How Did This Happen???

[petesweet]

Since this is such a current booking, are you within the cancellation period? If you are (and if the company you accidently booked with doesn't charge a cancellation fee), you could always cancel with them and rebook directly with RCCL.

 

In the future, you may want to access Royal Caribbean's site, by typing www.rccl.com... much less chance of mispelling and ending up at the wrong place... it's so easy to do.

 

Better yet - put it in your FAVORITES and use it OFTEN!!:D:D

 

Seriously, I'm sorry you had that problem. I can see how it would happen. When I Google something, I often get lots of choices, and the official website I am looking for is usually not the top one. Don't know why.

[Rancher Dave]

Hope the OP can get the booking over to RC without issue. If the travel agent tries to add fees, file a complaint and get ready to play a little legal hardball. They'll probably back down pretty quick.

 

 

I would complain first to RCCL. They can cut off commissions to agents and refuse to take bookings from agents they beleive do not properly represent their product. Enough complaints related to cybersquatting the RCCL site and that agent should fear loosing out on commissions and future sales. He/She should make right without too much difficults.

[SAAdds1]

This is really becoming a pain in the rear-end. Whenever I call this "travel agency" all I get is an answering service. They take my name and phone number, and then I wait for an "agent" to call me back. I called this afternoon and waited for three hours, and no one called. I called back and someone called me back 30 minutes later. Mitch told me that a fax was sent on 12-24-08 asking that they be released from the booking.

 

When I called Royal Caribbean, they had no record of the fax. George told me to call back Monday as maybe it hasn't been acted upon because of the holiday.

 

I told George that I was upset that this travel agency has a website that looks extremly similar to Royal Caribbean's website. Of course, that's not his concern as that is not in his job capacity.

[SAAdds1]

Well, I finally just cancelled this booking. I called the "travel agent" yesterday afternoon, and the answering service took my name and number (as usual), but the "travel agent" never called back. So, I called today, and for the first time in a week, he answered and not the answering service. So, I cancelled and called RCCL myself. I booked an aft junior suite that was available, but was not showing on their website.

I am glad I am done with this and from now on, I will only book throught the phone and not online.

(I didn't know that not all available cabins show on the their website.)

[want2seaitall]

I bet you the OP was at royal carribean dot com - no spaces. 2rs, 1b in caribbean...instead of visa versa. I've done it before when in a hurry. It is a TA website that looks similar to RC's website.

[crusinmama06]

In the future....type in the following

www.rccl.com

 

Then there is less of a chance of messing up the spelling. ;)

 

I never type the whole adress. I use the short abbreviation and it redirects to the correct site.

[beachchick]

Well, I finally just cancelled this booking. I called the "travel agent" yesterday afternoon, and the answering service took my name and number (as usual), but the "travel agent" never called back. So, I called today, and for the first time in a week, he answered and not the answering service. So, I cancelled and called RCCL myself. I booked an aft junior suite that was available, but was not showing on their website.

I am glad I am done with this and from now on, I will only book throught the phone and not online.

(I didn't know that not all available cabins show on the their website.)

 

As an FYI, no websites show all available cabins (unless there are only a few left anyway). Each category will show about 6 options, but if you want a specific cabin, you do need to call RCI to see if it's available. Not even RCI's website shows every available cabin.

 

beachchick

[madforcruising]

As an FYI, no websites show all available cabins (unless there are only a few left anyway). Each category will show about 6 options, but if you want a specific cabin, you do need to call RCI to see if it's available. Not even RCI's website shows every available cabin.

 

beachchick

 

I would say especially RCI´s website does not show all available cabins, as there are TA websites showing more at times;)

[Aprille]

As an FYI, no websites show all available cabins (unless there are only a few left anyway). Each category will show about 6 options, but if you want a specific cabin, you do need to call RCI to see if it's available. Not even RCI's website shows every available cabin.

 

beachchick

Actually, there is a website that shows all available cabins but it is forbidden to mention it here on CC as it is a TA website. Anyone interested can email me and I'll give you the website. It is also a wonderful resource for checking numbers of ships/passengers in port on any given itinerary.

 

aprille dot magill at gmail dot com

 

To the OP - glad it all worked out for you! :)

[madforcruising]

Actually, there is a website that shows all available cabins but it is forbidden to mention it here on CC as it is a TA website. Anyone interested can email me and I'll give you the website. It is also a wonderful resource for checking numbers of ships/passengers in port on any given itinerary.

 

aprille dot magill at gmail dot com

 

To the OP - glad it all worked out for you! :)

 

If you are talking about the german TA site that is often refereed to on CC, it´s not showing all available cabins. It´s showing frequently more than the RCCL website, but still not all.

[Aprille]

If you are talking about the german TA site that is often refereed to on CC, it´s not showing all available cabins. It´s showing frequently more than the RCCL website, but still not all.

Yes, that's the one. Okay, so it may not show every single available cabin but I think it comes close as I have seen it show 25+ cabins available in a given category and that is certainly WAY more than any other site does. I find it to be the best resource for checking cabin availability short of calling RCCL directly.

[Meshee]

I was on that site the other day looking for available cabins on our cruise and it only showed 4 cabins available in a certain category on a certain floor. I called RCCL and they named off the four and 10 more cabins that the site was not showing. It definitely does not show all available cabins. It's best to call RCCL directly to find out which cabins are available.

[RoofingPrincess]

I bet you the OP was at royal carribean dot com - no spaces. 2rs, 1b in caribbean...instead of visa versa. I've done it before when in a hurry. It is a TA website that looks similar to RC's website.

I just went there and IMO it looks nothing like RC's website. And the words Travel Agent are prominent at the top of the search box. And there's even a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen, in reasonably sized type, that they are not affiliated with Royal Caribbean.

[Aprille]

I was on that site the other day looking for available cabins on our cruise and it only showed 4 cabins available in a certain category on a certain floor. I called RCCL and they named off the four and 10 more cabins that the site was not showing. It definitely does not show all available cabins. It's best to call RCCL directly to find out which cabins are available.

Just checked for my 2010 cruise and in the following categories:

 

JS - 19 showing available

D1 - 20 showing available

D2 - 15 showing available

E1 - 16 showing available (including 2 corner afts)

 

I agree that calling RCCL is the best way to check absolute availability but for those of us obsessive enough to want to check several times daily this online source is better than any other online source. I have snagged some prime real estate by calling RCCL after checking this website.

 

Okay, stepping of my cheerleader box before I get myself in trouble (if it's not already too late). :o

[TravelerThom]

I just went there and IMO it looks nothing like RC's website. And the words Travel Agent are prominent at the top of the search box. And there's even a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen, in reasonably sized type, that they are not affiliated with Royal Caribbean.

I would agree that it does not look like RCI's website, BUT that is because I [and you] know what RCI's website looks like. If I did not know what RCI's website looked like I could easily mistake it for their official website. Yes, it says at the very bottom "©RCCReservations.com. RCCReservations.com is a part of Cruise Traffic and is not affiliated with Royal Caribbean Intl, Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort or Royal Caribbean Bakery" but you know that many/ most people do not read the disclaimers. Although I would readily believe that this is not illegal, clearly there is an intent to deceive. RCL has pulled the right to sell from a number of Agencies [which I believe they have the right to do without having to show cause], and RCL could easily have this company clean up this disception if they wished.

[want2seaitall]

[quote name='TravelerThom']I would agree that it does not look like RCI's website, BUT that is because I [and you] know what RCI's website looks like. If I did not know what RCI's website looked like I could easily mistake it for their official website. Yes, it says at the very bottom "[I]©RCCReservations.com. RCCReservations.com is a part of Cruise Traffic and is not affiliated with Royal Caribbean Intl, Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort or Royal Caribbean Bakery[/I]" but you know that many/ most people do not read the disclaimers. Although I would readily believe that this is not illegal, clearly there is an intent to deceive. RCL has pulled the right to sell from a number of Agencies [which I believe they have the right to do without having to show cause], and RCL could easily have this company clean up this disception if they wished.[/QUOTE]

Yes...exactly...those of us who are on RC on a regular basis know exactly what it looks like. But someone typing in R...C....com and doing a common misspelling...will see Royal Caribbean's logo at the top and think...yup, this is their site.