Yet Another Price Drop After Final Payment Thread

After reading some other threads, it sounds like the best you can do is getting a low cost upgrade – and that’s not guaranteed. After booking three cabins for a family vacation, I figure there’s nothing to lose by trying. So please don’t flame me.

But I’m not even sure there’s a case to be made. This is best illustrated with an example.

• Each cabin was purchased from a travel agency for $728 with no other perks.

• Each cabin is now available from the same agency for $668 plus $50 OBC.

• The “exclusive” C&A rate on the RC website is….wait for it…$904

So as far as RC is concerned the price has gone up. So do I have a potential case for a price drop with RC? What’s the likelihood of the travel agency sweetening the deal?

I realize it’s not a huge amount of money and other cruisers have fared far worse. However, I operate on the philosophy that every dollar saved is more time cruising.

One thing I have learned from all the experts here:

Never look at the prices AFTER final payment.:):):)

"So as far as RC is concerned the price has gone up. So do I have a potential case for a price drop with RC? What’s the likelihood of the travel agency sweetening the deal?"

Royal won't discuss your booking with you, only the TA. Your beef would be with the TA dropping the price.

I believe that a TA would have to correctly answer this but, to the best of my belief, a TA cannot undercut the cruise line's advertised price. They can give away all kinds of OBC etc, but the price must be the same as the cruise line quotes.

Would TA be able to upgrade to a diff cat in this case?

you can't compare the cabin you have now. You are locked in. You need to look at prices for upgrades and see if a better cabin is about what you paid.

Your TA is giving you group pricing or prices for cabins they reserved long ago. That is the only way they can be charging less. You need to call your TA

I agree with the others. Only your TA can help you. If RCL's price is higher the TA must have a group rate.

I agree with the others. Only your TA can help you. If RCL's price is higher the TA must have a group rate.

This ^^^^. Good Luck.

I agree with the others. Only your TA can help you. If RCL's price is higher the TA must have a group rate.

And most likely trying to unload the remaining inventory in his block before he has to release them back to RCL.

Next week is final payment for our Dec OA cruise. All common sense parts of me are telling me to cancel as I think prices will be dropping for it as well but I don't know if I will listen to myself

Look for my price drop thread next week:p:eek:

Next week is final payment for our Dec OA cruise. All common sense parts of me are telling me to cancel as I think prices will be dropping for it as well but I don't know if I will listen to myself

 

Look for my price drop thread next week:p:eek:

Cancel it! Take the risk!

Another idea: call a few TAs and see what they can give you in terms of benefits. Then just cancel and rebook through them. Since it's close to final you won't be getting further price drops anyway. But if it looks like there are lots of cabins and you don't really care where you are, I would cancel and wait.

Don't look. Why put a cloud over your vacation? You were happy with the price when you booked, stay that way by not looking.

The thing that gets me is that RC has been quite vocal about not using last minute discounts to fill cabins – except for the short cruises out of Florida. They have told the investment community that they are prepared to sail with empty cabins.

They want to change people’s behavior to plan ahead. So now they hit the panic button and there are last minute deals everywhere. This is leading to people waiting before pulling the trigger and eroding their price integrity.

I don’t argue that RC delivers exceptional value. But it still doesn’t sit well when you see your cruise discounted at the last minute.

The thing that gets me is that RC has been quite vocal about not using last minute discounts to fill cabins – except for the short cruises out of Florida. They have told the investment community that they are prepared to sail with empty cabins.

 

They want to change people’s behavior to plan ahead. So now they hit the panic button and there are last minute deals everywhere. This is leading to people waiting before pulling the trigger and eroding their price integrity.

 

I don’t argue that RC delivers exceptional value. But it still doesn’t sit well when you see your cruise discounted at the last minute.

Not sure I understand your anger John. This happens to ALL of us. This is not a personal vendetta against you. My cruise for next month dropped HALF of what I paid the day after "final payment" . Airlines do the same thing. They have to fill the seats. Its business.

The thing that gets me is that RC has been quite vocal about not using last minute discounts to fill cabins – except for the short cruises out of Florida. They have told the investment community that they are prepared to sail with empty cabins.

 

They want to change people’s behavior to plan ahead. So now they hit the panic button and there are last minute deals everywhere. This is leading to people waiting before pulling the trigger and eroding their price integrity.

 

I don’t argue that RC delivers exceptional value. But it still doesn’t sit well when you see your cruise discounted at the last minute.

But you said that the price on Royal was higher. Royal did not drop their prices, the travel agent did.

The thing that gets me is that RC has been quite vocal about not using last minute discounts to fill cabins – except for the short cruises out of Florida. They have told the investment community that they are prepared to sail with empty cabins.

And they have been quite good at keeping that promise, which was no deep discounting inside of 30 days. They never promised to not have drops between final payment and 30 days (and those occur all the time). I have looked at the GGG flier for some months and have yet to see any sailing on there that breaks this promise. The only exception might be the use GTY rates but even those are rare.

Cancel it! Take the risk!

Go the RCI UK site and look at the inventory and price trend. If any category you want has 50 cabins listed and the price has already been dropping, I would definitely cancel because there's bound to be a sizable drop on the other side of final. Of course this all assumes you booked the current somewhat higher rate.

Just curious to know if RCI is still giving OBC for price drops after final payment? I thought they stopped that years ago? Someone on a roll call said they upgraded from an E to a D1 because the price for the D1 dropped and they got OBC - just wondering :confused:

Just curious to know if RCI is still giving OBC for price drops after final payment? I thought they stopped that years ago? Someone on a roll call said they upgraded from an E to a D1 because the price for the D1 dropped and they got OBC - just wondering :confused:

No like you said that stopped (getting OBC after final payment date) years ago.

Go the RCI UK site and look at the inventory and price trend. If any category you want has 50 cabins listed and the price has already been dropping, I would definitely cancel because there's bound to be a sizable drop on the other side of final. Of course this all assumes you booked the current somewhat higher rate.

Excellent suggestion Biker. I checked the UK website and it's a little tedious to go through the different categories. But it does show all the available cabins.

Interestingly, I didn't see much inventory for a few sample cruises.

Interestingly, I didn't see much inventory for a few sample cruises.

On those, the price is unlikely to drop.

Oasis 12/18 D8 3 - D7 21- D6 50 - D5 50 D4 7 - D3 6- D2 50:)

Oasis 12/18 D8 3 - D7 21- D6 50 - D5 50 D4 7 - D3 6- D2 50:)

I would predict the sailing to be on the GGG flier about 60+ days out and that prices for the D cabins with 50 (or more) left will start dropping soon after final. Now, will it ever drop considerably below what you booked at or to an acceptable level - that's a different issue.

I would predict the sailing to be on the GGG flier about 60+ days out and that prices for the D cabins with 50 (or more) left will start dropping soon after final. Now, will it ever drop considerably below what you booked at or to an acceptable level - that's a different issue.

Thanks!!! Final under the new policy was last week. For some reason my final payment is at the 75 day mark which is next week

I disagree with not checking the price after final payment is due! I was able to go from a deck 2 inside to a deck 7 balcony for only $109 total- more- on my 6 night freedom in Dec. I do think it is easier to pay for an upgrade-if you book and inside or OV cabin, after final payment-then to get an upgrade if you already have a balcony room. Sort of like betting-are you willing to take the risk if you can't change your room? Can you live with that inside cabin-if you are not able to upgrade. Only you can decide. Nothing is guaranteed in life-why should a cruise be different?:rolleyes: