybody beyond refunds. We aren't honoring it but we'll give you a discount to make up for it. We aren't honoring it and the discount will be based off of on board prices, not the already discounted online prices. We'll let you know what's been decided at 2. At 4. At 6. Tonight. Tomorrow. 

 

Not to mention the deleting of previous statements on social media as if people don't screenshot that stuff these days!

[Petcetera]

3 minutes ago, suesnake2002 said:

I say move call centers back to the usa. Had that been the case I'm sure this would have been shut down sooner. 

Instead you have people reading from a script. 

This is were royal is in deep poop. Their employees told numerous people and TA that the price was correct. 

Had call centers been in usa, anyone with half a brain would have sent up a red flag. 

Exactly,  I called in when I saw everyone posting about it and the guy told me yes it was a holiday sale. It was for select cruises. When I asked how long the sale was for, because I didn't' get paid until Friday. He told me he didn't know because it was also for a limited amount per cruise. 

That was when we started scrounging to come up with the money to get. 

[celoplyr]

As I started this topic I will say that I actually didn't think it was an error- it was on a sailing that has been price dropping like a rock (my parents balcony cabin is >$1000 cheaper than any other cabin they've ever had) and it wasn't on my HOTS 2020 Holiday cruise.  I actually thought that it was a real price but that they would call it a mistake later- exactly what it seems like they were doing.  I checked both of my HOTS Holiday cruises (2019 and 2020) and it was not there.  I figured that it was a limited fire sale for cruises that weren't selling very well, in places where you wouldn't normally be taking a cruise to drink (it's an Alaska cruise).

 

After the thread confirmed that people had called and it was dubbed "real" I went back and checked- people had been saying that it was all 2020 cruises.  The HOTS 2020 Holiday cruise changed its price from $50/day to $18/day AFTER I had purchased the other one, which to me shows that it wasn't a glitch, and they were putting it in in waves.That one I couldn't figure out since I was sure they were selling enough beverage packages at the more normal price on that one, but I've seen price drops on that cruise too...

 

For my family, we don't drink more than a glass of wine at dinner and on the first cruise that we purchased it on I am not even sure we were going to buy the soda package- so that's $500 where we may have spent $200 on board.  We only buy the soda package when there are the freestyle machines on board.  Heck, I even had to buy it for my Baptist, doesn't drink family member who was in the room with me.  That puts it at $36/day for me (still a good sale, and they can use it for the soda/refreshment package).

 

So, if they cancel it, I'll probably do my best to limit my beverage purchases to less than what the package cost. To me, that's easy to do, and they will get less money out of us.  But if they let us keep it, we'll probably get spoiled and could possibly decide it's worth it.  Who knows? That's their choice, and it seems like they're making it now.  I just wish they'd hurry up and do it!

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

You have (shall I say, "as usual"?) missed the point.

 

I quoted the entire phrase, but the salient part is "Special  Offer".  When you normally book, it does not say that.

 

Not really, maybe they were indeed prepping for a special offer, but still messed up the price. The two things, while related are different.  

 

It must be awesome to be right all the time.

[Milwaukee Eight]

3 minutes ago, awestover89 said:

 

The initial problem was mostly minor; the only caveat was how to handle people who cancelled a previously purchased beverage package to book the new one. 

 

This.... I don’t think they know how. I’m not sure they have the ability to go back unless they have a manual way to restore. 

[brank813]

2 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Marietta, Kennesaw, John's Creek, Brookhaven,  Tucker before Cocoa Beach

another Johns Creek here!

[Milwaukee Eight]

4 minutes ago, brank813 said:

another Johns Creek here!

 

Hum.....

[TheMiz]

23 minutes ago, suesnake2002 said:

I say move call centers back to the usa. Had that been the case I'm sure this would have been shut down sooner. 

Instead you have people reading from a script. 

This is were royal is in deep poop. Their employees told numerous people and TA that the price was correct. 

Had call centers been in usa, anyone with half a brain would have sent up a red flag. 

 

 

They do have 3 call centers in the USA  Texas, Washington or Oregon  not sure which and Florida.  

 

[bouhunter]

785 posts, the vast majority hoping and praying they get to take advantage of a mistake to save a few bucks.  Justifying it by ranting about "PR nightmares", etc.  This entire thread is truly pathetic.

[Big_G]

The right thing do is for all you cheapskates to forgive poor Royal Caribbean for a rare mistake and purchase the package at shipboard pricing plus a 10 percent penalty for being so greedy on top of the 18 percent gratuity. This may avert some poor IT working slob from being hung out a corporate window by his toes or worse lose their job. Enjoy your cruise! 

[Casino Comp Chick]

17 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

785 posts, the vast majority hoping and praying they get to take advantage of a mistake to save a few bucks.  Justifying it by ranting about "PR nightmares", etc.  This entire thread is truly pathetic.

Yours was 788 if anyone actually cared.

😘

[molly361]

21 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

785 posts, the vast majority hoping and praying they get to take advantage of a mistake to save a few bucks.  Justifying it by ranting about "PR nightmares", etc.  This entire thread is truly pathetic.

 

15 minutes ago, Big_G said:

The right thing do is for all you cheapskates to forgive poor Royal Caribbean for a rare mistake and purchase the package at shipboard pricing plus a 10 percent penalty for being so greedy on top of the 18 percent gratuity. This may avert some poor IT working slob from being hung out a corporate window by his toes or worse lose their job. Enjoy your cruise! 

Ouch

[Baseball fan]

1 hour ago, rusty nut said:

We bought the package at $18. It still shows in our purchases as valid. We have not received an email from Royal Caribbean. I am not upset, why should I be. I knew it was i mistake when I booked it. If RC cancels our package, so be it, no skin off my nose. I will not look at RC any differently than I do now.

I would be impressed, however, if RC did offer some kind of gesture to those that purchased at the $18.

A promo code, linked to your account that would offer 40% off the website price of the deluxe package, that you could use at any time between now and the date of your cruise would be above and beyond for me. Not seriously looking for much, though, and I'm okay with that. 

Me too.  Although I did think it might be legit as my receipt said special promo (or similar).  My charge still shows pending.

[bradpole]

20 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

785 posts, the vast majority hoping and praying they get to take advantage of a mistake to save a few bucks.  Justifying it by ranting about "PR nightmares", etc.  This entire thread is truly pathetic.

Not in my opinion... RCL screwed up... they need to own it and do what's right.  Honor their mistake, not penalize their guests for their incompetence.  

 

Here's a great example of a company making a mistake but standing by their mistake

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/1/4/18168743/cathay-pacific-vietnam-error-fare-glitch

 

 

 

[LMaxwell]

1 minute ago, bradpole said:

 Honor their mistake, not penalize their guests for their incompetence.  

 

 

Honoring a mistake is one thing; how are they penalizing guests? 

[BeancounterUSA]

One thing this incident shows is the power of social media to spread a message.  I first saw the issue on a facebook group for one of the ships.  I immediately went to my cruise planner for my 2020 sailing and tried to order it.  It didn't work the first two times, but I went back into my cart and was able to to checkout after entering credit card info and rec'd the email confirm.  I then checked cruise critic and saw this thread.  Then there is the subsequent word of mouth spreading of the news.

 

Selfishly, I was a little concerned about people actually calling Royal Caribbean, my first thought being let's all keep this on the down low.  I also saw posts from travel agents saying that they, too, were calling to confirm (understandable because they want to communicate properly with their customers) but selfishly wishing that everyone would settle down and let this play out.

 

As Royal Caribbean deploys different pricing initiatives in a market place that has different levels of price elasticity of demand, I myself have seen the wide fluctuation in cabin prices as well as cruise planner pricing.  It's really a game for them to maximize their income, and for us to get the best value for what we are interested in to maximize having an enjoyable vacation.  When those two lines cross is the best result for all, but oftentimes we spend too much and sometimes they discount too much.  This was a rare case of the opposite, and the social media platforms were ready to spread the news very quickly.

[PCWalton1]

Sorry I have been out rehabbing a knee replacement. Did I miss a sale? 😲 😋

[BeancounterUSA]

30 minutes ago, Big_G said:

This may avert some poor IT working slob from being hung out a corporate window

I doubt the $18 amount was the fault of IT.  More likely, IMO, is that it was a keypunch mistake by one of their lower level pricing people.  For example, if the intended rate was $48 for their 4th of July sale, you'll notice the 1 and the 4 key are right next to each other.   If IT is to blame here, it would be they didn't create a system with min/max prices that generates an "are you sure" warning that requires a manager to over ride.  In fact, if I were involved in this operation, that's the corrective action I would recommend if my root cause assumption is correct.

Edited July 3 by BeancounterUSA
grammar correction

[Milwaukee Eight]

36 minutes ago, bouhunter said:

785 posts, the vast majority hoping and praying they get to take advantage of a mistake to save a few bucks.  Justifying it by ranting about "PR nightmares", etc.  This entire thread is truly pathetic.

This..... 

 

Best post today. 

[BeancounterUSA]

11 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

how are they penalizing guests? 

There are people saying that they cancelled a previous purchase in order to buy at the $18 rate.  When their $18 purchase is cancelled and the previously purchased rate is now at a higher rate, those people feel like they were penalized.

[LMaxwell]

Just now, BeancounterUSA said:

There are people saying that they cancelled a previous purchase in order to buy at the $18 rate.  When their $18 purchase is cancelled and the previously purchased rate is now at a higher rate, those people feel like they were penalized.

 

That's not a penalty or being penalized (so long as they can restore their original order at original price)