No more price drops for RC?

[bala1130]

RCL has made another change that is making it harder to compare pricing and request price drops. The majority of cabins I've looked at recently all now say "Not available online. Please call for availability." These are for cruises almost a year out. There is no way they are near sold out. It is getting too difficult to book a cruise with RCL. Time to sell my RCL stock and start looking somewhere else to vacation. This is becoming NO FUN... :mad:

[dixieva]

I found a reduction in my 3/21/2011 cruise of $100 pp. I booked this cruise last year. I called this morning and got the lower price no problem. Of course I'm not anywhere near final payment date yet on this cruise. And I did book it last year.

[mommabean]

RCL has made another change that is making it harder to compare pricing and request price drops. The majority of cabins I've looked at recently all now say "Not available online. Please call for availability." These are for cruises almost a year out. There is no way they are near sold out. It is getting too difficult to book a cruise with RCL. Time to sell my RCL stock and start looking somewhere else to vacation. This is becoming NO FUN... :mad:

 

They aren't sold out completely but that particular cabin category is sold out.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

I found a reduction in my 3/21/2011 cruise of $100 pp. I booked this cruise last year. I called this morning and got the lower price no problem. Of course I'm not anywhere near final payment date yet on this cruise. And I did book it last year.

 

This is nice to know since so many people seemed to believe this wouldn't be the case anymore. Thanks for reporting back to us.

 

Gina

[negc]

RCL has made another change that is making it harder to compare pricing and request price drops. The majority of cabins I've looked at recently all now say "Not available online. Please call for availability." These are for cruises almost a year out. There is no way they are near sold out. It is getting too difficult to book a cruise with RCL. Time to sell my RCL stock and start looking somewhere else to vacation. This is becoming NO FUN... :mad:

 

Another option that you have is to use a good travel agent who can book your RCI cruise for you and handle what apparently is a difficult situation for you. If you value your time and you enjoy the RCI cruise experience, this might be your best solution. No cost to you to have a TA handle all of the complicated details for you.:)

[cruznjan]

With today's economy, I would think RCI would try to make it easier to cruise and not more difficult. Apparently they're not looking at it that way.

[Ocean Boy]

They aren't sold out completely but that particular cabin category is sold out.

 

Gina

 

I don't think that is correct. For one cruise that I am looking at there are plenty of cabins in the catagory that I want and the "guarantee" section for that catagory says "not available on line, call for availability".

[C U Onboard]

If you cancel can you have that deposit applied to a different cruise or is it gone for good?

 

From what it says on the website, it looks like you lose it for good.

 

The uk terms in this regard are as below:

 

For guests wishing to make a significant amendment to their booking outside of 56 days from departure, such as changing the ship, sail date or brand, please note that a booking transfer fee is applicable. The transfer fee is £75 per guest which is limited to the first two guests on a booking, therefore any 3rd/4th guests will not be charged. Please note that your booking will be re-priced in-line with the up-to-date business and price rules and a new confirmation invoice will be issued.

 

Given that the initial deposit amount is £150 per person the 1st and 2nd guest will forfeit 50% to change :mad:

[MAKEM]

Yes, I have read that before. I didn't realize that you were in the UK. Sorry. I have a question for you though. If you cancel can you have that deposit applied to a different cruise or is it gone for good? Just curious.

 

sure at a cost?

[Litewait]

But dosen't this policy now encourage everyone to wait until after final payment to book?? To see how low it will go.. And the more people that wait the lower it will go...:rolleyes: Stupid is as stupid does..

[bala1130]

But dosen't this policy now encourage everyone to wait until after final payment to book?? To see how low it will go.. And the more people that wait the lower it will go...:rolleyes: Stupid is as stupid does..

 

All we need now is the airlines to make up some more of their stupid policies thinking they need to boost their revenue. And then the State of Fl to raise their toll rates wanting to boost their revenue.

 

What else will be going up?

[kerrydee]

But dosen't this policy now encourage everyone to wait until after final payment to book?? To see how low it will go.. And the more people that wait the lower it will go...:rolleyes: Stupid is as stupid does..

 

if you wait too long, you will not be able to get decent air especially if you're using miles.

[mommabean]

if you wait too long, you will not be able to get decent air especially if you're using miles.

 

A large % of their frequent cruisers are within driving distance.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

I don't think that is correct. For one cruise that I am looking at there are plenty of cabins in the catagory that I want and the "guarantee" section for that catagory says "not available on line, call for availability".

 

Guarantees aren't available even if you call in that case. That's the standard line they insert when a category is sold out....or NOT for sale as guarantees aren't a lot of the time.

 

Call and ask them when you see that beside the guarantee category...they will tell you they aren't being offered at this time.

 

Gina

[firefly333]

I don't think that is correct. For one cruise that I am looking at there are plenty of cabins in the catagory that I want and the "guarantee" section for that catagory says "not available on line, call for availability".

 

That's why I called yesterday. It said call for availability on Mariner OTS for guarantee. ..but she said it was not available ... and as far as she knows, never was available (the booking has only been open since may 6th, so I agree, it probably didnt sell out for Feb 2012, just never was available).

 

Its a myster to me too why it would say to call though if its not available... but I did call and ask. Id have preferred a guarantee and take my chances...though Im thinking that those free upgrades are going to be a lot scarcer, now that you get upgrades instead of OBC after final payment.

 

Bet upgrades on guarantees are going to be more like Carnival, scare as hen's teeth.

[firefly333]

With today's economy, I would think RCI would try to make it easier to cruise and not more difficult. Apparently they're not looking at it that way.

 

Cruising prices are up, more want to cruise than ever before, maybe BECAUSE of the weak economy, its a baragain compared to flying to a port. Prices have been up all year to me.

 

Might see some more weakness if the oil spill starts to affect cruises, but so far I think prices are up from last year, not down...on Carnival especially. Now RCL is looking a lot more like a bargain.

[Litewait]

if you wait too long, you will not be able to get decent air especially if you're using miles.

 

I would book my air and then be prepared to book the cruise as soon as I saw the cabin count getting low or the rates drop. I personally dont know how miles work so can't comment on that.

 

I just think if they are truly going to only honor price drops after final payment they are going to see a huge swing in people waiting to book. Maybe people who fly or have that specific cabin they are willing to pay top dollar for will book early, but most are looking for the cheapest price IMO.

 

For those who are still getitng price drops today, I did read about some being "granfathered in" or something to that affect..

[yj_eugene]

With today's economy, I would think RCI would try to make it easier to cruise and not more difficult. Apparently they're not looking at it that way.

 

I think what they're looking at is how much they can change the prices/policies to their advantage and still increase profit. Bookings are up now, so I'm guessing they feel this is a good time to change a policy to try and increase their bottom line and see if that increase outweighs what they might lose from those who cancel or don't book because of it. If it does, they'll keep it; if not, they'll change it. Same as they did with eliminating the pillow chocolates, no longer allowing discount/OBC combining, charging for a premium steak in the MDC, and restricting concierge club access: it made more than it lost, so it lives on. We've seen similar in other industries, for example, soft drinks: changing a formula to use corn syrup instead of sugar didn't drive away customers, so it was done; changing a formula from Coke to New Coke was a disaster, so it was undone. If and when RCI makes a change that negatively impacts their income, it'll be undone also. I do hope RCI remembers what Coke eventually learned from their mistake: Coke customers wanted Coke because it was Coke and not a Pepsi-clone like New Coke was, and I think RCCL customers similarly sail RCCL because it's RCCL and not just another cruise line, which I'm afraid RCCL is well on their way to becoming with each successive change.

[negc]

That was the same reason that they used to stop TAs from discounting RCI cruises. The little TAs were whining that the big TAs were undercutting them and hurting their business. So RCI protects the TAs at their customers' expense. Great. So now I book through RCI's website. It takes me less than 5 minutes and I don't have to talk to someone who knows less about RCI and the ship than I do.

 

You must be quite fortunate. Some of the folks I have encountered on RCI's phone lines have likely, never taken a cruise on RCI or any line and their information is frequently suspect. Just read the many posts from people complaining about making three calls to RCI with a question and getting three different answers. Best advice that many have is that if you are not happy with the answer you get from a CSR, hang up and call back and hope you get a different agent. That is true of many businesses and not confined to RCI's call center personnel. If you read some of the posts about this most recent change, you can see for yourself how many different interpretations and explanations have been offered by different RCI representatives.:rolleyes:

[steponboard]

Well throw us under the bus' date=' why don't you, RCI! Not an issue with all TA's, btw. Sheeeesssshhhhh ..... I [b']LOVE[/b] passing along discounts to clients. I was a client a whole lot longer than I've been a TA.

 

 

 

I hope you aren't saying I threw you under the bus, I certainly did not, I quoted RCL who blamed TA's for changes in their best price policy.

[Ashland]

Am I incorrect about the language of the new price drop...I understand the price drop still applys to all bookings made far in advance with only a deposit...The change is for new bookings last minute and all bookings after final payment is made....

[schmeed]

Am I incorrect about the language of the new price drop...I understand the price drop still applys to all bookings made far in advance with only a deposit...The change is for new bookings last minute and all bookings after final payment is made....

Read the FAQ here:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3880

 

It details it clearly. If you book within the penalty period, the 48 hour guarantee applies. If you book outside of the penalty, it does not. You are still eligible for price adjustments UNTIL final payment is made.

[Ocean Boy]

Guarantees aren't available even if you call in that case. That's the standard line they insert when a category is sold out....or NOT for sale as guarantees aren't a lot of the time.

 

Call and ask them when you see that beside the guarantee category...they will tell you they aren't being offered at this time.

 

Gina

 

OK, I get it now but...wouldn't it make more sense to either not show a "guarantee" on the website rather than saying call for availability? Why have people make unnecessary phone calls thus tying up a phone line and rep just to find out that something does not exist?

[Ocean Boy]

You must be quite fortunate. Some of the folks I have encountered on RCI's phone lines have likely, never taken a cruise on RCI or any line and their information is frequently suspect. Just read the many posts from people complaining about making three calls to RCI with a question and getting three different answers. Best advice that many have is that if you are not happy with the answer you get from a CSR, hang up and call back and hope you get a different agent. That is true of many businesses and not confined to RCI's call center personnel. If you read some of the posts about this most recent change, you can see for yourself how many different interpretations and explanations have been offered by different RCI representatives.:rolleyes:

 

I completely agree with you. I said that I book on line. I did not say that I book through an RCI rep.

[isujim]

OK, I get it now but...wouldn't it make more sense to either not show a "guarantee" on the website rather than saying call for availability? Why have people make unnecessary phone calls thus tying up a phone line and rep just to find out that something does not exist?

 

You would think;) Trying to use logic again huh?? LOL!