Uk price drop help needed???

[jc24cruiser]

Hi,

 

I know that the price drop rules are different in the uk than the USA...hoping someone can help (and hope even more it's good news...)

 

In December I booked a 4 night cruise in May 2014, I paid nearly £1,200 for an inside cabin for 2 adults (gratuities included)

 

Just spotted prices for the same cruise as £598 for an OUTSIDE cabin :-o it is without gratuities added yet but that is still a HUGE difference in price and is the next level up of staterooms?!?!

 

Unfortunately I am not in a position to make last minute bookings and can understand why they drop the prices...cause £598 is better than £0 for Royal Caribbean. I have spotted a few people joining our roll call due to a "great deal".

 

Is there anything I can do about this???

[jc24cruiser]

Forgot to mention that I booked directly the RCI for initial booking and also spotted the price drop on the RCI website :)

[jc24cruiser]

Pps - not got any OBC or any other perks with current booking. We are gold members till the end of November and we were already gold members when the booking was made...can't think of any other info that would make a difference :confused:

[Gilpet]

We've never managed to get a price drop but it never hurts to ask. We have, however, twice got a very cheap upgrade because of price drops. I'd check the website to make sure the cabin/price is still showing then give them a ring, you have absolutely nothing to lose. You wouldn't get any money back but you may end up with a better cabin.

 

RCI say that UK customers don't receive the benefits of price drops because of the other benefits and "protection" that UK law gives us but I have yet to find out what any of those benefits are!!!

 

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

Gill

[Zogriv]

You can also work out how much it would cost you to cancel and rebook. It may still be worthwhile even with loss of deposit etc.

[jc24cruiser]

I decided not to wait to hear from the Upgrade Fairy....

 

So I rang her myself and got an upgrade :D

[Babiesmummy]

What did they charge for your upgrade ??

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Forums mobile app

[jennyau]

I decided not to wait to hear from the Upgrade Fairy....

 

So I rang her myself and got an upgrade :D

 

I'm having the same problem in Australia. Did the upgrade cost much and did you have to cancel and rebook?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

[NorbertsNiece]

So I paid my UK TA on their requested final payment date. Still time before RCCL's date..... price dropped. Called my lovely TA this morning.... he concurred.... he rang Guatamala and had to explain to the CS person what price matching means... the CS person managed to lock themselves out of my booking. TA has held an OV for me (currently in an inside) in the meantime.... they will either agree to a cheaper upgrade or refund the difference.... this is fun. I've often read threads here about these conversations occurring.... am now engaged in my own :D

[NorbertsNiece]

I'm having the same problem in Australia. Did the upgrade cost much and did you have to cancel and rebook?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

 

In the UK if we cancel we lose our deposit.....

 

So I paid my UK TA on their requested final payment date. Still time before RCCL's date..... price dropped. Called my lovely TA this morning.... he concurred.... he rang Guatamala and had to explain to the CS person what price matching means... the CS person managed to lock themselves out of my booking. TA has held an OV for me (currently in an inside) in the meantime.... they will either agree to a cheaper upgrade or refund the difference.... this is fun. I've often read threads here about these conversations occurring.... am now engaged in my own :D

 

I got my upgrade from Inside to OV for £150 which I'm really pleased with (11 night cruise..... I survived a TA in an inside but never been in an OV).... now.... I've already booked and paid for Specialty Dining and a drinks package. The rep said I had to go back into my booking and add them in again as they will have 'dropped off'. TA just rang to confirm whether I'd purchased items.... he's calling Guatamala back. Knew this would be fun.

[little britain]

We've never managed to get a price drop but it never hurts to ask. We have, however, twice got a very cheap upgrade because of price drops. I'd check the website to make sure the cabin/price is still showing then give them a ring, you have absolutely nothing to lose. You wouldn't get any money back but you may end up with a better cabin.

 

RCI say that UK customers don't receive the benefits of price drops because of the other benefits and "protection" that UK law gives us but I have yet to find out what any of those benefits are!!!

 

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

Gill

I always used to book direct - now they are in Guatemala I use an agent!:rolleyes:

 

However how it was explained to me.....the prices on the website are their best prices (naturally). The website has no way of knowing whether you have a booking already or not.

So sometimes these best prices are for new bookings only...what you need to do is to ask the agent to see if the price is 'convertible'.....this means that the price can be for new bookings or also for existing bookings.

If the price is 'convertible' they should just swap it over and bingo - you get the new cheaper costing.

Sometimes you get the cheaper costing and miss out on what ever offer you had at the time you booked (drinks package/car park) so it is up to you to decide what is the best deal for you.

Alternatively if the price is only for new bookings, and is more than £150pp then it is worth taking the hit, cancelling, losing the deposit and rebooking IMHO.

[icsys]

We've never managed to get a price drop but it never hurts to ask. We have, however, twice got a very cheap upgrade because of price drops. I'd check the website to make sure the cabin/price is still showing then give them a ring, you have absolutely nothing to lose. You wouldn't get any money back but you may end up with a better cabin.

 

RCI say that UK customers don't receive the benefits of price drops because of the other benefits and "protection" that UK law gives us but I have yet to find out what any of those benefits are!!!

 

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

Gill

I think the "protection" they refer to is "The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992"

 

Briefly this means...

By law you have the right to expect the package holiday you booked and paid for. So the holiday description must be accurate.

If not, you have refund and compensation rights under the Package Travel Regulations.

 

I fail to see anywhere in those regulation where it states deposits must be 'non-refundable' or price drops 'cannot be honoured'.

 

Also to be clear, this 'protection' only applies if you have booked accommodation AND transport together as a package!

 

For what its worth, we have received a free upgrade to the next category when the price has dropped to equal or below the next category on two occasions, once with RCI directly and once through a TA.

 

It can be done. Regulations have nothing to do with it!

[NorbertsNiece]

In the UK if we cancel we lose our deposit.....

 

 

 

I got my upgrade from Inside to OV for £150 which I'm really pleased with (11 night cruise..... I survived a TA in an inside but never been in an OV).... now.... I've already booked and paid for Specialty Dining and a drinks package. The rep said I had to go back into my booking and add them in again as they will have 'dropped off'. TA just rang to confirm whether I'd purchased items.... he's calling Guatamala back. Knew this would be fun.

 

As I said I knew this would be fun. TA just called.... my upgrade from Inside to OV is only costing me £31 now...... something about going into the bookng to check numbers and that is what he saw :D

[jc24cruiser]

I got the upgrade for free, from inside to guarantee balcony :)

 

I rang Crown and Anchor and went in expecting nothing, so was not pushy or rude. I explained that cabins two categories up from mine were being sold for nealy half what I paid for an inside. Lady was lovely, went away and came back with offer of upgrade.

 

I don't know if this has happened because the team may be fairly new due to recent move or if I just caught a nice rep on a good day.

 

I know not to expect this as standard for future cruises though so I'm just going to enjoy it for what it is :)