Diamond benefit question

I was an emerald member on my last cruise when I booked my upcoming cruise. The crown and anchor loyalty ambassador told us to wait until we received notification that we were diamond and then call and apply a diamond balcony discount. It's exactly what we did. We booked it in October last year....and I believe in December I called to apply the diamond balcony discount. Mine didn't need to be rebooked.

They did not initiate the new policy until early this year when the implemented the new computer reservations system.

I agree with others -- it's too bad they're taking that stance, and it does appear cheap to me. I have had a level change applied to a previously booked cruise twice in the past without it changing my fare. In fact, both times the LA on-board encouraged me to book and just call for the additional discount once I received notice of the level change. It seems like an odd way to reward loyal cruisers who are excited about moving up in the C&A program.

All the reasons stated on this thread are the reasons why we are burning through our last on board booking with RCCL and then dumping them for good and moving over to Celebrity.

The games they play, and all the restrictions on not being able to combine discounts, etc are so frustrating. I used to be 100% loyal to Royal but they just made it too hard and too expensive to justify continuing to spend money with them. I know Celebrity is still owned by Royal but things are just so much easier with them. You don't have to worry about the Diamond balcony discount or anything, and their onboard Elite perks are soooo much better than RCCL.

All the reasons stated on this thread are the reasons why we are burning through our last on board booking with RCCL and then dumping them for good and moving over to Celebrity.

 

The games they play, and all the restrictions on not being able to combine discounts, etc are so frustrating. I used to be 100% loyal to Royal but they just made it too hard and too expensive to justify continuing to spend money with them. I know Celebrity is still owned by Royal but things are just so much easier with them. You don't have to worry about the Diamond balcony discount or anything, and their onboard Elite perks are soooo much better than RCCL.

All the reasons stated on this thread are the reasons why we are burning through our last on board booking with RCCL and then dumping them for good and moving over to Celebrity.

 

The games they play, and all the restrictions on not being able to combine discounts, etc are so frustrating. I used to be 100% loyal to Royal but they just made it too hard and too expensive to justify continuing to spend money with them. I know Celebrity is still owned by Royal but things are just so much easier with them. You don't have to worry about the Diamond balcony discount or anything, and their onboard Elite perks are soooo much better than RCCL.

I do agree with you Celebrity has so many different events for people who are diamond or elite .they give much more the only thing that in the evenings or during the day for example around the pool not much going on. In the evenings if you want to stay up late and enjoy some people dancing and some band playing some songs you don't find it in celebrity. This why we do both. When we want to be spoiled we go celebrity when we want activity we go RCCL.

We had the same problem, and they won't fix it. They keep telling me that the balcony discount is correct. We have three cruises booked with our old C&A designation, but the cruises booked with the new designation have the correct discount. They need to stop building new ships, and stop these cutbacks.

They did not initiate the new policy until early this year when the implemented the new computer reservations system.

Wow...well I guess I got lucky then. I don't think it's fair. I wonder if you can just book it without a balcony discount of any kind and then wait until you are official upgraded to another benefit status? Then call and ask to apply your balcony discount? i wonder if that would work? Just don't apply any discount at all until you move up your status officially?

Wow...well I guess I got lucky then. I don't think it's fair. I wonder if you can just book it without a balcony discount of any kind and then wait until you are official upgraded to another benefit status? Then call and ask to apply your balcony discount? i wonder if that would work? Just don't apply any discount at all until you move up your status officially?

That could be worse because they would still want to re-price the booking. You might be left with no discount.

This is a problem at all levels with your previous made bookings

Nothing you can do

Imagine if you book heaps in advance just off a level

They all end up in that boat

I had 8 cruises fall into that when I broke 350 points and the single occupancy reduction

And suffered

Remembered that for when hitting the pineapple

 

 

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remember that when hitting the pineapple is the best thing I've read today :D

I had an issue with pricing a few months ago, we have 2XB2B cruises around OZ and NZ booked for Autumn (Fall) I booked them as soon as they were available as we wanted a specific outside cabin, at the front which looked forwards. Some months ago the price dropped considerably, ( many hundreds of uk pounds). As I believed it was highly unlikely I would get a price drop on the cruises I asked to be upgraded to a balcony as given the new prices this would easily fit insided what we were paying. However to upgrade RCI wanted more money the explanation was that any price to upgrade would have to be based on what the Balcony price was at the time I made the original booking. So I said ok I will cancel loose my original deposit paid and the OBS if necessary and rebook my original outsides at the lessor price and as we say here still be "Quids In" finally somebody in RCI looked laterally at the problem and reduced our price without the need to cancel anything or loose deposits and OBC. It just need someone at RCI there to look at the situation and not just accept what the computor says. Which luckily for us happened giving us a satisfactory conclusion.

That could be worse because they would still want to re-price the booking. You might be left with no discount.

Argghhhh yea...didn't think about that. I was thinking they would price it and then you could apply a discount later....without having to rebook. that just stinks...sigh. I just made diamond so I know it's going to be a long time before I hit the next tier

Little by little, they are chipping away at the loyalty perks. It's been happening for quite a while. There are always the ones on the boards that will answer by saying what a great bargain it is and remind everyone of the "good old days" and the high prices to book a cruise "back when." I cruised during the good old days and still cruise. I remember when you were able to apply the Diamond discount, apply the coupon, and apply any drop in price and for me, those were the good old days. We recently went to book (for the second time) with the LA, a "decide later" and it now only gives you a $25 per cabin OBC for booking. The lower deposit isn't really an incentive to us. So the incentive is $12.50 each if there are two in the cabin. It's just one change after another. RCI has gotten a little cocky and greedy. We're checking out other cruise lines. It has slowly chipped away at our loyalty. Our Diamond status won't change but our loyalty will.

I need some help please. I booked a cruise while I was an emerald with RCCL. I just completed a cruise and now I'm diamond. I called Crown & Ancer so I can get the balcony discount As a diamond since it is more but I was told that in order for me to get the extra balcony discount from emerald to diamond my booking need to be repriced and since the cruise went up I will not be able to get the extra discount. I was very disappointed as I was not making any changes to my booking and instead of them congratulating me for being diamond I was told I can't get the diamond balcony discount. Any of you experienced that? Is it true?

Yes, it is true that they reprice. I had the same situation for 2 cruises. I called C and A, they repriced my cruises....luckily, they were the same price as when I had booked, so I was able to get the Diamond discount. A week later the prices went up, so I am glad I called when I did. Reprice DOES NOT MEAN REBOOK...you have the same cabin.

If the price with the Emerald discount works out cheaper for you, then keep it that way, rather than reprice the cruise at a higher price and then get the Diamond discount.

Another option is (that is if you are not within final payment period) to watch the price....the day it goes down, then call and have the discount applied. This may mean the the price has to go down, not due to a wow or weekend sale.

Good Luck.:) Post your outcome.