Feeling a bit burned

[Barnum42]

Exactly when was this? Are you in the U.S. or Canada? If so, certainly not within the last 2 years at least.

 

It was on the morning of Saturday 3rd May 2014 - so certainly was within the last two years.

 

I am in the UK.

 

I am also not the only one who was successful in getting either refunds or upgrades in relation to the price drop on this cruise. It was the encouragement of reading others on the cruise getting their refunds and upgrades that made me do the same.

[xxHadleyxx]

I do not like the policy, but as others say, it is standard for most lines now--and prices drops right after final payment are also quite common.

 

You do have the option to upgrade (if you have some cabins of only teens that have to be right next to you, if you are willing to be apart, they may let you change the names on the reservations to have one adult and one teen booked in each cabin and then upgrade and then you can get extra keys and sleep where you want once onboard).

 

I have not heard of, or been successful in getting a refund (only upgrades) after final payment (which in Europe is one month out--but we lose our full deposit if we cancel at any time, even 1 year out, so it is not as lovely as it sounds!) and that IS against the written polices (at least for the US, Canada and Germany). I would not count on the PPs experience as any sort of proof that you can talk your way into a refund, sorry.

[marci22]

It was on the morning of Saturday 3rd May 2014 - so certainly was within the last two years.

 

I am in the UK.

 

I am also not the only one who was successful in getting either refunds or upgrades in relation to the price drop on this cruise. It was the encouragement of reading others on the cruise getting their refunds and upgrades that made me do the same.

 

This might be something that is possible with a UK travel agent. I cannot imagine anyone in US complaining for any amount of time and getting any money back, in any form.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

The problem with waiting until after final payment to book is the cabin type/location you want may not be available.

 

What other major purchases (car, airfare, house, etc) allow you to get a refund if the price drops after you purchase?

[Clarea]

The problem with waiting until after final payment to book is the cabin type/location you want may not be available.

 

What other major purchases (car, airfare, house, etc) allow you to get a refund if the price drops after you purchase?

Houses and cars are usually not paid in full 75 days before taking possession. For airlines, we use Southwest who will give a credit (not a refund) for a price drop.

[lady_cruiser]

We have a 7 day group cruise booked for this summer and all the while since we booked we had been watching for price drops. Prices pretty much held steady the entire time and we made our final payments when required. Not even two weeks after our final payment date, prices have dropped around $200 per person for many of our rooms. Most in our group are not interested in upgrading for a variety of reasons (proximity to others in the group or connecting rooms etc.) and I have been told there is nothing that they can do for us. If that's how it is, then so be it, and we will still enjoy our cruise but it leaves a pretty sour taste to lock us in like that for booking early and then offer the same categories for substantially less. I haven't cruised Royal for a while and was wondering if this is a typical pricing strategy for their cruises. With other lines that we have cruised we haven't had this happen and if the price did drop we were compensated in some way. Any suggestions or has anyone had success receiving some sort of compensation shortly after the final payment date?

 

I know how you feel. We always book early so we get the exact cabin we want than when the price drops after final payment we get bummed. I keep saying that one day we'll wait until the week before to book at a lower price but so far we haven't tried it. I find that the cabins available closer to the sail date aren't cabins that I would normally book so I get bummed for one day then I'm over it.

[workingonlytocruise]

It was on the morning of Saturday 3rd May 2014 - so certainly was within the last two years.

 

I am in the UK.

 

I am also not the only one who was successful in getting either refunds or upgrades in relation to the price drop on this cruise. It was the encouragement of reading others on the cruise getting their refunds and upgrades that made me do the same.

 

OK - but totally different rules in the U.K. vs the U.S. You can't cancel and get your deposit back for one thing.

[Barnum42]

This might be something that is possible with a UK travel agent. I cannot imagine anyone in US complaining for any amount of time and getting any money back, in any form.

It was not possible with the travel agent. They asked and were told no way. I just went to the trouble of contacting Royal Caribbean directly. Took the better part of half an hour on the phone to a supervisor at the Guatemalan call centre, but it worked.

 

OK - but totally different rules in the U.K. vs the U.S. You can't cancel and get your deposit back for one thing.

Same here, you cancel that close to departure it's all gone (one of the reasons for taking out travel insurance)

 

I have not heard of, or been successful in getting a refund (only upgrades) after final payment

I can confirm that I, and some others on this forum have had a mixture of refund of the price difference, upgrades and part upgrade/part refund.

[Barnum42]

Just remembered, a tip from one of the folk who were successful at getting a late refund after a price drop - they went through Crown and Anchor. One suspects that the cruise lines value the repeat money of regular cruisers so will be more willing to compensate via their loyalty clubs.

 

Got to be worth a try folks.