Non refundable deposits might backfire on RCI

Out of curiosity, how do Travel Agency group bookings work with suites and NR deposits? If they are blocking a bunch of rooms, are they being exempted from the penalties if they get released back to RCL if they're unsold? Or do they generally not do group bookings of suites (and choose not to do NR pricing on the rest)?

 

 

Travel Agent Group space is not offered by cruise lines for Suites / Triples / Quads / or any limited specialty category such as Panoramic OV / Studios / Family accommodations etc..

It seems on some cruises the availability problem is from many rooms being blocked off by agencies, rather then individual people booking multiple rooms.

Travel Agents are not blocking actual rooms with assigned cabin numbers. Travel Agents are given the option to hold, quote and ultimately book X number of rooms at a "Speculative Group" price available at the time a ship opens for sale. This is done with no money down from the TA.

Only when the TA's customer puts down a $$$ deposit is an actual cabin selected. So there is no "blocking"

As an example, a TA may have 34 Speculative Group Space cabins on a ship like the Allure as follows: Cat N Interior (6 Cabins) Cat L Interior (4 Cabins) Cat G Ocean View (6 Cabins) Cat B2 Boardwalk Balcony (4 Cabins) Cat C2 Central Park Balcony (4 Cabins) Cat D6 Balcony (4 Cabins) D1 Balcony (6 Cabins)

So say you are shopping around for a D6 balcony and see the price on RC's website at $1299 per person. Then, you check with your TA and their price for a D6 is $1069 per person.

If you call your TA to book one of these at the TA price, you have your pick of ANY D6 that's open on the ship. If there are 47 D6's The TA does not say "I only have 4 blocked and they are 11182,10132,11154 and 10590."

You then pick your cabin. Pay the deposit. And everyone (the customer , the TA, the cruise line) is happy.

The TA's D6 Group Space inventory then drops to 3.

BTW.. If the TA does not sell thru their Group Inventory at 120 - 150 days before sailing (depending on the length of the cruise) the Group space is "Recalled." In other words the option to sell at the Speculative Group Price goes away and the TA will then be quoting the same rates as the cruise line.

Never considered Thanksgiving a peak date. One of the cheapest cruises I ever took was Brilliance over Thanksgiving.

 

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We have seen some cheap cruises over Thanksgiving over the years and some (especially out of Texas) have been the most expensive we have seen. From our experience it depends on the duration of the cruise and length of cruise, as well as departure port.

Our Thanksgiving Liberty sailing was more expensive than our Spring Break Allure sailing. Texas Thanksgiving sailings are definitely priced like Holiday pricing. a JS for this Thanksgiving is just shy of $4500 for 2 guests after Bogo.

Carnival's NRD policy in general seems a lot better than Royal's... $50 per person fee instead of $100, allows price drops until 48 hours before vs. no price drops, and 2 years to use the credit from date of cancellation vs. only one year. Plus, I have noticed that generally (on the inside cabins I normally look at) the difference between Carnival's early saver rate and their refundable rate is only around $40 per person, while all the Royal ones I have checked have been $70+. So their NRD option is better, and if you want to go the refundable route it doesn't cost you that much more.

$70 more doesn't sound so bad compared to the cruise on Allure I was looking at. I don't book non refundable so figured I would pay a little more and still be in good shape.

The NRF for an inside cabin was $518 with $50 OBC. The refundable rate for the same cabin was $691 with no OBC. A net difference of almost $200.

This was for the 10/21/18 sailing.

Bill

BTW.. If the TA does not sell thru their Group Inventory at 120 - 150 days before sailing (depending on the length of the cruise) the Group space is "Recalled."

Does that timeline (120-150 days out) vary? Some time ago a TA mentioned that a lot of inventory is turned back 60-90 days out. That seems to line up with some price drops inside final payment about 60 days out.

Does that timeline (120-150 days out) vary? Some time ago a TA mentioned that a lot of inventory is turned back 60-90 days out. That seems to line up with some price drops inside final payment about 60 days out.

The 60 to 90 days may have been a referral to people booked in a Group with a deposit and a specific cabin # assignment who then back out for a fully refundable refund. 60 to 90 days are Final Payment dates. Hence the opening up of actual inventory.

The cruise line "Group Space Pricing Recall" is something else. The 120-150 day variance is dependent on the length of the cruise.

But you can cancel with a small fee

 

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If I have to cancel and pay the fee I rather pay the hidden fee on the non refundable fare than paying a fee every time I decide to make a change.

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Did Celebrity also change to non-refundable fares and increase deposit amount if booking on-board? Just curious.

If I have to cancel and pay the fee I rather pay the hidden fee on the non refundable fare than paying a fee every time I decide to make a change.

 

 

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Why would you book cabins you plan to change?

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I get it - it's business. However it doesn't make me happy.

The difference between a refundable and non refundable on a 9 night in 2018 for us priced us into an outside from a balcony. It was several hundred different. Sigh.

We are still having Grandbabies being born and vacations at work can be

denied. If we could move dates or sailings and have it non refundable I'd do it as we always cruise at least twice a year.

The actions of some ruin things for many. Isn't that we all learned in kindergarten?

I went from 1 or 2 cruises a year to 7 the year I retired, and took everyone of them. I book 5 to 7 cruises, when the itineraries first are released, and plan on taking every one of them. If something comes up, family wedding as an example, I don't think I should be penalized, just because I booked more cruises.

While you may have actually followed through and took the cruises you reserved, many did not and even boasted about it on CC. To be fair, it takes cabins off the market for someone who really wants to sail and is ready to book and follow through.

Not the same thing as travel agents holdng blocks of cabins until final payment due date.

Agree that a passenger's booking history should be taken into consideration when a cancellation is necessary.

MARAPRINCE

Did Celebrity also change to non-refundable fares and increase deposit amount if booking on-board? Just curious.

No.