Cruise oversold

So we're on our way to Ft. Lauderdale to get on a 10 night cruise on Serenade tomorrow. Booked a guarantee balcony room.

As of this morning room still not assigned. No worries, I heard that although it is rare, it does happen.

Then I get a call from Royal Caribbean. "I'm sorry ma'am but I have bad news. Your cruise was oversold. You can do a 7 night on Harmony and $400 onboard credit or we can give full refund." W H A T ? ? ?

I asked how it could be oversold and he said they had some rooms they thought would be available but they're not. I asked how many rooms oversold. He said 15!

So like everyone else that booked this cruise for many personal reasons I told him I was very disappointed and that this was unacceptable.

Has anyone ever experienced this?

Yes, it's happened before. I recall another thread about this subject a few months ago.

So we're on our way to Ft. Lauderdale to get on a 10 night cruise on Serenade tomorrow. Booked a guarantee balcony room.

As of this morning room still not assigned. No worries, I heard that although it is rare, it does happen.

Then I get a call from Royal Caribbean. "I'm sorry ma'am but I have bad news. Your cruise was oversold. You can do a 7 night on Harmony and $400 onboard credit or we can give full refund." W H A T ? ? ?

I asked how it could be oversold and he said they had some rooms they thought would be available but they're not. I asked how many rooms oversold. He said 15!

So like everyone else that booked this cruise for many personal reasons I told him I was very disappointed and that this was unacceptable.

Has anyone ever experienced this?

SOOOO sorry to hear that! Harmony is a beautiful ship so if you have not sailed on her yet - I say go with that option.

How horrible, Lisa, what did you do? :evilsmile::loudcry::mad:

That is horrible! The two options they are providing don't seem anywhere near close to compensating you for your expense and inconvenience. Does your paperwork have anything in the fine print that they are allowed to do this?

Sounds to me that they gave away your room to a VIP or a corporate group.

Here is the other thread I remember, it was farther back than I thought:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2366445

Told him no. I gave them my money and they promised me a room. Not really sure what will happen. He said he had been making calls all morning. I guess they keep calling until enough people accept the offer?

He just said he will leave it as it is then.

I'll update with more info as it goes on. Just was shocked to get the call. You're on top of the world on the way to a 10 night perfect getaway and BAM!:o

After reading the other thread,sounds like you should balk louder. Shorter cruise,you have to change or try to book new Airfare or book a hotel all for $400?!

They might get 15 locals to take the bait and then come back to you.

Biker, who would take the Harmony deal but would ask for some money back and the OBC.

Shorter cruise,you have to change or try to book new Airfare or book a hotel all for $400?!

OP is in FL, though fairly far from PE - they start baiting the locals before talking to those further away.

Biker, who wonders if this an isolated incident.

OP is in FL, though fairly far from PE - they start baiting the locals before talking to those further away.

 

Biker, who wonders if this an isolated incident.

Bob does not believe this is isolated. Bob thinks it's part of the larger push to increase revenue at all costs.

Bob thinks it's part of the larger push to increase revenue at all costs.

Bumping people doesn't seem to solve the increased revenue part. RCI's cabin inventory prognosticator app must be run by their IT dept.

I can understand bumping people, but not with just a day to go.

We were given an inside room instead of our balcony. First found out on the website the Friday before our Sunday cruise when a cabin number popped up along with a post for the need to pay more for the room. Guess they wanted my balcony discount back plus another $100 or so to make the room switch.

Phone calls to Resolutions ended up with us having to pay more to rebook a lesser cabin category (with equal OBC) on a future sailing.

Stilll not happy as we wouldn't normally spend $400 once onboard and because it was non refundable, had to or lose it.

Was not offered a refund, but could have cruised in the PR for tips and taxes only - an offer NOT acceptable to my husband.

I've also seen more postings about RCI over bookings. As I told resolutions, if this is a procedure RCI intends to continue, they should adopt the Princess move over program where you get the rebooked cruise for free with your currently paid for cruise becoming refundable OBC once you complete the move over cruise.

In that you are already on your way, the Harmony should help sweeten the switch but call resolutions to ensure your OBC is refundable and get it in writing.

Judy

Ps - you should also be comped $500 more for the three days of hotels and meals needed to equal the difference in days sailed.

Bumping people doesn't seem to solve the increased revenue part. RCI's cabin inventory prognosticator app must be run by their IT dept.

 

I can understand bumping people, but not with just a day to go.

I agree, the day to go thing seems like an IT snafu.

I just wonder if they look at the price paid when deciding who to bump.

This makes me kind of nervous. Sail Allure on the 30th and still no room assignment, while I see others on the same sailing have. We have an inside GTY for 3. When i go to do a mock booking there are no inside or ocean views available for 3, and only a few balcony cabins left. I'm sure all will be OK, but we've booked GTY cabins for years and never been this close w/o a room assignment.

Good luck to you, and hope everything works out in your favor!

SOOOO sorry to hear that! Harmony is a beautiful ship so if you have not sailed on her yet - I say go with that option.

I second that.After 43 cruises i make Harmony no 1. I'm sure you will have a great cruise.

We cruise with RCCL and P&O.

I just wonder if they look at the price paid when deciding who to bump.

I assume most of the folks bumped booked fairly late and on GTY rates like the OP, so they might be pretty close or same in price. Location of the traveler and maybe C&A level might be a more important factor, or even date of booking - first booked, last to be bumped.

Yikes...so sorry OP on your situation. Hope it finally works out for you.

I guess that is another reason I won't book a guarantee cabin. Very upsetting indeed.

I assume most of the folks bumped booked fairly late and on GTY rates like the OP, so they might be pretty close or same in price. Location of the traveler and maybe C&A level might be a more important factor, or even date of booking - first booked, last to be bumped.

Airlines and hotels have overlooked for years sorry to hear cruise ships starting to do it.

We cruise with RCCL and P&O.

I would refuse. Tell them that you are flying back from Hawaii for the cruise, the airline tickets are non-refundable, and that it will cost you a lot of money ect. Basically make them choose someone else. It is not abnormal for cruises or planes to overbook but that is a significant overbooking.

It is not abnormal for cruises or planes to overbook but that is a significant overbooking.

15 cabins out of about 500? I wouldn't call that significant.

I assume most of the folks bumped booked fairly late and on GTY rates like the OP, so they might be pretty close or same in price. Location of the traveler and maybe C&A level might be a more important factor, or even date of booking - first booked, last to be bumped.

We booked about six weeks out. Options were inside, balcony guaranty only, JS (8? available) and a loft suite. Didn't want to pay more than double for a JS, so took the balcony guaranty. Later that week 30+- balconies opened up and then sold over the next three weeks.

I was definitely checking for room assignment as they never took that long for past guaranty bookings.

By the way, being D++ just dumped us down to we don't really care if you've been a frequent cruiser or that was how it came across from RCI. RCI refused to give a cabin upgrade, wanted over $800 ($400 OBC) for an equal cabin or $340 with matching OBC.

I would definitely worry with future guaranty bookings on RCI and fortunately like cruising Princess and Celebrity. At least Princess sweetens the pill.

Wait - this scenario would ONLY affect those with GTY bookings? Am I right?

Wait - this scenario would ONLY affect those with GTY bookings? Am I right?

Yes, much less likely you will get bumped from a confirmed cabin assignment.

Yes only with guaranteed cabins...one reason why I would never book this way because I heard of it happening, the other is I don't want to get stuck on a low deck or in an undesirable area on the ship such as right under the galley, next to the service elevator etc.

Harmony is their best ship so far, but loosing 3 more nights is horrible in my book....I would suggest OP if I were in your shoes, the shipboard credit is to compensate for the less three days on the cruise should you accept the Harmony but I am sorry they not giving you enough back to compensate honestly of what you paid for those three days....I would make them a deal....they give you the Harmony and shipboard credit and since you expected a 10 night cruise if they can give you a B2B and put you after or before the Harmony on the Serenade or the Independence as it is a 4 night cruise...and tell them that is the only deal you see being fair and not paying anything extra!