What is going on???

[B_Mc]

I've been checking our cruise price semi-regularly and I noticed this morning that the 3rd and 4th passenger fee has dropped by $150 each.

 

I called RCI to request a price adjustment and the phone agent is claiming she can't see the change, the prices are still the same on their end.

 

I'm furious! What type of customer service is this??? What type of disorganized company is this, if the sales agents can't see what consumers can see on their website?

 

Has this happened to anyone else? Was it resolved to your satisfaction?

[micmacmissy]

You'd think the people answering the phones would be able to get online independent of their system. I mean, come on.

[marci22]

Check to make sure your sail date is correct for this price, and then call back and speak to another agent. Repeat as needed!

[Wilda]

Agree with Marci. Make sure you have the right ship and sail date, then take a screen shot.

 

And for goodness sake, relax...you're cruise is 11 months away so there is plenty of time to straighten this out:)

[cds2423]

Chill. Do a print screen of what you are seeing to start. Also I notice that you are Canadian, as am I, check to make sure that the currency that the price is showing in is the same as what you paid in, ie if you are paying in Cdn dollars are you logged in as a Canadian and vice-versa for U.S. dollars.

[B_Mc]

Thanks for the tips, I've double checked everything and taken the screen shot. My concern is if the price jumps back up tomorrow I won't have 11 months to sort this out.

 

Also, the fact that I may have to call back several times over multiple days is absurd. That is atrocious customer service.

[B_Mc]

The fun never ends here! I got back on the phone with a second agent as my e-mails to customer service were bouncing back. As I'm explaining the situation and giving our details the prices change again on the website! Almost $400 jump up in #1 and #2's fare, and $280 drop in #3 and #4's fare.

 

This agent seems much more capable, received my e-mails of screen shots and seems to be on the case but I'm still surprised what a run around this has been....

[BecciBoo]

And I agree with Wilda...the pane with the date actually prefills with the first date of your ships sailing, you have to make sure you change it to your date. I bet that's it. But the print screen will prove it to them. I'm glad you did the print screens. I have had the price change right before my eyes before!

[WpgCruise]

One more thing the Op might check is to make sure the fare is quoted in the correct currency

 

I notice she lives in Canada and the pricing she is looking at may well be in CDN $$ and the agents would be looking at a US $$ rate.

 

This happened to me one time. Your PC will default to the country of residence

[morganboys]

I laugh when I read all these posts on multiple cruise line boards complaining about customer service and the not so bright people they have handling the calls.

 

A thought to ponder for a bit. Is this a sales strategy that the cruise lines are useing?

 

people are always going to cruise with ccl and rccl. most ships sail full for every sailing so why would they be helpful and lower your price. if they make it inconvenient most people let the issue die. the cruise line benifits. bottom line. are you willing to cancel your cruise and sail with someone else over this? most will not so the cruise line benifits and the practice continues.

 

just a though.

[CruisingMachine]

The fun never ends here! I got back on the phone with a second agent as my e-mails to customer service were bouncing back. As I'm explaining the situation and giving our details the prices change again on the website! Almost $400 jump up in #1 and #2's fare, and $280 drop in #3 and #4's fare.

 

This agent seems much more capable, received my e-mails of screen shots and seems to be on the case but I'm still surprised what a run around this has been....

 

It's more likely your dates were jumping around rather than the prices like that. Can you tell us the ship/sail date and room category?

[B_Mc]

Thanks again for the pointers. I really appreciate it as this is all rather new to me - we've previously always booked through a TA.

 

My dates/ship/category are all accurate. Triple checked. The dates are not the issue.

 

Now RCI is telling me the currency is in fact the issue, which makes sense....sort of. So now I have a bill in USD but I can only search the website in CDN....how the heck am I ever going to be able to tell if there is a price drop?

 

Also, this currency conversion fails to explain how fare for #1 and 2 remains the SAME while #3 and 4 changes.

 

FWIW, the price is back to what I saw early this AM...the mid morning jump has changed back...this is worse than trying to catch the best prices from the airlines!

[CruisingMouse]

Thanks again for the pointers. I really appreciate it as this is all rather new to me - we've previously always booked through a TA.

 

My dates/ship/category are all accurate. Triple checked. The dates are not the issue.

 

Now RCI is telling me the currency is in fact the issue, which makes sense....sort of. So now I have a bill in USD but I can only search the website in CDN....how the heck am I ever going to be able to tell if there is a price drop?

 

Also, this currency conversion fails to explain how fare for #1 and 2 remains the SAME while #3 and 4 changes.

 

FWIW, the price is back to what I saw early this AM...the mid morning jump has changed back...this is worse than trying to catch the best prices from the airlines!

 

 

Before getting to far into a mock reservation you can change from CDN to US dollars at the top right corner of the page...then select your sailing and carry on

[B_Mc]

Before getting to far into a mock reservation you can change from CDN to US dollars at the top right corner of the page...then select your sailing and carry on

 

Did it.

 

And passenger 1 and 2 are the same price, US or CDN....frustrating...and I'm giving up....RCI wins. This leaves a sour taste in my mouth about booking with them in the future.

[Scotty G]

Thanks for the tips, I've double checked everything and taken the screen shot. My concern is if the price jumps back up tomorrow I won't have 11 months to sort this out.

 

Also, the fact that I may have to call back several times over multiple days is absurd. That is atrocious customer service.

Possibility that this is an IT problem (not really an intended change) and Easter weekend as well (minimal staffing). Hang in. :);)

[honeybee85]

Ok. So you were looking at the wrong currency. I thought it was widely known that the CAN prices are not equal to the exchange rate for USD prices all the time. Prices vary by market. The same is true for the GBP prices do not equal USD + exchange rate.

 

Why are you so upset if the price did not change like you originally thought it did? Make sure you are quoting in USD on the website and that will give you an accurate look.

 

With that said, since this involves 3/4 rates, also keep in mind that sometimes the 3rd and 4th rates go down but the 1st and 2nd go up and so it wouldn't be in your interest to take that new price.

 

Just some food for thought.

[orville99]

On our July cruise, 3rd passenger price dropped, but 1st and 2nd went up. Called RCI, and they couldn't see the price changes. I must have gotten one of the brighter ones, however, because she asked me whether I had put in any special conditions (i.e. 55+ or residency), which I had done. Once she put in the same conditions, she saw the new prices.

[BBT]

I am surprised they claim the currency is the cause of the difference. Right now the USD & CAD are very close, with the CAD worth a little more.

[Pushka]

I am surprised they claim the currency is the cause of the difference. Right now the USD & CAD are very close, with the CAD worth a little more.

 

The published price on say, xe.com and the rate you actually get in a financial transaction are never the same.

[Paulxyz2004]

I am surprised they claim the currency is the cause of the difference. Right now the USD & CAD are very close, with the CAD worth a little more.

 

They blame the currency, not the exchange rate.

 

Semantics? - NO!

 

The currency of a booking has very little to do with the actual exchange rate.

First, RCI does not change the exchange rates they use very frequently, so the actual exchange rate might be well different than what they use.

Second, they price cruises different in different markets and this pricing has nothing to do with exchange rates. It could go that far that a cruise in USD goes down and in CDN goes up.