Why I'm leaving RCCL and you should too!

[rukkian]

Thing is, OBC was not applied to the cruise I was on, only toward the future cruise; and there was no reduced deposit. So I walked off that cruise with three bookings, no OBC applied to that cruise, $2700 in non-refundable deposits for 3 cruises booked in 2018. So it's not so much a matter of foregoing the OBC, because I didn't receive it, the OBC was applied to the future cruises....and is no big deal.

 

Yes, you are correct, NEVER book a cruise while on-board, it is just not feasible. I've heard RCCL will apply this non-refundable deposit to all bookings made while on board. Well, let's see, there's really not much of a price break, there won't be any OBC applied to the current cruise, and my deposit is history--as in NON-refundable. BUT, if I book with my travel agent, who provides OBC, then all's good and my standard deposit (unless there's a sale on required deposit) is 100% refundable with a sliding time scale towards the cruise date. Hmmm, I think it's a no brainer....

 

Unless other cruise lines adopt this policy, I'm guessing RCCL will probably lose many on-board bookings. But maybe they don't really WANT on-board bookings, maybe that's their plan.....good plan if that's the goal.

 

Why did you book it, if you didn't like the terms? I don't understand that.

[Curly-Q]

This used to be the case, and only when you opted for instant OBC.

 

However, after July 1, I believe they will introduce fares that have non-refundable deposits, no matter how you book.

 

Curious, are any other lines doing this? Does RCCL plan to restructure the pricing so that non-refundable deposits equal reduced fares in hopes that the masses will stampede to their ships? Or are they planning to make all deposits non-refundable all the time?

[rukkian]

The reported change offers your 2 choices - fully refundable, or Non-refundable with a lower rate. The lower rate has been reported at up to $600, and for the deposit, if you cancel, you get a future cruise money to use equal to your deposit minus $100. If you change the boat or the date, you also loose $100. You supposedly do not loose the entire deposit.

[Cuizer2]

Yes, you are correct, NEVER book a cruise while on-board, it is just not feasible. I've heard RCCL will apply this non-refundable deposit to all bookings made while on board. Well, let's see, there's really not much of a price break, there won't be any OBC applied to the current cruise, and my deposit is history--as in NON-refundable. BUT, if I book with my travel agent, who provides OBC, then all's good and my standard deposit (unless there's a sale on required deposit) is 100% refundable with a sliding time scale towards the cruise date. Hmmm, I think it's a no brainer....

 

As to booking onboard, I gave that up on Nov 1, 2014 for reasons I've already explained in a prior post on this thread.

 

I'll want to see the terms RE: the non-refundable deposit before I yea or nay it.

[John&LaLa]

Thing is, OBC was not applied to the cruise I was on, only toward the future cruise; and there was no reduced deposit. So I walked off that cruise with three bookings, no OBC applied to that cruise, $2700 in non-refundable deposits for 3 cruises booked in 2018. So it's not so much a matter of foregoing the OBC, because I didn't receive it, the OBC was applied to the future cruises....and is no big deal.

 

Yes, you are correct, NEVER book a cruise while on-board, it is just not feasible. I've heard RCCL will apply this non-refundable deposit to all bookings made while on board. Well, let's see, there's really not much of a price break, there won't be any OBC applied to the current cruise, and my deposit is history--as in NON-refundable. BUT, if I book with my travel agent, who provides OBC, then all's good and my standard deposit (unless there's a sale on required deposit) is 100% refundable with a sliding time scale towards the cruise date. Hmmm, I think it's a no brainer....

 

Unless other cruise lines adopt this policy, I'm guessing RCCL will probably lose many on-board bookings. But maybe they don't really WANT on-board bookings, maybe that's their plan.....good plan if that's the goal.

But they just expanded and remodeled the next cruise offices on many ships.

 

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[nelblu]

Thing is, OBC was not applied to the cruise I was on, only toward the future cruise; and there was no reduced deposit. So I walked off that cruise with three bookings, no OBC applied to that cruise, $2700 in non-refundable deposits for 3 cruises booked in 2018. So it's not so much a matter of foregoing the OBC, because I didn't receive it, the OBC was applied to the future cruises....and is no big deal.

 

Yes, you are correct, NEVER book a cruise while on-board, it is just not feasible. I've heard RCCL will apply this non-refundable deposit to all bookings made while on board. Well, let's see, there's really not much of a price break, there won't be any OBC applied to the current cruise, and my deposit is history--as in NON-refundable. BUT, if I book with my travel agent, who provides OBC, then all's good and my standard deposit (unless there's a sale on required deposit) is 100% refundable with a sliding time scale towards the cruise date. Hmmm, I think it's a no brainer....

 

Unless other cruise lines adopt this policy, I'm guessing RCCL will probably lose many on-board bookings. But maybe they don't really WANT on-board bookings, maybe that's their plan.....good plan if that's the goal.

 

 

Why do you say non refundable deposits--I was under the impressions that this applied to booking effective July 1. If you booked under the current rules the current rules should apply.

 

I have an old FCC and the original rules apply when I use towards a future cruise.

[mac_tlc]

You and OB are the only two people I know from RI

 

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I'm from CT and have flown SW out of T F Green in Providence. I always check them from PVD, sometimes it can be a lot cheaper than BDL, ISP, LGA, HPN, JFK, ALB, BOS ... ok, I'll stop now......

 

Depends on where you are going, what season, what day, how far out are you booking.......

 

mac_tlc

[Beachammo]

The reported change offers your 2 choices - fully refundable, or Non-refundable with a lower rate. The lower rate has been reported at up to $600, and for the deposit, if you cancel, you get a future cruise money to use equal to your deposit minus $100. If you change the boat or the date, you also loose $100. You supposedly do not loose the entire deposit.

Why is everyone calling the non-refundable a "lower rate"? The non-refundable is the ORIGINAL rate and the refundable is at a higher rate.

 

Don't let Royal fool you....

 

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[Cuizer2]

Why is everyone calling the non-refundable a "lower rate"? The non-refundable is the ORIGINAL rate and the refundable is at a higher rate.

 

Don't let Royal fool you....

 

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There are two rates. One is higher than the other, one is lower than the other. The lower rate is commonly referred to as "the lower rate". The higher rate is commonly referred to as "the higher rate". It is not common to refer to the two rates as original grilled. Only KFC does that, and that is for their chicken, not their rates.

[Curly-Q]

Why do you say non refundable deposits--I was under the impressions that this applied to booking effective July 1. If you booked under the current rules the current rules should apply.

 

I have an old FCC and the original rules apply when I use towards a future cruise.

 

This was done on a cruise in April, it was a new rule and most of the personnel were not all that informed about it and only affected suites, but I'm hearing that's changing soon, too. All 3 deposits are 100% non-refundable, however, I have the option to change to a different cruise for a $100 fee. If I cancel any cruise, I lose the deposit.

 

I suspect that if this continues, all those newly decorated future cruises offices will be repurposed into public spaces as on-board bookings plunge. Now if they do all bookings this way, then the other cruise lines will benefit--if they don't jump on the same wagon.

[the mistral wind]

Probably worded that wrong. Meant to say there are probably better reason not to book than non refundable deposits. I liked RCI Ok. Always check them when I look for bookings but always find better deals or itineraries elsewhere. My biggest reason for not booking RCI is they hardly have any cruise over 7 days. Unless you do a back to back. We like to look for 9-12 day cruises. The shortest we have been booking on Carnival is 8. We have booked 3 Princess cruises each were 10 days.

 

 

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Splendor of the seas 2018 NOV 10 night cruises

[John&LaLa]

Splendor of the seas 2018 NOV 10 night cruises

Do you mean Serenade?

 

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[the mistral wind]

Do you mean Serenade?

 

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Oh God yeah. Thanks for setting me straight. Too many cruises

[nelblu]

Why is everyone calling the non-refundable a "lower rate"? The non-refundable is the ORIGINAL rate and the refundable is at a higher rate.

 

Don't let Royal fool you....

 

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Even though it is not in effect yet, when I did a mock booking for any lower fares, when I selected a cabin type, a box came up that the pricing that I was being quoted was refundable which was in the range of my original booking.

 

Only time will tell, and with all of their constant promos who knows what the real pricing is.:D

[Beachammo]

Even though it is not in effect yet, when I did a mock booking for any lower fares, when I selected a cabin type, a box came up that the pricing that I was being quoted was refundable which was in the range of my original booking.

 

Only time will tell, and with all of their constant promos who knows what the real pricing is.:D

Only one of my mock bookings showed a price for non-refundable. The refundable price went up $85 from the mock booking the day before.

 

But you're right.....who really knows what Royal will do. Their track record on pricing isn't good though. I believe we'll be paying more to be refundable and the non-refundable will be what the price was before this all started.

 

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