Cabin upgrades/refunds when prices go down

[karenbeanpole]

I have been reading on some of these forums that some people book and pay for cruises, then the price drops, and instead of getting a refund, they get an upgrade cabin.

 

IS THIS TRUE? I am in the UK and have never heard of being able to get anything back when prices go down after we've booked or even paid in full.

 

Please, if this is true, can anyone tell me what exactly I can ask for if it happens to me. Most of the time prices go down nearer to sail date if cabins are still available - what can I do about it? Do I contact my TA or the cruise line?

[Essiesmom]

Unfortunately, I think rules in the UK are different from the US, and cruise lines do not give price drops/upgrades. Also you cannot get your deposit back if you cancel. EM

[beachchick]

When you book with a TA, you must contact him or her for any changes. No guarantees, but it doesn't hurt to ask about fare reductions or upgrades based on fare reductions. Whether you can get a reduction or cabin upgrade depends on cruise line policies and TA policies. These days most cruise lines do not offer fare reductions after final payment dates, but some may allow a cabin upgrade or small OBC. If a reduction or special offer is listed as "For new bookings only," then you wouldn't qualify regardless of when it's offered. I know that policies are different in the UK, so those policies may not apply to your booking.

 

beachchick

[Courier95]

I have recently been reading in these forums about people getting cabin upgrades when prices drop after they have booked and even paid in full.

 

Is this true?? I am from the UK and have never heard of it happening here. Prices tend to drop nearer to sail date if there is still availability. Can I actually ask for money back or ask for an upgrade? How do I go about it? Do I contact my TA or the cruise line?

 

If anyone out there has had experience of this in the UK, please tell me what to do if I find my cruise has gotten cheaper!

 

We are in the UK too. The on- line English TA (the one that we book with) honours Celebrity price drops. I don't know if they to this for all cruise lines. When booking always make sure to ask whether or not the TA will honour price drops as the ones that do seem to be in the minority. It is up to the cruise customer to monitor the cruise line's price and notifiy the TA immediately if there is a price drop. The TA then contacts the cruise line. This does not apply to low prices for "new bookings only".

 

We have just booked a cruise for next May on the above basis as it ensured that we got the cabin we wanted and and, hopefully, if the price drops, then we are covered.

[karenbeanpole]

ooh I know there are no refunds for deposits cos we lost £400 last year from one cancellation! They wanted £100 extra to put against that deposit from being lost for another year, but we were not sure whether we would have booked with that cruise line for the next year (as it happens, we did but we didn't know then) and decided not to risk losing another £100!

 

So quick to keep our money - they could so easily have been nice.

[firefly333]

I think the rules are different in the UK regarding why they keep your deposit. Not necessarily the cruiselines.