Anyone else duped by RCI-Radiance of the Seas 7-10-20?

[xtsea99]

On July 9th I booked a 12-day Alaskan Cruise/LandTour, (cruisetour 12A) for uly 10, 2020 as advertised, for 2 people for a total of $2924.86 .... yesterday I received a call from RCI that they advertised the price incorrectly (their error was also applied to multiple travel agency sites), and that in order to keep my cruise I would need to pay $9,672.72.   Bait and switch, false advertising.  Has anyone else been affected by this?  They (RCI) made an "executive decision" to not honor their pricing.  I'm now out airfare, excursions, travel insurance, etc.  If I don't pay up by August 2, 2019, they will automatically cancel my reservation.  I am appealing to their "upper management" and their Board of Directors, but I'm trying to find anyone else to has experienced this (or similar, and what your outcome was), so we can band together.

 

I've cruised on over 50 cruises, and my husband has been on more than 30; this would have been our first experience with RCI.  

 

Pam Monroe

[sparks1093]

An error in advertised price does not mean "false advertising" or "bait and switch", it means an error in advertised price. I doubt that you will be able to retain the original pricing but you might be able to negotiate a lower price and that is what I would try to do.

[wowzz]

Surely as an experienced cruiser you should have known that the price you booked was stupidly cheap ?  I think I would have double checked that the price was correct prior to booking- as the saying goes,  if it looks too good to be true, it probably isn't. 

[mo&fran]

I went shopping for a new stove.  I saw one on display and thought, that is a really good price.  When the stove was delivered, it was not the one that I thought that I was buying.  When I returned to the store, I found out that the price sign was on  the wrong item.  They honored the original price and I got the stove I wanted.  

  Is that a law?  I don't know.

[xtsea99]

I did feel it was a bargain, which is why I booked.  I did check, double check, went direct to RCI website, and saw the same price.  When I booked with the travel agent, they got RCI on the phone, to select my cabin.  

[John Bull]

14 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I think I would have double checked that the price was correct prior to booking- as the saying goes,  if it looks too good to be true, it probably isn't. 

 

I would certainly have done so before committing to airfares etc more than 12 months out.

 

That said, under UK contract law advertising is merely a cancelable invitation to treat, then submitting a booking is a contract offer, then accepting a booking (confirmed by accepting a deposit) is a contract acceptance. A firm contract.

But my understanding is that US contract law is much fuzzier.

 

JB 

Edited July 26, 2019 by John Bull

[yorkshirephil]

What does your travel agent have to say about this? you have a contract with the travel agent, surely they should take some responsibility for this or at least put pressure on RCI to discount the cruise. There must be quite a few people who have booked for RCI to not honour the price?

 

[xtsea99]

John Bull - 

That said, under UK contract law advertising is an invitation to treat, then submitting a booking is a contract offer, then accepting a booking (confirmed by accepting a deposit) is an acceptance. A firm contract.

But my understanding is that US contract law is much fuzzier.

 

The carriage contract has a clause for "errors and omissions" which covers them.  My legal advise says it is more of an FTC (Federal Trade Commission) issue.  My point is that it is NOT good Customer relations, and they're now in a position to lose more than the cost of honoring the price. 

[ontheweb]

5 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

What does your travel agent have to say about this? you have a contract with the travel agent, surely they should take some responsibility for this or at least put pressure on RCI to discount the cruise. There must be quite a few people who have booked for RCI to not honour the price?

 

I would go to the TA first After that possibly consult an attorney to see what rights if any that you have.

[xtsea99]

Ontheweb - I did have both the TA and RCI on the phone at the same time (for over 45 minutes).  When I asked to speak to someone higher up, with decision making authority, the RCI rep replied "this is not a Call Center, this is the Executive Offices of RCI; there is no one higher".  ("arms crossed/line in the sand").... the TA felt absolutely terrible, but felt there was nothing they could do if RCI would not honor their price.

[sparks1093]

13 minutes ago, xtsea99 said:

John Bull - 

That said, under UK contract law advertising is an invitation to treat, then submitting a booking is a contract offer, then accepting a booking (confirmed by accepting a deposit) is an acceptance. A firm contract.

But my understanding is that US contract law is much fuzzier.

 

The carriage contract has a clause for "errors and omissions" which covers them.  My legal advise says it is more of an FTC (Federal Trade Commission) issue.  My point is that it is NOT good Customer relations, and they're now in a position to lose more than the cost of honoring the price. 

It may not be good customer relations but one can't force a company to abide by a certain standard, other than taking their business elsewhere. It certainly sounds like Royal has decided that your future business isn't worth budging on this issue.

[John Bull]

Just now, xtsea99 said:

 

 

The carriage contract has a clause for "errors and omissions" which covers them.  My legal advise says it is more of an FTC (Federal Trade Commission) issue.  My point is that it is NOT good Customer relations, and they're now in a position to lose more than the cost of honoring the price. 

 

 

Won't argue with your first point - but although I've not been through RCI's UK contract terms  https://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/assets/pdf/terms-and-conditions/UK-Nov-2018.pdf

I'll wager they're different to their US terms.

Can't help thinking they'd be more careful to get it right in the first place if they were obliged by law to honour bookings.

 

Over the years I've been grieved by us Brits having to pay more for exactly the same cruise as those who book in the States.

But I've been coming round to the fact that we do have more stringent consumer law, so mebbe it's worth the extra cost

 

As to losing more in PR than the cost of honouring, I guess that depends on the number of bookings etc. Figures can more important than PR,  but there's no doubt that it's very bad  PR.

 

JB 

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, xtsea99 said:

If I don't pay up by August 2, 2019,

I am wondering why the final payment day is in a week, whereas the cruise is in a year from now.

[Cruiser_1977]

@xtsea99 Can you provide some additional information? A twelve day cruise for $2900 ($241/might) is amazing. I have a 3 night Bahama cruise booked and the fare was $1600($533/night). Did you book an inside, balcony or higher class cabin? Did your TA question the price when they had the Royal rep on the telephone? As @Itchy&Scratchy mentioned why did they move up the final payment date? What type of insurance did you buy?

Edited July 26, 2019 by JennyB1977

[xtsea99]

Itchy - not sure, but I'm guessing it's because they're covering their mistake.  They already have my deposit.... 

[DarrenM]

regardless of whether it was an advertising error or not, it seems a full transaction had taken place, and therefore should be honoured,

 

And its a pretty weak excuse blaming an advertising error. Its not just the advertised price is it? The computer will have shown the price, and all that was included in it, and a payment was accepted.

 

Appalling behaviour from any business.

 

Amazes me that folk on here are defending them.

 

Bullies springs to mind.

 

[DarrenM]

Stand up for the little guy.

[xtsea99]

1 minute ago, JennyB1977 said:

@xtsea99 Can you provide some additional information? A twelve day cruise for $2900 ($241/might) is amazing. I have a 3 night Bahama cruise booked and the fare was $1600($533/night). Did you book an inside, balcony or higher class cabin? Did your TA question the price when they had the Royal rep on the telephone? Maybe instead of trying to get the cruise line to honor an error, you pick a cruise within your price range that they could transfer your booking? Then instead of cancelling the other reservations you could transfer those as well. Did you purchase insurance?

Hi Jenny - yes, I thought it was a great price; we booked an inside cabin.  Yes, the TA confirmed the price (as it was discounted 82%) and they did confirm before booking.  Still trying to determine what we will do next.  Yes, I have travel insurance, but it won't get me the cruise, which is what we really want.  🙂

[Itchy&Scratchy]

8 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

@xtsea99 Can you provide some additional information? A twelve day cruise for $2900 ($241/might) is amazing. I have a 3 night Bahama cruise booked and the fare was $1600($533/night).

really? We were just on an Allure for a week during Spring break, and I paid $1,600 for 3(!) of us. Inside cabin. Caribbean, of course. Taxes and fees included.

We'll be on Regal Princess for Thanksgiving (Caribbean), and I paid $2,300 for a week for the 3 of us, balcony. For my parents it was $2,000 for a balcony, and would have been $1,600 for inside (total, including taxes and fees). I wouldn't even consider a 3 day cruise for that kind of money.

Oh, and last year I scored a $2,000 total fare for a 10 day Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Jade for the 3 of us, Thanksgiving. Alas, the ship broke down on day 3.

P.S. I know Alaska is usually much more expensive, but Bahamas? Nope.

Edited July 26, 2019 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Cruiser_1977]

@xtsea99 I am sorry this happened to you. I would REALLY question why final payment is due all of a sudden? That is the part that is really strange. Not matter the price of the cruise, I didn't think the payment policies changed. 

[DarrenM]

So the price was available, the TA confirmed it and the transaction took place.

 

And still the reneged?

 

Wow. The poor lambs must be short of cash.

[xtsea99]

Just now, DarrenM said:

Stand up for the little guy.

I'm trying my best!  When I had RCI on the phone yesterday, I asked them how many people they were contacting (how many had already booked at the "wrong" price), but they said that is confidential.  I'm trying to find any others who were booked on the same cruise to "stand together", but I will pursue this, on behalf of all Consumers.  I've been in business over 42 years, and I know that when an employee makes a mistake, the Company makes good to the Consumer.... it's only good business, IMHO.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

6 minutes ago, xtsea99 said:

Itchy - not sure, but I'm guessing it's because they're covering their mistake.  They already have my deposit.... 

seems extremely unfair and just plain wrong of them.

[xtsea99]

Just now, DarrenM said:

So the price was available, the TA confirmed it and the transaction took place.

 

And still the reneged?

 

Wow. The poor lambs must be short of cash.

CORRECT!!!  

[DarrenM]

I wish you well.