Help with website; where can I find costs?

[brillohead]

 

9 hours ago, Kmkub said:

We’ve only been on one RCCL, but I am 100% positive I knew the total cost before booking.

 

When did this change and why do people book without knowing the total cost.

 

I am stumped that the cost per day for these things is not static.

 

 

I've been cruising with Royal since 2013 and I'm D+ now, and I've never had "total costs" included on my booking.  

The original booking includes cruise fare and fees/taxes.  It can include prepaid gratuities if I so wish, otherwise the rate for the daily gratuities is listed on the booking confirmation (invoice).  

Any extras are just that -- extra.  I research what might interest me in the Cruise Planner, and check regularly for sale prices.  When an extra is a price I'm willing to pay, I purchase it.  If the price drops later, I cancel my purchase and repurchase at the new lower rate.
 

[sgmn]

12 hours ago, Kmkub said:

We’ve only been on one RCCL, but I am 100% positive I knew the total cost before booking.

 

When did this change and why do people book without knowing the total cost.

 

I am stumped that the cost per day for these things is not static.

Booking on the UK site you can add the tips at the booking stage. That is the total cost. Everything else is extra, I e. Drink packages, speciality dinning, tours etc are in your planner once you've booked and are optional. 

There's plenty of info on these cc pages and elsewhere on the Internet about what people are paying for these optional extras 

Up to the individual, I have always preferred to pay as you go for alcohol drinks. I'm happy with the free drinks during the day, iced water, flavoured water, tea, coffee. Maybe a beer or cocktail in port and then a couple of drinks in the evening . Everyone's different,  I wouldn't want something included which I wouldn't need or use and have to pay a higher price

Edited February 11, 2022 by sgmn

[Itchy&Scratchy]

13 hours ago, Kmkub said:

Thanks, but I guess I have to pass. I’m not signing up for mystery costs.

 

Yikes.

why are they a mystery? They are not mandatory, so you are not signing up for them under duress without knowing their cost. We've never had a drink or internet package, so we always know the final cost before booking. It's cruise fare+tax+gratuities. Bam.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

9 hours ago, Kmkub said:

the vast majority get drink packages.

so, you have statistics on that, but haven't compiled any on package prices?

I am starting to think that you have come here solely to jest.

[SRF]

Pricing for drink packages and internet and excursions are different for different for different ships and different cruises on the same ship.  And they are subject to sales and prices changes from time to time.

 

So the best anyone can do is tell you the range it might fall into.  

 

Once you book the cruise, you watch the drink package or internet, and when it is an acceptable price, you book.  And you keep checking.  If the price goes down, you cancel the one you booked and rebook it at the lower price.

 

The good news is, if you hit a good sale, you can pay a lot less than it was when you booked.  The bad news it, it takes some work on your part.

 

Others have given you the price ranges for those things.  Gratuities are fixed based on cabin level.  And you can see that total cost by going through the booking process but just not booking it.

 

Also, if you book a refundable deposit, you can book the cruise and see the prices of other things, and then cancel if you don't like the prices.

 

There are lines that include everything in the price.  But the base fares are much higher, so the overall price is similar.

 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

9 hours ago, Kmkub said:

and the vast majority get drink packages.

The vast majority do not get drink packages

[Sunshine3601]

14 hours ago, Kmkub said:

Thanks, but I guess I have to pass. I’m not signing up for mystery costs.

 

Yikes.

When you book your cruise you pay for cabin, port taxes and fees and can add on the $14.50 pp per day or $17.50 pp per day if booking a suite.

 

Most people do Not buy drink packages so they are optional to keep cruise fare low.   If you want to buy internet, again not everyone does, you can buy it when you book or buy later.   Not everyone buys speciality restaurants or shore excursions that is why all of these are Optional.  

 

Do you have a specific sailing you are looking at?

 

[LGW59]

17 hours ago, Kmkub said:

Which is exactly why I wrote what I wrote.

 

I have NEVER asked a question on this forum without searching, first.

 

Your snark is really appreciated, though. 

LOL, I always get a good chuckle out of people when they get a response they don't like, from a person they don't even know and probably never will, get all up in arms about it.  For kicks and giggles, I did what Cigar King suggested and found it easy peasy.

[purpldoll6x]

You can call on a TA to price the cruise for you.  You are not obligated to accept and book it, but they are usually very helpful in my experience.

[dcgrumpy]

17 hours ago, Kmkub said:

That’s truly a terrible way to conduct business. 
 

I don’t consider the tips to be something “some” might want to purchase, and the vast majority get drink packages.

If by tips you mean automatic gratuities, they aren't a mystery or secret. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/onboard-service-gratuity-expense

[kootz]

I cannot find a way on their website to pre-book gratuities?

[Biker19]

Just now, kootz said:

I cannot find a way on their website to pre-book gratuities?

You can usually only do that when first booking directly - after that you need to call.

[ditmar2007]

On 2/11/2022 at 12:44 AM, Kmkub said:

We’ve only been on one RCCL, but I am 100% positive I knew the total cost before booking.

 

When did this change and why do people book without knowing the total cost.

 

I am stumped that the cost per day for these things is not static.

I've only sailed on RCCL since 2019, but the prices of beverage packages have always been varying - from sailing to sailing and from day to day.

If you decide to book and buy a beverage package, and the price later lowers, you can cancel and buy at the new price. 

I paid 3374 DKK initially for an eight-day cruise, but later cancelled and paid 3005 DKK instead. That corresponds to 49.50 USD plus grats (16,36%) per night.