Odd Experience When Upgrading Cabin after Final Payment Date Today

[keishashadow]

Not sure if this is new procedure that I missed.  Have always been able to upgrade our cabin after final payment date.  Sometimes multiple times as the pricing dropped.

 

Just noticed an OV balcony GTY come up on website today for cruise 6/28, less than what I paid off for a neighborhood one.  

 

Had to arm wrestle RCCL for it.  Didn’t request credit or anything, just wanted the category I saw on website.  Was refused, told the cabin was not available despite me seeing it on the website.

 

I escalated it.  First time I’ve run into pushback from RCCL when modifying cabins after final pmt

 

An hour later, they said the only way they could accommodate me was via me booking a new reservation on the website, complete with putting down full payment.  They promised it wouldn’t hit my CC and that it would be a placeholder.  Ummm, ok, i guess.  A few tense minutes there.

 

They did immediately cancel it after transferring that cabin # to my original booking.  Then, they cancelled the new reservation ???

 

Not sure what’s going on there.  The CC charge for the 2nd cruise never did hit my CC.  Will be watching that carefully for a few days.

 

Haven’t been on the boards much lately, have they stopped this sort of upgrade practice that I’ve enjoyed in the past?  

 

Thinking maybe they want to save more cabins for last minute bookings or Royal Up

 

FYI, Wound up in a connecting balcony GTY category. Sailed this same ship in the past in another connecting (along with other RCCL ships), no noise factor.  Conversely, on DCL sailings you could hear people’s conversations.  

[Donsyb]

I believe it has changed based on some things I read on here 

[Biker19]

23 minutes ago, keishashadow said:

An hour later, they said the only way they could accommodate me was via me booking a new reservation on the website, complete with putting down full payment.  They promised it wouldn’t hit my CC and that it would be a placeholder.  Ummm, ok, i guess.  A few tense minutes there.

 

They did immediately cancel it after transferring that cabin # to my original booking.  Then, they cancelled the new reservation ???

That doesn't sound right. The initial push back may have been due to the GTY booking being limited to new bookings only.

[keishashadow]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

That doesn't sound right. The initial push back may have been due to the GTY booking being limited to new bookings only.

Ah, that could be, although it was never mentioned.  

 

All the reps & supervisors I spoke to insisted they could not see a cabin for 3 “adults” on their end open in that category.  

 

Tried to convince me that I was seeing a category for a cabin that slept 3, however the 3rd berth was a crib…not a couch, or bunk.  My 3rd adult is a 13 y.o.

 

it never specified anything other than it slept 3 adults on their website.  

 

Perhaps was inputted wrong on their end and they didn’t have the particular inventory for the original balcony category.

 

know I didn’t see anything pop up in online search when I searched for a GTY connecting OV for 3 pp.  

[Biker19]

56 minutes ago, keishashadow said:

know I didn’t see anything pop up in online search when I searched for a GTY connecting OV for 3 pp.  

That is normal so not sure what you saw for 3.

[keishashadow]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

That is normal so not sure what you saw for 3.

This is all that showed up this AM.

 

have seen connecting balcony categories (not guarantee) in the past on this sailing.  

Edited May 5 by keishashadow

[Starry Eyes]

Some rates are offered for “new bookings only.”  If the gty rate you saw was for new reservations only, it would explain why the customer service agent could not see  it while logged into your old reservation number (as old reservations would not qualify for that rate).  It would also explain why they had to go through that convoluted process of obtain a new reservation number to get the rate even though you did not really qualify.  If the rate was for new booking only, you were lucky they waived the booking rules; it may not happen next time.

[keishashadow]

Update:  checked CC activity.  I have the full amount of the “new/cancelled/courtesy hold” cruise pending on my CC.  Good thing I have an ample credit line on that card.

 

 🤯

 

CC said I couldn’t dispute for 30 business days or until it would switch from pending to an actual charge.

 

called RCCL.  To their credit, did appear to do a thorough investigation.  Turns out when they cancelled the “new” cruise yesterday, they applied the refund to my original cruise booking.  

 

as it was already paid in full, has a huge OBC.  Sigh

 

they were in agreement, my CC should never have been charged.  Said they easily could’ve just done a 24 hour courtesy hold.  No idea why the agent & her supervisor proceeded as they did.

 

supposedly, it’s been escalated and I should see the pending charge removed within 10 business days.  The OBC should fall off the cruise before that time.

 

After being assured this scenario would not happen yesterday; more than a bit nervous my cruise is somehow going to go poof in this mess.  

 

I’d like to think this is a fluke on their part.  When I asked “why” it happened, told they had no explanation other than it was a series of events/errors on their part.  they did profusely apologize, still SMH and hoping all is good when dust settles.

 

you can be sure I will check my reservation every day between now & the cruise to make sure it’s still in place