3rd party online site?

[debbs0723]

This time I'll try to word this as to not break the rules. Last night my brother decided he wanted to go on a cruise with the rest of us. We booked months ago. He found there was nothing less than a highly inflated balcony price and wanted something more like an interior to a central park balcony rather than ocean view. The travel agent I normally used said there was nothing for his number of people and the RCL website said the same.

 

However he went to one of those "deals' websites and found a room that worked perfectly. I would like for him to be able to transfer to our agent and our agent says this can work. However, the agent also mentioned that he might have booked in an accessible room and may get booted out.

 

How does that work? He might have very well booked an accessible room without even knowing.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

[Ken076]

Your bigger problem will probably be that the travel agency he booked with would have to agree to release the booking and give-up their commission - not very likely.

 

You should be able to look-up which cabins are accessible on the RCI website.

 

I believe accessible cabins are eventually released for non-accessible booking as you get closer to sailaway. At the worst, I believe he'd be moved to an equivalent or "better" cabin.

 

ken

Edited May 13, 2014 by Ken076

[debbs0723]

Thanks. Truthfully I'd like him to be able to transfer but the most important thing to me is that he will be able to add things like My time dining and be able to book things online through the RCL website like I can.

 

 

I looked at his booking right before he booked it though and at the time this agency had 2 rooms available. One interior and one central park balcony. Neither said anything about being accessible unless you looked at the deck plan and saw that it was. I can't remember the number of the cabin right now to look at that up.

 

Can he get kicked out of this booking or this room once arriving if it is accessible? That would seem odd and unfair to me.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

[Clarea]

...Can he get kicked out of this booking or this room once arriving if it is accessible? That would seem odd and unfair to me.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

I don't believe they kick people out once on board. However, I believe they can change the stateroom before final payment if they need to.

[debbs0723]

I don't believe they kick people out once on board. However, I believe they can change the stateroom before final payment if they need to.

 

And this would be fair. However, if there is nothing in a lower or same category do they just get bumped up or do they have to pay the price difference? I honestly shouldn't care but it is their first time cruising and I don't want anything to leave a sour taste for them. I'm not thrilled with the way he had to book. I would have preferred through the TA or directly through RCL. I use those sites all the time to book hotels and rental cars but that is different than a 7 night full vacation.

 

Debbie

[MamaTene]

I don't believe they kick people out once on board. However, I believe they can change the stateroom before final payment if they need to.

 

Agree. If between now and sailing someone with actual need for handicap accessible room looking to book, they could indeed bump him out of the cabin he is in and move him to comparable non accessible cabin.

[temple1]

He can tell his travel agent that he wants MTD. Not an issue. If he wants to add other items as long as he is not changing his cabin he should be able to do on the RCL website.

 

As other's mentioned - if someone actually needs an accessible cabin and they accommodate that request - I would not feel bad about getting bounced to another cabin (perhaps better) at no extra charge.

Edited May 13, 2014 by temple1

[matj2000]

I have heard someone say that they will give you either equal or better room category.

Also heard it said they can move you to wherever they want(even a much lower category) because if a "handicap" person needs it, they have to give it up to them.

Don't know what is true...

[Cindy]

Thanks. Truthfully I'd like him to be able to transfer but the most important thing to me is that he will be able to add things like My time dining and be able to book things online through the RCL website like I can.

 

 

I looked at his booking right before he booked it though and at the time this agency had 2 rooms available. One interior and one central park balcony. Neither said anything about being accessible unless you looked at the deck plan and saw that it was. I can't remember the number of the cabin right now to look at that up.

 

Can he get kicked out of this booking or this room once arriving if it is accessible? That would seem odd and unfair to me.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

 

Your agents should be able to link your bookings even though you booked through different agencies.

 

As for the cabin, when is your cruise? If it's soon, cruise lines usually release the accessible rooms for general booking if they're not taken when the sail date gets close. If the cruise is still several months away, yes, they can move your brother's cabin, but he would still have a cabin...it would just be a non-accessible one. It does sound like he knowingly booked an accessible cabin, so he should be prepared to be moved if a person with a need wants the cabin. In my opinion, there are so few accessible rooms that able bodied people should not consider reserving one unless the cruise is just a few days away or the cruise line assigns them one on a guarantee.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Cindy

[Ken076]

Thanks. Truthfully I'd like him to be able to transfer but the most important thing to me is that he will be able to add things like My time dining and be able to book things online through the RCL website like I can.

 

 

I looked at his booking right before he booked it though and at the time this agency had 2 rooms available. One interior and one central park balcony. Neither said anything about being accessible unless you looked at the deck plan and saw that it was. I can't remember the number of the cabin right now to look at that up.

 

Can he get kicked out of this booking or this room once arriving if it is accessible? That would seem odd and unfair to me.

 

Thanks,

Debbie

 

The TA he booked with should be able to make the dining arrangements, assuming they're available - otherwise he can visit the Maitre-d at the Dining Room on boarding. Otherwise, booked with TA, he can book excursions and showtimes via his account on the RCI site.

 

You should be able to determine which cabins are accessible cabins via the RCI site.

 

In the event that he would be moved, I don't believe it would be at the very last minute, it should be to equivalent or better cabin, and he would not have to pay any increase.

 

ken

Edited May 13, 2014 by Ken076

[debbs0723]

Well I agree that a handicap person should have first rights to it. I'm sure things will change as the final payment options come up as well and rooms open up. He wasn't dead set on the category he chose he just didn't want to spend almost 5K for a balcony for 3 people and since he jumped on this Thanksgiving cruise bandwagon late he had to take whatever he could.

 

As soon as I find out the cabin number from him I will check to see what kind of room it is. It seems like he did say something about it being accessible but we had so many different conversations last night while trying to book this I'm not sure if that is what he ended up getting because they were first looking at the cheapest interior and ended up with a central park balcony. Obviously a moot point if they room is non accessible.

 

By the way, it is a lot of work to plan a vacation for 9 people when you are the only one who understands some of the ins and outs of cruising. :rolleyes:

Edited May 13, 2014 by debbs0723

[temple1]

By the way, it is a lot of work to plan a vacation for 9 people when you are the only one who understands some of the ins and outs of cruising. :rolleyes:

 

As the family "travel agent" ;) I know exactly what you mean! It is difficult doing all the planning when I cruise with DH or my sister. I am pulling my hair out thinking about a Panama Canal cruise for 3 and now I have this fool idea of doing a big cruise with all the kids and grands. I must be insane! I think once I get everyone "onboard" with the idea I will turn it over to a real TA.

Edited May 13, 2014 by temple1

[Nebr.cruiser]

As the family "travel agent" ;) I know exactly what you mean! It is difficult doing all the planning when I cruise with DH or my sister. I am pulling my hair out thinking about a Panama Canal cruise for 3 and now I have this fool idea of doing a big cruise with all the kids and grands. I must be insane! I think once I get everyone "onboard" with the idea I will turn it over to a real TA.

 

Yes, tell me about it! We are planning a family cruise during Thanksgiving and trying to coordinate everyone's school and work schedules in two different states for 12 people is tough! I'm the one who does all the planning and has the most expertise, but it's not easy.

 

I've got the cruise booked at a very good price, but we may still have to cancel if I can't find at least somewhat decent airfare.

 

I won't be surprised at all that we have to cancel when final payment time rolls around.

[njmomof2]

If your sailing is Thanksgiving, it's early for them to be releasing accessible staterooms, but then again the cruise lines only hold them back for a certain period of time.

 

I just did a booking for a couple sailing on NCL and their cruise is in July. They did a balcony guarantee and we found out yesterday that they had been assigned an accessible cabin. Now, it's past final, the cruise is about 2 months away, and at this point, if someone really needed an accessible cabin on the only cruise line doing the Hawaiian Islands, I'm thinking they would have booked it much earlier.

 

Your cruise is 6 months out. It's possible they will need it and move him, but then again maybe not, and maybe it's not an accessible cabin after all.

 

Don't worry if he's booked with someone else. If you want to have the reservations linked, you need to be sure that both reservations are unlocked so they can be joined and your dining preference can be as well. You can do that with your agent, and have him ask his agent to do the same. Then one of the agents can link them.

[summersigh]

Thanks. Truthfully I'd like him to be able to transfer but the most important thing to me is that he will be able to add things like My time dining and be able to book things online through the RCL website like I can.

 

We always book through a travel agent and on one cruise we booked with one of the big online companies. Once the reservation is made we can book all the rest -dining times, excursions, drink packages, shows etc - ourselves on the cruise line's web site using our Booking Number. The only things we can't do are things like take advantage of a price drop (the company/TA could do those kind of things if I called or emailed them).

[debbs0723]

Thanks, everybody.

[crookedhalo]

If your sailing is Thanksgiving, it's early for them to be releasing accessible staterooms, but then again the cruise lines only hold them back for a certain period of time.

 

I just did a booking for a couple sailing on NCL and their cruise is in July. They did a balcony guarantee and we found out yesterday that they had been assigned an accessible cabin. Now, it's past final, the cruise is about 2 months away, and at this point, if someone really needed an accessible cabin on the only cruise line doing the Hawaiian Islands, I'm thinking they would have booked it much earlier.

 

Your cruise is 6 months out. It's possible they will need it and move him, but then again maybe not, and maybe it's not an accessible cabin after all.

 

Don't worry if he's booked with someone else. If you want to have the reservations linked, you need to be sure that both reservations are unlocked so they can be joined and your dining preference can be as well. You can do that with your agent, and have him ask his agent to do the same. Then one of the agents can link them.

 

I've heard that release of accessible cabins is linked to percentages. If a large percentage of a particular cabin type have sold then they can released the accessible cabins in that category for general sale. BUT they still retain right to move you to equal or better need arises.

[CruisingTeacher19]

I ended up on an accessible stateroom because that's what was open when I booked late as well. It wasn't an issue at all and I was told If they needed to mine me it would be same or better category

 

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