Royal's Dynamic Pricing Policy Is An Absolute Joke

[SNJCruisers]

33 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

ANY line that has “inclusive pricing” has the same dynamic pricing, as the cruise fare changes regularly, which means all the “packages” are fluctuating regularly. 

Keep flying that Loyal Royal flag.  The cruise price fluctuations are substantially less than the gouging that Royal does regarding certain excursions.  But as usual, anytime you go against the house with a theory, the Loyals come out in droves to attempt to  prove that RCI does no wrong.

[LGW59]

6 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

If you're 30 per day is true, plus the 20 for grats, that's 50 per day compared to the 72 per day that Royal is charging at a 30% discount on my Oasis cruises.  Thus still making Royal more expensive.  And of course we still haven't discussed the dynamic pricing fluctuation on excursions, which is pure highway robbery.  A 50% discount on Coco Cay Club is 99.50.  I had it for 65.00 on my cancelled Oasis cruise, that's a 51% increase. 

So +$22/day considering the cost of the cruise.  Now your just on a rant looking for attention 

[SNJCruisers]

2 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

So +$22/day considering the cost of the cruise.  Now your just on a rant looking for attention 

I don't need attention.  Just bringing up the 100% fact that no other cruise line has a pricing policy that fluctuates with drink packages and excursions depending upon which ship you're on and which week you sail.  

Since 90% of my cruises taken and future ones booked have been on other lines besides Royal, I have no skin in the game besides my B2B on the Oasis in June.  Before Royal cancelled us last August, I had CocoCay @ 65 and the drink package @ 47.  The fact that they are now 99.50 based on a 50% discount and 61 based on a 30% discount is a joke.  This was the impetus of this thread.

[Jarmo]

13 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

So +$22/day considering the cost of the cruise.  Now your just on a rant looking for attention 

Not even that much, the comparison # is $56 (op didn't include the grats on the extra $30) + the extra $ you pay for the cabin with free perks.  My inside was about $250 higher to get the perks.

[binro01]

10 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

I don't need attention.  Just bringing up the 100% fact that no other cruise line has a pricing policy that fluctuates with drink packages and excursions depending upon which ship you're on and which week you sail.  

Since 90% of my cruises taken and future ones booked have been on other lines besides Royal, I have no skin in the game besides my B2B on the Oasis in June.  Before Royal cancelled us last August, I had CocoCay @ 65 and the drink package @ 47.  The fact that they are now 99.50 based on a 50% discount and 61 based on a 30% discount is a joke.  This was the impetus of this thread.

Quick question. Is your new Oasis cruise cheaper than the one they canceled?
 

The per night cost on oasis class cruises are significantly lower now than pre pandemic. Just curious.

 

Prior to the pandemic I always wanted to cruise Royal on an oasis class ship but an ocean view balcony was 3k for 7 nights on an oasis class ship. I’m on one now for 1/3 the price.

 

Heck, even now for a cruise in September 2022, I can book a junior suite on Allure for a 6 night cruise for just a bit over 800.00 per person. That’s under 2k for a Junior Suite. Pre pandemic that was unheard of.
 

What they are giving up in cruise fare they are making it up elsewhere for a my guess. 

Edited November 30, 2021 by binro01

[Biker19]

26 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

 The fact that they are now 99.50 based on a 50% discount and 61 based on a 30% discount is a joke.  This was the impetus of this thread.

For regular readers of the RCI threads, this has been known for years. 

[SNJCruisers]

41 minutes ago, Jarmo said:

Not even that much, the comparison # is $56 (op didn't include the grats on the extra $30) + the extra $ you pay for the cabin with free perks.  My inside was about $250 higher to get the perks.

Then how do you explain the same fluctuating policy regarding excursions?  Total ripoff accepted by Loyal Royals.

[SNJCruisers]

23 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

For regular readers of the RCI threads, this has been known for years. 

But there are newbies that have to be educated.  Me getting grilled by some Loyal Royals who think that RCI does no wrong is a small price to pay.

[Jarmo]

2 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Then how do you explain the same fluctuating policy regarding excursions?  Total ripoff accepted by Loyal Royals.

Don't care about that policy, was talking about the inaccuracies related to the booze package pricing. 

[SNJCruisers]

45 minutes ago, binro01 said:

Quick question. Is your new Oasis cruise cheaper than the one they canceled?

About 24+% higher.  Took the 125% OBC and had about 20 bucks leftover.  First cruise was last week of August 2021 and new is second week of June 2022.

[SNJCruisers]

4 minutes ago, Jarmo said:

Don't care about that policy, was talking about the inaccuracies related to the booze package pricing. 

The Dynamic Pricing policy, which is what the thread is about pertains to all aspects of it, not just the alcohol package.  After all, I am the OP, not You. And you're only comparing NCL and Royal.  How about Carnival, where Cheers is 51.95 and RCI is about 12 bucks more per day including tax.  84 bucks is 84 bucks.  You can spin doctor things all you want.  RCI should include Vaseline with their excursions and alcoholic drink package pricing.

[LGW59]

13 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

But there are newbies that have to be educated.  Me getting grilled by some Loyal Royals who think that RCI does no wrong is a small price to pay.

Thank you thank you 

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

The Dynamic Pricing policy, which is what the thread is about pertains to all aspects of it, not just the alcohol package.  After all, I am the OP, not You. And you're only comparing NCL and Royal.  How about Carnival, where Cheers is 51.95 and RCI is about 12 bucks more per day including tax.  84 bucks is 84 bucks.  You can spin doctor things all you want.  RCI should include Vaseline with their excursions and alcoholic drink package pricing.

Being THE OP is deserving of exactly what?

Edited November 30, 2021 by LGW59

[Jarmo]

1 minute ago, SNJCruisers said:

The Dynamic Pricing policy, which is what the thread is about pertains to all aspects of it, not just the alcohol package.  After all, I am the OP, not You. And you're only comparing NCL and Royal.  How about Carnival, where Cheers is 51.95 and RCI is about 12 bucks more per day including tax.  84 bucks is 84 bucks.  You can spin doctor things all you want.  RCI should include Vaseline with their excursions and alcoholic drink package pricing.

Wonderful, none of my posts referred to anything other than Royal v NCL and booze package pricing.  If you didn't want comments related to that, don't mention it you your OP.

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

Being THE OP is deserving of exactly what?

Putting up with lowly Loyal Royals like you.  Expand your mind, take off the blinders and cruise on another line.  You might learn something.

[LGW59]

3 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

Putting up with lowly Loyal Royals like you.  Expand your mind, take off the blinders and cruise on another line.  You might learn something.

Thank you, sage advice, I’ll be in the Celebrity EDGE Iconic suite next year. I’ll let you know what I “learn”.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, SNJCruisers said:

But there are newbies that have to be educated.  Me getting grilled by some Loyal Royals who think that RCI does no wrong is a small price to pay.

Sadly, that "education" will be lost in a couple days when this thread is either deleted, locked, or falls to the dustbin of CC long lost memories (since virtually no newbie searches (not their fault, CC search sucks) and even if they did your thread is unlikely to be found).

[not-enough-cruising]

6 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Putting up with lowly Loyal Royals like you.  Expand your mind, take off the blinders and cruise on another line.  You might learn something.

Have cruised them all, yet 90% of my "cruises taken" list is Royal.

 

I don't care how they manage their pricing, I buy what I want when I like the price; period.

 

Never buy ship excursions (regardless of line, except for private destinations),  and with the new C&A drink voucher system, I don't even look at a drink package.

[bouhunter]

On 11/28/2021 at 1:21 PM, SNJCruisers said:

As usual, Royal's Dynamic Pricing policy is an absolute joke when you compare it to all of their competition.  Many companies such as Celebrity offer all inclusive pricing that has the drink package already included.  Others such as Princess, NCL, MSC and HAL offer the drink package as an optional add on package with other perks either all of the time or on occasion like HAL.  Carnival offers their Cheers package as a stand alone add on @ 51.95 per day if bought pre-cruise and 56.95 on board.

 

The Dynamic Pricing policy fluctuates depending upon which ship you're sailing on and when you sail.  The on board price of 88.00, which recently went up is only better than NCL's 99.00 per day, but nobody pays those prices.  At a 30% discount it comes to 60.99 and even @ a 40% discount it's 52.80 a day, still slightly more than Cheers, which can be purchased at anytime prior to sailing on Carnival and you don't have to keep wasting your time looking for a "sale" like you do with Royal.

 

On all 14 cruises I have taken over the last 9 years since drink packages started up I have gotten them whether through a perks situation like NCL, Celebrity or MSC or a la carte on Carnival and Royal.  But 30% off at 60.99 per day, plus the 18% gratuity on top comes out to 71.97 per day.  This equates to just over a grand for a 7 day cruise for two people.  I will be taking a hard pass and get the refreshment package @ 50% off and save about 725.00.  I'll survive on my B2B on the Oasis.  I have the drinks package on my 9 other cruises booked for 2022 on Celebrity, NCL, Princess and Carnival.

Well that's a whole lot of numbers and entirely meaningless.  Unless of course one doesn't factor in the cruise price itself, the ship or the ports,  and bases their decision entirely on the cost of a booze package.

[firefly333]

26 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Have cruised them all, yet 90% of my "cruises taken" list is Royal.

 

I don't care how they manage their pricing, I buy what I want when I like the price; period.

 

Never buy ship excursions (regardless of line, except for private destinations),  and with the new C&A drink voucher system, I don't even look at a drink package.

The OP has been critical of my booking only out of Galveston short term during covid. I booked about half balconys, even eyeing JS for the pts. He says he books insides on the newest ships and only does the brand new ships and flies not drives to port. I'm not ready to complicate my life with flying and covid testing and protocols. He wants me to get out more to other ports. I might later after I hit 340 pts and do Panama and maybe revisit alaska, but it can wait a year. I love Galveston and it's small town ease of boarding. I love the hotels along seawall. I know SNJ would rather a inside on ncl pr carnival new ship than my corner aft next march or inside balconys on allure 2022. I dont need stress.

 

Cc friends flying into houston before our dec 12 cruise. We picked out a mexican restaurant near hobby for dinner and I cant wait to sell them on Galveston before we board and show them Galveston thru my eyes. They are flying in from calif.

 

Oh I broke your advice too. I booked a rcl cheapie excursion in roatan just yesterday. With my obc. They might have obc from price drops idk why they booked thru rcl. I love seeing roatan countryside so i dont care where we go, just love roatan so i said sure and signed up too. 

 

Cruising your own way is easy with rcl. Can do as much or as little as i want, dont have to pay inclusive and getting free daily drink vouchers makes it a deal in my eyes. As boring as my Galveston bookings are. ..i already know SNJ hates my local bookings where I can drive to the ocean which I love. Since only rcl and carnival go out of Galveston.. lol that's what I booked. 3 carnival finished .. now rcl up next. .. and meeting cc friends face to face. Less than 2 weeks, cant wait.

[not-enough-cruising]

4 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

The OP has been critical of my booking only out of Galveston short term during covid. I booked about half balconys, even eyeing JS for the pts. He says he books insides on the newest ships and only does the brand new ships and flies not drives to port. I'm not ready to complicate my life with flying and covid testing and protocols. He wants me to get out more to other ports. I might later after I hit 340 pts and do Panama and maybe revisit alaska, but it can wait a year. I love Galveston and it's small town ease of boarding. I love the hotels along seawall. I know SNJ would rather a inside on ncl pr carnival new ship than my corner aft next march or inside balconys on allure 2022. I dont need stress.

 

Cc friends flying into houston before our dec 12 cruise. We picked out a mexican restaurant near hobby for dinner and I cant wait to sell them on Galveston before we board and show them Galveston thru my eyes. They are flying in from calif.

 

Oh I broke your advice too. I booked a rcl cheapie excursion in roatan just yesterday. With my obc. They might have obc from price drops idk why they booked thru rcl. I love seeing roatan countryside so i dont care where we go, just love roatan so i said sure and signed up too. 

 

Cruising your own way is easy with rcl. Can do as much or as little as i want, dont have to pay inclusive and getting free daily drink vouchers makes it a deal in my eyes. As boring as my Galveston bookings are. ..i already know SNJ hates my local bookings where I can drive to the ocean which I love. Since only rcl and carnival go out of Galveston.. lol that's what I booked. 3 carnival finished .. now rcl up next. .. and meeting cc friends face to face. Less than 2 weeks, cant wait.

Well said.

 

Was just in Roatan last week on LOTS, hired a driver and a jeep from Victor Bodden, had a fantastic day on the "untouched" parts of the island.

 

ENJOY!!

[Joseph2017China]

well, the drink packages move around in price, but the actual prices of drinks stay the same.  Certain cruises, have a higher amount of drinking such as Caribbean and days in Coco Cay.  

 

So, depending on how much you drink the package is either good, or not.  But it is designed to break into a certain price point for he cruise lines.

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Well said.

 

Was just in Roatan last week on LOTS, hired a driver and a jeep from Victor Bodden, had a fantastic day on the "untouched" parts of the island.

 

ENJOY!!

I've gone with victor 3 times and his guys are awesome and so good. My friends picked to see some culture I've never seen .. thru rcl. So I said ok, as i like seeing roatan.  I just want to spend time together, I'll be back on my own in jan. Sometimes as a solo I do cruiseline excursions to be around others rather than plan by myself. Roatan ... lol

 

East End Sights & Garifuna Culture

 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by firefly333

[SRF]

TANSTAAFL.

 

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

 

You pay for EVERYTHING on board.  One way or the other.  "Free" things are not free, you just pay for them somewhere else.

 

So if line X gives you "free drinks" you pay more for the cabin.  If they give you "free grats" you pay more for the cabin.

[firefly333]

2 minutes ago, SRF said:

TANSTAAFL.

 

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

 

You pay for EVERYTHING on board.  One way or the other.  "Free" things are not free, you just pay for them somewhere else.

 

So if line X gives you "free drinks" you pay more for the cabin.  If they give you "free grats" you pay more for the cabin.

I will enjoy my 4 free drinks per day as a diamond ...soon to hit diamond plus. Perfect amount to me. Maybe not free as I cruised to get them as perks ... but kinda free?