UK Cruisers - What if the price drop rule changed

After the recent fiasco with regards non convertible price codes on UK bookings which resulted in many upset/angry/disappointed UK Cruisers who did not get the price drops they believed they would get, what would like to see happen in the future ?

Do you think RCCL UK should adopt the RCCL US rule where price drops are given until final payment?

If RCCL UK did away completely with price drops but they were still available if booked through US TA would you book instead in the US?

I would book with whoever gave me the best deal. We sail on our first cruise in August and I know now I have paid way over the odds. However at the time of booking 9 months ago we were totally in the dark about what cruise line suited our needs. All we knew is wanted the right date with lots to do and no flying!!! The TA pointed us in the right direction and I am pleased she showed us the IOTS. It sounds amazing!!!! However if we are happy on this cruise which I am sure we will be I will be alot more price aware. I would therefore look seriously at all booking options and go for the one which saves us the most.

If they do follow the RCCL US way I would like to see them bring in refundable deposits or the ability to switch to another cruise without paying a hefty fee, we've been quite lucky with price drops in the past and most cruises i've looked at the price has actually gone up.

With the internet upsurge and traditional agents still being around for non-techies, I cant actually see any need for a UK office.

Do it all from the US and offer us the same "perks".

I always book thru a US travel agent.

After speaking with a few people, it seems in future I might book direct with RCI US and then switch the booking to a US TA just before final payment.

Benefit from price reductions, coupons etc with RCI US direct and then switch to the TA at the last minute to get extra perks out of their commission.

RCI - just ditch the UK office and give us the US perks please.

Hi Liz

Please tell me more about the recent fiasco with regards non convertible price codes on UK bookings. Are you referring to the "new bookings only" situation?

Even with the "new bookings only" fiasco,they are not consistent,and that is why many UK costomers get frustrated. I was really lucky to be upgraded to a D1 from an inside after a call to RC when the prices dropped(after RC telling the TA that the new prices were for new bookings only!) .Consistency is all we would like,IMHO ;)

I think that we get a poor deal in the UK. When you read the message boards here and the US posters are switching and upgrading all the time for no cost it seems unfair.

I have been watching(on websites) the cabin prices dropping versus the airfare climbing so it is a lose lose situation. If we could book( secure flight prices) then play the upgrade or obc credit game it would be great. Heck they may end up getting more money out of us as we bump up to a better cabin.

We can only dream......

After the recent fiasco with regards non convertible price codes on UK bookings which resulted in many upset/angry/disappointed UK Cruisers who did not get the price drops they believed they would get, what would like to see happen in the future ?

 

Do you think RCCL UK should adopt the RCCL US rule where price drops are given until final payment?

 

If RCCL UK did away completely with price drops but they were still available if booked through US TA would you book instead in the US?

Hi Elizanessie

I was advised by RCI customer support not the sales but the people who deal

with customer satisfaction that all prices quoted online are for "new bookings only" the same as NCL

there by making price drops obsolete in the UK

You can now only book Carnival in the UK with a TA or through the American site

I can see RCI going the same way

as more people book through the American site or American TA's where

they can take advantage of refundable deposits and price drops upto final payment

Only those cruisers who are not aware of the difference between booking

in the UK and US and those that choose to book in the UK for some small

measure of protection will continue to book here in the UK through a downsized

RCI UK office or TA but the price thay pay will be fixed with no price drops

This is just my humble opinion and I could well be wrong

regards

Damon

Hi

We recently upgraded to a Suite Guarantee which was "New Bookings Only"

I have to say it took some arm twisting and work from my TA but RCI UK finally said we could do it at a price, but at least it was at the New booking reduced price, so a good deal!

I just wish we were all on a level Playing field. Like our Friends over in the US with their refundable deposits!

I mean changing anything over in the UK to our bookings incurs a charge ranging from £35 to £70 pp depending what you want to do!

I have never used a US TA but the more I think about it, I could be tempted!

I didn't realise you could book through a US travel agent if you stayed in the UK, how does that work?

I wish we could get the price drops here in the UK, i once wanted to upgrade my cabin and online it showed a difference of £80 but when i phioned RCI they said it would be £280!!! :(

I was dismayed not to be able to get a substantial price drop on my cruise, because of the "new bookings only" rule so I ended up having to cancel and rebook. However, those of us in the UK are still at a disadvantage even if we do that as our deposits are non-refundable compared to those in the US who can cancel without penalty as well as getting price drops and WOW deals.

After the recent fiasco with regards non convertible price codes on UK bookings which resulted in many upset/angry/disappointed UK Cruisers who did not get the price drops they believed they would get, what would like to see happen in the future ?

 

Do you think RCCL UK should adopt the RCCL US rule where price drops are given until final payment?

 

If RCCL UK did away completely with price drops but they were still available if booked through US TA would you book instead in the US?

Yes, I would book solely in the US if I didn't get any further price drops over here. At present, I see which country offers the best deal and book accordingly.

I wouldn't turn down a price drop and even had one without asking, well before final payment, but I don't expect one as I book a cruise at a price I'm willing to pay.

However, I want a level playing field of refundable deposits, being able to to change cabins as many times as I choose, no charge for changing sailings and if booked a guarantee, once assigned to a category, being able to change to another available cabin in that category. All of this I keep being reminded of by my US friends are things they do all the time without any penalty but we can't do without some sort of charge.

Either that or make US bookings non refundable on deposits to stop people hogging the best cabins on a whim knowing full well they will cancel. It's like the chair hogs they all complain about, but they are doing all the time.

To be honest I don't want to book with a US TA as I prefer to deal direct with RCI and have control of my booking unless I'm going to get $$$$ in OBC like many US people seem to get, then I might consider it.

I agree with Pete - don't book unless you can afford it anyway - but I want a level playing field. What happens in Vegas should also happen in Gibraltar or Manchester or wherever we are obliged to book through UK agents.

I will therefore try to book wherever I get the best deal.

Totally agree after watching mega drops and introduction of free UK flights for our May cruise on the Mariner we finally got some OBC but only after intervention from an extremely sensible member of CA staff. We still paid considerably more than others. RCI need to introduce uniformity across the pond either honour price drops or not.

With the internet upsurge and traditional agents still being around for non-techies, I cant actually see any need for a UK office.

 

Do it all from the US and offer us the same "perks".

 

I always book thru a US travel agent.

 

After speaking with a few people, it seems in future I might book direct with RCI US and then switch the booking to a US TA just before final payment.

 

Benefit from price reductions, coupons etc with RCI US direct and then switch to the TA at the last minute to get extra perks out of their commission.

 

RCI - just ditch the UK office and give us the US perks please.

How would you find these US TA's and know they are trustworthy?

I would also like a level playing field - especially concerning deposits. I have just booked a 2-night sampler (treating son and girlfriend to first voyage) and the deposit was £200 each! that's almost the whole cruise paid for - and a huge loss if we had to cancel unexpectedly.

treat UK travellers like those for the US and you may have more loyalty.

I would also like a level playing field - especially concerning deposits. I have just booked a 2-night sampler (treating son and girlfriend to first voyage) and the deposit was £200 each! that's almost the whole cruise paid for - and a huge loss if we had to cancel unexpectedly.

 

treat UK travellers like those for the US and you may have more loyalty.

How would you find these US TA's and know they are trustworthy?

Recommendations from other cruisers. When you visit the CL lounge on your upcoming cruise, you'll be amazed at how much information you can gain ;). Always worth comparing the prices, sometimes it's cheaper over, other times it's way cheaper in the US, especially on the Tuesday Specials.

Has the deposit increased from the usual £150 per person? When did this happen? The RCI UK stills specifies £150 in the FAQs

We used our TA to book and they said the deposit had increased because it was a short cruise. I did query it but was told it was 'new terms and conditions'!!

See what I mean about level playing field?

Has anyone else heard of this increase? Elizanessie - any comment?

We used our TA to book and they said the deposit had increased because it was a short cruise. I did query it but was told it was 'new terms and conditions'!!

 

See what I mean about level playing field?

 

Has anyone else heard of this increase? Elizanessie - any comment?

There is one UK travel agent that insists on £300 per person deposit and that is not just for suites !! We only ever use them if the cruise we are looking at is a late deal whereby full monies have to be paid at time of booking. Imagine if you had to cancel with them ?:eek: Unfortunately I cannot name the TA.

We recently saw a massive price drop on a cruise which we have booked directly with RCI UK. I phoned to enquire about getting the price drop and something was mentioned about depends on which code we were booked on. We didn't get a price drop but an upgrade to an OV which was still less than we originally paid for our inside:mad:.

We usually have several cruises booked spanning over several months but this is the first time in years we haven't booked anything for the following year as we are just going to jump on the deals as they arrive.

With the internet upsurge and traditional agents still being around for non-techies, I cant actually see any need for a UK office.

Isn't RCL UK a separate business entity for UK/EU legal reasons?

Recommendations from other cruisers. When you visit the CL lounge on your upcoming cruise, you'll be amazed at how much information you can gain ;). Always worth comparing the prices, sometimes it's cheaper over, other times it's way cheaper in the US, especially on the Tuesday Specials.

Thanks for that. Will do some detective work in the CL next week.

It is not only in the UK, but also Australia. I was looking at the Voyager of the Seas one night cruise from Sydney, and when it came out it was over AU$300.00, for an inside stateroom. 2 weekends ago I had another look and saw that the price had dropped to AU$190.00 so I booked it. The next day I saw that the price had dropped even further to AU$165. When I contacted RCCL, they advised that this price was for new bookings only and it I cancelled and rebook, the system will see what I have done and charge the original fare. So I have left it as it is, and am looking forward to the day on board.

On a side note, even through RCCL is represented here in Australia, the website it refers to a UK telephone number and when the documents are issued it is by the UK. So to me it seems that RCCL Australia is part of RCCL UK.