Going Going Gone Sale - Upgrade

Today I upgraded from a D8 Ocean Balcony to Jr Suite on Harmony of the Seas. The rate listed online was part of their weekly Going Going Gone Sale and Royal Caribbean didn't want to give me the current rate, as it was for "New Bookings Only." I don't mind sharing but it was around $650 more than my current rate, but this is the first time I've seen them push back when I'm trying to pay them more. In the past, I've ran into this when it's a "no cost" upgrade. But today, was the first trying to pay them more money and they were turning it away.

My travel agent got it done after an hour talking with them, so in the end I got the suite.

Has anyone else ran into this issue trying to upgrade (for more money) and they say no? :confused:

Today I upgraded from a D8 Ocean Balcony to Jr Suite on Harmony of the Seas. The rate listed online was part of their weekly Going Going Gone Sale and Royal Caribbean didn't want to give me the current rate, as it was for "New Bookings Only." I don't mind sharing but it was around $650 more than my current rate, but this is the first time I've seen them push back when I'm trying to pay them more. In the past, I've ran into this when it's a "no cost" upgrade. But today, was the first trying to pay them more money and they were turning it away.

 

My travel agent got it done after an hour talking with them, so in the end I got the suite.

 

Has anyone else ran into this issue trying to upgrade (for more money) and they say no? :confused:

If it is a promotion with restrictions for new bookings only then yes. The cruise is repriced which technically cancels the old booking and is repriced as a new booking. Outside of final payment date I normally don't get much resistance but as you are within final payment I expect that was why it was harder to get it resolved.

Has anyone else ran into this issue trying to upgrade (for more money) and they say no? :confused:

Yes, this happened to me last December on the Serenade. I was booked in an ocean view and after final payment there were LOADS of balconies left. There for awhile (and I mean several weeks) it was cheaper to book a balcony than it was to book an ocean view room. Balconies were just a few hundred dollars more than I originally booked my ocean view for, and I tried (through my TA) several times to pay them that extra few hundred dollars to upgrade but they initially just said no, new bookings only. Then after a couple more tries they said they would do it but I would lose my $200 OBC (effectively costing me an extra $200 to upgrade). I said no thanks. Then finally they accepted my money and let me keep my OBC after weeks of having a ton of balconies available and multiple calls from my TA. It was pretty annoying to have to keep contacting my TA, and I think she dreaded getting a call / email from me there towards the end, but I got what I wanted in the end so I guess it was worth it.

Yes,

I thought this was common to us UK residents only but it seems not.

Following the final payment our sailing on Navigator last May was showing more than one JS available for a payment of £700 GBP above that I had paid for a balcony stateroom. I wanted to make the change and offered the additional monies but my application was refused.

I thought they were nuts turning down the chance for additional revenue ....what other businesses would do that ?

Look ma, someone marvels at RCI sticking with the rules of a policy?

If it is a promotion with restrictions for new bookings only then yes. The cruise is repriced which technically cancels the old booking and is repriced as a new booking. Outside of final payment date I normally don't get much resistance but as you are within final payment I expect that was why it was harder to get it resolved.

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am i to understand that OP wanted to pay full price to upgrade to a better room and they said no initially?

am i to understand that OP wanted to pay full price to upgrade to a better room and they said no initially?

He wanted to pay the difference between what he had already paid and the sale rate on the Going Going Gone sale.

that stinks he wanted to pay full price and they gave him a hassle. NCL too my money happily to upgrade to haven at full price and i do believe i was in final.

that stinks he wanted to pay full price and they gave him a hassle. NCL too my money happily to upgrade to haven at full price and i do believe i was in final.

I believe the problem was that from Royal's point of view it was not full price. It was a sale price on the Going Going Gone sale, which stipulates new bookings. I realize this "new booking" restriction is widely ignored by Royal, but they chose to enforce it this time.

Before final payment, they pretty much have no choice as someone could cancel and rebook. Years ago, they used to have a look back period for WOW sales and tried to catch those who cancelled and rebooked. I've not heard of them doing that for a long time, so maybe they cannot catch that anymore.

I would guess that as more and more people choose bookings with non-refundable deposits, there will be more enforcement of the "new booking" restriction as they will have much more leverage.

I believe the problem was that from Royal's point of view it was not full price. It was a sale price on the Going Going Gone sale, which stipulates new bookings. I realize this "new booking" restriction is widely ignored by Royal, but they chose to enforce it this time.

 

 

Before final payment, they pretty much have no choice as someone could cancel and rebook. Years ago, they used to have a look back period for WOW sales and tried to catch those who cancelled and rebooked. I've not heard of them doing that for a long time, so maybe they cannot catch that anymore.

 

I would guess that as more and more people choose bookings with non-refundable deposits, there will be more enforcement of the "new booking" restriction as they will have much more leverage.

In 2010 I had a hold on a cruise, but decided to let it cancel out. A month later a wow sale came with $200 OBC so I booked it (same sailing). Well after a few weeks I noticed my OBC was gone, so I called to inquire about it. Sure enough it was removed because of my other booking "curtsy hold." So I cancelled it again since they wouldn't honor the promo.

You are correct they don't really monitor the wow sales anymore like that.

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