Not Happy With Royal Caribbean

So we have 5 cabins booked on the Independence, 2 Balcony, 2 PR and 1 Inside. Once the final payment date came and went, the inside cabin price dropped. When calling they said the would upgrade that cabin to an Ocean View cabin on a different deck but could not offer any shipboard credit. Who would move their kids to another deck, not to mention break up a group of people traveling together?

I expect better customer service from a company that gets a premium for their product.

Thanks for the vent. Still can't wait for the cruise.

What did you want them to do ?

Lot of people have been posting that "issue" lately.

But the policy has for that has been in place for 4 years, I think.

No OBC, no price drop, only the option to upgrade.

I'm sure someone will point out that other lines do this, too, but we've only sailed RCI, so just know the rules here.

As for premium... well that's relative. But I doubt many will call RCI premium.

After final payment, an upgrade is all they'll do...no OBC!

So we have 5 cabins booked on the Independence, 2 Balcony, 2 PR and 1 Inside. Once the final payment date came and went, the inside cabin price dropped. When calling they said the would upgrade that cabin to an Ocean View cabin on a different deck but could not offer any shipboard credit. Who would move their kids to another deck, not to mention break up a group of people traveling together?

 

I expect better customer service from a company that gets a premium for their product.

 

Thanks for the vent. Still can't wait for the cruise.

This is not anything new. At least they allow to change the price before the final payment, unlike the airlines where you are stuck with what you paid at the time of reservation.

So we have 5 cabins booked on the Independence, 2 Balcony, 2 PR and 1 Inside. Once the final payment date came and went, the inside cabin price dropped. When calling they said the would upgrade that cabin to an Ocean View cabin on a different deck but could not offer any shipboard credit. Who would move their kids to another deck, not to mention break up a group of people traveling together?

 

I expect better customer service from a company that gets a premium for their product.

 

Thanks for the vent. Still can't wait for the cruise.

Rule of Thumb: Don't check prices after final payment UNLESS you want to upgrade!!!!

You have no reason to complain......;)

Honestly you were lucky to be offered an upgrade. Often the new lower pricing is for "new bookings only".

Sorry for your disappointment, but that policy has been in place for years.

M

After final payment, an upgrade is all they'll do...no OBC!

Awesome!! I'll take the upgrade. I always tell my DW, there will always be another sale so get it while you can and have no regrets!!

Once final payment has passed, if you don't plan to upgrade, why bother looking at prices? Certainly not the cruiseline's fault there isn't an upgraded cabin available near yours. You did read the cruise contract prior to making final payment, didn't you?

 

But the policy has for that has been in place for 4 years, I think.

 

4 1/2 if we are gonna get specific :D:p

As far as I know, NO mass market cruise line offers OBC for price drops AFTER final payment anymore. Only Carnivals Early Saver rate and that carries restrictions like non refundable deposit if you cancel and other restrictions.

I believe May 17 2010 was the cutoff date for Royal Caribbean.

Awesome!! I'll take the upgrade. I always tell my DW, there will always be another sale so get it while you can and have no regrets!!

But the upgrade (if there is a cabin available) is based on a price of the category that you booked and the price of the cat. that you want to be upgraded to, has to be the same or lower than what you paid.

Rule of Thumb: Don't check prices after final payment UNLESS you want to upgrade!!!!

 

You have no reason to complain......;)

Plus 1

and you want them to do... at least they offered a upgraded... rules are rules... then what would've been if they didn't offered the upgraded. You will have post also the same, that you were not happy... one way or other you have something to complain... I think what they did was good since normally all the new offers are for NEW BOOKINGS ONLY and NOT for existing... if you don't want to split your party, easy decline the offer and stick with your old room... is A or B no option C... :D

But the upgrade (if there is a cabin available) is based on a price of the category that you booked and the price of the cat. that you want to be upgraded to, has to be the same or lower than what you paid.

Yes, if you're not interested in paying the difference. Many have upgraded to higher categories because the difference in price is within their threshold of reason. GTO-Girl got it right, unless you're looking for an upgrade, there's no need to be a price hawk after final payment.

I sympathize with you in theory, but this is the risk you take for planning ahead vs. rolling the dice and booking last minute. There are websites out there that record all cruise price changes if you really wanted to research and see how much prices can drop as the sail dates get near (access to that data is free on the site I use).

With a group like that finding cabins near one another would have been difficult, which is one of the reasons why they have to drop prices.

I tell people that if you have insides you really should never look at prices post-final payment. You are likely to see drops that make your blood boil, and there is nothing you can do about it. I don't even post inside price drops after final payment in my roll calls simply to keep from upsetting people (I do post all others for those who would consider upgrading).

My technique is simple, book as far ahead as I can and grab whatever deals come along (if any) along the way. I'm doing pretty good this year as the sale that came out on May 2 of this year yielded me drops on every cruise I had booked, it was awesome (for me any many others). Those same cruises haven't dropped lower than that price since, so I'm confident that I got the best deal I can.

I watch prices closely up until my sail date to see if I can get any deals on suites, which works out about half the time so far. We shall see if Royal really intends to do away with those last minute drops, as I'm a master at taking advantage of them.

I book our cruises early and select our cabin of choice then watch for price drops.

So we have 5 cabins booked on the Independence, 2 Balcony, 2 PR and 1 Inside. Once the final payment date came and went, the inside cabin price dropped. When calling they said the would upgrade that cabin to an Ocean View cabin on a different deck but could not offer any shipboard credit. Who would move their kids to another deck, not to mention break up a group of people traveling together?

 

I expect better customer service from a company that gets a premium for their product.

 

Thanks for the vent. Still can't wait for the cruise.

It has absolutely nothing to do with Customer Service. RCI's pricing policy, which has been in effect since May 17, 2010, states that they will honor price drops until final payment as long as the price reductions are not for new bookings only. This is for everyone.

If, after final payment, a cabin category higher than what was originally booked is priced the same as or lower than what the client originally paid for, an upgrade can be requested. And that's exactly what they offered you......an upgrade.

This is not anything new. At least they allow to change the price before the final payment, unlike the airlines where you are stuck with what you paid at the time of reservation.

Not entirely true. We got a credit toward a future flight when our price dropped on Southwest a few years ago.

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We got a free upgrade after final deposit from an inside to an outside oceanview balcony cabin just a few weeks ago on the Oasis repositioning cruise. The wife and I were amazed that we got such a great upgrade.

Not entirely true. We got a credit toward a future flight when our price dropped on Southwest a few years ago.

 

 

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Emphasis on "future" though, which means that it will likely never be used and, even if it is, it should generate revenue and force some brand loyalty.

After final payment your screwed.

Try living in the UK where you'd get nothing

So we have 5 cabins booked on the Independence, 2 Balcony, 2 PR and 1 Inside. Once the final payment date came and went, the inside cabin price dropped. When calling they said the would upgrade that cabin to an Ocean View cabin on a different deck but could not offer any shipboard credit. Who would move their kids to another deck, not to mention break up a group of people traveling together?

 

I expect better customer service from a company that gets a premium for their product.

 

Thanks for the vent. Still can't wait for the cruise.

move someone from the other rooms around to take advantage of the upgrade. RCL is NOT a premium line their premium line is Azamara.

Rule of Thumb: Don't check prices after final payment UNLESS you want to upgrade!!!!

 

You have no reason to complain......;)

I like that quote.

Sorta goes the same with my Delta airline tickets. My wife tells me I am not allowed to look and see if the prices go cheaper.

Once the final payment is due , it is what it is. and I also hate that saying.