Why I'm not a fan of RCL (or am I wrong)

[American Bear]

Aren't there some significant restrictions with the Early Saver?

 

 

 

 

Nothing major in our opinion, just common sense!

We've never used it, but thought something like this was a good idea to offer to loyal RCL cruisers (who give RCL their money sometimes a year in advance)! Just make a 'few tweaks' to make it better!:)

 

We live in Florida, and have taken most of our cruises over the last 20 plus years on last minute deals, saving a lot of money!:eek:

[American Bear]

However, Carnival is one of the lines that definitely will NOT let you change cabins, on a GTY, once assigned. And, as others have said, there are significant restrictions.

 

So?:confused:

I'm not promoting Carnival, I'm saying take a program like Carnival has, 'make it better', and offer it to loyal RCL cruisers!:)

RCL is trying out a new dining program that is similar, but different, and hopefully better then NCL's!

Change can be good, and taking from others, and making it better sounds like a winner for RCL, and their customers!

[Starry Eyes]

Should have worded it differently, this is yes, yes!

Copied from the Carnival site,,,

 

Here's how the Early Saver program works:

1. When you book a 3-5 day cruise three months in advance, or 6 day or longer cruise five months in advance, you are assured the

lowest rate with a cabin assignment.

2. In the unlikely event that you do find a lower Carnival-advertised rate after booking your cruise, we will honor it and adjust your cruise rate accordingly. Simply fill out the Price Protection Claim form and we'll take care of the rest. If you booked your cruise with a travel agent and need to make a Price Protection Claim, simply contact your travel agent and they will submit it for you.

This is something all cruise lines could adopt and make those who wish to book early, happier customers!:D

 

Other posters have mentioned restrictions. In addition, it seems to me that Carnival can still price cabins cheaper without adjusting your rate (for example, they might offer them via TA rather than direct on Carnival or as gty as the above specifies "with a cabin assignment"). I can easily see people being unhappy if they purchase an E2 then balcony gty go on sale for substantially less...

While I'd like to see such an option, I suspect customers would not all be happier.

[ladylawyer]

So?:confused:

I'm not promoting Carnival, I'm saying take a program like Carnival has, 'make it better', and offer it to loyal RCL cruisers!:)

RCL is trying out a new dining program that is similar, but different, and hopefully better then NCL's!

Change can be good, and taking from others, and making it better sounds like a winner for RCL, and their customers!

 

I was not criticizing you ... :)

 

I just was trying to inform (which is what Cruise Critic is, or at least should be, all about, right?).

 

If you don't care where your cabin is - so long as it's on a cruise ship - the Early Saver is a great way to make you feel satisfied that you will get the lowest price Carnival offers (keeping in mind that you have to find the price drop ... Carnival isn't going to email you about price changes ;) ).

 

But, as in my case, I made an assumption that Carnival would allow adjustments after the GTY was assigned, and my assumption was incorrect. Live and learn ... but I wish I'd known about that restriction before booking the GTY. :)

[Paulette3028]

Wow. Very wrong. Don't even know where to start. There's only 1 GS showing available and it's on Deck 6? EVEN IF you paid the full GS price instead of the GTY, you STILL could not request to be assigned a higher deck. If that's the last room left, that's the last room left. So basically, you wanted to pay a much lower price and be given MORE consideration for room location than someone paying full fare?! Incredible.

 

Bottom line is my trip is a month away and I feel that RCL took advantage of me. This is about my 30th cruise. Only my 2nd on RCL. Now we know why.

 

The OP wanted Royal to change their policy about gty pricing and cabin selection for him. He knew on the day he made his gty booking exactly what was available. It doesn't matter what the rules are on other cruise lines NOR what cabins might become available two weeks later (people cancel and inventories do change). The stipulation is that the cruiser booking a gty has NO control over the cabin given to them, they are guaranteed a certain cabin type as a minimum and nothing else -- and he GOT IT.

 

Add to the fact that he wants Royal to BEND their policy/rules for him when he admits in his 30 cruises he has ONLY CRUISED on Royal once before and this WOULD BE HIS SECOND. Perhaps Royal would be more accommodating if he had cruised 100 times on their line vs ONCE before. He wants us to believe that THIS is the reason he hasn't cruised more on Royal. He seems to have been a lot more loyal to other cruise lines than Royal over those 30 cruises.

[Canadian Tyler]

Hope you have a great cruise regardless, sounds like you will!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[American Bear]

Other posters have mentioned restrictions. In addition, it seems to me that Carnival can still price cabins cheaper without adjusting your rate (for example, they might offer them via TA rather than direct on Carnival or as gty as the above specifies "with a cabin assignment"). I can easily see people being unhappy if they purchase an E2 then balcony gty go on sale for substantially less...

While I'd like to see such an option, I suspect customers would not all be happier.

 

I'll disagree with you about if RCL offered a 'tweaked' Early Saver program similar to Carnival's but better!

I think RCL's early bookers would LOVE IT!:D

[American Bear]

I was not criticizing you ... :)

 

I just was trying to inform (which is what Cruise Critic is, or at least should be, all about, right?).

 

If you don't care where your cabin is - so long as it's on a cruise ship - the Early Saver is a great way to make you feel satisfied that you will get the lowest price Carnival offers (keeping in mind that you have to find the price drop ... Carnival isn't going to email you about price changes ;) ).

 

But, as in my case, I made an assumption that Carnival would allow adjustments after the GTY was assigned, and my assumption was incorrect. Live and learn ... but I wish I'd known about that restriction before booking the GTY. :)

 

I'm not saying you're critisizing!

You have every right to agree, disagree!

I'm 'clarifying' my statements, continuing our conversation that if RCL offered a 'BETTER' Carnival Early Saver Program, it would greatly benefit RCL in customer service, and greatly benefit RCL's loyal customers!:)

 

We have never book early, so this would not benefit us, but I still think its a great idea, a 'BETTER' early saver program, then maybe we'd book some cruises early! :D

Edited November 8, 2014 by American Bear