Cancellation Policy with RCI

I Don't want to cancel altogether I just want to change grades. I have been looking tonight and I have found a balcony on the cruise Im on for $600 less than what I have put a deposit on for large O/V room on the same cruise. The cruise is not until Feb 2014. Can anybody tell me is there a penality to cancel and rebook another grade. RCI website is not playing nice tonight so I thought id ask here.

Thanks in advance Dee

I Don't want to cancel altogether I just want to change grades. I have been looking tonight and I have found a balcony on the cruise Im on for $600 less than what I have put a deposit on for large O/V room on the same cruise. The cruise is not until Feb 2014. Can anybody tell me is there a penality to cancel and rebook another grade. RCI website is not playing nice tonight so I thought id ask here.

Thanks in advance Dee

You should be all good with that, no penalty. You can't do it online though, give them a call on Monday:)

It could depend on the booking conditions of the new fare. If the price is for new bookings only, you may have problems. We had this issue a few years ago so things may have changed but RCI refused to allow us to upgrade to the new fare as they said the offer was for new bookings only. In the end we cancelled altogether as it became a bit of a matter of principle. Went to China instead!

If there is no such booking proviso you should be fine to upgrade.

It could depend on the booking conditions of the new fare. If the price is for new bookings only, you may have problems. We had this issue a few years ago so things may have changed but RCI refused to allow us to upgrade to the new fare as they said the offer was for new bookings only. In the end we cancelled altogether as it became a bit of a matter of principle. Went to China instead!

If there is no such booking proviso you should be fine to upgrade.

This has happened to me as well. I'm in the US so it's not a policy for non North Americans only. Frustrating, for sure, but as with any company you have to abide by their rules, or go with someone else. Glad you had a nice holiday in China.

It could depend on the booking conditions of the new fare. If the price is for new bookings only, you may have problems. We had this issue a few years ago so things may have changed but RCI refused to allow us to upgrade to the new fare as they said the offer was for new bookings only. In the end we cancelled altogether as it became a bit of a matter of principle. Went to China instead!

If there is no such booking proviso you should be fine to upgrade.

This has happened to me as well. I'm in the US so it's not a policy for non North Americans only. Frustrating, for sure, but as with any company you have to abide by their rules, or go with someone else. Glad you had a nice holiday in China.

This has also happened to me. We cancelled the cruise (it was far enough out so there was no penalties apart from OBC) and just rebooked through a TA, picked up more OBC than the previous amount and saved some money. Timing is always an issue with cancelling.:D

It could depend on the booking conditions of the new fare. If the price is for new bookings only, you may have problems. We had this issue a few years ago so things may have changed but RCI refused to allow us to upgrade to the new fare as they said the offer was for new bookings only. In the end we cancelled altogether as it became a bit of a matter of principle. Went to China instead!

If there is no such booking proviso you should be fine to upgrade.

CoastieDee asked if there would be any cancellation fee for cancelling and rebooking this far out. The answer is no. It is no issue. It is really not much different than upgrading if you are outside the cancellation fee period. You get a new booking number.

AussieFlyer - Did RCI tell you that you couldn't cancel and rebook?? If they did they are giving you incorrect information. Nothing is stopping you rebooking after cancellation, you could just cancel and then book again online anyway. Or was it a T/A? Anyway sorry you were told that but glad you had a good holiday in China!

Coastie - It takes a few days to a week for you to receive your refund, if you are concerned prices may go up again before you receive your refund, you can rebook prior to receiving your refund and be out of pocket your deposit fee for a few days, that's the only issue. Personally, I would rebook immediately while you have them on the phone, pay the deposit by credit card, even though you may have a cc fee, you will still be saving so much it's irrelevant. I did this in December for our upcoming Rhapsody cruise, and it wasn't even to upgrade, just to rebook the cabin we were in at a newly advertised cheaper rate.

CoastieDee asked if there would be any cancellation fee for cancelling and rebooking this far out. The answer is no. It is no issue. It is really not much different than upgrading if you are outside the cancellation fee period. You get a new booking number.

 

AussieFlyer - Did RCI tell you that you couldn't cancel and rebook?? If they did they are giving you incorrect information. Nothing is stopping you rebooking after cancellation, you could just cancel and then book again online anyway. Or was it a T/A? Anyway sorry you were told that but glad you had a good holiday in China!

 

Coastie - It takes a few days to a week for you to receive your refund, if you are concerned prices may go up again before you receive your refund, you can rebook prior to receiving your refund and be out of pocket your deposit fee for a few days, that's the only issue. Personally, I would rebook immediately while you have them on the phone, pay the deposit by credit card, even though you may have a cc fee, you will still be saving so much it's irrelevant. I did this in December for our upcoming Rhapsody cruise, and it wasn't even to upgrade, just to rebook the cabin we were in at a newly advertised cheaper rate.

All good advice, We have sometimes not had to cancel as the TA just handled the price reduction (even though it was supposed to be for new bookings only), sometimes you can be lucky.:D

CoastieDee asked if there would be any cancellation fee for cancelling and rebooking this far out. The answer is no. It is no issue. It is really not much different than upgrading if you are outside the cancellation fee period. You get a new booking number.

 

AussieFlyer - Did RCI tell you that you couldn't cancel and rebook?? If they did they are giving you incorrect information. Nothing is stopping you rebooking after cancellation, you could just cancel and then book again online anyway. Or was it a T/A? Anyway sorry you were told that but glad you had a good holiday in China!

 

Coastie - It takes a few days to a week for you to receive your refund, if you are concerned prices may go up again before you receive your refund, you can rebook prior to receiving your refund and be out of pocket your deposit fee for a few days, that's the only issue. Personally, I would rebook immediately while you have them on the phone, pay the deposit by credit card, even though you may have a cc fee, you will still be saving so much it's irrelevant. I did this in December for our upcoming Rhapsody cruise, and it wasn't even to upgrade, just to rebook the cabin we were in at a newly advertised cheaper rate.

So if you cancel your original booking completely your new re booking falls into the "For new Bookings Only" category if you keep it with RCI?

This is strange because with RCI Australia even if you do a courtesy hold on a cabin on line and dont go ahead with the booking,then decide to book same cabin same category same cruise when a special comes up or price lowers you dont fall into the "For new Bookings Only" conditions because the courtesy hold is classed as a previous booking.

Not to say this is completely true but this is what I was told by RCI when I tried to book a cruise at the cheaper price I had previously had a courtesy hold on? I refuse to put a courtesy hold on anything now!

You could of coarse make a new booking first then cancel the original booking but you are not allowed to put same guests names in another cabin that are already booked in a cabin so would require name changes to new cabin after the original was cancelled?

Sorry just to add I couldnt even do a "paid for" upgrade to a better cabin without cancelling the original booking first.

When I tried to do this on my VOS cruise I would have lost my original deposit as it was in the deposit loss period which made no sense to me as the cruise price had not lowered since my original booking :confused:

Thanks Everyone for your replies. Im just hoping when I ring RCI ON Monday they just say " No worries we will just cancel your booking and give you a new one with your new cabin and we will use the deposit of yours that we have had making insterst for us in our RCI bank since Oct 2012" :eek: Your Dreamin ! :rolleyes:

So if you cancel your original booking completely your new re booking falls into the "For new Bookings Only" category if you keep it with RCI?

 

This is strange because with RCI Australia even if you do a courtesy hold on a cabin on line and dont go ahead with the booking,then decide to book same cabin same category same cruise when a special comes up or price lowers you dont fall into the "For new Bookings Only" conditions because the courtesy hold is classed as a previous booking.

 

Not to say this is completely true but this is what I was told by RCI when I tried to book a cruise at the cheaper price I had previously had a courtesy hold on? I refuse to put a courtesy hold on anything now!

 

You could of coarse make a new booking first then cancel the original booking but you are not allowed to put same guests names in another cabin that are already booked in a cabin so would require name changes to new cabin after the original was cancelled?

I believe you have been given incorrect information as I have cancelled and rebooked on a number of occasions to get price drops or upgrades. Unless of course they have done the incorrect thing for me, but I remember one of the staff telling me once that if the system lets them do it then it is okay to do it. i.e if you are permitted to upgrade, the system will let you do it, if not you will have to cancel and rebook, and the system has never stopped a cancellation and rebook for me. I have also booked a hold reservation and then missed the deadline but booked the cruise anyway at a later point. I don't recall if it was at a different rate or not. MicCanberra is also correct in saying in some instances if you go through a T/A they will just knock the price off (and most likely absorb it themselves), without going through RCCL.

I don't generally use a T/A, so go directly to Royal Caribbean. I have never had to book a second cabin, but I have booked and paid the second deposit prior to having the initial one refunded.

On one occasion after final payment where I cancelled and lost 25% of my booking but was still able to upgrade and get a refund due to the significant price drop, I didn't have to pay a second time, they were able to transfer the amount I had paid across and just refund the remainder. Not sure why they can't seem to do this when it is just the deposit you have paid.

The one issue is if you have a really good cabin, you always run the risk of actually losing it because there is a small chance someone else will book it in the timeframe taken to cancel and rebook. Especially if really good rates are being offered.

I was concerned about this last time I did it as I had a great hump cabin and there weren't any other good position cabins left. To ensure I could get it I asked the customer service rep to make my new booking all the way through to room selection, without name required, then hop on my old booking and switch my room to any other so my hump cabin was available, then go back to the other booking and quickly select that cabin, then go back and cancel the original booking, then return to the new booking and complete it! Worked a charm:)

I am sure I would have still loved the cruise anyway even if I did end up with a dodgy positioned cabin, as it was still a balcony, and still $1000 cheaper than what I'd originally paid!

Thanks Everyone for your replies. Im just hoping when I ring RCI ON Monday they just say " No worries we will just cancel your booking and give you a new one with your new cabin and we will use the deposit of yours that we have had making insterst for us in our RCI bank since Oct 2012" :eek: Your Dreamin ! :rolleyes:

Let us know how you go!

Hope it pans out for you - let us know what happens :)

I believe you have been given incorrect information as I have cancelled and rebooked on a number of occasions to get price drops or upgrades. Unless of course they have done the incorrect thing for me, but I remember one of the staff telling me once that if the system lets them do it then it is okay to do it. i.e if you are permitted to upgrade, the system will let you do it, if not you will have to cancel and rebook, and the system has never stopped a cancellation and rebook for me. I have also booked a hold reservation and then missed the deadline but booked the cruise anyway at a later point. I don't recall if it was at a different rate or not. MicCanberra is also correct in saying in some instances if you go through a T/A they will just knock the price off (and most likely absorb it themselves), without going through RCCL.

 

I don't generally use a T/A, so go directly to Royal Caribbean. I have never had to book a second cabin, but I have booked and paid the second deposit prior to having the initial one refunded.

On one occasion after final payment where I cancelled and lost 25% of my booking but was still able to upgrade and get a refund due to the significant price drop, I didn't have to pay a second time, they were able to transfer the amount I had paid across and just refund the remainder. Not sure why they can't seem to do this when it is just the deposit you have paid.

The one issue is if you have a really good cabin, you always run the risk of actually losing it because there is a small chance someone else will book it in the timeframe taken to cancel and rebook. Especially if really good rates are being offered.

I was concerned about this last time I did it as I had a great hump cabin and there weren't any other good position cabins left. To ensure I could get it I asked the customer service rep to make my new booking all the way through to room selection, without name required, then hop on my old booking and switch my room to any other so my hump cabin was available, then go back to the other booking and quickly select that cabin, then go back and cancel the original booking, then return to the new booking and complete it! Worked a charm:)

 

I am sure I would have still loved the cruise anyway even if I did end up with a dodgy positioned cabin, as it was still a balcony, and still $1000 cheaper than what I'd originally paid!

Incorrect information given out by those working for RCI is nothing new thats for sure LOL

I wasnt doubting you in anyway but just going on what information i was given by RCI:)

Incorrect information given out by those working for RCI is nothing new thats for sure LOL

I think we all agree on that one!!:)

I think we all agree on that one!!:)

Whether it is RCI or Celebrity, the story changes from one phone 9staff member) call to the next. If you don't like one answer, call another area and ask again.:D

Rang RCI today. I was able to cancel my booking without penalty , as it was outside the penality time.

Exactly what Crisincat 31 had said. Cancelled old booking today , booked new cabin with new booking number but as said I had to pay another $800 deposit today. I then had to send an email to RCI requesting a cancellation and refund of my origional deposit which may take up to a week. Im happy with the outcome secured a balcony cabin for $700 less than what i first paid for a ocean view. :p

Rang RCI today. I was able to cancel my booking without penalty , as it was outside the penality time.

Exactly what Crisincat 31 had said. Cancelled old booking today , booked new cabin with new booking number but as said I had to pay another $800 deposit today. I then had to send an email to RCI requesting a cancellation and refund of my origional deposit which may take up to a week. Im happy with the outcome secured a balcony cabin for $700 less than what i first paid for a ocean view. :p

Good result.:D

Rang RCI today. I was able to cancel my booking without penalty , as it was outside the penality time.

Exactly what Crisincat 31 had said. Cancelled old booking today , booked new cabin with new booking number but as said I had to pay another $800 deposit today. I then had to send an email to RCI requesting a cancellation and refund of my origional deposit which may take up to a week. Im happy with the outcome secured a balcony cabin for $700 less than what i first paid for a ocean view. :p

That's fab! Glad it all worked out :)

Great news - glad it worked out.