No more price drops for RC?

[Bennett'sCruise]

Another reason not to use a travel agent.

 

Q: Why was the Best Price Guarantee policy changed?

 

A: She also noted that RCCL had heard from its travel agent partners that they were frustrated at losing commission every time a cruise fare dropped, so this new policy further benefits them by preserving their compensation.

 

Well throw us under the bus, why don't you, RCI! Not an issue with all TA's, btw. Sheeeesssshhhhh ..... I LOVE passing along discounts to clients. I was a client a whole lot longer than I've been a TA.

 

The booth was there in November right on Deck 5 on the opposite side of where Cafe Latitudes is located before you walk down to the Shops on Board.

 

Not there any longer ... :( I was "itching" to use my coupon!

~dianne

[negc]

Another reason not to use a travel agent.

 

Q: Why was the Best Price Guarantee policy changed?

 

A: She also noted that RCCL had heard from its travel agent partners that they were frustrated at losing commission every time a cruise fare dropped, so this new policy further benefits them by preserving their compensation.

 

Did she also mention the fact that travel agents are quite vocally objecting to this new policy? Whatever so called benefits they get by preserving their commissions, will be more than used up in the extra work that they will be required to do by having to go through the process of cancelling and then rebooking their clients. Any good TA understands that lower commissions can sometimes be the cost of doing business and keeping clients happy will usually result in return business. Most of the recent changes that the cruise lines have implemented (edocs, etc.) have shifted the burden and cost of handling bookings from the cruise line to the travel agent, and now they will have to try to explain this latest change in the price drop policy and how it effects the previous assurances that the TAs made that they would honor all relevant price decreases.

She might want to check and see just how large a percentage the travel agency distribution system plays in providing her cruise line the business it requires to keep her employed.

[negc]

Coulda, shoulda, woulda been the CAVS.:(

Sorry, Patti, they were just outplayed by the Celtics and didn't do themselves any favors with their lacklustre play when they fell behind and couldn't bring their A game. Basketball is still a team game and the Celts just do a better job of it than King James and his court.:)

[Sue L]

Did she also mention the fact that travel agents are quite vocally objecting to this new policy? Whatever so called benefits they get by preserving their commissions, will be more than used up in the extra work that they will be required to do by having to go through the process of cancelling and then rebooking their clients. Any good TA understands that lower commissions can sometimes be the cost of doing business and keeping clients happy will usually result in return business. Most of the recent changes that the cruise lines have implemented (edocs, etc.) have shifted the burden and cost of handling bookings from the cruise line to the travel agent, and now they will have to try to explain this latest change in the price drop policy and how it effects the previous assurances that the TAs made that they would honor all relevant price decreases.

She might want to check and see just how large a percentage the travel agency distribution system plays in providing her cruise line the business it requires to keep her employed.

 

 

 

three cheers for your post Bill, thanks for sticking up for us!

[SliderNc]

I will still continue to book in advance. I book at a price I am comfortable with and if it drops, than it's a bonus. I can live with not getting any price drops after the final payment. Obviously I like the old policy better, but the new one isn't as bad as what some are making it out to be.

 

Like many people, we have to secure vacation time at work and fly to the port. Therefore, booking at the last minute is often not feasible due to airfare and work commitments.

 

I guess it raises a question I've had since page one of this thread when everyone was trying to figure out what the new policy really was. Is it normal for people to book a cruise early out and bank on price drops so it comes into their budget range? I guess it isn't a huge risk because if by final payment, you aren't in the range, you just cancel. But for us who have to take vacation time months in advance, this is just too big a risk.

 

I for one am not upset at the change as I do the same as you do and look at the price drops as "extra money they will get from me in the Casino".

[kc320]

Hopefully tomorrow or later tonight we will finally have some clairity......

 

As Ronald Reagan said.........."Trust but Verify":)

 

Really..I thought it was Horatio Caine on CSI Miami who said that...:D

[Mrsg324]

Ops normal for you.

 

What the hell was this comment for. I asked a simple question that could have been answered without having to read 16 pages. Your comment was uncalled for.

[Mrsg324]

Anyone who booked a cruise prior to 5/17/2010 is under the "old" program where you will still get any price reductions up until 72 hours prior to sailing.

 

Thank you!

 

I also have to tell you that I love your profile pic. That is an adorable baby.

[isujim]

Everybody feel better this morning:D

 

OK to clarify a point.........to get a price drop outside the penalty period, according to the letter Michele got you do have to cancel and rebook??

 

Bill, Michele is that correct?.......Boy if I was a TA, my work load just went up considerably.

 

Can you imagine having a group cruise and 20 cabins booked and then a price drop.........:eek:

 

Oh well...............it is what it is..........for now anyway.;)

[curley23]

I guess it raises a question I've had since page one of this thread when everyone was trying to figure out what the new policy really was. Is it normal for people to book a cruise early out and bank on price drops so it comes into their budget range? I guess it isn't a huge risk because if by final payment, you aren't in the range, you just cancel. But for us who have to take vacation time months in advance, this is just too big a risk.

 

I for one am not upset at the change as I do the same as you do and look at the price drops as "extra money they will get from me in the Casino".

 

We I guess that is what most people must be thinking. One would think that when a cruise is booked it, is done so because the person is ok with paying that rate on that day, and that is how it should be. My God, now if there is no price drop, the world is going to end. Seems pretty silly to think that way. If it does drop, then one has a bonus. Gee, if one is shopping and pays $1000 for a product, do they go back to the same store 5 months later when it goes on sale for $150 less??

For those who say that now a TA will have to work harder, well isn't that what you get paid for. Hec if your job will become too tough, then quit. By the way, don't most TA's charge a cancellation fee if you cancel the reservation?? Well, what will you do now??

[marci22]

Is it normal for people to book a cruise early out and bank on price drops so it comes into their budget range? I guess it isn't a huge risk because if by final payment, you aren't in the range, you just cancel.

 

Price guarantees are a two-way street: the cruiseline knows it has a certain amount of cabins filled early on and the customer knows he can get an adjustment if the price he paid early on goes down.

 

It's not about budget for me, it's that I don't want to pay 2k more than the next guy for the same rooms. If it was a question of possibly paying a couple hundred more for your pick of room that's one thing, but prices have been all over the map this past year. Prices seemed to start out very high across the board and then two months before departure suddenly everything was on sale. Maybe they should start out at more reasonable price levels and more people will book early without hoping for an adjustment.

[Mysticks1]

Everybody feel better this morning:D

 

OK to clarify a point.........to get a price drop outside the penalty period, according to the letter Michele got you do have to cancel and rebook??

 

Bill, Michele is that correct?.......Boy if I was a TA, my work load just went up considerably.

 

Can you imagine having a group cruise and 20 cabins booked and then a price drop.........:eek:

 

Oh well...............it is what it is..........for now anyway.;)

 

 

There is an explantion Q & A sticky thread at the top of the main page. It addresses most of the questions that everyone had on this thread.

[Ocean Boy]

Another reason not to use a travel agent.

 

Q: Why was the Best Price Guarantee policy changed?

 

A: She also noted that RCCL had heard from its travel agent partners that they were frustrated at losing commission every time a cruise fare dropped, so this new policy further benefits them by preserving their compensation.

 

That was the same reason that they used to stop TAs from discounting RCI cruises. The little TAs were whining that the big TAs were undercutting them and hurting their business. So RCI protects the TAs at their customers' expense. Great. So now I book through RCI's website. It takes me less than 5 minutes and I don't have to talk to someone who knows less about RCI and the ship than I do.

[Ocean Boy]

Not if people booked on line like I do

 

Exaclty.

[dfishner]

Thank you for posting this. No price drop after final payment is a bit disappointing, but that's an area where RCI has been excessively generous in the past, I think.

 

Now they need to re-write what's on their website. I do wish they would hire an English teacher to help them with their copy. And I also wish they would let their customer service reps know in advance when they're changing a policy.

 

Come on Jean your being way to logical here RCL letting their people know about a policy change ahead of time so that they can answer all our questions without confusion and different answers everytime you talk with someone else. As usual we will all find the correct information on here may have to wonder through the maze to find it but in the end CC will have it.

[Ocean Boy]

We I guess that is what most people must be thinking. One would think that when a cruise is booked it, is done so because the person is ok with paying that rate on that day, and that is how it should be. My God, now if there is no price drop, the world is going to end. Seems pretty silly to think that way. If it does drop, then one has a bonus. Gee, if one is shopping and pays $1000 for a product, do they go back to the same store 5 months later when it goes on sale for $150 less?? For those who say that now a TA will have to work harder, well isn't that what you get paid for. Hec if your job will become too tough, then quit. By the way, don't most TA's charge a cancellation fee if you cancel the reservation?? Well, what will you do now??

 

The only problem with that analogy is when you buy something at the store you typically take possession of it immediately. That is the end of the transaction. With cruises you are paying for something that may not occur for months. Suppose you paid a store for a TV that was out of stock and by the time they are able to get it for you the model is selling for $300.00 less than you paid the store. I don't know about you but I would probably be looking for $300.00 back.

[Bobbyjean]

I'm being slow...

 

If you cancel and rebook surely you lose your deposit?

[cruisenfever]

Sorry, Patti, they were just outplayed by the Celtics and didn't do themselves any favors with their lacklustre play when they fell behind and couldn't bring their A game. Basketball is still a team game and the Celts just do a better job of it than King James and his court.:)

Oh, stop being logical!:D But I agree with you 100%. :(

[Ocean Boy]

I'm being slow...

 

If you cancel and rebook surely you lose your deposit?

 

Not if you cancel before the final payment date but you will loose any OBCs that you got from a WOW sale, on board booking, etc. After final payment date you would loose the deposit also.

[Bobbyjean]

OK .. I just checked and you can cancel in the USA but not in the UK! You lose the whole deposit here :mad:

[Ocean Boy]

OK .. I just checked and you can cancel in the USA but not in the UK! You lose the whole deposit here :mad:

 

Yes, I have read that before. I didn't realize that you were in the UK. Sorry. I have a question for you though. If you cancel can you have that deposit applied to a different cruise or is it gone for good? Just curious.

[njmomof2]

After reading the interview information from yesterday, my only question still remains about the language we received as TAs (cancel and rebook) and what Royal is going to require us to do if a price drop occurs.

 

I believe that the interview said that they will do price adjustments and not rebookings. What is concerning is that if rebooking is required, then any OBC or reduced deposits associated with the booking number may be lost. I think I'll need more information on this point, as Michelle mentioned earlier.

 

As for whether the statement about responding to TA complaints about lost commissions is true, I can't say for anyone other than me. It's part of my business and it generates loyalty from my customers. We don't charge cancellation or change fees, so when a price drops and we have to reprice, our commission is lowered and we work for that lower amount.

 

If you want to book on your own, do so. But don't lump all TAs into the same basket (as incompetent people who don't know what we're doing and all whine about losing a few dollars when prices drop). Many of us work hard to help our clients have the best vacation possible at the best price. As a previous poster mentioned, many of us were cruisers long before we were TAs.

[Bobbyjean]

Yes, I have read that before. I didn't realize that you were in the UK. Sorry. I have a question for you though. If you cancel can you have that deposit applied to a different cruise or is it gone for good? Just curious.

 

From what it says on the website, it looks like you lose it for good.

 

You all in the USA are lucky ... your cruises are WAY cheaper and you get better terms in general too, by the look of things.

 

Unless there's a volcano.

[njmomof2]

From what it says on the website, it looks like you lose it for good.

 

You all in the USA are lucky ... your cruises are WAY cheaper and you get better terms in general too, by the look of things.

 

Unless there's a volcano.

 

It's interesting that you say this. There was a very long thread recently regarding the after effects from the volcano, and a poster (who I believe is GermanCruiser) who lives in Spain said he was pricing out a cruise through the website in Spain and the website in the US and the price in Spain was cheaper after conversion. Plus it included the protection of the EU travel coverage.

 

I don't know if that is true considering the changes in the currency markets, but it was something he pointed out last week.

[KITKAT0229]

Cruisecritic posted a Q&A on this subject: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3880