Royal Caribbean Announces Best Price Guarantee

[coxswain]

My understanding of UK bookings is that you get one change free and if you make another or price drop that you will be charged 35gb. If this is not correct someone will come along and correct me.

 

 

 

You're correct Sue

 

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[Elizanessie]

Where did you hear that Sue?

 

The new policy for UK/Europe with regard to charges came into being on June 1st.

 

You can make one change to your booking for free and after that it is £35 per person for each change...be it price drop or moving to another cabin :mad:

[Sue L]

Where did you hear that Sue?

 

 

It has been discussed on these boards a lot!!

[Addict]

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=3454

 

No mention that it doesn't apply to the UK !!

 

jj........

 

jj - it does clearly state at the bottom of the article that it does not apply to us in the UK - so I wonder why they felt the need to put this article on the UK site. I have emailed cruise critic to ask why - as if they need to tell us we are being disadvantaged once again over our American friends!!:mad:

 

Thanks for rubbing our faces in it cruise critic!!!!

 

Sue

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

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.

 

 

HI patti.....same here, we got a very nice rate drop on our JS - after final and will have a rather large OBC that we can get the unused balance refunded.....it's on our confirmation. So I can either go crazy and spend like mad for 5 days or be frugal and bring home the change.......me thinks I will be frugal!!!!!! :D

 

BTW....very cute picture of your GD.

 

***

[Elizanessie]

jj - it does clearly state at the bottom of the article that it does not apply to us in the UK - so I wonder why they felt the need to put this article on the UK site. I have emailed cruise critic to ask why - as if they need to tell us we are being disadvantaged once again over our American friends!!:mad:

 

Thanks for rubbing our faces in it cruise critic!!!!

 

Sue

 

I would guess that the reason it is on the UK version of CC is because they know that a lot of UK Cruisers book with US travel agents and therefore their bookings come under US rules.

[coxswain]

I would guess that the reason it is on the UK version of CC is because they know that a lot of UK Cruisers book with US travel agents and therefore their bookings come under US rules.

 

 

 

So if you book with a US.TA your fine ?

 

 

 

 

 

jj......

[BroncosFan2010]

I am assuming you can get the OBC transferred to your credit card instead of an OBC... Right? But you have to specially ask for it that way?

[aussiepom]

So if you book with a US.TA your fine ?

 

 

 

Why anyone would book with a U.K. T. A. with the situation over deposits lost etc is a mystery to me....

[Sue L]

I am assuming you can get the OBC transferred to your credit card instead of an OBC... Right? But you have to specially ask for it that way?

 

 

What you don't use at the end of the cruise you will get credited back to the cc on the seapass account.

[cruisenfever]

HI patti.....same here, we got a very nice rate drop on our JS - after final and will have a rather large OBC that we can get the unused balance refunded.....it's on our confirmation. So I can either go crazy and spend like mad for 5 days or be frugal and bring home the change.......me thinks I will be frugal!!!!!! :D

 

BTW....very cute picture of your GD.

 

***

Hi Linda, and thanks for the info. Our TA is going to request another confirmation invoice for us.

 

If you're frugal, you'll have more to put down on another cruise.

 

Thanks for the kind words on the picture..........she is our little princess.:p

[Sharonbel]

I have booked w/agents up to 2 years ago when I realized that I have total control over my booking by booking directly with the cruiseline. Since RCCL doesn't allow the agents to post price reductions lower than their posted price on the web BUT DOES allow the cruiseline to give up some commission $$ towards incentives, I am happy to book direct. This is why some include paid gratuities (if booking an outside cabins or above, mostly the case)....GET IT they have more commission to hold onto so they can do this. I think they get at least 15% commision (maybe more if the cruiseline wants them to book balconies etc). They have a good deal w/the cruisline on the cost of bottles of wine and they get benifits if they book a group.

 

I have noticed that agents that have group space with a cruiseline get nervouse towards the end and reduce the prices so they are not stuck with unused space (sometimes they can sell it back to the cruiseline but do have a drop dead date to do this). They sometimes just get whatever they can to keep control of the space. They know they can advertise specials like free gratuities, 15% off excursions, free dinners at Chops etc (not the price) which just means less commision to them but they look real good in the eyes of the cruiseline. It is what it is....business as usual. I think that one should do what makes the most sense to them either book with an agent that they have had good luck with and that services them well....especially if a person doesn't want to check their booking all the time (can be stressful to some). REMEMBER an agent still needs you to call them if you see a drop.... they have many clients and can not check everyone's booking everyday. Which seems fair.

 

I had 2 price drops since I booked my October cruise. Prior to the new policy I got a credit to my visa account after the policy change I got a ship board credit. Now I had a $100 credit when I booked as an incentive from RCCL. I think that, that credit will not come back to me if not used but whatever is left from the new one I will get back. As far as I am concerned I plan to use up the full $200. so there are no surprises as to which credit gets used up first!! If the price drops again I simply call up RCCL and get the credit right then....I do not have to wait to get to my agent & RCCl sends me an updated email immediately so I can see the credit on my account.

 

Having control on my account and immediate satisfaction and not having to wait for an agent to get back to me is VERY comforting to me. Almost always the cruise that I am interested in has no incentives from agents. Funny HUH? The one I booked has never had an agent incentive attached to it. I called all of them prior to booking and have recieved many emails since with no incentives so it was a nobrainer for me.

 

I check the prices everyday in the AM and if I see a drop I call them right away. I booked my cruise in July and have had $340 in credits from Rccl. Not bad since my original total was $1720 and now it is $1380....that's a 20% savings....worth the daily check, wouldn't you say?

 

Anyhow no matter how you book just keep booking and "get out there"!!

[diat68]

Looks like we are losing out again in the UK. If there are more than one price drop - and each time we apply for it - we are charged £35 - it will soon cancel out the reductions!

[dino1037]

I checked our cruise over weekend for Freedom in May 2010 and it had dropped nearly £700 (approx $1050).Went to TA and they rang RCCL who honoured new price! I am delighted to say the least.Its such a lot of money.

[Boris _B]

So, is 3 days the same as 72 hours? I'm out on Friday at 4:30PM and today my ticket dropped by $80 ($40 X 2). The policy states "Price protection will not be available within 72 hours of departure." Since I was roughly 80 hours from departure, I asked for them to honor their gaurantee. No luck. What they "mean by that" is 3 days, not 72 hours. I went through the logical discussion of what the policy states, the difference between hours and days, etc. Still no luck.

 

To me, you go out of your way to state 72 hours. It's easier to say 3 days, but that is not what the policy is. I'll let you know how it turns out should any one care, but be forewarned.