Unlimited Dining Package Now has 18% Gratuity Added Plus Outrageous Increase For Coco Cay Beach Club

[SNJCruisers]

My August cruise on the Oasis out of Bayonne recently got cancelled and along with it went 3 cruise planner purchases that I thought were pretty good.  Had the UDP @ 179 pp, the UBP @ 47pp + grats and the Coco Cay Beach Club @ 65pp.  Just flipped the cruise with my 125% FCC to June and had just enough to cover the cost since the increase was just under 25%.  Regarding the possible future purchases of the 3 items I had, UDP is now only 167pp, but when you go to check out, there is an added 18% gratuity increasing the amount by 30 bucks to 197pp.  UBP is currently up to 58pp and the Beach Club is currently sitting @ 179pp.   I realize with "dynamic pricing", things are fluid and there will be holiday sales, but why add 18% to the cost of the UDP now and why the outrageous increase for the Beach Club?  I wouldn't pay 179 for the two of us, let alone per person.  

[Baowen]

As usual,  it differs by ship. I just rebooked my unlimited dining on the Ovation for August (price drop) and they did not include the 18% gratuity.  I agree the Beach club prices are absolutely crazy. I had it booked for my Harmony cruise last year and it was around $49 dollar a person and my 2021 November Harmony cruise is listing it at $179 also. That's a huge increase and I'm definitely not booking it.

[Mark_UK]

I agree in principle with market dynamics and charging more for higher demand, but there is a point where it becomes unethical and is just blatant profiteering from a captive market - charging $170 for one sailing and then $60 for another can't be justified, especially when the prices aren't revealed until after you've booked.

Edited June 17, 2021 by Mark_UK

[ValerieJo]

Booked Beach Club on my Enchantment cruise for $94 per person.  Just checked for my Oasis cruise and it has jumped to $200 per person.  😞   I'll be looking for some sales.

 

[PTC DAWG]

You have 2 options..

[SNJCruisers]

42 minutes ago, Baowen said:

As usual,  it differs by ship. I just rebooked my unlimited dining on the Ovation for August (price drop) and they did not include the 18% gratuity.  I agree the Beach club prices are absolutely crazy. I had it booked for my Harmony cruise last year and it was around $49 dollar a person and my 2021 November Harmony cruise is listing it at $179 also. That's a huge increase and I'm definitely not booking it.

Maybe the 18% gratuity is going to be added to all sailings starting in 2022, since it was quoted for mine and not for your August 2021 sailing.

[SNJCruisers]

24 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

You have 2 options..

And at times they both suck.

[ToroAzul]

If this holds it does give some justification to the tip removers. 

 

I know those gratuities supposedly go to everyone but this may be an unintended consequence of tacking on more tips to packages.

[MikeBayAreaCa]

We got a good price of 168.00 for the UDP, which includes gratuity.  We also purchased the DBP at 62.00 plus tip.  I’n having second thoughts on the drink package, especially when I see the glass of wine options in the specialty restaurants,  and I’ll probably cancel if the price doesn’t go lower.

 

It may be less expensive to buy a bottle at 40% off or just take a glass of wine from the Suite lounge  to dinner and use cruise credit for the occasional cocktail or beer.  We’ll take on some water and Diet Coke and a couple of bottles of wine for the cabin.  
 

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by MikeBayAreaCa

[Tree_skier]

I thought the UDP always included the gratuity?

[SNJCruisers]

2 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I thought the UDP always included the gratuity?

It did previously.  I'm just curious if this is a new way to generate some extra revenue maybe starting at the first of the year since my inquiry is a sailing next June.

[CruiszBug]

I got caught in this net when it first rolled out.... I had paid for the UDP on my upcoming Symphony cruise in January 2022 for $179. When I saw it said SALE and the price was $167 I cancelled my existing UDP and proceeded to repurchase it. Of course when it came time to put in your Credit card info, the real price was revealed as $197! Felt like I was baited and hooked by this trap.... 

 

Called Royal immediately and they would not reinstate my original price, so I guess for that cruise I will be an MDR maiden! (No soup for you!)

Edited June 17, 2021 by CruiszBug

[richstowe]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

It did previously.  I'm just curious if this is a new way to generate some extra revenue maybe starting at the first of the year since my inquiry is a sailing next June.

I guess NCL is now Royal's inspiration .

RC's new slogan , We promise to out nickle and dime Norwegian !

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

I thought the UDP always included the gratuity?

I think was ourusualbeach who said the newer ships had been changed to add tips to pkgs .. and warned us it might come to all ships eventually. Starting this fall maybe? I've seen a few threads on this and which ships it applies to.

[time4u2go]

For what it's worth:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/specialty-dining-package-gratuity

[happy cruiser1234]

3 hours ago, CruiszBug said:

I got caught in this net when it first rolled out.... I had paid for the UDP on my upcoming Symphony cruise in January 2022 for $179. When I saw it said SALE and the price was $167 I cancelled my existing UDP and proceeded to repurchase it. Of course when it came time to put in your Credit card info, the real price was revealed as $197! Felt like I was baited and hooked by this trap.... 

 

Called Royal immediately and they would not reinstate my original price, so I guess for that cruise I will be an MDR maiden! (No soup for you!)

The exact same thing happened to me. 

[Tree_skier]

Just check my cruise planner for Serenade in August.  No gratuity added onto the UDP. 

[zekekelso]

6 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

You have 2 options..

1) Quietly accept that RCI’s prices are nuts and don’t purchase these add ones. 
 

2) Be mad as hell and ***** about it online to relieve some of the frustration. This applies whether you pay or don’t pay. 
 

Me, I’m a big fan of option 2. 

Edited June 18, 2021 by zekekelso

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

You have 2 options..

It seems to be three, with the third one being coming to CC to complain.

[LEMJMcC]

13 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Maybe the 18% gratuity is going to be added to all sailings starting in 2022, since it was quoted for mine and not for your August 2021 sailing.

Then it is not gratuity, it's a service fee, which I find infuriating.  I wish RCI would allow me to choose my tipping level based on the service I receive or quit calling it gratuity.

 

Per Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary,

"gratuity: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for for some service."

Edited June 18, 2021 by LEMJMcC

[mek]

15 hours ago, PTC DAWG said:

You have 2 options..

Correct - and I will choose option 2 - don't pay the ridiculous prices and if everyone would do that the prices would come down.

[MikeBayAreaCa]

The dining package if you can get it at $24.00 a day is actually a pretty good deal. At the current prices it will have paid for itself halfway through the cruise. 
Three dinners, a couple of lunches and a snack at Playmakers and you’re past the break even point.