Trouble with getting balcony discount

[perkli25]

We booked our May 2014 Allure Cruise in October 2013. I did not book using any saving certificate or discount. The price was decent so I booked. Called yesterday to pay the remainder of the balance. Asked that our platinum balcony discount be applied to the balance and RCI wouldn't honor it. They stated that we were given "special" pricing when we originally booked.

 

Unfortunately, my DH was the one who spoke with RCI. He was on hold for about 20 minutes before even speaking to someone. He did not argue the point and just made the payment.

 

Anyone else have issues getting this discount applied? Should I call back or write a letter/email? In the big scheme of things, the discount isn't a whole lot and this won't affect my vacation at all. However, it still irritates me that RCI is trying to deny us this benefit.

[perkli25]

We booked our May 2014 Allure Cruise in October 2013. I did not book using any saving certificate or discount. The price was decent so I booked. Called yesterday to pay the remainder of the balance. Asked that our platinum balcony discount be applied to the balance and RCI wouldn't honor it. They stated that we were given "special" pricing when we originally booked.

 

Unfortunately, my DH was the one who spoke with RCI. He was on hold for about 20 minutes before even speaking to someone. He did not argue the point and just made the payment.

 

Anyone else have issues getting this discount applied? Should I call back or write a letter/email? In the big scheme of things, the discount isn't a whole lot and this won't affect my vacation at all. However, it still irritates me that RCI is trying to deny us this benefit.

 

Also, I apologize if this is a duplicate post. It didn't show up the board after the first time I posted. Not sure what happened.

[leaveitallbehind]

Never had any issue having the C & A balcony discount applied. The only condition negating it is that it cannot be combined with a savings certificate - you would choose one or the other based on comparative value. But you indicate that no savings certificate was used, so you should have been able to have it applied.

 

The only other question may be, as it was requested at the time you made final payment and not with the original booking, with the before 6 month / after 6 month booking time frame amount that they may apply. I would suggest contacting C & A (or your TA if one was used) to check into this again as, unless I'm missing something, I believe from what you say it should have been able to be applied.

Edited February 9, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[LMaxwell]

I have never heard of a balcony discount not being applied or not able to be combined with other offers. I'm not the authority on this though. I'd call Crown and Anchor up and ask for a better explanation and escalate if their answer doesn't pass the sniff test.

 

RCI contact info

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/contactUs.do?cS=NAVBAR

[truffles2]

Heads up that you should get the balcony discount applied as quickly as possible after initially booking (if they do NOT do it at the time of booking)--otherwise they try to stick you with a smaller discount because of the time lapse. ( before/after Six months time limit to change amount).

[Shippy]

Did you use an internet agency. We cruise about 3 times a year and always do.

I price compare and found that some of them include that discount in their pricing. When I think I have my choice narrowed down....I rerun the info WITHOUT including that I am a past passenger or my diamond number. That way I can see if the discount was included.

I do that now because once I made a fairly last minute booking where all the money was due and I assumed my discount was going to be added on top......it was already in the pricing....live and learn.

Pursue your issue so you will understand for the future.

[molly361]

I have never heard of not getting your discount either. I would call C and A and if that does not work call tomorrow and ask for the Resolutions Dept. Let us know how you make out Good luck

[CruisingTeacher19]

You should be able to get the discount. You had to ate reservations 6 months in advance though

 

 

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[reallyitsmema]

Did you book during a WOW sale? Can't get a balcony discount if you did.

[LMaxwell]

You should be able to get the discount. You had to ate reservations 6 months in advance though

 

 

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Here are the discount amounts for Platinum, you do not need to book more than 6 months in advance to qualify.

 

Platinum Balcony Discount When Booking More Than 6 Months From Sailing Date:

$ 50 for sailings of 3-5 nights

$100 for sailings of 6-9 nights

$200 for sailings of 10-14 nights

$200 for sailings of 15+ nights

 

When booking less than 6 months from sailing date subtract $25.

 

This is per cabin and has been the going rate for 3 years now.

[grandgeezer]

I use an internet travel agency and I always get my balcony discount. It shows up on my confirmation/receipt as a credit of $250 under my booking as it is a cabin discount. My wife's shows the price agreed upon. I usually receive this within a week, or so, of booking.

[bmac1]

If you book during the WOW sale you have your choice of the OBC and reduced downpayment or your balcony discount but you can' t use both.

[lady_cruiser]

Same thing happened to us; some discounts can not be combined. We booked a November 2014 cruise and received a $300 OBC. When I asked for my C&A Diamond discount I was told that I could either take the $225 C&A discount and give up the OBC or keep the OBC and give up my discount but I could not have not both.

 

So I chose the OBC. I figured that I am already $75 ahead plus the price of the Jr. Suite we have was under 1,000 each.

[molly361]

Here's your other thread- Boards are wiggy today

 

R u sure you did not get OBC from some other RCL promotion? Then you would not be able to get your balcony discount

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987044

[leaveitallbehind]

Here's your other thread- Boards are wiggy today

 

R u sure you did not get OBC from some other RCL promotion? Then you would not be able to get your balcony discount

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987044

 

Noticed the other thread as well - thought it was CC issues related.

 

A promotion such as you refer to could perhaps be the "special" pricing the OP mentioned - which could be the reason. Hopefully RCI / their TA can provide an answer to explain it for them.

[jonbgd]

So Im having a problem of getting my balcony discount changed, before final payment is due

 

I booked as an Emerald

Now that we are Diamond, Im trying to get the additional $100 discount applied

I was told by C&A, when transferring the booking to my TA, it could be added later.

 

I had someone call from TA's office today and they wouldn't do it.

Over an hour on the phone:rolleyes:

 

So than I called C&A and they said I booked under the Wow sale and received $50obc.

So it is not combinable with Balcony discount, but If TA can call back directly to C&A and drop the WOW sale obc, I can get Diamond balcony discount.

 

The strange thing is, I received my Emerald balcony discount, when originally booking and recieved $50 from Wow. Besides another $100 from next cruise cert

So It wasn't an issue before, but it is now:confused:

 

I sent my regular TA an email and am waiting for a response

[jonbgd]

Just a follow up on mine

 

My Ta called me to authorize the change to Diamond discount and dropping the WOW obc

 

I have email of new invoice with the correct numbers

 

All fixed thanks to RCCL crown and anchor and my TA figuring things out

Pretty good for a sunday night:D

[gerif]

Just a follow up on mine

 

My Ta called me to authorize the change to Diamond discount and dropping the WOW obc

 

I have email of new invoice with the correct numbers

 

All fixed thanks to RCCL crown and anchor and my TA figuring things out

Pretty good for a sunday night:D

 

Glad it worked out. That's the problem with the WOW sales - once you become Diamond and if you book at least a balcony, they are pretty much useless except for the reduced deposit.

[jonbgd]

Glad it worked out. That's the problem with the WOW sales - once you become Diamond and if you book at least a balcony, they are pretty much useless except for the reduced deposit.

 

Thanks ....I didn't even know I was booking the WOW sale thou:confused:

 

I guess I should pay a little more attention:o

I was just happy to get the cruise at a good price but was including the D discount in my head for final price

 

In the future I will know better

[perkli25]

Thank you for your replies. Sorry again about the duplicate posts. There was something weird going on with the boards earlier.

 

Here's your other thread- Boards are wiggy today

 

R u sure you did not get OBC from some other RCL promotion? Then you would not be able to get your balcony discount

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987044

 

I did not get any obc. I guess there could of been a wow sale going on but I don't specifically remember that. I booked online myself and not through a TA. I honestly forgot about the balcony discount when I booked so it could be my fault.

[perkli25]

Heads up that you should get the balcony discount applied as quickly as possible after initially booking (if they do NOT do it at the time of booking)--otherwise they try to stick you with a smaller discount because of the time lapse. ( before/after Six months time limit to change amount).

 

Yea, I forgot about the balcony discount when I booked. I am okay with the lesser discount but now they are saying we would have to pay the higher cruise price (about $2000 difference) if they apply the balcony discount. They claim we got "special pricing" when we booked. The price was right but I don't recall any sale and I did not use a saving certificate.

[perkli25]

Did you book during a WOW sale? Can't get a balcony discount if you did.

 

I booked because the price was good and we knew we wanted the Allure during that time frame. I do not recall that there was a WOW sale in progress.

 

It would be nice if our invoice referenced what special pricing they are referencing.

[jonbgd]

Yea, I forgot about the balcony discount when I booked. I am okay with the lesser discount but now they are saying we would have to pay the higher cruise price (about $2000 difference) if they apply the balcony discount. They claim we got "special pricing" when we booked. The price was right but I don't recall any sale and I did not use a saving certificate.

 

Call Crown and Anchor direct.

I had regular reservations tell my TA the same thing

[perkli25]

Call Crown and Anchor direct.

I had regular reservations tell my TA the same thing

 

I will call tomorrow. Thanks

[orville99]

I booked because the price was good and we knew we wanted the Allure during that time frame. I do not recall that there was a WOW sale in progress.

 

 

 

It would be nice if our invoice referenced what special pricing they are referencing.

 

 

If there was any special pricing or restrictions on the booking it would show up on the booking invoice on the line just below your stateroom number.

 

 

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