Question Re: Stateroom guarantee

[FrogCruiser]

Can anyone inform me regarding a Balcony "X" reservation? I have a balcony

X reservation on the Serenade of the Seas - and I note that a E3 balcony is 200 dollars less expensive than the balcony X. Of course that price dropped to that lower amount after I booked my Balcony X. Does that imply that I will get a balcony E3 that I could have had for less money - or is it more likely that I'll get a E2 or D1? Also, since all E category balcony suites are the same size is the only difference the location? Thanks for any information....

[nerak]

We booked a gurantee for the Serenade about 3 weeks before our Alaska cruise this year. It was quite a bit cheaper than the E3 price. We really figured we would get a cabin with the window washing unit attached or an obstructed view. When our cabin was posted, we had a D1 aft....which we fell in love with. As for your particular price difference, is it too late for you to change your reservation to get an E3 if you want to know for sure what cabin you have? That might be an option if you want to be sure you are not spending extra money. That's the best I can tell you since we have only booked a guarantee one time...and we came out WAY ahead.

[Dave4120]

Hello...Hopefully, I can help to some degree.

 

If I remember what my travel agent told me a few years ago, with an "X" guarantee, you are guaranteed a balcony cabin, but RCCL can give you any balcony category they choose, whether that be a D-1, E-1,2 or 3, or an "X". They can also put you at whatever location they desire, meaning you could even have an obstruced view from your balcony. Bottom line is that it does not matter whether you paid more for your "X" room or not, even if the other categories dropped in price, RCCL does not have to move you up in category classification..

 

Now, let's talk about how you paid more for an "X" category room and the E-3 is $200 cheaper. If your cruise is still 75 days out or more, you should be able to change your "X" category room for the E-3 without any penalty. However, after RCCL's final payment due date, no changes can be made because you found a lower price.

 

We have been going through the same thing. We are cruising again in December and pruchased a D-1 room. When we booked it back last February, the room was $1049 per person. Since then, the price has come down to $847 per person. It has dropped a total of 4-times since February. But because the final payment isn't due until September 26th, we are allowed to keep calling RCCL, letting them know that we have seen a price drop, and they make the change to our reservation to reflect the lower price. However, after we make final payment on September 26th, we are locked into that $847 price whether it goes up or drops even further.

 

I know I am long winded here, but I hope this helps a bit.

 

Regards,

 

Dave

[Jimbo]

Can anyone inform me regarding a Balcony "X" reservation? I have a balcony

X reservation on the Serenade of the Seas - and I note that a E3 balcony is 200 dollars less expensive than the balcony X. Of course that price dropped to that lower amount after I booked my Balcony X. Does that imply that I will get a balcony E3 that I could have had for less money - or is it more likely that I'll get a E2 or D1? Also, since all E category balcony suites are the same size is the only difference the location? Thanks for any information....

 

 

Put up a stink about what is the advantage of booking early if they are going to pull that stuff. Most cases that I have seen the balcony Guarantee X Category is always the lowest priced balcony on any sailing that is available. An E3 Guarantee is the same thing you booked when you booked a Guarantee Balcony Category X, you will get aleast a Category E3 Balcony Cabin or higher which is the same thing as what you booked.

 

Once you are done explaining this to the agent at RCCL and if they don't correct it ask to speak to their Supervisor. The RCCL Supervisors there will pull alot more strings then just the regualr agent that answers your call when you first explain your situation. Hopefully you booked this directly with RCCL this way you can handle it yourself, if you booked this cruise with a Cruise Agency your agent should go to bat for you and get you your $400 credited, that is if the agency you booked with does alot of business with Royal Caribbean, it shouldn't be a problem to get your refund for you.

 

Good Luck

 

Jimbo:)

[4merlurker]

Hello...Hopefully, I can help to some degree.

 

If I remember what my travel agent told me a few years ago, with an "X" guarantee, you are guaranteed a balcony cabin, but RCCL can give you any balcony category they choose, whether that be a D-1, E-1,2 or 3, or an "X". They can also put you at whatever location they desire, meaning you could even have an obstruced view from your balcony. Bottom line is that it does not matter whether you paid more for your "X" room or not, even if the other categories dropped in price, RCCL does not have to move you up in category classification..

 

Now, let's talk about how you paid more for an "X" category room and the E-3 is $200 cheaper. If your cruise is still 75 days out or more, you should be able to change your "X" category room for the E-3 without any penalty. However, after RCCL's final payment due date, no changes can be made because you found a lower price.

 

We have been going through the same thing. We are cruising again in December and pruchased a D-1 room. When we booked it back last February, the room was $1049 per person. Since then, the price has come down to $847 per person. It has dropped a total of 4-times since February. But because the final payment isn't due until September 26th, we are allowed to keep calling RCCL, letting them know that we have seen a price drop, and they make the change to our reservation to reflect the lower price. However, after we make final payment on September 26th, we are locked into that $847 price whether it goes up or drops even further.

 

I know I am long winded here, but I hope this helps a bit.

 

Regards,

 

Dave

 

This may not necessarily be true. I have read on these boards that some people have gotten price drops after final payment. I have no personal experience with this - just what I've read here on CC. :)

[hackwid]

We just got off the Mariner of the Seas.

We were able to use a crown and anchor coupon for an additional $125 off our cruise about 3 weeks prior to the sail.

We were originally bookd in a inside guarantee and got upgraded to a promenade. We paid the cruise off and were within the 90 day timeframe (about 1 month out from sail) and we were able to change to a balcony guarantee room. We did not like the location of the room - so we went to a higher category - waited a day and then went back to the guarantee and ended up on the hump.

 

Turns out we got a $100 refund from our original inside guarantee room rate and were able to upgrade to a balcony at an inside rate b/c of last minute rate drops.

 

HOWEVER, from what we were told - it all depends on your travel agent and what they are willing to do. The less you pay - the less commission they make. RCCL was able to accept a coupon long after it was paid for and then move our room around several times. We met a few couples on board our sail that were under the impression that you could not use the coupon after final payment - but this is just not true. They were also under the impression that they only got the locked in rate - which is also untrue.

We watched the rates up until about 3 days prior to sail and had the lowest rate they offered. Which was $1350 for a balcony guarantee -for two.

The people in the room next to us paid $2250 for the exact same location, room and party of two. Let's just say they were unhappy.

Our tablemates paid more than us for the promenade room than we did our balcony guarantee -

 

Persistence is the key. I am anti-travel agents and can always get a better rate by being patient and watching the fares.

Does not appear it is the cruiseline's policy; but a travel agent's. Afterall - if you save several hundred - that is money they lose.

[Jimbo]

Hackwid, don't feel bad for what you posted I'm sure some on your cruise paid even less then you did for your cabin. Happens all the time others pay all different prices for the same Category cabins.

 

As long as you are happy with what you paid when you booked it doesn't pay to ask around the ship what others paid for their cabin.

 

Jimbo:)

[yusi50]

This may not necessarily be true. I have read on these boards that some people have gotten price drops after final payment. I have no personal experience with this - just what I've read here on CC. :)

 

This is true. I got price adjustment for NOS 3 times after final payment. In fact, the last one was one week before sailing. I changed my E-2 for a X Guarantee and ended up with a D-1. I just came back from NOS last Saturday.

[bartelbee]

RCCL is one of the few cruiselines that does offer refunds after final payment. I have gotten refunds on almost all my cruises and I've often changed cabins/categories, even up until the week before.