I wish life worked in the same way that MSC's sales do...

[Stockjock]

It goes something like this...

This just happened.

First, I watched them *raise* prices, quite a lot actually.

Next, I saw ads for...

Our biggest sale ever!  One week only!

We're really serious.  It's a super great and amazing sale!  It will end soon!

We kid you not.  You'd better book fast to take advantage of these amazing low prices!

Look, we're giving you free drinks and wi-fi that isn't free at all.  Just to prove it, we'll even offer you the same cabins at a much lower price without the free drinks and wi-fi!  To show you how serious we are, here's a countdown clock!

Only one day left in our super amazing sale, when it's over it's over!

(Clock hits zero and immediately...)

Sale continued due to popular demand!!! (I watched this happen when the countdown clock reached zero).

Countdown clock went away but exact same sale remained.  Clock will probably reappear, at some point.

Rinse and repeat.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Stockjock

[clarky213]

Current "Coronation Sale" in UK.

 

Price is higher than when I booked 3 weeks ago for MSC Virtuosa.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Celebrity does the same thing...and Norwegian...and RCI....and....

[mvh]

8 hours ago, clarky213 said:

Current "Coronation Sale" in UK.

 

Price is higher than when I booked 3 weeks ago for MSC Virtuosa.

 

56 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Celebrity does the same thing...and Norwegian...and RCI....and....

 

56 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Celebrity does the same thing...and Norwegian...and RCI....and....

 

10 hours ago, Stockjock said:

It goes something like this...

This just happened.

First, I watched them *raise* prices, quite a lot actually.

Next, I saw ads for...

Our biggest sale ever!  One week only!

We're really serious.  It's a super great and amazing sale!  It will end soon!

We kid you not.  You'd better book fast to take advantage of these amazing low prices!

Look, we're giving you free drinks and wi-fi that isn't free at all.  Just to prove it, we'll even offer you the same cabins at a much lower price without the free drinks and wi-fi!  To show you how serious we are, here's a countdown clock!

Only one day left in our super amazing sale, when it's over it's over!

(Clock hits zero and immediately...)

Sale continued due to popular demand!!! (I watched this happen when the countdown clock reached zero).

Countdown clock went away but exact same sale remained.  Clock will probably reappear, at some point.

Rinse and repeat.

Then don't book MSC. Try a different Cruise Line that does give free drinks like NCL. Oh wait, never mind. Do you really think anyone believes they are getting free drinks, or bogo or 80% off? People can add the total cost and figure it out themselves. If they can't, they should not be cruising, but they should go back to grade school. But thanks for letting us know the drinks really aren't free.

[clarky213]

23 minutes ago, mvh said:

 

 

 

Then don't book MSC. Try a different Cruise Line that does give free drinks like NCL. Oh wait, never mind. Do you really think anyone believes they are getting free drinks, or bogo or 80% off? People can add the total cost and figure it out themselves. If they can't, they should not be cruising, but they should go back to grade school. But thanks for letting us know the drinks really aren't free.

 

I was happy with my price when I booked, even happier now😀

 

I have seen the same 'sales' on most cruise lines over the years and have never expected the 'Free' drinks packages to actually be free. 

[DCGuy64]

Yeah, my favorite is NCL and the "Free at Sea offers" that expire TODAY. And then tomorrow, as if by magic, they're back again. (But only for a day, remember...) 😆

[perakcruiser]

14 hours ago, Stockjock said:

Sale continued due to popular demand!!! (I watched this happen when the countdown clock reached zero).

To be fair, this only happens with MSC USA. They probably follow the ridiculous example of Celebrity, NCL and others. In Europe when a sail is over it is over. 

[hamrag]

3 hours ago, perakcruiser said:

....In Europe when a sail is over it is over. 

 

Sadly that's true on every continent, that's when you need to disembark! 😉

[wayne_trisha]

17 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Yeah, my favorite is NCL and the "Free at Sea offers" that expire TODAY. And then tomorrow, as if by magic, they're back again. (But only for a day, remember...) 😆

It's been "free" at sea for years now. I think the gratuities on it are now about $350. Going to be interesting if they ever get rid of it.

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

4 hours ago, wayne_trisha said:

It's been "free" at sea for years now. I think the gratuities on it are now about $350. Going to be interesting if they ever get rid of it.

Not to mention the fares immediately more than doubled when they implemented AI pricing before the added grats!  I was a loyal NCL cruiser at the time.  I've only cruised them twice since.  Haven't yet sailed MSC, but, have 2 booked. I was very happy to get drinks and Wi-Fi included without paying a huge premium for it.