Canadians baffled at Price Is Right prize that valued a trip to Vancouver at nearly $10,000 USD
The trip to Vancouver was included on Monday’s episode of the popular and long-running American game show.
British Columbians are perplexed at a Price Is Right prize offering a trip for two to Vancouver valued at nearly $10,000 USD.
The trip to Vancouver was included on Monday’s episode of the popular and long-running American game show, during a segment called “Bargain Game.” In the game, a contestant is shown two prizes with "bargain prices." The contestant wins both prizes if they pick the prize that is the better bargain — that is the prize whose price is more below its actual price.
In the segment, the Vancouver bargain, at $7,770, was up against a holiday to Montenegro, at the “bargain” price of $11,278.
The “bargain” trip to Vancouver included a round-trip economy flight from Los Angeles and a six-night stay in one of The Westin Bayshore’s harbour view rooms. It also offered daily breakfast, $200 in dining credit, daily spa treatments and a craft beer tasting tour for two.
The contestant ended up correctly choosing the Montenegro trip, which was actually listed at $17,278, as the better bargain, while the true total cost for the trip to Vancouver was listed as $9,770 — or more than $13,000 CAD.
Redditors debate price of trip: Well, actually ...
On a British Columbia Reddit forum titled "I don't care how expensive Vancouver is. This is not a $12,500 CAD vacation package," some were puzzled by what they felt was an inflated price for a trip.
“It just seems way too high for what they are getting,” MonkeyingAround604, the original poster, wrote. "It really gives off the vibe that Vancouver is unaffordable for tourists ... Which is far from the truth."
Others were quick to point out the price likely isn’t that far off when factoring in the amenities included in the trip, like meals and daily spa treatments.
According to the spa’s website, massage treatments start at $180 for a 60-minute classic massage and go up to $390 for a 120-minute Swedish immune building spa. Their facial treatments start at $165 and go up to $390.
Meanwhile, a room with a harbour view at the Westin Bayshore ranges from around $300 a night to nearly $1,000 a night depending on the time of week and year.
"The daily spa package alone is probably $4,000-$5,000 of that price," agoswtpotatopie wrote. "Add in the food, flights and hotel and you can easily get to $12,500."
“This price is exactly how much it would cost,” Lucky-Bee8602 wrote. “The hotel and all the extras it stated are about 80 per cent and then the remaining 20 per cent is flying.”
"They're not flying Flair Airlines," ShawnSimoes wrote.
According to the Price is Right website, prices for trips are based on current market value on a selected date within six months of the show’s air date.
The Price Is Right featured memorable B.C. trip flub last year
This isn’t the first time a trip to a B.C. destination featured on The Price Is Right has garnered online reaction.
Last year, Tourism New Westminster started the hashtag #SearchForPhillip after contestant Phillip Fitzpatrick flubbed the price on an all-expense trip to the Vancouver suburb, by overestimating the $5,280 price tag by $3,000.
The hashtag #WeFoundPhillip was launched once Fitzpatrick was located and he had accepted a four-night trip to the city, courtesy of its tourism board.