UK/Europe New Cancellation,Transfer Policy & Deposit Increase

[kernow]

The words I have got back from RCL is that they are "tidying up the desk" and trying to make things "clearer for both PAX and TA`s"..........:eek:.

 

Also they say they are falling into line with other cruiselines in the market, which have had the higher deposits and rules some time now......ANY comments onthis as I only cruise RCL and Celebrity so dont know, my TA says its true:confused:...........

 

We currently have a cruise booked with Costa too, only paid £100pp deposit and as far as I know this has not changed.

I don't think they offer price drops but the main difference is that when bookings open they offer a 'pronto' price which increases as the ship fills(a bit like the budget airlines).

At the moment RCL appear to be releasing their cruises at very high prices and then lowering the price when they don't sell, therefore those booking early in the UK will lose out.

 

Julie

[sidekick98]

How do you find out about the price drops though?

 

Sorry, if that is a stupid question, but we bookied our first RCI cruise 14 months ago and got what we thought was a good price for a quad cabin from a TA.

 

At that time they were the only TA that could provide us wiith such a cabin, others said they had contacted RCI and none were available in such a peak time sailing. So, looking on the website showed no such cabins and even now (or very recently at least)only our TA seems to be advertising them. Where do these cabins come from?

 

How can we know we are paying the right price?

 

My usual MO is to book and then never check if the price has changed because with hotel/flights you would not get the price drop anyway,but if it is different with cruiselines then I would like to know how to find out.

 

There go to this site and you can set up your cruise its very easy to use. Hope its of help

 

http://www.***********.net/

 

ops!!!! went let me put in link google *********** and try that

 

try C r u i s e s h a r k without spaces

[uktraveller]

How do you find out about the price drops though?

 

Sorry, if that is a stupid question, but we bookied our first RCI cruise 14 months ago and got what we thought was a good price for a quad cabin from a TA.

 

At that time they were the only TA that could provide us wiith such a cabin, others said they had contacted RCI and none were available in such a peak time sailing. So, looking on the website showed no such cabins and even now (or very recently at least)only our TA seems to be advertising them. Where do these cabins come from?

 

How can we know we are paying the right price?

 

My usual MO is to book and then never check if the price has changed because with hotel/flights you would not get the price drop anyway,but if it is different with cruiselines then I would like to know how to find out.

 

It sounds like your TA has booked group space on that sailing..you can only check for price drops if your category of cabin (eg a quad D1) is available for booking on the RCCL website.

[coxswain]

Got an email from Robin this morning and they're looking into it.

 

 

Please feel free to email them if you're unhappy about the changes !!

 

 

 

jj.....

[Elizanessie]

Got an email from Robin this morning and they're looking into it.

 

 

Please feel free to email them if you're unhappy about the changes !!

 

 

 

jj.....

 

Glad you got an email from Robin.

 

I keep missing calls due to being at work...home for few hours so maybe will catch one before I go back later :eek:

[coxswain]

Liz Robin is on holiday so i think Jo will be looking into it.

 

 

 

 

jj......

[Elizanessie]

Liz Robin is on holiday so i think Jo will be looking into it.

 

 

 

 

jj......

 

Yip

[Goldryder]

Major irritation when given either no choice or limited choice of available cabins when wanting to book, hence why I like my TA cos he gets Amadeus Global Distribution System on his pooter and he checks every category and every cabin available, tells me either via email or phone and I look on the deckplans and choose the one that I prefer and he then books it for me. This is brilliant especially since 99% of the time the cabin I have gone for was not showing on the cruise line website as available to book in the first place.

 

All UK cruise lines are on Amadeus GDS, so you best bet is go speak to a TA, get them to pull up the sailing you want on Amadeus and have a good look at the cabins, make a note of the cabin that appeals the most with a couple of reserves/second choices, then go home and ring/email RCCL UK and say 'please book me into cabin # whatever on such and such cruise.

 

Easy peasy way to see exactly how many cabins are available to book across all categories. The majority of high street and online TA's do not use the line direct to book, they use GDS, so all have access to the deckplans and which cabins are gone and which are there for the cherrypicking ;)

[Elizanessie]

Major irritation when given either no choice or limited choice of available cabins when wanting to book, hence why I like my TA cos he gets Amadeus Global Distribution System on his pooter and he checks every category and every cabin available, tells me either via email or phone and I look on the deckplans and choose the one that I prefer and he then books it for me. This is brilliant especially since 99% of the time the cabin I have gone for was not showing on the cruise line website as available to book in the first place.

 

All UK cruise lines are on Amadeus GDS, so you best bet is go speak to a TA, get them to pull up the sailing you want on Amadeus and have a good look at the cabins, make a note of the cabin that appeals the most with a couple of reserves/second choices, then go home and ring/email RCCL UK and say 'please book me into cabin # whatever on such and such cruise.

 

Easy peasy way to see exactly how many cabins are available to book across all categories. The majority of high street and online TA's do not use the line direct to book, they use GDS, so all have access to the deckplans and which cabins are gone and which are there for the cherrypicking ;)

 

Not much good when the cabin you might want is being held by a TA in group block or by a cruiser elsewhere who isnt sure what cabin they want and can hold onto it(pay deposit) until the decide then let it go without losing their deposit.

[Goldryder]

Not much good when the cabin you might want is being held by a TA in group block or by a cruiser elsewhere who isnt sure what cabin they want and can hold onto it(pay deposit) until the decide then let it go without losing their deposit.

 

No reason why you cannot look at a deckplan and finding a cabin or cabins that you like, then go to any high street TA and asking about them. If they are free on Amadeus then you can go back home ring RCCL UK and say I want that cabin please, I know it is available cos it is showing as such on Amadeus. The GDS only shows cabins that are available, not those taken on option by individuals or blocks. Simple innit :)

[hellosailer]

Having just enjoyed the so-called 'cruise from hell' on the Voyager, I have just booked the maiden voyage of the Equinox on July 31st 09!!

 

We are obviously not very picky, so as long as the engines work and there is some food onboard, I hope to have a good time!!! We did have those on the Voyager and very good they were too!!!:D

 

Any of you on the Equinox Inaugural on the 26th or 27th? Seems like only one couple on our thread are invited.

 

I requested the UK office to go on a waiting list, but they claim to have no knowledge of the inaugurals.

 

Miami again!!!!

[coxswain]

Now Salior your not trying to become a Celebrity Champ lol lol lol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

jj......

[trolleydolly]

Sorry TrolleyDolley - that is how it is.

So get your room swaps and your price drops in before Monday:(

 

[/b]

The question here wasn't answered - you are swapping within the same category, as you say you cannot see all the rooms on the website. So this will stop people using the website to book.

 

Oh dear, not good...... I will definitely not be booking so far in advance in the future......

[hellosailer]

Now Salior your not trying to become a Celebrity Champ lol lol lol

 

 

jj......

 

Can't - I am a Charter Member - Royal PITA

 

ROTFL!!!!

 

Had nearly 40 cruises with them counting in Celebrity - not a sniff of an upgrade etc. I think the onshore operations stink, but like the ships and the onboard staff.

 

With my bolshy attitude, not likely to receive anything over and above what I pay for!!! Hehehehe!!!!

 

I am blaming this latest decision for the UK cruisers, on decisions made by the UK staff. However, perhaps the orders come from Miami!! Who knows?

 

Had a real run-in this week with a member of staff in Surrey. After e-mails - the supervisor was very nice and conciliatory. Said she couldn't call me back because she was given the incorrect 'phone number. Well, my TA has my 'phone number!! I am still not happy with them, but what can you do?

 

Gotta get on with my life!!!

[coxswain]

LOL - still no reply from RCI about the changes !!

 

 

 

 

jj......

[38anchor]

What email addresses are people using to complain. I would also like to email both RCI UK and RCI USA about these changes.

 

For some time now I have been displeased about the booking arrangements that RCI follow, in terms of UK passengers vs USA passengers.

 

2 instances come to mind:-

 

- wanting to book Oasis - as there were a few of us that wanted specific cabins, for a B2B cruise it was quite important we felt to book as early as possible. As we were not diamonds we had to wait until the C&A booking became available. I even booked time off work and made an arrangement with our TA to be there first thing to get it all sorted for everyone. That was fine, until they decided to announce a few days early that booking was opening early. This meant that as we were using a TA, they were then closed at this was evening, and we had to wait till morning. Morning came, and as they tried to book, they were told we couldn't - no-one had told UK RCI that the booking had opened early, and we had to wait another 6 hours until Miami opened and RCI UK could get this sorted......... Needless to say we missed out getting exactly what we wanted.

 

- again, booked on Mariner later this year, and whilst browsing RCI site one evening found a better cabin had become available. TA shut, no-one at RCI as evening, so all I could do was put on courtesy hold as I knew it would be gone by the time our TA opened the next morning. To cut a long story short, couldn't believe the palaver the next day between me, RCI and TA in getting it sorted - a total joke!!!!!!!! Over an hour in phone calls back and forth.

 

So you see, this now is just the icing on the cake. Fine, if they want to make changes I can (just about) live with that, but it needs to be more fair on European pax vs USA ones, esp when it comes to implementing change that RCI have total control over.

 

So there you go, had my bit of a rant, and now want to do the same with RCI, so if anyone has the email addresses I would be most grateful.

[SylviaB]

are they not picking up the phone at the moment? We're trying to call to switch a booking (before the new rules come into place). Spent 7 minutes on hold, then somebody picked and put the phone straight down again, which meant we were back in the queu. After 25 minutes we gave up :mad:

[livylotte]

are they not picking up the phone at the moment? We're trying to call to switch a booking (before the new rules come into place). Spent 7 minutes on hold, then somebody picked and put the phone straight down again, which meant we were back in the queu. After 25 minutes we gave up :mad:

 

Try this 01932 834433.

 

It gets you through to the dept where all the cruise specialists live :) I was told to ring it if I needed to change anything on my booking.

 

Not sure if it's the direct line through to the man I booked with (Darren) or the general office number but if you do get him he is very nice and helpful (and he does answer his phone :))

[Elizanessie]

I am blaming this latest decision for the UK cruisers, on decisions made by the UK staff. However, perhaps the orders come from Miami!! Who knows?

 

 

Nothing to do with Miami ..thats what I was told yesterday.

[Elizanessie]

wanting to book Oasis - as there were a few of us that wanted specific cabins, for a B2B cruise it was quite important we felt to book as early as possible. As we were not diamonds we had to wait until the C&A booking became available.

 

Even as a Diamond member I couldnt book in UK when Oasis first opened...as their system didnt have Oasis in it...45 minutes later than USA they were able to take bookings in UK. Good job I have US TA also:D

[livylotte]

Nothing to do with Miami ..thats what I was told yesterday.

 

Thanks Liz

 

Yep, squeezing more money out of the customer ... it's got UK written all over it. I don't mean just RCI, try changing anything in this country and you get a bill for it.

[hellosailer]

Nothing to do with Miami ..thats what I was told yesterday.

 

Well then. It must be your friend Jo making the decisions. I couldn't get through either - they must need more staff!!

 

Needing more staff is one thing - irritating good customers in a recession is another. And its all so easy in 'Rip of Britain'!! I think they are trying to discourage changes to keep the lines free, but that is not the way to go.

 

Liz - does Miami even know?

 

Perhaps an e-mail to Adam Goldstein?

[Elizanessie]

Liz - does Miami even know?

 

Perhaps an e-mail to Adam Goldstein?

 

When I sent email to UK office I ccd it to Adam also.

[hellosailer]

This can't be a new decision, as it is in the new brochures I received today. Takes quite a while to produce brochures with lots of amendments etc. Same changes in the new Celebrity brochure.

 

Oh well, the savvy cruisers will now book in the US.

 

Be interesting to see if you get a reply from AG - but I think he is aware of what is going on. Cheaper to do this than employ more staff. We are talking huge Corporation - cheaper to have a few cruisers book in the US than employ more staff, I suppose!! Rip of the Brits, yet again!! Just another company to add to the ever expanding list!!!

[livylotte]

I have a question for all those who use a US TA.

 

How did you all find one? Did you google it? We have ABTA ... are there any particular associations that I should be looking for?

 

I wonder if I could transfer my UK booking to a US TA or RCI US even. I think I need to do a bit of research, I'm not putting up with these new terms. I wouldn't have booked in the UK if I'd been made aware of all these new restrictions.