No more price drops for RC?

[isujim]

Thanks Dan...........I think that brought clarity in language everyone can understand.........it appears to me there is no change unless you are in the penalty period.......at least that is how I read the answers. Thanks again.

[yogimax]

Thanks Dan...........I think that brought clarity in language everyone can understand.........it appears to me there is no change unless you are in the penalty period.......at least that is how I read the answers. Thanks again.

 

And again, as I stated some 200 or so posts ago...

 

"Much Ado About Nothing"

 

The only change is for bookings that are made after the final payment date.

[Cruzin-K]

Now Karen, you doubt what we have posted?!:D I asked that question of 4 different people............and got the same answer from everybody.

 

Not at all Patti :D It's RCI and their ever changing policies that I'm concerned about :rolleyes: Today I'm grandfathered, tomorrow could be a different story. I also think I'm two cruises away from Platinum but after June 9 I may find out I'm "gold for life" or something to that effect. :eek:

[Ocean Boy]

Thanks Dan...........I think that brought clarity in language everyone can understand.........it appears to me there is no change unless you are in the penalty period.......at least that is how I read the answers. Thanks again.

 

It seems pretty clear. Everything is the same until you get to final payment date. At that time you are pretty much locked into what you paid.

[abhb]

I just got off the phone with a Johnny in the Resolution Department after being transferred there by C&A. He told me that they will still be honoring price drops up until final payment. I told him that it sounds like the policy is contradicting itself. He reinforced that they will still be honoring price drops until final payment. After final payment you might be able to get an upgrade if the price is less than what you paid.

 

I told him to send me this information in writing. He said he would e-mail me within the next half hour. Still not sure if anyone at RCCl really knows what this new policy is all about:confused:. I guess we can cancel and re-book if necessary.

[Ocean Boy]

And again, as I stated some 200 or so posts ago...

 

"Much Ado About Nothing"

 

The only change is for bookings that are made after the final payment date.

 

No, you were wrong 200 posts ago and it appears that you still are. Booking made before final payment date will no longer get either price protection or OBCs for price drops that occur after the final payment date. Maybe that is your idea of "much ado about nothing" but not mine. That is a huge change and it is when most price drops occur.

[tbirdjoni]

I booked two cruises this morning for the WOW sale, , Dec 2010 and Dec 2011 and spoke with a knowledgeably rep. He told me that if the price dropped before final payment was made they would honor the lower price, but after that, no more onboard credits for the difference. I can still monitor my cruise until 9/20, my final payment date for this year's cruise. After that I don't think I even want to know.

[tammymacb]

And there are a lot of people who are not pleased with the results. According to many of the boards I've read, there have been "HUGE" price drops....a week after final payment is due.

 

One woman who booked a Med cruise on the day it went for sale saw the price drops and called DCL. They would not adjust her price in anyway. So, she cancelled her cruise, paid the penalty and rebooked it at the same time, basically giving Disney about $1200 ( for their time ) and still saved ( after penalty ) over $1000. Now, since Disney's cruises tend to be so expensive anyway, giving away $1200 to make $1000 may be palatable. ( Though she was still very angry and I don't blame her ) But, in a lesser priced cruise it won't be worth the money to cancel/pay penalty/rebook. And don't think RCCL won't hold up those big price drops juuuuust long enough for you not to get them back.

 

I think the days of booking way early and having hundreds of dollars in shipboard credit are gone.

[Cruzin-K]

I booked two cruises this morning for the WOW sale, , Dec 2010 and Dec 2011 and spoke with a knowledgeably rep. He told me that if the price dropped before final payment was made they would honor the lower price, but after that, no more onboard credits for the difference. I can still monitor my cruise until 9/20, my final payment date for this year's cruise. After that I don't think I even want to know.

 

I'd feel the same way. Why cry over spilled milk? Nothing you can do at that point. :(

[petesweet]

My feelings exactly. I was set to book an April 2011 cruise tomorrow on the Oasis. But will now wait until March to book something. Oasis prices are too high to lock into it this far in advance. If I find a better deal with another cruise line before booking, I will have the flexibility to go with them.

 

I have no idea if this is pertinent to this discussion or not, but my Oasis (inside cabin) went up in price $150 since this morning, when I first checked.

Kathy

[Sue L]

In that clarification she talks about the policy now "being in line" with the other companies, what ever happened to making yourself stand out from the pack. :rolleyes:

[navigator0709]

And again, as I stated some 200 or so posts ago...

 

"Much Ado About Nothing"

 

The only change is for bookings that are made after the final payment date.

 

Maybe to you it "much ado about nothing"... but its a HUGE change in their perks and a differentiator that made up for some of their negative aspects vs. other cruise lines. Bets are on as to when RCL will begin to discount cruises.. hum, maybe, the day after final payment.

 

Most of the discounts I see RIGHT Now are posted after final payment. I won't be booking any cruises in advance and will take advantage of the last minute deals across ALL lines.

[4merlurker]

I am sooooo disappointed. I wish I knew this a few weeks ago. I really put a lot of thought into my booking. The first week of may I booked myself as a single (to save on deposit) into an aft balc (8392), a few days later the "coveted" 7388 became available so I booked DH into that one as a single. I moved myself from 8392 into an inside 7379 (a few cabins away) with the intention of adding the kids at a later date....lo and behold the WOW sale comes along so I called RCCL this morning. Cancelled my booking in 7379 but asked the rep to hold it, transfered into 7388 and created a new booking (wow) for the kids in 7379. I was so proud of myself being able to save the cabins I want and still partially take advantage of the sale. :( Now it looks like I would have been better off just adding the kids to 7379 and moving myself to 7388 a week ago before this stupid "price drop" policy went into effect.

 

*sigh*

 

~Connie

EDIT: ok I just read the link provided by Dan. I guess I am ok. right? My final payment date is Aug. 19th.

[sanbmet]

Hi everyone,

 

We've just put together a Q&A -- based on your questions and ours -- that we hope will help clarify RCCL's new Best Price Guarantee policy. You can read it here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3880

 

Dan

 

 

Thank you so much....this is much more clearly written than the info on the web site and it says a whole lot more!

[uksimonusa]

Thank you so much....this is much more clearly written than the info on the web site and it says a whole lot more!

 

Looks like it was done to satisfy a bunch of TA's!! What about leaving it as it was for people who book direct and using the new system for people who book using a TA. Think of all the commission RCCL saves across the 3 brands by people booking directly with the cruise line. In the UK you get a 5% discount for booking online!

[Puffinater]

And again, as I stated some 200 or so posts ago...

 

"Much Ado About Nothing"

 

The only change is for bookings that are made after the final payment date.

 

Maybe not to you but I would guess it is to plenty of others. Change is sometimes difficult to accept or understand and they have changed the way they do business.

[mafig]

delete

[Laudan]

Most of the discounts I see RIGHT Now are posted after final payment.

 

My understanding is that this new policy is referring to "price reductions". Does it also include "discounts" for residency, seniors, military, etc that are posted after the final payment date?

 

Just wanted to stir the pot a bit.... :rolleyes:

[mafig]

Looks like it was done to satisfy a bunch of TA's!! What about leaving it as it was for people who book direct and using the new system for people who book using a TA. Think of all the commission RCCL saves across the 3 brands by people booking directly with the cruise line. In the UK you get a 5% discount for booking online!

 

 

if people booked directly with the cruiseline, they'd have to hire more people. Don't think they want to do that.

[mommabean]

Hi everyone,

 

We've just put together a Q&A -- based on your questions and ours -- that we hope will help clarify RCCL's new Best Price Guarantee policy. You can read it here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3880

 

Dan

 

What is funny is that they say it brings them more in line with the competition. That's not quite true. With Carnival's price protection on their early saver fare, the price is protected up until 2 days prior to sailing. Yes, there is a non-refundable deposit but if you know you are going on that cruise, it's a non-issue. If you want to change cruises, you can for a $50 change fee which I don't see as a bad risk to take.

 

Gina

[hcat]

Well this has been a real "Cluster-----" PR nightmare...even the best of lawyers can't do much with poor drafting so that won't solve anyone's problem...

 

our cruise critic host Andy on the Celebrity Bd wrote it out nice & concisely but I am still not 100% sure that is what they meant. They really need to get this under control....

 

We just completed a Royal cruise that had several significant price drops up to final payment date ,& we got reduced fare not OBC Will wait for clarification before we book the next one...

 

We have three booked with Celebrity in the pre-penalty phase.. & will continue checking prices til told it is a futile act...

[navigator0709]

My understanding is that this new policy is referring to "price reductions". Does it also include "discounts" for residency, seniors, military, etc that are posted after the final payment date?

 

Just wanted to stir the pot a bit.... :rolleyes:

 

ANY price reduction will no longer be honored after final payment date If you have booked in advance. If you book at the last minute, and the price drops within 48 hours of booking, you get the price drop plus 10% of the difference. Big deal. Looks like they are encouraging people to book at the last minute, you get the best price, plus a little leeway in case it drops in the next couple of days.

[Bennett'sCruise]

Thank you so much....this is much more clearly written than the info on the web site and it says a whole lot more!

 

Hi, Sandy!!

Thanks for the Q&A, CC Editors ... makes a lot more sense now. :)

~dianne

[mommabean]

ANY price reduction will no longer be honored after final payment date If you have booked in advance. If you book at the last minute, and the price drops within 48 hours of booking, you get the price drop plus 10% of the difference. Big deal. Looks like they are encouraging people to book at the last minute, you get the best price, plus a little leeway in case it drops in the next couple of days.

 

I can tell you that is what I plan to do most likely. I have enough cruises booked that qualify for the old policy. Unless I have a real reason to book a particular cruise, it will be last minute planning for us when we see a real deal. Room location isn't a big deal to us and being retired gives us the freedom to wait. But for those who must plan ahead, it's not such a great new policy because of the lack of price adjustments in OBC after final payment. :(

 

Gina

[cruisenfever]

A BIG Thank You to Erica for conducting the interview with Carol Cabezas and to Dan for posting the link here.

 

If RCI would have worded what is on their website under the new Best Price Guarantee Program in the same text that Ms. Cabezas answered the questions posed to her..........it would certainly have eliminated the frustration felt by many over the last two days.