Royal Caribbean Announces Best Price Guarantee

Royal Caribbean Announces Best Price Guarantee

PRWeb

posted: 4 HOURS 55 MINUTES AGO

Price Protection Program Offers Guests Cruise Line’s Lowest Advertised Fare

Miami, FL (Vocus) September 22, 2009 -- Vacationers can enjoy the benefits of booking early and the peace of mind of receiving the best advertised prices with Royal Caribbean International’s Best Price Guarantee program. By booking early, vacationers have access to a much wider selection of staterooms and availability on their desired departure date. If the guest then finds a lower fare advertised by Royal Caribbean for the same ship, sail-date and stateroom category, they can receive the difference in price as an onboard credit to spend on cocktails, spa services, specialty dining and other shipboard purchases. Any dollars not spent will be refunded at the conclusion of the cruise.

“Best Price Guarantee gives guests peace of mind, allowing them to plan ahead, book early and get the staterooms and excursions that they want with no worries that a better deal will come along after they’ve committed,” said Betsy O’Rourke, senior vice president of Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “We want our guests to know that they received a good deal from us, which helps them enjoy their vacation with us even more.”

Guests can take advantage of Royal Caribbean’s Best Price Guarantee immediately from the time of booking to up to 72 hours prior to sailing. When guests booked with Royal Caribbean find a subsequent qualifying lower price advertised by the cruise line after they’ve booked, they simply contact Royal Caribbean or their travel agent, who will make the request to the cruise line. The difference in pricing will be provided in the form of an onboard credit. For reservations outside of the final payment period, onboard credit may be replaced, upon request, with a reduction to guests’ outstanding balance or a refund, as applicable. A limited number of pricing programs are excluded from the Best Price Guarantee program and does not apply to group bookings. Other terms and conditions may apply. For full terms and conditions, please visit http://www.RoyalCaribbean.com/BestPriceGuarantee.

Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 20 ships currently in service and two under construction. The line also offers unique cruise tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. For additional information or to make reservations, call your travel agent, visit http://www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. Travel professionals should go to http://www.cruisingpower.com

They have been doing this all along. Now they've put a name to it.

People are not booking as early as they used to - by putting a name to a program they were already doing, they are getting the attention of those who didn't know and they are hoping more people will book farther in advance.

Thanks for posting this "official" confirmation of their policy. I had read that they sometimes honored price reductions, but I didn't know that they would always do so. We recently received a refund on our 10/30 Celebrity cruise due to a price reduction, although others on our roll call received onboard credit.

And it should be stressed to new cruisers that the reduction (and refund or credit) is not automatic; you must keep an eye on the prices for your sailing and contact the cruiseline or your TA and ask for it.

And Lynnees: you're right. I will now consider booking early since I am assured that I can get the price reduction if it comes along.

We have always booked early to ensure we get the cabin that we want, price drops have always been honoured. Pleased to see this is now an official operating practice.

They have been doing this all along. Now they've put a name to it.

 

People are not booking as early as they used to - by putting a name to a program they were already doing, they are getting the attention of those who didn't know and they are hoping more people will book farther in advance.

The post says nothing about getting the refund back to your credit card. It says you get an OBC and, at the end of the cruise you can get non spent money back.

Up till now we always got our price drops as a refund to our CC.

The post says nothing about getting the refund back to your credit card. It says you get an OBC and, at the end of the cruise you can get non spent money back.

 

Up till now we always got our price drops as a refund to our CC.

Yes, that's true. I believe, though that they are still giving the reduction back in the manner paid until final payment has passed. Then it becomes OBC.

The post says nothing about getting the refund back to your credit card. It says you get an OBC and, at the end of the cruise you can get non spent money back.

 

Up till now we always got our price drops as a refund to our CC.

Guests can take advantage of Royal Caribbean’s Best Price Guarantee immediately from the time of booking to up to 72 hours prior to sailing. When guests booked with Royal Caribbean find a subsequent qualifying lower price advertised by the cruise line after they’ve booked, they simply contact Royal Caribbean or their travel agent, who will make the request to the cruise line. The difference in pricing will be provided in the form of an onboard credit. For reservations outside of the final payment period, onboard credit may be replaced, upon request, with a reduction to guests’ outstanding balance or a refund, as applicable. A limited number of pricing programs are excluded from the Best Price Guarantee program and does not apply to group bookings. Other terms and conditions may apply. For full terms and conditions, please visit .

Interestingly enough - the post says "does not apply to group bookings"

Personally I am not going to be joining a group booking until the very last minute so that I can take part in any price drops.

Doesnt seem to bode well for TA's

Yes it clearly shows they are ensuring that any money you are owed gets spent on ship and not anywhere else.

If it happens to me i'll make sure I spend it on something on board before I lose it.

Yes it clearly shows they are ensuring that any money you are owed gets spent on ship and not anywhere else.

 

If it happens to me i'll make sure I spend it on something on board before I lose it.

The balance of what you do NOT spend, if any, will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise. That is what the policy states.

We have always booked early to ensure we get the cabin that we want, price drops have always been honoured. Pleased to see this is now an official operating practice.

Do you really think this will apply to us in the UK as well?? I won't believe it until I see it on the.co.uk website I'm afraid - because of our £35 for a price drop fee.

Do you really think this will apply to us in the UK as well?? I won't believe it until I see it on the.co.uk website I'm afraid - because of our £35 for a price drop fee.

Doesnt apply in UK..it says in the T&Cs of that announcement-

Terms & Conditions

Program applies only to guests in the fifty states and Canada and applies only to bookings that were fully deposited prior to the expiration of this program,

Do you really think this will apply to us in the UK as well?? I won't believe it until I see it on the.co.uk website I'm afraid - because of our £35 for a price drop fee.

The official policy states that it applies to the 50 States and Canada bookings only.

Albert .... more tilt to the ever unlevel playing field ....:mad: between the UK and USA cruisers.

If everybody books way upfront, then there will be no need to reduce the price of a cabin. I think you are defeating the purpose here. The only way cabins are reduced, are if they do not sell. I would rather take my chances with a cabin location than pay too much money up front.

Terms & Conditions from RCL web-site

Program applies only to guests in the fifty states and Canada and applies only to bookings that were fully deposited prior to the expiration of this program, Guests who have a qualifying booking booked at a higher fare can receive the difference between that fare and a lower fare advertised or offered by the applicable Cruise Line in the form of an onboard cruise credit. (For reservations outside of final payment period, the guest may request the difference be granted in the form of a refund.) Requests for adjustments must be received by the cruise line at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled departure time for the cruise. The lower fare must be a) available for the same ship, sailing, category and number of guests as the current booking; b) available at the time the request for rate conversion is made; and c) a rate program that is not limited to new bookings only. If the lower rate is available under any of the following special price programs, it shall not be available under this Price Protection Program: Royal Sales Event and Exciting Deals; Travel Agent, Interline or Industry Reduced Rates; Employee rate programs. The Price Protection Program does not apply to any berths that are part of a group booking, any charter arrangements nor does it apply to any space that sold to a third party for resale. Price protection does not apply to government taxes and fees and/or fuel supplement charges. This Price Protection Program may be discontinued or modified at any time without prior notice and shall be void where prohibited or restricted by applicable law.

Thank you! It's nice to see this confirmation of a policy we have always depended on when booking early, as is our habit. I get the cabin I want and the best price.:)

We just tested the new Best Price Guarantee Program.

Have a cruise booked for 11/30 on Radiance and final payment was made on yesterday, 9/21. Checking the website today I saw that there was an additional Military discount in addition to the one that we received several weeks ago on our JS cabin in the amount of $75pp.

Our TA called it in and we will have an additional $150 OBC on our SeaPass Account. :D

Now, if they would just give it to me in writing..........I would feel sooooo much better.

Nothing different than what has been the policy, but if they really wanted to make it special, they would monitor the price you paid and give you an automatic refund if it went lower. Talk about a low price gaurantee, then they would actually have something. But to gut what they are already doing a name, just doesn't do anything for me, sorry.

But thanks for posting!:)

Interestingly enough - the post says "does not apply to group bookings"

 

Personally I am not going to be joining a group booking until the very last minute so that I can take part in any price drops.

 

Doesnt seem to bode well for TA's

Not boding well with me at all. Recently tried and failed. I'll never book myself 18 months before a sailing again.

They have been doing this all along. Now they've put a name to it.

 

People are not booking as early as they used to - by putting a name to a program they were already doing, they are getting the attention of those who didn't know and they are hoping more people will book farther in advance.

Here is an idea. Reinstate the combinabilty of discounts/OBC again. I know that it kept myself and many others onboard Liberty last week of booking another cruise while onboard.

They have been doing this all along. Now they've put a name to it.

 

People are not booking as early as they used to - by putting a name to a program they were already doing, they are getting the attention of those who didn't know and they are hoping more people will book farther in advance.

You always received the better price. The difference now is that it is given as on board credit rather than a credit to the credit card you used to pay for the cruise.

I booked in April of 2009 for May of 2010, saw this thread and checked to see if my sailing and staterooms were lower--they were! I have 2 Jr. Suites booked for 6 people and I just saved $1,136. My final payment isn't due until March so it came off my final payment. I just told my TA that it was cheaper, sent her the above policy and she did it immediately. I was so excited I was dancing in my office.:D

Kerrie:)

Interestingly enough - the post says "does not apply to group bookings"

 

Personally I am not going to be joining a group booking until the very last minute so that I can take part in any price drops.

 

Doesnt seem to bode well for TA's

No, it doesn't bode well for some TA's. The one I'm using for a cruise in November says she will not honor any price reductions. Needless to say, I will not be booking another cruise through her.

one problem is booking with a TA. I couldn't reach them on the weekend and the price went up on monday. Lost 680.00. Won't book thruta again.