Singles to get Double Points

[Mystaken]

I called the C&A D+ line about a month ago to get my 150% single supplement and balcony discounts applied. The agent on the phone was able to apply the balcony discounts right away but had to have a supervisor apply the 150% discount. Both were applied within a half hour, so it seems that some RCI staff know what they are doing. BTW, when I reached 340 points I emailed C&A to ask that the 150% discount and the balcony discount were combinable and the reply I received said they were.

Much has changed since a month ago!!! Especially solo cruisers getting double points.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Mystaken

[RevSmith]

Rev, tell your friend to go back and let her know "she can have her balcony discount!

I saw her booking with the memo, she booked on board, just yesterday. So what has changed since them. Celia, I am praying what you are saying is correct and not what I just saw.

Rev

[PH8]

It just would be nice to see something in writing,so when we book solo cruises,we have proof!:p

[RevSmith]

It just would be nice to see something in writing,so when we book solo cruises,we have proof!:p

This is kind of what I saw in writing. The single supplement can not be combined with the balcony discount, or any other discount including: senior, Florida, military, fireman, and I forget what else. This person also received a chart showing this new change and what can and can not be combined with it, but the chart that was printed out was a little small. This was all given to my friend on the Vision yesterday by the loyalty ambassador when this friend asked for a brake down of the cruise just booked. I also saw the brake down with the one and one half non commissionable costs added on. I could hardly believe my eyes.

Edited November 14, 2013 by RevSmith

[mommabean]

I, too, got a phone call just a few minutes ago and reinterate what Lorna said. Glad this is now a good positive move on Royal's part. Obviously, without writing letters, this may not have been brought to the forefront!

 

Just a clarification, you still cannot book senior, resident discounts with the C&A 150% solo perk. You can combine balcony discount or Savings Certificate.

 

I'm on the phone with them right now and they are still refusing to add on my balcony discount to the 150% single supplement. I'm holding......and attempting to insist.

 

I have it in writing saying NO, it's not allowed.

 

Gina

[ladylawyer]

This is kind of what I saw in writing. The single supplement can not be combined with the balcony discount, or any other discount including: senior, Florida, military, fireman, and I forget what else. This person also received a chart showing this new change and what can and can not be combined with it, but the chart that was printed out was a little small. This was all given to my friend on the Vision yesterday by the loyalty ambassador when this friend asked for a brake down of the cruise just booked. I also saw the brake down with the one and one half non commissionable costs added on. I could hardly believe my eyes.

 

The way it was explained to me was that changes had been made and the C&A Reps read them literally (i.e., no combining w/ discounts). However, I was told that it was never intended to include the balcony discount or the C&A Savings Certificate. Supposedly, they are supposed to explain this to the "front-line" staff.

 

But, like you and Kathy, I would like to see it in writing, as well, so we don't have to keep reinventing that wheel. At least I kept a copy of my outgoing email, so I just need to hit the "send" button, if this comes up again. :cool:

[mommabean]

I wrote my letter to Adam Goldstein last night and just received a phone call from Brittney, at Crown & Anchor. She was calling to "thank me for bringing this situation (no balcony discount w/ the 150% single supplement for those with 340+ cruise points) to their attention." She advised that this was a misunderstanding on the part of the C&A Reps and wanted to assure me that the 150% single supplement is fully combinable with both the balcony discount and C&A Savings Certificates! :D

 

Nice to have a positive ending to a frustrating experience.

 

Someone else is supposed to get back to me on the double NCCF for solo cruisers. I'd like to say that I'm hoping for another positive response ... but I am not as optimistic on that ... :(

 

 

If it's a misunderstanding, the D+ desk put it in writing and has refused me the balcony discount because of the 150%. I've been on hold for a long time waiting for resolution. The computer isn't allowing her to put in the balcony discount.

 

They are also refusing to email me a copy of the "Royal Combinability Grid" matrix which would make it a lot easier to see the offers that work together. They have claimed there is more transparency in pricing. If that is true, then why the secretiveness of the matrix available "internally" as they are calling it.

 

RCI is continuing to make their pricing more complex and won't provide the information to clarify it.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

This is kind of what I saw in writing. The single supplement can not be combined with the balcony discount, or any other discount including: senior, Florida, military, fireman, and I forget what else. This person also received a chart showing this new change and what can and can not be combined with it, but the chart that was printed out was a little small. This was all given to my friend on the Vision yesterday by the loyalty ambassador when this friend asked for a brake down of the cruise just booked. I also saw the brake down with the one and one half non commissionable costs added on. I could hardly believe my eyes.

 

Rev, After about a 20 minute hold tonight (I had begun to think I'd been abandoned) they added on my balcony discount and apologized for causing the booking problem on board. They said they are contacting the LA and letting her know that the loyalty desk was wrong by refusing to apply my balcony discount.

 

It was an absolute pleasure to meet you on board. :)

 

Gina

[PH8]

are you doing another solo cruise??????????:eek::eek:

[mommabean]

are you doing another solo cruise??????????:eek::eek:

 

I'll explain it to you privately.

 

I can say my confirmation I just got does NOT show a balcony discount. I believe they are just fixing the reservations for higher level cruisers by adjusting the price of the base fare downward by the amount of what would have been the balcony discount.. That is what they just did for me. Nope...no balcony discount at all. It is beginning to all seem very fishy to me.

 

Gina

[PH8]

sure,not trying to be nosey....just wondering.....

[KJL53]

Just spoke to the d+ desk.

It has been decided today we will get balcony discount with our single supplement discount. If not booking a balcony we can apply savings certificate if one is available.

 

I told the agent I was very upset that I would be charged NCF charges which includes port charges. I said I felt if was unethical to charge a fee for someone that does not exist. She agreed and told me to email guest relations. She has had many complaints and has urged all passengers to email complaint.

[mommabean]

After calling back to loyalty, they are totally confused about what is going on. They don't know why Adam is saying what he is saying. They know about the flood of emails today but they at loyalty aren't in the loop about why some people are having price adjustments and others aren't.

 

Are some getting recoded to get the balcony discount? And others being re-fared to reflect that discount in the base cruise fare? It seems to be some of both along with others being denied the discount altogether.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

Just spoke to the d+ desk.

It has been decided today we will get balcony discount with our single supplement discount. If not booking a balcony we can apply savings certificate if one is available.

 

I told the agent I was very upset that I would be charged NCF charges which includes port charges. I said I felt if was unethical to charge a fee for someone that does not exist. She agreed and told me to email guest relations. She has had many complaints and has urged all passengers to email complaint.

 

Well, it's only 150%! :rolleyes: Or at least mine is. That may not be consistent across the board either.

[RevSmith]

Rev, After about a 20 minute hold tonight (I had begun to think I'd been abandoned) they added on my balcony discount and apologized for causing the booking problem on board. They said they are contacting the LA and letting her know that the loyalty desk was wrong by refusing to apply my balcony discount.

 

It was an absolute pleasure to meet you on board. :)

 

Gina

Gina,

I'm so glad you came on, I'm so bad at explaining things and didn't want to involve you in this unless you wanted to say something. I was just trying to tell everyone what had happened.

We did have fun didn't we. I know I will see you again.

The pleasure was mine.

Rev

Edited November 14, 2013 by RevSmith

[SherriZ366]

Still confused about whether we get the extra cruise credit per night.

 

There are some cruises that DH refuses to sail on so I am very interested in the 150% single supplement combinable with the balcony discount. I just passed 340 points. I would love the extra point.

[tinkerme1]

Still confused about whether we get the extra cruise credit per night.

 

There are some cruises that DH refuses to sail on so I am very interested in the 150% single supplement combinable with the balcony discount. I just passed 340 points. I would love the extra point.

 

With the C&A solo 150%, yes you will get the extra points.

[SherriZ366]

With the C&A solo 150%, yes you will get the extra points.

Great!! So if he cops out on a 9 night that I have booked with a JS, I would accrue 27 points total.

[Cuizer2]

I'm on the phone with them right now and they are still refusing to add on my balcony discount to the 150% single supplement. I'm holding......and attempting to insist.

 

I have it in writing saying NO, it's not allowed.

 

Gina

 

This is my opinion, and my opinion only (and I'm sure someone on this thread will find something wrong with it) ...

 

1) Royal Caribbean is changing its policies or rules and not everyone is on the same page. It may take some time to work the bugs out and get the new policies/rules in written form.

 

2) Any time any company (such as Royal Caribbean) changes a policy or a rule, some people will not like it. All the companies (including Royal Caribbean) understands that as a result some customers may be lost.

 

Probably one of the best examples of this is New Coke / Classic Coke ...

 

Despite New Coke's acceptance with a large number of Coca-Cola drinkers, a vocal minority of them resented the change in formula and were not shy about making that known — just as had happened in the focus groups. Many of these drinkers were Southerners, some of whom considered the drink a fundamental part of regional identity. They viewed the company's decision to change the formula through the prism of the Civil War, as another surrender to the "Yankees".

 

Company headquarters in Atlanta started receiving letters expressing anger or deep disappointment. Over 400,000 calls and letters were received by the company, including one letter, delivered to Goizueta, that was addressed to "Chief Dodo, The Coca-Cola Company". Another letter asked for his autograph, as the signature of "one of the dumbest executives in American business history" would likely become valuable in the future. The company hotline, 1-800-GET-COKE, received 1,500 calls a day compared to 400 before the change. Coke hired a psychiatrist to listen in on calls and told executives some people sounded as if they were discussing the death of a family member.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke

 

My suggestion (and it is just that - a suggestion) is too wait and see how things shake out. Ultimately, if you decide that Royal Caribbean is no longer worth your business, there are other cruise lines out there.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Cuizer2

[Cuizer2]

After calling back to loyalty, they are totally confused about what is going on. They don't know why Adam is saying what he is saying. They know about the flood of emails today but they at loyalty aren't in the loop about why some people are having price adjustments and others aren't.

 

Gina

 

And there lies the problem - lack of internal company communication.

[Cruzin-K]

T

 

Probably one of the best examples of this is New Coke / Classic Coke ...

 

 

Oh sure, thanks for making me feel old :p

 

Royal will still have my business when I have someone to sail with, but my solo business will have to go elsewhere. My upcoming week on the Caribbean Princess is costing me in the neighborhood of $900 just for me in an oceanview cabin. On top of that, I'll have $125 in OBC, so a net cost of $775. Royal just can't seem to even come close to that fare for a 7 night solo cruise with their new pricing structure. :(

 

And I'll be getting double points on Princess for that price.

[tinkerme1]

Gina, the Loyalty Ambassadors are on ships and I'm sure communication comes slowly to them. If you are still having issues why don't you call C&A and ask to speak with Brittany! Being angry serves no purpose at all.

[mommabean]

Gina, the Loyalty Ambassadors are on ships and I'm sure communication comes slowly to them. If you are still having issues why don't you call C&A and ask to speak with Brittany! Being angry serves no purpose at all.

 

I'm home and did speak with a few people at C&A yesterday.

 

The LA emailed them in the morning to do the 150% and had the answer from the D+ desk by that afternoon. That was the negative answer in writing.

 

There was a bit of back and forth between me and RCI and C&A yesterday after I returned home. The final result was that I have the price I should have, no balcony discount is reflected by proper coding, and C&A is still in confusion over this and not everyone is up to date there. That explains the negative answer from the D+ desk while on board.

 

I'm not angry because I will normally be booked in a room with my husband. I just feel bad for my solo cruising friends who are going to continue to be given the run around until this is straightened out.

 

I still suspect the 150% and the "special rates" won't be combinable. And I think if someone finds a great senior rate and they travel solo that they should get 150% of that. It's not likely going to happen. It gets back to the price they will have to pay to get that bonus point people wanted.

 

Gina

Edited November 14, 2013 by mommabean

[tinkerme1]

I'm home and did speak with a few people at C&A yesterday.

 

The LA emailed them in the morning to do the 150% and had the answer from the D+ desk by that afternoon. That was the negative answer in writing.

 

There was a bit of back and forth between me and RCI and C&A yesterday after I returned home. The final result was that I have the price I should have, no balcony discount is reflected by proper coding, and C&A is still in confusion over this and not everyone is up to date there. That explains the negative answer from the D+ desk while on board.

 

I'm not angry because I will normally be booked in a room with my husband. I just feel bad for my solo cruising friends who are going to continue to be given the run around until this is straightened out.

 

I still suspect the 150% and the "special rates" won't be combinable. And I think if someone finds a great senior rate and they travel solo that they should get 150% of that. It's not likely going to happen. It gets back to the price they will have to pay to get that bonus point people wanted.

 

Gina

 

Gina, I'm glad you are still following through and getting your balcony discount. Brittany did tell me that senior rates will NOT be combinable. I, too, don't cruise solo very often either but this issue really needed to be resolved. I'm glad you're not angry and frustration is always difficult at best.

 

What Brittany said yesterday is that Corporate Communication needs to be better (we agree there) and they are trying to rectify the situation. I guess over time things will change, they just don't change fast enough!

 

As an aside note, glad you met Rev! Isn't she wonderful!!!:D

[mommabean]

 

As an aside note, glad you met Rev! Isn't she wonderful!!!:D

 

Here I am with our mutual friend. We had a great time and enjoyed our short 3 nights together. Rev is indeed a wonderful and spirited lady.

 

 

Wow, the quality of the tapatalk hosted pictures sure has gone down. This is as high resolution as it would allow and it is really grainy. :( And I paid for the photo hosting by tapatalk.

Edited November 14, 2013 by mommabean