Price Drop, but can't use!

[ColeandAbby]

I checked online and saw that the same inside cabin I booked had dropped by $20 dollars. BUT..it's a sale price for first time bookings! Bummer! Maybe I will get lucky and have the room I booked drop?:cool:

[Janet524]

Being able to take advantage of price drops is becoming more and more difficult.

[jewopaho]

... unless you booked before 5/17/10. The new price drop policy is simple ... no! If a fare is reduced after final payment date, and you signed on after 5/17, you get no monetary reward ... not even onboard credit. The best you can hope for is an upgrade in accommodations. If you booked before the cutoff date, you might get some OBC. This essentially brings Royal Caribbean in line with the competition ... fare reductions apply to new bookings only, in an effort to fill the ship. It has nothing to do with passenger loyalty ... just a business decision. Think about it ... if you booked, you were obviously okay with the price at the time. Why, then, would RCI (or any cruise line) give you something you didn't have when you first made your reservation? It makes no economic sense whatsoever ... and in this tumultous climate, when business is not what it was, it's simply a necessary step to both cut costs and attract passengers.

[SoCalCruzzing]

I know the new policy is restrictive, but the price drop is only $20 in this case. I would understand the complaints if it was $100 or more. Most of the drops I have seen are small rather than big.

[Kimmie36]

I am going to monitor the RCCL website, I know it has to be some sort of pattern to all this price drop mess, I may even wait to book my next cruise after final payment, we will see, I can go anytime and really don’t care what room or location I get, just as long as I am on the ship! I would say for those that do care about room type and location should book when they are able to get what they want and just leave the whole price drop after final payment thing along. RCCL policy is solid no OBC or adjustments after final payment. I did book a cruise for May and when I did book I was happy with the price so if it goes down before final payment then that's great but if it doesn’t then that’s great too. Happy Sailings is what it is all about!

[sunsetme]

there is a huge price drop for my cruise. i booked before the change of policy and they will not honor it because it is "Special"

[Kimmie36]

there is a huge price drop for my cruise. i booked before the change of policy and they will not honor it because it is "Special"

 

 

How soon after final payment did you see the price drop? and do you mind telling us how much of a price drop?

[Esmerelda]

I highly recommend booking on the Tuesday sale. We had picked out our 12/11/10 cruise back in June but waited. It was on the sale about 5-6 weeks before sailing. We saved around $700+ so basically my son is sailing for free! I intend to do this more in the future. Yes, we live far from the port but I still managed to snag 3 RT airlines tickets for $522 from Dayton to Fort Lauderdale. My next one, I will do it the same way.

 

Best of luck to you! :D

[cruisinfanatic]

I highly recommend booking on the Tuesday sale. We had picked out our 12/11/10 cruise back in June but waited. It was on the sale about 5-6 weeks before sailing. We saved around $700+ so basically my son is sailing for free! I intend to do this more in the future. Yes, we live far from the port but I still managed to snag 3 RT airlines tickets for $522 from Dayton to Fort Lauderdale. My next one, I will do it the same way.

 

Best of luck to you! :D

But what if it's never on the Tuesday sale?

[Esmerelda]

You have to watch cabin inventory. I knew there were many cabins left on this ship so that was my clue.

[Stags14]

I am going to monitor the RCCL website, I know it has to be some sort of pattern to all this price drop mess, I may even wait to book my next cruise after final payment, we will see, I can go anytime and really don’t care what room or location I get, just as long as I am on the ship! I would say for those that do care about room type and location should book when they are able to get what they want and just leave the whole price drop after final payment thing along. RCCL policy is solid no OBC or adjustments after final payment. I did book a cruise for May and when I did book I was happy with the price so if it goes down before final payment then that's great but if it doesn’t then that’s great too. Happy Sailings is what it is all about!

 

I believe it all has to do with filling the boat to capacity and getting as much as they can. They reduce the rates probably for a certain number of cabins in certain areas and it's almost always after the final payment date. That's why they made this new policy - so they can continue to be successful as a business and not have to give OBC's to everyone who's vigilant in watching the reduced rates after final payment.

 

I must say, I have saved thousands for myself and people I've traveled with in the past. And from now on, we will just book last minute.

[Kimmie36]

I believe it all has to do with filling the boat to capacity and getting as much as they can. They reduce the rates probably for a certain number of cabins in certain areas and it's almost always after the final payment date. That's why they made this new policy - so they can continue to be successful as a business and not have to give OBC's to everyone who's vigilant in watching the reduced rates after final payment.

 

I must say, I have saved thousands for myself and people I've traveled with in the past. And from now on, we will just book last minute.

 

 

I am wondering if it would be better to just book after final payment if you are flexible, this may be the way to go.

[springaussie]

I am wondering if it would be better to just book after final payment if you are flexible, this may be the way to go.

 

That is what I am thinking of doing for next cruises! It is worth the gamble.

[Stags14]

I am wondering if it would be better to just book after final payment if you are flexible, this may be the way to go.

 

That is what I am thinking of doing for next cruises! It is worth the gamble.

 

Absolutely. I got a 5-day for $249pp when I booked like 3 weeks before. The deals are ridiculous... if it's a flexable trip definately just wait for a good deal and BAM! Book it! I wouldn't do this if you were waiting for a specific cruise or date though...

[CruisinChris412]

I don't understand Royal Caribbean. If you book a cruise over a 1.5 years in advance, you get a great price. If you a book a cruise a month or 2 before sailing, you get a great price. If you want to book a cruise sailing 3-15 months, you're going to be paying a lot.

 

I have yet to see a 7-night cruise with a balcony room departing from the US priced less than $400 pp for what I paid.

[Stags14]

I don't understand Royal Caribbean. If you book a cruise over a 1.5 years in advance, you get a great price. If you a book a cruise a month or 2 before sailing, you get a great price. If you want to book a cruise sailing 3-15 months, you're going to be paying a lot.

 

I have yet to see a 7-night cruise with a balcony room departing from the US priced less than $400 pp for what I paid.

 

$400 balcony for a 7 day cruise? I've never even seen a price so good... I got a balcony for a 7 day on the liberty for <$900 and thought I had gotten a good deal. Little did I know!!!!

[CruisinChris412]

$400 balcony for a 7 day cruise? I've never even seen a price so good... I got a balcony for a 7 day on the liberty for <$900 and thought I had gotten a good deal. Little did I know!!!!

 

I meant priced less than $400 for what I paid. We paid $800 pp for our balcony room. I just don't see balcony rooms less than $1,000. Most of them are around $1,500.

[marci22]

I am going to monitor the RCCL website, I know it has to be some sort of pattern to all this price drop mess, I may even wait to book my next cruise after final payment, we will see, I can go anytime and really don’t care what room or location I get, just as long as I am on the ship!

 

Actually, I don't think there is a "pattern", but with your parameters, you should be able to get a decent price. The key is to find a cruise (or 2) to follow and then book when the deal seems good to you. Sometimes a category will be stuck at one price level and suddenly it drops 6 months out. Sometimes that happens 6 weeks out; you never know.

 

If you look at lots of cruises over lots of dates, you will begin to see what constitutes a good or even a bargain price and what is overpriced.

[marci22]

If you want to book a cruise sailing 3-15 months, you're going to be paying a lot.

 

Not always. You have to keep looking.

[Cruzface]

... unless you booked before 5/17/10. The new price drop policy is simple ... no! If a fare is reduced after final payment date, and you signed on after 5/17, you get no monetary reward ... not even onboard credit. The best you can hope for is an upgrade in accommodations. If you booked before the cutoff date, you might get some OBC. This essentially brings Royal Caribbean in line with the competition ... fare reductions apply to new bookings only, in an effort to fill the ship. It has nothing to do with passenger loyalty ... just a business decision. Think about it ... if you booked, you were obviously okay with the price at the time. Why, then, would RCI (or any cruise line) give you something you didn't have when you first made your reservation? It makes no economic sense whatsoever ... and in this tumultous climate, when business is not what it was, it's simply a necessary step to both cut costs and attract passengers.

 

I get that, but it is simply not fair that some people are paying less for the same room that I have because they are able to wait it out. Those of us who have to fly to the port can't take the chance on the airfare.

[jewopaho]

I get that, but it is simply not fair that some people are paying less for the same room that I have because they are able to wait it out. Those of us who have to fly to the port can't take the chance on the airfare.

 

It's not abut being "fair," but rather filling the ship. Empty staterooms produce zero revenue, and cruise lines will do what is necessary to put bodies (presumably live ones with credit cards) onboard. These are not the same times as a couple of years ago. My 1/16 Voyager cruise out of Galveston has close to 50 unbooked accommodations, even at this late date. Under more favorable economic conditions, the sailing would have been sold out weeks ago.

 

A friend in Arizona is in a position similar to yours. He actually books his air well in advance ... then he waits for a deal to show up, and pounces on it when it does. He figures that there are lots of ships sailing from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and that the odds of his snagging a bargain are in his favor ... and he's been right the last three times he's done this. Just a thought for you ...

 

Al

[BuckeyeMan]

You have to watch cabin inventory. I knew there were many cabins left on this ship so that was my clue.

 

I am looking at an April cruise. Waiting to book for the best price. Silly question I know but how is the best way to look at the inventory of rooms available? Should I just go through the booking process to the point of choosing the room to see the rooms available?

 

This information could be very handy in planning for the prices.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Maybaybie10]

You also have to assume that the person seated next to you or across from you on the airplane probably didn't pay the same you did either. Maybe you got a killer deal and they paid through the nose- no way of telling really. Truly there are so many things out there that people pay so many different prices for...concerts, clothes, furniture...the list goes on and on- it's just that being able to actually see the price drop and know that someone else may be getting a better deal can drive you crazy at times. Don't let it.

 

I totally understand the frustration seeing a price drop that you can't have, but I also understand the position of the cruise lines as well. They have to make money and fill the ship- that's what they do.

 

Enjoy your cruise and happy holidays.

[EmpressofPurple]

Odd business sense, though -- wait til the last minute to grab low fares, rather than have cash in hand months or years ahead of time (with the assurance to those who book early that they will not be penalized for doing so, as they can receive either a refund or OBC of the difference between what they paid and any subsequent price drops).

 

I think it was a short-sighted decision to change this policy. As I have noted elsewhere, there is a TINY percentage of cruisers who know about taking advantage of price drops -- why not let those loyal, longtime, in-the-know cruisers have that benefit of the last-minute bargain price, rather than giving it only to last-minute bookers (usually people who live within driving distance of the port, since they don't have to make ancillary flight/hotel plans as well)?

 

When they changed from a full refund to the credit card to an OBC, I thought it was kinda chintzy (i.e., ensuring that they would hold on to that money one way or another, just having to give up some more services for it)... but I saw it as a way to enjoy some of the ship's newer "for-fee" amenities (and possibly introduce me to something I would be happy to pay for in the future)... once they removed even that, and just kept the money, saying "too bad"... well, I thought that was just plain rude! To me, it means they value the business of the last-minute booker more than the long-time, loyal, plan-ahead cruisers.

 

Jes' mah two cents...

[mommamd]

I am tempted about taking advantage of the last minute deals and just booking air ahead of time, but I like to get 2 connecting cabins and they usually sell out. Oh well.