Check your Invoice!

[SadmanCruiser]

Booked on the Anthem of the Seas, Transatlantic, October 31st 2015.

 

We usually book with a US agent but I found a couple of future cruise certificates I bought in 2010 booked in GB£ with a £75 deposit paid for 1 guest. Rep did say I would have to pay another £75 for second guest.

 

 

Rang to book and the call was directed to Miami (I am in the UK)

 

Was quoted £1562 total for an obstructed view balcony so I went ahead and booked.

 

Invoice Version 1: Price showing was £1799 with a £300 deposit paid, no D+ balcony discount and no obc showing.

 

Rang RCI to ask why they had charged my amex card £225 and not £75. The rep could give me no answer, put me through to a supervisor who apologised and offered to refund the difference and sort the C&A discount - I told him to leave the deposit as charged.

 

Invoice version 2: Price unchanged, no C&A discount and no obc.

 

I then rang the D+ phone number. The rep tried to add the obc. When she tried, the price changed to the current price which was way more than originally quoted (current price is £1502 per person) and every time she tried to apply the discount the fare went up. I was then offered the option of the more expensive fare with the D+ discount or current fare without.

 

I asked to be put through to a supervisor who, after 45 minutes on the phone said he would manually change the cruise fare for guest 1 as it was the only way he could see to give us our balcony discount.

 

Invoice version 3: Revised fare, as originally quoted but still no obc.

 

Another phone call to D+ line to get obc added to invoice.

 

Invoice version 4: Correct total fare and obc added.

 

This booking has taken 3 phone calls lasting well over an hour which, in my opinion, is appalling.

 

I have noticed that the invoice does not mention 'gratuities' but rather a 'service charge' We always do MTD so it is not an issue but it is the way things will be in future?

[SHAZA0208]

I agree.

My reservation summary didn't match the invoice and spent an hour including waiting time on the phone with a manager trying to decipher what meant what.

I've booked for other members of my family who obviously need to know how much they need to pay and any perks due to them.

[goodycruising]

Sounds like the system is getting a bit hard core about any changes to bookings bringing up current prices. They need to loosen it up a bit so that genuine enquiries and mistakes can be handled properly.

 

No system is perfect, but they may need to have a public image upgrade like some OBC if you have to spend more than a certain amount of time on the line for their computer issues. It sounds on here like it is getting a bit regular for these type of issues.

[bouhunter]

We love cruising RCCL and have never had any issues with their billing, etc. But you hear so many stories like this, their billing and reservation systems obviously have problems.......:rolleyes:

[Elizanessie]

Has something changed with regards to deposit when using a Next Cruise cert in the UK because it is/was the rule that when you change the NC into a confirmed booking then yes you do pay full deposit.

 

Decide Later Onboard Booking for UK Cruisers.

 

The reduced deposit is £75 or 75 Euros for each named guest on the booking.

The booking can be made for a single guest.

Reduced deposit is non-refundable.

There is no expiry date on the booking with regards to when it must be used by.

 

When the Decide Later is made into a confirmed booking, the full deposit must be paid for all guests on the booking.

 

Edited to add - normally it takes around a week or two for C&A balcony discounts to be applied to a new booking...the OBC is usually added later also.

Edited March 1, 2014 by Elizanessie

[Clarea]

We love cruising RCCL and have never had any issues with their billing, etc. But you hear so many stories like this, their billing and reservation systems obviously have problems.......:rolleyes:

The problems with their booking system have multiplied since they made "enchancements" back in November.

[bigeck]

I had the same problem last week. Put a courtesy hold on the last Aft cabin on the 9/26 sailing out of LA.

Phoned on Saturday morning to confirm and pay deposit.

Paid £300 and used a £75 next cruise certificate.

Invoice arrives in inbox with no obc.

Phoned on Monday and was told it would be changed and it will take up to 72 hours.

On Wednesday, I received a cruise cancelation email. I phoned them and was told this was in hand as they must cancel that one and add it to the other.

On Thursday, I noticed 7172 went on sale again, so I put another courtesy hold on it.

Called again on Friday and was told I couldn't add the next cruise certificate as it was not in my name. I said they were now transferable and was told I had to get a name change first.

I decided to forget the NCC and just go ahead with the booking as it was only £60. I was then told there was a price increase of £40. I asked to check as my initial booking was not cancelled by me.

They did change it to the original price and they would send the correct invoice.

When the invoice came, it had no deposit on it showing deposit to be paid by return.

On the phone again and got it sorted this time but it will take 5 days to get a new invoice.

In my cruises the deposit has been added.

 

A stressful week after having to change cruises due to the Pvsa law.

I also have to add, these phone calls are usually around an hour long

Edited March 1, 2014 by bigeck

[SadmanCruiser]

Has something changed with regards to deposit when using a Next Cruise cert in the UK because it is/was the rule that when you change the NC into a confirmed booking then yes you do pay full deposit.

 

Decide Later Onboard Booking for UK Cruisers.

 

When the Decide Later is made into a confirmed booking, the full deposit must be paid for all guests on the booking.

 

Edited to add - normally it takes around a week or two for C&A balcony discounts to be applied to a new booking...the OBC is usually added later also.

 

That's another benefit U.S. guests have - $100 per person deposit with nothing else to pay until final payment.

 

On my U.S. invoices (the last 15/16 cruises), the D+ discount and obc have been applied immediately.

 

Pete

[Ocean View]

I'm booked on jun1 AOS. I watch my pricing daily as I have not made final payment yet. About 2 wks ago I looked on my account page and it said I had a CREDIT of like 1400.00 dollars zero balance due. lol I printed it and said nothing 24 hours later it was back to normal. So I check my balance due every day to be sure it's correct. I never expected it to be free but it was nice to dream for a few min lol

 

 

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[knittinggirl]

If they're pulling the "applied w/in 72 hours" it may not be possible, but I often try to get them to send me the invoice and check it out while I'm on the phone with them. I'm not too happy w/ the new computer upgrades, since any price changes end in a new reservation. If it's w/in 6 month, we lose $25 of our balcony discount. But the good side of their computer upgrade is the OBC and balcony discounts appear immediately.

 

 

Anybody know if the balcony discounts are adjusted automatically on all our bookings when we move from Diamond to Diamond Plus? I can see real problems if they must start the reservation from scratch to get us the new balcony discount.

Edited March 1, 2014 by knittinggirl

[edeneyes]

We love cruising RCCL and have never had any issues with their billing, etc. But you hear so many stories like this, their billing and reservation systems obviously have problems.......:rolleyes:

 

 

I have experienced their mysterious billing system recently. I booked a cruise using an Open Booking, so I had already paid $100 deposit to RCCL onboard. My travel agent required that I pay the full amount of the booking and they would arrange for RCCL to credit me back the $100. Well, a few weeks later I get a credit on my VISA for $70.72. Don't know where that number came from. I called RCCL and got nowhere. Called the travel agent and she spent a very long time on the phone with them.. The result----a few weeks later, an additional credit from RCCL for $129.28. The total credit was $100 too much, but I wasn't going to question it because I know it would never had been right. How do they make money!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[SadmanCruiser]

When we moves from D to D+ my travel agent had to ring to get the extra discount applied to our future booked cruises.

[knittinggirl]

When we moves from D to D+ my travel agent had to ring to get the extra discount applied to our future booked cruises.

 

Was this before or after the computer upgrade?

 

Sent from my KFJWA using Tapatalk HD

[bigeck]

That's another benefit U.S. guests have - $100 per person deposit with nothing else to pay until final payment.

 

On my U.S. invoices (the last 15/16 cruises), the D+ discount and obc have been applied immediately.

 

Pete

 

And can cancel and get the deposit back

[NorbertsNiece]

Reading this thread.

My head hurts.

Just. Saying.

[bigeck]

Reading this thread.

My head hurts.

Just. Saying.

 

So does ours. Been on the phone for about 6 hours this week. Hurt more when phone bill comes in

[NorbertsNiece]

So does ours. Been on the phone for about 6 hours this week. Hurt more when phone bill comes in

 

Hate that. 084xxxx numbers..... they make money from that.... sting in an already wounded tail....

 

Did you read that story a short while ago about a man who set up a home phone line so that when companies called HIM he got money for it.....

[bigeck]

Hate that. 084xxxx numbers..... they make money from that.... sting in an already wounded tail....

 

Did you read that story a short while ago about a man who set up a home phone line so that when companies called HIM he got money for it.....

 

An 0871 number they get the money.

I used the old 01932 number on Friday from my mobile and it was redirected. That's what I'll be doing from now on

[Rancher Dave]

Hate that. 084xxxx numbers..... they make money from that.... sting in an already wounded tail....

 

 

 

Did you read that story a short while ago about a man who set up a home phone line so that when companies called HIM he got money for it.....

 

 

Would love to set up my home phone like that here in Texas.

 

Glad so far no issues since they changed the system...seems some have had a really unlucky time with the changes.

[SadmanCruiser]

Was this before or after the computer upgrade?

 

Sent from my KFJWA using Tapatalk HD

 

It was before the recent 'upgrades'

[Gcfredp]

In am sitting here reading this thread while listing to the "hold commercials" from Royal Caribbean. After 20 minutes I talked to someone who put me on hold. She came back to tell me that the Resolutions Department needed to work out my problem. She said I could stay on hold for approximately 30 minutes or try calling back on Monday. Needless to say, I am still on hold. Wish me luck!!

[bigeck]

In am sitting here reading this thread while listing to the "hold commercials" from Royal Caribbean. After 20 minutes I talked to someone who put me on hold. She came back to tell me that the Resolutions Department needed to work out my problem. She said I could stay on hold for approximately 30 minutes or try calling back on Monday. Needless to say, I am still on hold. Wish me luck!!

 

Good luck. The person who invented 'speakerphone' deserves a medal

[movingagain1990]

You are correct to say to check your invoice. I had booked a cruise for 2 with Royal Caribbean on line---got my $300 onboard credit, then within the allotted time changed to my travel agent who gave me another loyalty $100 onboard credit---filled out the form and faxed to RCCL. When my travel agent got the info from RCCL, it did not have the $300 onboard credit. I sent a phone of my booking confirmation I had gotten from RCCL and emailed it to him. They had to give me back my onboard credit. Now I have $400 onboard credi. If my travel agent had not called me, since I had already told him about the $300 onboard credit, I would have lost out---thankfully I still had my copy of confirmation from RCCL---had not thrown it away yet, since I had transferred my reservation. so definitely look at your invoice,

[mistshar]

That's why I like using a TA. I email her if I have a problem and she takes care of it. I don't have to stay on the phone for hours. I don't want to deal with all that.

[SadmanCruiser]

Just received the following email:

 

Dear Peter,

 

Thank you for your email. I can only apologise for the difficulties you

have had in the booking process, you are right this is certainly not the

kind of service that we normally expect to provide to our guests.

 

I am happy to see that this has now been amended for you and you should now have the correct documentation.

 

I will certainly be passing this feedback on so that we can use this

example to help improve our service in the future. If you have any further

queries then please feel free to send them by email rather than calling in

if this is easier for you.

 

Many thanks and kind regards,

 

Krystal Yule

Senior Assist GTS Sales

UK & Ireland Guest & Trade Sales

RCL Cruises Ltd.

 

Be nice to think that the feedback is passed on!