People hold cabins (mostly Suites) and don't use them

[Ocean Boy]

You see lots of price drops is Suites? Any examples?

 

I know RCCL sells off a lot of their inside cabins near cruise time...

 

I believe that RCI fix to your complaint is to charge twice as much for a deposit on suites compared to other categories. So it seems that they at least understand your pain.

[xpcdoojk]

It may be unique to particular ships, ports, and dates.

 

We attempted to book Majesty for several weekends but all JS/GS were booked. I followed it for some time and about the time final payment would have been due, they opened up. But it was too late for us to use them as we were already committed to other things, both business and pleasure.

 

Old ships like the Majesty have very few balconies compared to the more modern ships. I remember the Majesty from my first cruise. In January in rough weather, and I was kept awake a lot of the nights with the panels in my cabin creaking as they slid slightly when the ship rock and rolled. If they haven't replaced those in the last 20 years. I wouldn't sail on it for free.

 

Ok, maybe for free.

 

JC

[troykahack]

Old ships like the Majesty have very few balconies compared to the more modern ships. I remember the Majesty from my first cruise. In January in rough weather, and I was kept awake a lot of the nights with the panels in my cabin creaking as they slid slightly when the ship rock and rolled. If they haven't replaced those in the last 20 years. I wouldn't sail on it for free.

 

Ok, maybe for free.

 

JC

 

But it happens to be the only weekend ship from our local port. Yes, it is different when your port is less than an hour from leaving your house to boarding. Some can even go to work on Mondays and leave work a little early to board on Fridays. Their crew is fantastic . We once had Enchantment but it was moved to Miami. We are now using Enchantment but would have liked to enjoy a weekend or two on Majesty during the summer months. I don't think most are abusing the booking and deposit to hold. It could be just a unique problem here. Don't know.

Edited August 31, 2016 by troykahack

[foxgoodrich]

You are just telling me to do the same thing as many of you do. That is not the issue. Not all people have the same type of jobs and work schedules. Some are dedicated by other means.

 

Some people do not have the time to book all the cabins up on the first day or two they are posted for booking. I think you will find the more of you that become aware of this practice, the less likely you (meaning all) are less likely to get what you want... sorta of like TA cruises (across the Atlantic), so many D, D+, P.... once so many start doing this, the less likely you will be able to find the cabin you want....

 

I personally think it is only a problem on the two ships like Majesty and Empress with so few balconies. Maybe it does apply to other cabins, I don't know. If your not holding a JS or GS on Majesty, your not my issue. However, I don't remember the rates when we booked Serenade for 11 nights... no Suites were available when we booked in 2015. We were on wait list for upgrade from S Balcony.... then a JS came open, then a GS. We upgraded but it cost more. Not sure how much of a difference from 2015 pricing... we paid it... now I looked today, and there are many GS/JS available.

 

We are on Enchantment because of this. We are travelling down the night before and booked the 4 day just to get a Suite at the time we could book.

 

Well, Troy...some of us plan ahead. We don't know the future exactly, but we can predict/project some times in the future when we might want to cruise. It's just a question of priorities - every one of us has 10,080 minutes each week and some of us make a point to spend a few of them looking ahead at the schedules and itineraries. You seem to believe we need a bunch of new regulations about what and how often we can book in order to assure you the suite you want whenever the spirit moves you to sail a small ship. Huh? Some of us like to do early bookings on all the cruises we think we'll be able to take and cancel if it turns out we can't. We get our deposits back on the cancellations and we get the best prices on the cabins we want on the cruises that work for us. (and we don't have to waste our time complaining about not getting the cabin we want...)

 

It does cost some buck to tie up a few thousand in deposits, but if you can afford it (as you say you can), what's wrong with buying yourself some options since it's refundable anyway? Nothing!:) So try it yourself...free up 15 minutes this week and check out a few 2018 cruises. You can afford to put down a few deposits on possible dates to get the suites you want. Then you can sit back, watch your calendar, and see what will work out. Easy peasy. (And think of all the time you'll save when you don't have to post all these complaints here on CC! You could use all that time shopping for suites!)

 

Or you can keep doing it your way and spend your time posting messages about being unhappy that you don't get the cabin you want. :o

Judy

Edited August 31, 2016 by foxgoodrich

[troykahack]

O good lord. If the stockholders knew that RCI was hiding the deposits under the bed and not investing the money to make money they would replace the board of directors and the officers. It is called running a business, and it is easily accounted for.

 

Do you pedantically argue every point posted on the Internet? Inquiring minds. :rolleyes: What I am saying is occasionally, and possibly by accident you make a valid point, but in fighting over every reply you inevitably destroy not only your argument, but definitely your credibility. Just trying to help.:eek:

 

You remind me of Bicker from this forum many many years ago... Fan of the old Dis boards?:D. Some of the old timers here will giggle when they read this.:eek:

 

JC

 

Private business is much different than a publicly traded company on the NYSE, which RCCL is part of. Go to a Stockholder meeting and bring up your points. I have been to many. Trust me, different set of rules. Just not the same.

 

I was not the one who started about using unbooked revenue for profit and to hide money. Jezz ... what one thinks happens all the time is fine until one gets caught.. you can do anything you want until you get caught... just like sharing a drink package or smoking on balconies, what is the difference?

Edited August 31, 2016 by troykahack

[Ocean Boy]

 

(And think of all the time you'll save when you don't have to post all these complaints here on CC! You could use all that time shopping for suites!)

 

Or you can keep doing it your way and spend your time posting messages about being unhappy that you don't get the cabin you want. :o

Judy

 

Or he could stop booking suites and that would also solve all of the issues he has with the various lounges, sort of like killing two birds with one stone.

[leisuretraveler223]

You are just telling me to do the same thing as many of you do.

 

No, let's be clear. I am telling you to do what you seem to THINK many of us do. There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that individuals are booking myriads of sailings and then backing out later on. I have often booked a cruise I MIGHT take. But I don't "carpet bomb" reserve any ship, and while you speak of this being done with conviction, I just don't see it.

 

I personally think it is only a problem on the two ships like Majesty and Empress with so few balconies.

 

Wait, so you admit yourself that you're having trouble obtaining a very hard to obtain stateroom on a very specific set of ships, and you see an injustice?

 

???

[reallyitsmema]

Private business is much different than a publicly traded company on the NYSE, which RCCL is part of. Go to a Stockholder meeting and bring up your points. I have been to many. Trust me, different set of rules. Just not the same.

 

I was not the one who started about using unbooked revenue for profit and to hide money. Jezz ... what one thinks happens all the time is fine until one gets caught.. you can do anything you want until you get caught... just like sharing a drink package or smoking on balconies, what is the difference?

 

No one is hiding money, you just do not get it.

[xpcdoojk]

Private business is much different than a publicly traded company on the NYSE, which RCCL is part of. Go to a Stockholder meeting and bring up your points. I have been to many. Trust me, different set of rules. Just not the same.

 

I was not the one who started about using unbooked revenue for profit and to hide money. Jezz ... what one thinks happens all the time is fine until one gets caught.. you can do anything you want until you get caught... just like sharing a drink package or smoking on balconies, what is the difference?

 

Well, since it is obvious that RCI is violating the law, why hasn't the Securities and Exchange Commission cracked down on them? Or Carnival, or any other cruise line that does something so horrid?

 

Because it is not illegal, and in fact is simply standard operating procedure for companies like RCI. There are not different laws for private companies or publicly traded companies. They are both subject to the same reporting requirements under GAAP. The difference is that publicly traded companies have to disclose the information to their shareholders. Not that they have to perform accounting practices differently than a private company. The difference is because the publicly traded company is seeking financing from the general public. A private company doesn't they rely of private funding so they don't have to publicly disclose their financial position to the public.... Mostly because it is not the public's damn business.:D

 

I was actually at a board meeting for a large private company with annual sales of over 3Billion just 2 weeks ago at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs... So, I have attended stockholders meetings many many times. True not a publicly traded company, but still.... You don't know what you are saying. You should stick to what you actually know....:D

 

I miss the weather at the Broadmoor, playing golf on the Donald Ross courses with temps of 75 with low humidity versus 95 with 95% humidity when I played Monday a Robert Trent Jones course here. BTW I don't have a home cruise port.... I am struggling to feel your pain....:eek:

 

JC

[cruzeluvr]

Time to move on to investing 101.

 

Make that "investing & financing".

As a retired CPA, I can't help but laugh at troykahack's thought process (or lack thereof).

[LMaxwell]

Their seems to be a practice on HOLDING Suites or cabins, way ahead of time and then releasing them.

 

Must have a lot of money or great cashflow to tie up so much in deposits, albeit refundable, that you know you won't use. You can play the game, or not. Royal loves it because they get to use the float however they want and often times resell the room at an even higher rate.

 

I'm not a CPA but isn't a held deposit booked as a liability until such time as it becomes non-refundable? Either way, it's up to RCI to use how it wishes so long as it can meets it obligations to refund within XYZ timeframe.

 

There are a lot of policies I don't necessarily agree with, but Royal allows people to game the system, so as far as I am concerned if you want to put up the money, it is fair game.

[cruzeluvr]

Must have a lot of money or great cashflow to tie up so much in deposits, albeit refundable, that you know you won't use. You can play the game, or not. Royal loves it because they get to use the float however they want and often times resell the room at an even higher rate.

 

I'm not a CPA but isn't a held deposit booked as a liability until such time as it becomes non-refundable? Either way, it's up to RCI to use how it wishes so long as it can meets it obligations to refund within XYZ timeframe.

 

There are a lot of policies I don't necessarily agree with, but Royal allows people to game the system, so as far as I am concerned if you want to put up the money, it is fair game.

 

You are correct regarding the accounting for REFUNDABLE deposits.

 

But you might confuse troykahack by using words like "float" on a cruise forum.:eek:

Edited August 31, 2016 by cruzeluvr

[foxgoodrich]

As a publicly traded company, i really don't think they can book this as revenue if is possible to refund it... that sure would be a problem....

 

Not a problem at all - just the use of normal accepted accounting practices for any businesses which handle deposits, cancellations, refunds, and final bookings would keep it accurate. All rental companies would know how to do this. Actually my DH just rented a drywall lift from a lumber company. He had to reserve it ahead of time with a deposit. Then he had to rent it for a period of time, pay the rent, and go pick it up. Then he had to bring it back. Then he got the deposit back. Different business, same process.

 

Don't worry - Royal has the accounting practices in place that appropriately document the ebb and flow of Receivables and Liabilities for these kinds of transactions. I haven't seen any audit exceptions made to RCI's financials, so I surmise they must know how to properly account for the different kinds of transactions they handle.

(Spend less time worrying about it and more time booking your future cruises to get the suite you want.:))

Judy

[Jeannie333333]

Change the US rules to the rest of the World's Rules and don't refund deposits for cancelled bookings.

 

That'll stop it soon enough!

 

good call !!

[BekkaW]

I believe the comment is talking about people that live in other countries. For example if you live in the UK when booking with Royal Caribbean the booking deposit is non-refundable. If you live in the US and book the same cruise the deposit is fully refundable before the final payment date.

 

Australia also non-refundable

[Merion_Mom]

I am on a fine line, that is the funniest line of the day.

 

I am not going to teach you the basics of accounting. Oh, and large companies do not hide money under the bed, they have warehouses full of large cookie jars.:rolleyes:

 

Clean up on Aisle 6! ;) :D

[jaspercat]

You are correct regarding the accounting for REFUNDABLE deposits.

 

But you might confuse troykahack by using words like "float" on a cruise forum.:eek:

So I too have limited AR knowledge -- there are various types of revenue, correct? Earned, deferred, booked. All are "usable revenue"??

 

Thank you in advance Charlie.

[Merion_Mom]

O good lord. If the stockholders knew that RCI was hiding the deposits under the bed and not investing the money to make money they would replace the board of directors and the officers. It is called running a business, and it is easily accounted for.

 

Do you pedantically argue every point posted on the Internet? Inquiring minds. :rolleyes: What I am saying is occasionally, and possibly by accident you make a valid point, but in fighting over every reply you inevitably destroy not only your argument, but definitely your credibility. Just trying to help.:eek:

 

You remind me of Bicker from this forum many many years ago... Fan of the old Dis boards?:D. Some of the old timers here will giggle when they read this.:eek:

 

JC

 

OMG! Thanks for that memory prod. Good ol' Bicker.

 

And Flagger. Remember Flagger?!?!?!? :eek:

[Lakesregion]

Thank you, couldn't agree more..... We wanted to sail Majesty this summer on possible weekends. We tried her once on OV but must have a balcony at least for personal reasons... (neither of us smoke) all JS and above were booked through the Summer... so we couldn't request off as schedules were already made.... I later found many came open later....

 

If someone is going to hold, should be some sort of penalty so this doesn't prevent someone wanting to use it....

 

I think you would enjoy things more if you followed my ***** - Life is not fair and NEVER see yourself as a victim.

[Big_G]

While I've only cancelled two bookings out of 30+, we tend to book far out and wouldn't feel as comfortable doing so if they started penalizing for cancelled bookings.

[Ocean Boy]

O good lord. If the stockholders knew that RCI was hiding the deposits under the bed and not investing the money to make money they would replace the board of directors and the officers. It is called running a business, and it is easily accounted for.

 

Do you pedantically argue every point posted on the Internet? Inquiring minds. :rolleyes: What I am saying is occasionally, and possibly by accident you make a valid point, but in fighting over every reply you inevitably destroy not only your argument, but definitely your credibility. Just trying to help.:eek:

 

You remind me of Bicker from this forum many many years ago... Fan of the old Dis boards?:D. Some of the old timers here will giggle when they read this.:eek:

 

JC

 

Oh my....:eek::eek:

[xpcdoojk]

OMG! Thanks for that memory prod. Good ol' Bicker.

 

And Flagger. Remember Flagger?!?!?!? :eek:

 

Of course, I remember Flagger. I have even had some contact with him in the last 5 years or so. Not in person, fortunately.:eek:

 

My favorite on this topic though was Seamore aka Seymour aka Seymore Licht, aka Seaman, aka.... Since in real life he sued publicly traded companies in his retirement for just about anything he could get a sleazy lawyer to sign on to.:D. I think all he actually did in his retirement was attend shareholder meetings and post here.

 

JC

[Biker19]

I look at room availability on the uk web site as they show up to 50 rooms per categoryavailable.

Slight edit.

[cruzeluvr]

So I too have limited AR knowledge -- there are various types of revenue, correct? Earned, deferred, booked. All are "usable revenue"??

 

Thank you in advance Charlie.

 

A refundable deposit most closely resembles deferred revenue, and would show up in the liability section of a balance sheet. It doesn't get reported as income until all events have occurred for the company to have earned it. That being said, the company can do whatever it wants with the cash, if that is what you mean by "usable".

[jaspercat]

A refundable deposit most closely resembles deferred revenue, and would show up in the liability section of a balance sheet. It doesn't get reported as income until all events have occurred for the company to have earned it. That being said, the company can do whatever it wants with the cash, if that is what you mean by "usable".

 

Yes, that is what I meant. Thank You Charlie.