just screwed Royal and it feels so good

[Clarea]

What is the 24 hour rule?

Apparently you can cancel a cruise for a full refund within 24 hours even after final payment date.

[jjmock]

Now I know this is not a new tactic, but today i cancelled my cruise after final booking, lost my 1000$ deposit and re-booked gaining a net $2100 dollars.

 

Backstory - upgraded from an owner's suite to an aquasuite after final payment. Noticed later that evening that the prices dropped on the very cabin I had just upgraded to, royal was already closed (their system was down due to upgrades). So next morning, I called Royal and asked if they'd refund me the $599 dollars i paid for the upgrade less than 24 hours before. They said I was 7 minutes over the 24 hour limit and wouldnt refund me - i asked for OBC instead, no go. I asked for splitting the difference - no go. Spent an hour on the phone only to be told "no" on everything i asked for. Now i know prices aren't guaranteed, but it was, from what they say 7 minutes past my 24 hour time limit (i thought i still had an hour), you'd think they would give a diamond plus, suite customer the benefit of the doubt, but they didnt. I was livid, but realized that if I cancel and re-booked, not only would i make 2000 bucks (my travel agency would get the extra 5% promotion). So screw Royal for being straight up idiots, it cost them money and possibly a future customer.

 

Agree or disagree, giving it to the "man" feels good.

 

 

 

I wonder if you will teach your kids your same values and desires to “screw” the system?

 

 

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[teecee60]

Now I know this is not a new tactic, but today i cancelled my cruise after final booking, lost my 1000$ deposit and re-booked gaining a net $2100 dollars.

 

Backstory - upgraded from an owner's suite to an aquasuite after final payment. Noticed later that evening that the prices dropped on the very cabin I had just upgraded to, royal was already closed (their system was down due to upgrades). So next morning, I called Royal and asked if they'd refund me the $599 dollars i paid for the upgrade less than 24 hours before. They said I was 7 minutes over the 24 hour limit and wouldnt refund me - i asked for OBC instead, no go. I asked for splitting the difference - no go. Spent an hour on the phone only to be told "no" on everything i asked for. Now i know prices aren't guaranteed, but it was, from what they say 7 minutes past my 24 hour time limit (i thought i still had an hour), you'd think they would give a diamond plus, suite customer the benefit of the doubt, but they didnt. I was livid, but realized that if I cancel and re-booked, not only would i make 2000 bucks (my travel agency would get the extra 5% promotion). So screw Royal for being straight up idiots, it cost them money and possibly a future customer.

 

 

It sounds like you need to adopt a new strategy for booking your cruises... as it appears you paid WAAYYY to much to begin with.

[bob brown]

I did in my post - i want people to take advantage of the same things - lots of newbies read this site and i want them to have an idea of all the ways they can lower their costs on future cruises. Sometimes, regardless of situation, it makes sense to lose the deposit if you are going to make out better in the long run. Not everyone thinks of these things and not everyone knows that they can even do that.

 

It looks like the OP has "left the room" for several hours, so I will ask anyone that knows.....isn't there some clause in the cruise contract that states that certain reduced price offers, after final payment date, are for "new booking's only"?

Does this mean that if you cancel (even forfeiting your deposit), you are ineligible to book the new promotion for the same persons on the same cruise you just cancelled?

I'm not quite sure how that works....:confused:

[Clarea]

It looks like the OP has "left the room" for several hours, so I will ask anyone that knows.....isn't there some clause in the cruise contract that states that certain reduced price offers, after final payment date, are for "new booking's only"?

Does this mean that if you cancel (even forfeiting your deposit), you are ineligible to book the new promotion for the same persons on the same cruise you just cancelled?

I'm not quite sure how that works....:confused:

Several years ago Royal used to have a "look back" period for new bookings. If a booking existed within a certain number of days of a sale, the same people could not book under the sale terms. I've not heard them doing that for years, so I believe that people can cancel and rebook to get sale prices.

[bob brown]

Interesting....and then, there's the possibility of losing your selected cabin, if you are trying to keep the same one (not upgrading), just for the lower fare. Even in the brief time, someone else might 'snag' it in the interim...

[Clarea]

Interesting....and then, there's the possibility of losing your selected cabin, if you are trying to keep the same one (not upgrading), just for the lower fare. Even in the brief time, someone else might 'snag' it in the interim...

Yep, that is possible.

[JAYROD1973]

Now I know this is not a new tactic, but today i cancelled my cruise after final booking, lost my 1000$ deposit and re-booked gaining a net $2100 dollars.

 

Backstory - upgraded from an owner's suite to an aquasuite after final payment. Noticed later that evening that the prices dropped on the very cabin I had just upgraded to, royal was already closed (their system was down due to upgrades). So next morning, I called Royal and asked if they'd refund me the $599 dollars i paid for the upgrade less than 24 hours before. They said I was 7 minutes over the 24 hour limit and wouldnt refund me - i asked for OBC instead, no go. I asked for splitting the difference - no go. Spent an hour on the phone only to be told "no" on everything i asked for. Now i know prices aren't guaranteed, but it was, from what they say 7 minutes past my 24 hour time limit (i thought i still had an hour), you'd think they would give a diamond plus, suite customer the benefit of the doubt, but they didnt. I was livid, but realized that if I cancel and re-booked, not only would i make 2000 bucks (my travel agency would get the extra 5% promotion). So screw Royal for being straight up idiots, it cost them money and possibly a future customer.

 

Agree or disagree, giving it to the "man" feels good.

 

 

 

Disagree that is why the policies keep changing

 

 

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[Goodtime Cruizin]

Rules are rules and should apply to everyone the same way in the name of fairness. If you missed the cutoff deadline, you missed the cutoff deadline, period.

 

But they did apply to everyone the same way! There are no rules against canceling and then re-booking at a lower rate.

[haybella1316]

Honestly good for you

Enjoy your vacation and your savings

 

 

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[xpcdoojk]

I want a refund for the 15 minutes I spent, while watching the football game, reading this... screwing the man made me read it, and at the end I realize the OP spent multi thousands at the end of the story on a ship that was not apparently 100% sold out for the holidays, which means that the make extra money by filling empty cabins...

 

Looks like Man 1 screwing the man 0....

 

JC

[crimanycruise]

Count me in amongst how RC was screwed. From what I read; the room was booked at "some price"; and then upgraded for another $600. You couldn't get that $600 back, but you were able to rebook the room for I guess $3700 less than what you were paying before, which covered the $1k deposit you lost plus the $600 you lost on the upgrade (for a "net" gain to you and net loss to RC of $2100)?

 

Do rooms really drop by 30-40% after final booking (and by final booking I assume that means final payment)? I just took a look at some of the prices for cruises that had their final payment due within the last month and don't see tons of "great" deals still. Maybe the ship you were on is going to be empty?

 

But the biggest thing, if they did refund your $600; what would then have prevented you from doing everything the same way and instead of saving $2100, you would have saved $2700? Seems like RC actually "screwed you" out of $600.

 

Congrats on .. whatever. Hope you're not on my cruise, I can see you arguing at dinner that you aren't getting enough attention because you are a "diamond member" and that all of us other peasants can wait.

[yuvraj]

I need to stop reading these types of threads. Title is usually a giveaway.

[molole]

Apparently you can cancel a cruise for a full refund within 24 hours even after final payment date.

 

I didn't know that. Does it apply to all sailings?

[molly361]

I didn't know that. Does it apply to all sailings?

I believe so

 

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[SRF]

Apparently you can cancel a cruise for a full refund within 24 hours even after final payment date.

 

I think this is US law. Buyers remorse.

 

Same with non-refundable airline bookings. Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

[SRF]

It looks like the OP has "left the room" for several hours, so I will ask anyone that knows.....isn't there some clause in the cruise contract that states that certain reduced price offers, after final payment date, are for "new booking's only"?

Does this mean that if you cancel (even forfeiting your deposit), you are ineligible to book the new promotion for the same persons on the same cruise you just cancelled?

I'm not quite sure how that works....:confused:

 

If you cancel, and then book, you ARE a new booking.

 

It seems stupid to say, here is an offer that will reduce your fare by $2000, but you can't have it, unless you cancel and book fresh, losing your $500 deposit. Hmmm, still a $1500 savings. Someone at RCI has not thought this through. Or most people will not do the math and not cancel/rebook.

[CruisinShips]

I wonder if you will teach your kids your same values and desires to “screw” the system?

 

 

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These sanctimonious, condescending posts are my favorites. :')

[Aquahound]

I want a refund for the 15 minutes I spent, while watching the football game, reading this...

 

Call Cruise Critic. You're still within 24 hours of the OP starting this thread. ;)

[marci22]

If it's "cultures" you're concerned about...just call during normal business hours.

 

I actually have had a reason to call in the off hours (late at night from the west coast when I saw a certain cabin location become available) and the rep. in the overseas call center couldn't have been more helpful and after several tries on her computer...secured that change in cabins for me.

 

Not concerned, and I did call in the middle of the day. My experience is that non-US call center employees do not like to deviate from scripted chats. This includes call centers for credit card companies as well. It's just how it is.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Thanks to the OP and others who added substance (24 hours rule, etc).

 

Oh and thanks to those who added the entertainment (cross examination on motives, etc).

[land lover]

Good for u..

 

But you have stated you are a TA.....so why would you even post this....doesn't a TA get better pricing then the rest of us mere mortals.;p

 

Let's hope all works out and that you go on the cruise otherwise, they might benefit more than you. IMHO, you have not gained anything until the cruise is sailed.

 

But love to hear when pax are happy with their booking, whatever price. Kids free..hard to pass up.

Edited October 6, 2017 by land lover

[dwayneb236]

See nothing wrong with what the OP did, other than the gloating.

And that wasn't really wrong, just not necessary.

[bob brown]

The bottom line is....putting motivation's or emotions expressed aside, some of us reading threads such as this, can learn a few things that may be beneficial in future transactions.

 

And that...is what Cruise Critic's boards are about....:)

[HppyCamper]

The OP was about customer service. I have many grateful cruise choices out there. The reason I choose RC is their outstanding customer service.

 

I used to be a customer relations agent with an airline. I would have never refused to do something for ANY customer because they were 7 minutes over the time limit.