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Bogo 50% off 2nd passenger


Renae

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I have never cruised before. My family is wanting to take a w. Med cruise in June 2020. My question is; is the 50% off 2nd passenger a good deal right now? They aren’t offering any additional OBC perks with that. Since we have 11 months would it be better to wait for another sale that offers OBC? 

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26 minutes ago, Renae said:

I have never cruised before. My family is wanting to take a w. Med cruise in June 2020. My question is; is the 50% off 2nd passenger a good deal right now? They aren’t offering any additional OBC perks with that. Since we have 11 months would it be better to wait for another sale that offers OBC? 

If you take refundable fare you can always change it (before final payment) if you find better deal.

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Royal are highly inconsistent as to what deals they offer and when, and it also depends on where you are booking from since the various special offers are not always the same across all markets. For example, in the UK a "free" beverage package is sometimes offered (although it's not really free; they usually increase the price of the cruise to compensate!). Sometimes there will be a kids sail free promotion in one market that is not being offered in another market. And in European markets refundable fares and repricing if the price of your cruise goes down after you book are not usually options.

Prices fluctuate enormously; generally they are cheapest when the itineraries are first released and in the two months prior to the sailing date, when the cruise line is trying to sell off unsold cabins. If you're flexible you can get a good deal by waiting but at the risk of not getting anything at all if all the cruises sell out.

Basically, it all boils down to the bottom line. When you see a price you're comfortable with, book it. Then it's up to you to decide whether to give in to temptation and keep checking the price afterwards. If you're in the US, you might catch a price drop. If you're in Europe, you'd likely have to cancel and forfeit your deposit to get that price drop, but in some cases it can be sufficiently significant for it to be worth your while doing so.

 

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The price for Med cruises is also affected by the port.  Southampton is typically pricier than Barcelona or Rome (for me).  The time of year you sail makes a difference.  Generally, there is less discounting for Med cruises than for Caribbean cruises, for example.  I have found some real gems booking farther in advance or maybe at the end of the season (relocation), but I can't persuade my wife to pull the trigger.   Given that the regular price is stable, the only thing better than 50% off the second person I have seen is 60% off.  So I agree with @FionaMG to book if the price seems reasonable relative to others of similar length, port, and time of year.

2 hours ago, Renae said:

I have never cruised before. My family is wanting to take a w. Med cruise in June 2020. My question is; is the 50% off 2nd passenger a good deal right now? They aren’t offering any additional OBC perks with that. Since we have 11 months would it be better to wait for another sale that offers OBC? 

Since you are talking next summer, I'd expect prices to climb, not sink, as time progresses.  To get on board credit, consider using a travel agent.

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I've been tracking promotions (daily) on Royal for 6 months now.  There is no time when the 2nd passenger isn't 50% off.  This is just the base fare.  If it's more than that (60%, for instance), or " plus $150 instant savings", or anything else, then it's an actual "sale".

I wouldn't wait - prices just climb. If it does go down, you can reprice it through Royal, or better yet, your travel agent can do it for you.

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And this is why their marketing got "AX" added to their BOGOHO=buy one get one half off.

 

Dunno who used it first but have loved the label "BOGOHOAX" since then ?

 

I'd like to add that just because they offer a BOGO60, it isn't always less $. Royal does change line 1 (base price per person) depending on how well the run is selling so it's good to check the "out the door" pricing for comparison.

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