Beware the Royal math.
Royal Caribbean (RCL) extras and add-ons like internet, drink packages, dining packages, and shore excursions have not set prices. So, 75% off may not be a better deal than 30% off.
The cruise line lacks pricing transparency. It uses dynamic pricing, which is designed to maximize revenue. That does not mean there are no deals.
Related: Royal Caribbean adds 3 new Black Friday drink package bundles
Some Royal Caribbean Black Friday prices have been fabulous, I bought the Deluxe Beverage Package on a Jan. 5 Wonder of the Seas sailing for $59.99 per day. That's the lowest price I have seen on a 7-day cruise on a newer ship for years.
But, just because some prices are good does not mean that every "deal" represents an actual discount. Royal Caribbean has been selling some packages that bundle Voom Internet, the Deluxe Beverage Package, and a premium Perfect Day at CocoCay experience (Beach Club, Thrills Waterpark, or Hideaway Beach), which cost more than buying each item on its own.
Royal Caribbean sales are buyer beware, and one Reddit user shared some key advice,
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Image source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet
Royal Caribbean sales don't matter
Reddit user JohnnyG150 shared a warning that should resonate with Royal Caribbean passengers.
"Discounts do not exist, they are just different prices. If a discount is advertised — that's already baked into the price displayed. Royal creates a price and works backwards to create the fare that's discounted. No matter how big the percentage is, that doesn't mean it's a good deal or cheap," he shared.
That's the essence of what has become known as Royal math, but it has not stopped passengers from endlessly asking questions like, "I saw the Deluxe Beverage Package (DBP) for 30% off; should I buy it?"
The reality is that since there's no list price, the percentage off means nothing. The cruise line can simply raise the price in order to offer a higher discount. That's generally what it does when it offers the DBP at a buy-one-get-one price (something it only offers on select cruises).
JohnnyG150 shared his approach to buying extras on Royal Caribbean sailings.
"Buy the extras you want if it looks like a good price. If the price goes down you can cancel it and buy it again. If it's the entire cruise, you can rebook at the lower price until the final payment date," he shared. "'It was on sale' is never relevant to the decision to buy something or not. Pick the extras you want based on their price and how much you're willing to pay. It's not relevant what the price was last week or next week, as you can always get the lower price."
Use Royal Caribbean's price, not its discount
Many of the comments responding to JohnnG150 talked about using the "cancel it if you see a lower price" approach.
"We had the drink package for $74.99 and now got it for $54.99. $2,300 to $1,800 seems like a good deal and a good discount," shared PhillthyCollector.
Royal Caribbean allows passengers to cancel any onboard extra purchase until 48 hours before a cruise; It can take 10 days for a credit card company to process the refund, so passengers canceling and rebuying a drink package could tie up a significant amount of money if they cancel and repurchase.
Tidder8 reiterated how to approach buying any extras for a Royal Caribbean cruise.
"Percentage off doesn't matter. They will raise the base price and then increase the percentage off, making it seem like a big sale has started, but the actual price you pay doesn't change. This is for cruise fares and also for all of the extras - drink packages, excursions, internet service. etc," they shared. "Keep track of the actual bottom-line price to see if it is really going down. Sometimes it does go down, especially with Black Friday sales on all of the cruise planner items, but you need to follow the prices to know if you are getting a better deal."
ALSO READ: Top travel agents share how to get the best price on your cruise
Dan's note: Royal Caribbean's Black Friday sale does have some very good values, which has not always been the case. Be careful if you buy any sort of bundled deal as many are more expensive than buying those items on their own.
Remember that Royal Caribbean prices change, so if you see something at a price that makes sense for you, buy it, You can then keep an eye on the price and cancel it and repurchase if if it drops by a meaningful amount.
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