Made sailing change - now have Interline NRD - seem right?

[chiguypaul]

This is a perfect post for my Cruise Critic experts. Due to a schedule conflict I moved my sail date up a week. I understood I would pay a $100 pp fee for the change. That charge is listed as CHG1-CHANGE FEE. All good there. On my new receipt, I have the Cruise Fare (before any discounts), and instead of listing current promotions out, I just have an Interline NRD credit. Also, 1) all the promotions from my old booking are gone. I expected that with the new booking and 2) none of the RCL current promotions are showing on the receipt. Now both of those things are fine with me because the total fare with the Interline are saving me more money than the current promotions.

 

From what I read, you need to qualify for the Interline. I don't meet any qualifications I can find. I was never asked questions about if I do qualify. The RCL agent didn't mention anything about Interline. Is there any reason to expect that at any time I will be asked or challenged to why I have the Interline NRD "credit"? My guess is that I'll pay my balance off and no one is going to pay any attention.

 

Just wanted to run this by my CC crew.

 

Thanks

[Morecruisesplz]

18 minutes ago, chiguypaul said:

This is a perfect post for my Cruise Critic experts. Due to a schedule conflict I moved my sail date up a week. I understood I would pay a $100 pp fee for the change. That charge is listed as CHG1-CHANGE FEE. All good there. On my new receipt, I have the Cruise Fare (before any discounts), and instead of listing current promotions out, I just have an Interline NRD credit. Also, 1) all the promotions from my old booking are gone. I expected that with the new booking and 2) none of the RCL current promotions are showing on the receipt. Now both of those things are fine with me because the total fare with the Interline are saving me more money than the current promotions.

 

From what I read, you need to qualify for the Interline. I don't meet any qualifications I can find. I was never asked questions about if I do qualify. The RCL agent didn't mention anything about Interline. Is there any reason to expect that at any time I will be asked or challenged to why I have the Interline NRD "credit"? My guess is that I'll pay my balance off and no one is going to pay any attention.

 

Just wanted to run this by my CC crew.

 

Thanks

Yes, you are required to present credentials. 

[chiguypaul]

1 minute ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Yes, you are required to present credentials. 

 

When? To whom? 

[Morecruisesplz]

3 minutes ago, chiguypaul said:

 

When? To whom? 

At port. We traveled interline with a pilot and he had to show credentials for each of us explain relationships. 

[chiguypaul]

Thanks, Fred. And I saw this on Royal's site. 

 

"Vendor must also inform the guests that they may have to provide proof of identification at pier check-in along with proof of qualification for each occupant of the second stateroom (if any).  Failure to produce authentic identification may result in the cruise fare reverting to full retail tariff at time of check in or boarding may be denied."

 

So it's on me to catch this error and have RCL correct it??? Seems like it. Annoying. I'll need to call them tomorrow.
 

[CrazyFamily13]

On 1/23/2023 at 9:29 PM, chiguypaul said:

Thanks, Fred. And I saw this on Royal's site. 

 

"Vendor must also inform the guests that they may have to provide proof of identification at pier check-in along with proof of qualification for each occupant of the second stateroom (if any).  Failure to produce authentic identification may result in the cruise fare reverting to full retail tariff at time of check in or boarding may be denied."

 

So it's on me to catch this error and have RCL correct it??? Seems like it. Annoying. I'll need to call them tomorrow.
 

 

Hey @chiguypaul, is there possibly an update on what happened with this? Thanks so much!

[chiguypaul]

3 minutes ago, CrazyFamily13 said:

 

Hey @chiguypaul, is there possibly an update on what happened with this? Thanks so much!

There is no way I was gonna take the chance of showing up to the port to only end up being charged full price. So I called back and talked to a supervisor and pointed out the issue. They did the right thing by honoring the interline pricing with a “normal” reservation. It took a little effort on my part. Kudos to RCL for doing the right thing. 

[ReneeFLL]

3 hours ago, chiguypaul said:

There is no way I was gonna take the chance of showing up to the port to only end up being charged full price. So I called back and talked to a supervisor and pointed out the issue. They did the right thing by honoring the interline pricing with a “normal” reservation. It took a little effort on my part. Kudos to RCL for doing the right thing. 

How did they do the right thing? You said you don't qualify for the interline rate so why should you get it? Interline rates are for airline employees. 

[ReneeFLL]

3 hours ago, CrazyFamily13 said:

 

Hey @chiguypaul, is there possibly an update on what happened with this? Thanks so much!

We qualify for the interline rate and have been asked before for the airline ID when checking for verification.

[chiguypaul]

11 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

How did they do the right thing? You said you don't qualify for the interline rate so why should you get it? Interline rates are for airline employees. 

 

Think about it. Had I not caught this, and showed up at the port, they would have asked me for Interline credentials, and because I don't have, I would have been charged whatever the current rate of the cruise was on that specific day of the cruise (that has been confirmed). That pricing for my holiday cruise would have been outrageous. And it would have been very stressful to my first day experience. RCL would have put me a terrible position. So that being said, they made the mistake with the pricing and they offered that pricing to me. And because they priced it incorrectly they should honor that pricing because THEY made the error and lucky for both of us I caught it. I wasn't trying to get the Interline rate - I simply wanted the rate that was quoted to me. And RCL took care of that - and I was pleased they took responsibility for the misquote and honoring of the price.

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, chiguypaul said:

Think about it. Had I not caught this, and showed up at the port, they would have asked me for Interline credentials, and because I don't have, I would have been charged whatever the current rate of the cruise was on that specific day of the cruise (that has been confirmed).

Who confirmed what? I don't recall anyone ever reporting needing to show anything at check-in regardless of what kind of discount was booked.

[chiguypaul]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

Who confirmed what? I don't recall anyone ever reporting needing to show anything at check-in regardless of what kind of discount was booked.

The supervisor had made it clear that 1) they would ask for proof at check in at the port and 2) if I didn't provide ID to support I would be charged full and current price.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, chiguypaul said:

The supervisor had made it clear that 1) they would ask for proof at check in at the port and 2) if I didn't provide ID to support I would be charged full and current price.

What an RCI CSR (even supervisor) says and what happens in reality can be quite different.

[Another_Critic]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

What an RCI CSR (even supervisor) says and what happens in reality can be quite different.

See post #9.

[Biker19]

31 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

See post #9.

I assume that is at booking time, not at the pier.

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

I assume that is at booking time, not at the pier.

Hopefully @ReneeFLL will clarify.

[CrazyFamily13]

Thanks @chiguypaul so much for the update, I was in a similar situation and wanted to wait until I was finished to bring it up here.

 

@Biker19 @Another_Critic I think Renee is concerned people are using the discount when they aren't qualified, but here's what I understand:

RC has mistakenly given out this discount but in order to issue it at booking (or rebooking, in these cases) you must submit a valid qualified ID. Somehow this step was missed, but there's also the concern that at check in at the port, that ID is requested again. Failure to provide this ID (which we and chi were never asked about, don't qualify, and didn't ask for this discount in the first place) could lead to dropping the discount for full fare or even denied boarding. After some research, it seems this is hit or miss on whether you'll get asked for the ID, though I too recommend doing the right thing (pointing out the error) and hoping the cruise line will also do the right thing - correct their mistake in your favor.

 

Chi and I both reached out to correct the issue even though it was on the cruise line's end. YMMV on solutions.

 

Will update when I have other news.

[sgmn]

I sometimes book through an interline travel agent (not always, sometimes Royal Caribbean direct rates are cheaper). 

I have to email over proof of airline employment to the agency.  I've never been asked on boarding for proof. 

Edited Thursday at 06:52 AM by sgmn

[Cruiserlady39]

On 6/12/2024 at 1:00 PM, chiguypaul said:

 

Think about it. Had I not caught this, and showed up at the port, they would have asked me for Interline credentials, and because I don't have, I would have been charged whatever the current rate of the cruise was on that specific day of the cruise (that has been confirmed). That pricing for my holiday cruise would have been outrageous. And it would have been very stressful to my first day experience. RCL would have put me a terrible position. So that being said, they made the mistake with the pricing and they offered that pricing to me. And because they priced it incorrectly they should honor that pricing because THEY made the error and lucky for both of us I caught it. I wasn't trying to get the Interline rate - I simply wanted the rate that was quoted to me. And RCL took care of that - and I was pleased they took responsibility for the misquote and honoring of the price.

A similar thing happened to me re: inline discount.  An agent gave me the discount without asking any questions.  I received an email requesting verification that I qualified for inline discount.  I had no idea what it was and called the number in the email.  I was not so fortunate, they would not give me the discount, even thought it was their mistake that I got it in the first place.

[helen haywood]

I know we have sailed with Interline rates sometimes when a sailing is open to “friends or family” of an airline employee.  We are not…and have never been asked for anything.

Edited Friday at 09:43 PM by helen haywood