RCCL made a mistake; do I get to keep the discount?

[twoatsea]

Last fall while onboard, we booked a cruise for spring 2011. We were not Diamond at the time. We got a $300 OBC & a two cabin upgrade - E to D balcony.

 

Turns out we cannot go in spring 2011, so last week I called & transferred the onboard booking to fall 2011, Mariner TA on October 26. I asked about & was told:

 

1. Can we keep the 2 cabin upgrade? Answer - NO. So I paid for a D.

2. Can we keep the $300 OBC & get the Diamond discount (we are now Diamond)? Answer - YES.

 

I accepted the conditions & I got an email confirmation (which I printed) showing the $300 OBC & a $325 Diamond discount.

 

Just now got a call from C&A rep. She made a mistake & our reservation is being corrected. We do not qualify for the $325 Diamond discount, but we qualify for the $300 Diamond discount. I said OK; $25, no big deal.

 

Then she said, we cannot get both the $300 OBC & the $300 Diamond discount. And she asked, which do I want?

 

I said, since I have a printed confirmation, won't RCCL stand by that reservation. She said, "No". Since I wasn't willing to choose between the two, she said I will be getting a new email reservation for the $300 Diamond discount. If I want to keep the $300 OBC instead, give C&A a call & have it changed. No mention of the lost 2 cabin upgrade.

 

What do you think? Is there someone I can call who has the authority to accept RCCL's first printed reservation, or am I just out of luck?

 

If I can't get both the OBC & the Diamond discount, can I reclaim my two cabin upgrade that I lost? And, which is best to take, if I must only get one - the Diamond discount or the OBC? We always cash in the OBC at the casino

 

Edit thought: I don't remember if there was a June saving cert on our Mariner TA, Oct 26, 2011. If there was, should I be able to combine it with one of my other discounts? I realize it is past due for the June certs, but thinking maybe since RCCL notified past the deadline, maybe I can get them to give on that. But how would I find out if there was a cert in June?

[micruiser2002]

Isn't your Diamond discount the balcony discount? Isn't that what they just changed and it is now combinable again with the OBC for booking on board? I think you need to call C&A and ask them.

[cruisenfever]

Last fall while onboard, we booked a cruise for spring 2011. We were not Diamond at the time. We got a $300 OBC & a two cabin upgrade - E to D balcony.

 

Turns out we cannot go in spring 2011, so last week I called & transferred the onboard booking to fall 2011, Mariner TA on October 26. I asked about & was told:

 

1. Can we keep the 2 cabin upgrade? Answer - NO. So I paid for a D.

2. Can we keep the $300 OBC & get the Diamond discount (we are now Diamond)? Answer - YES.

 

I accepted the conditions & I got an email confirmation (which I printed) showing the $300 OBC & a $325 Diamond discount.

 

Just now got a call from C&A rep. She made a mistake & our reservation is being corrected. We do not qualify for the $325 Diamond discount, but we qualify for the $300 Diamond discount. I said OK; $25, no big deal.

 

Then she said, we cannot get both the $300 OBC & the $300 Diamond discount. And she asked, which do I want?

 

I said, since I have a printed confirmation, won't RCCL stand by that reservation. She said, "No". Since I wasn't willing to choose between the two, she said I will be getting a new email reservation for the $300 Diamond discount. If I want to keep the $300 OBC instead, give C&A a call & have it changed. No mention of the lost 2 cabin upgrade.

 

What do you think? Is there someone I can call who has the authority to accept RCCL's first printed reservation, or am I just out of luck?

 

If I can't get both the OBC & the Diamond discount, can I reclaim my two cabin upgrade that I lost? And, which is best to take, if I must only get one - the Diamond discount or the OBC? We always cash in the OBC at the casino

 

Edit thought: I don't remember if there was a June saving cert on our Mariner TA, Oct 26, 2011. If there was, should I be able to combine it with one of my other discounts? I realize it is past due for the June certs, but thinking maybe since RCCL notified past the deadline, maybe I can get them to give on that. But how would I find out if there was a cert in June?

You booked last fall while on board a cruise where the special for booking on board was a two category upgrade and a $300OBC.

 

If you kept your same booking number and just changed ships/itineraries you should be able to keep your OBC of $300 but you would not get any other benefits because you are changing a booking made prior to June 1, 2010 when the combining of benefits was reinstated.

 

Had you canceled that booking and rebooked (getting a new booking number) in June during the special June Booking Bonus you would have been able to combine either a balcony discount/C&A Savings Certificate with an OBC of up to $200 because your cruise is after May 1, 2011.

 

The only bright spot to this is that since you booked last fall, you are grandfathered in under the old Best Price Guarantee Program where you will get any/all price reductions up until 72 hours prior to sailing (if it happens prior to final payment a lower cruise fare/an OBC if it happens after final payment). The new Pricing Program went into effect on May 17 where price reductions are now only honored up until final payment.

[cruisenfever]

Bringing this forward in case the OP returns for her answer.

[twoatsea]

OK, not what I wanted to hear, but such is cruising! Too bad it's not like a retail store - once the deal is done, the deal is done!

 

I'll just leave it as is - with the Diamond discount. It's still a good deal.

 

Thanks everyone for your info.