just screwed Royal and it feels so good

[Sccrkeepr]

Now I know this is not a new tactic, but today i cancelled my cruise after final booking, lost my 1000$ deposit and re-booked gaining a net $2100 dollars.

 

Backstory - upgraded from an owner's suite to an aquasuite after final payment. Noticed later that evening that the prices dropped on the very cabin I had just upgraded to, royal was already closed (their system was down due to upgrades). So next morning, I called Royal and asked if they'd refund me the $599 dollars i paid for the upgrade less than 24 hours before. They said I was 7 minutes over the 24 hour limit and wouldnt refund me - i asked for OBC instead, no go. I asked for splitting the difference - no go. Spent an hour on the phone only to be told "no" on everything i asked for. Now i know prices aren't guaranteed, but it was, from what they say 7 minutes past my 24 hour time limit (i thought i still had an hour), you'd think they would give a diamond plus, suite customer the benefit of the doubt, but they didnt. I was livid, but realized that if I cancel and re-booked, not only would i make 2000 bucks (my travel agency would get the extra 5% promotion). So screw Royal for being straight up idiots, it cost them money and possibly a future customer.

 

Agree or disagree, giving it to the "man" feels good.

Edited October 5, 2017 by Sccrkeepr

[cruisinfanatic]

Now I know this is not a new tactic, but today i cancelled my cruise after final booking, lost my 1000$ deposit and re-booked gaining a net $2100 dollars.

 

Backstory - upgraded from an owner's suite to an aquasuite after final payment. Noticed later that evening that the prices dropped on the very cabin I had just upgraded to, royal was already closed. So next morning, I called Royal and asked if they'd refund me the $599 dollars i paid for the upgrade less than 24 hours before. They said I was 7 minutes over the 24 hour limit and wouldnt refund me - i asked for OBC instead, no go. I asked for splitting the difference - no go. Spent an hour on the phone only to be told "no" on everything i asked for. Now i know prices aren't guaranteed, but it was, from what they say 7 minutes past my 24 hour time limit (i thought i still had an hour), you'd think they would give a diamond plus, suite customer the benefit of the doubt, but they didnt. I was livid, but realized that if I cancel and re-booked, not only would i make 2000 bucks (my travel agency would get the extra 5% promotion). So screw Royal for being straight up idiots, it cost them money and possibly a future customer.

 

Agree or disagree, giving it to the "man" feels good.

ho hum

[rukkian]

Now I know this is not a new tactic, but today i cancelled my cruise after final booking, lost my 1000$ deposit and re-booked gaining a net $2100 dollars.

 

Backstory - upgraded from an owner's suite to an aquasuite after final payment. Noticed later that evening that the prices dropped on the very cabin I had just upgraded to, royal was already closed. So next morning, I called Royal and asked if they'd refund me the $599 dollars i paid for the upgrade less than 24 hours before. They said I was 7 minutes over the 24 hour limit and wouldnt refund me - i asked for OBC instead, no go. I asked for splitting the difference - no go. Spent an hour on the phone only to be told "no" on everything i asked for. Now i know prices aren't guaranteed, but it was, from what they say 7 minutes past my 24 hour time limit (i thought i still had an hour), you'd think they would give a diamond plus, suite customer the benefit of the doubt, but they didnt. I was livid, but realized that if I cancel and re-booked, not only would i make 2000 bucks (my travel agency would get the extra 5% promotion). So screw Royal for being straight up idiots, it cost them money and possibly a future customer.

 

Agree or disagree, giving it to the "man" feels good.

 

Not sure how this qualifies as giving it to the "man". You simply got a better deal, and they got to keep some of your original money as well.

 

As for costing a future customer, if you (as a diamond and suite customer) feel that because of those you are entitled to break the rules, and when they do not break the rules, you are going to leave, then go for it.

 

It is nice you got a better deal.

[Sccrkeepr]

ho hum

 

:confused:

[Sccrkeepr]

Not sure how this qualifies as giving it to the "man". You simply got a better deal, and they got to keep some of your original money as well.

 

As for costing a future customer, if you (as a diamond and suite customer) feel that because of those you are entitled to break the rules, and when they do not break the rules, you are going to leave, then go for it.

 

It is nice you got a better deal.

 

Because if they had just given me the 500 bucks back, then it wouldnt have cost them nearly 1500 bucks - i gained not them and I am a travel agent, so I will not only move my business elsewhere, i will steer my customer base elsewhere too. customer service these days in horrible with Royal. I have family members who work for Princess and Carnival and both those lines would have just made the correction.

 

I screwed them because they lose money and I get more money back than i orginally asked for and in a completely within the rules. Entitled to break rules? im not sure how you got that from me, but i wasnt asking to break the rules in any way. I actually thought i was within the 24 hour time limit and going over by 7 minutes, in the customer service driven industry, should qualify for a "yeah let's make a one time exception".

 

This is why companies screw consumers, because we let them. I wont be that person.

[sfaaa]

Rules are rules and should apply to everyone the same way in the name of fairness. If you missed the cutoff deadline, you missed the cutoff deadline, period.

[Princess@Sea]

If you had an option of rebooking at a net gain of $2100 I have agree the Royal wasn't acting very smart, even thought technically they weren't wrong. Just not very smart.

[reallyitsmema]

You would think, as a travel agent, you would know that Royal Caribbean is open 24/7.

[Sccrkeepr]

You would think, as a travel agent, you would know that Royal Caribbean is open 24/7.

Their agents and system was off line due to updates - so I went to bed - figured i'd deal with it in the morning.

[Retired LEO]

Why was royal closed. They're open 24/7

 

Sent from my LG-K425 using Forums mobile app

[Sccrkeepr]

Why was royal closed. They're open 24/7

 

Sent from my LG-K425 using Forums mobile app

system was down due to upgrades

[Sccrkeepr]

Rules are rules and should apply to everyone the same way in the name of fairness. If you missed the cutoff deadline, you missed the cutoff deadline, period.

 

 

That's not the point - If royal was smart, they would have just given the 599 refund - instead, they lost well over 1500 bucks.

 

Im talking about being smart as a business and in this case Royal wasn't and I would tell my clients and everyone on this board to do the same thing every time.

[sailor05]

Good for you! You played their game but turned it around and played yours. Enjoy your money and your suite!:')

[lbjen]

Congrats on saving more than you thought you were going to!

 

But I have a hard time believing that you are just going to abandon your Diamond Plus status and go elsewhere. Seriously.

[reallyitsmema]

That's not the point - If royal was smart, they would have just given the 599 refund - instead, they lost well over 1500 bucks.

 

Im talking about being smart as a business and in this case Royal wasn't and I would tell my clients and everyone on this board to do the same thing every time.

 

So, it is being smart as a business to post that you "screwed Royal" and are going to steer your client base elsewhere?

 

Have you ever heard the old saying, "don't bite the hand that feeds you"?

[Candleonwater]

...a diamond plus, suite customer...

 

You're not going anywhere. You're just mad they wouldn't bend the rules for you. Glad you made money, but doubt they're too upset about it.

[Sccrkeepr]

Congrats on saving more than you thought you were going to!

 

But I have a hard time believing that you are just going to abandon your Diamond Plus status and go elsewhere. Seriously.

 

Probably not, but I might take a break from Royal for a while - I do like their ships, but NCL has come a long way and may try them out for a bit.

[rukkian]

Because if they had just given me the 500 bucks back, then it wouldnt have cost them nearly 1500 bucks - i gained not them and I am a travel agent, so I will not only move my business elsewhere, i will steer my customer base elsewhere too. customer service these days in horrible with Royal. I have family members who work for Princess and Carnival and both those lines would have just made the correction.

 

I screwed them because they lose money and I get more money back than i orginally asked for and in a completely within the rules. Entitled to break rules? im not sure how you got that from me, but i wasnt asking to break the rules in any way. I actually thought i was within the 24 hour time limit and going over by 7 minutes, in the customer service driven industry, should qualify for a "yeah let's make a one time exception".

 

This is why companies screw consumers, because we let them. I wont be that person.

 

You wonder where I got the you feel you are entitled, but again you say, it was only a few minutes over and I am diamond and suite (inferring they should break the rules). You ended up following the rules and ended up better off, still not sure how that qualifies as giving it to the "man", but more power to you. You also seem entitled because since you didn't get what you wanted, it is horrible customer service. They followed along with the contract you signed, and would not break it. You knew the time you booked it, but overslept, not sure how that qualifies as bad customer service. Poor choice to loose money, sure, but not bad cs in my book, but you can choose that for yourself. Everybody thinks the grass is always greener on the other side, maybe it is in this case. Best luck in your future travels.

 

Like I said, congrats on saving money.

[Sccrkeepr]

So, it is being smart as a business to post that you "screwed Royal" and are going to steer your client base elsewhere?

 

Have you ever heard the old saying, "don't bite the hand that feeds you"?

 

 

Pretty smart - actually - people will go with agents that can find their way around and make sure they pay the least amount of money possible. When you're paying 10,000 bucks for a cruise, if you can get 1500 back, wouldn't you take it and go with the agent who did that for you......

 

My clients would applaud me for this! You all are just so high and mighty -- oooo someone found the loophole in the rules, I would congratulate the people who screwed the travel industry. They keep raising prices and screwing us on fees all over the place....

[alfaeric]

Now I know this is not a new tactic, but today i cancelled my cruise after final booking, lost my 1000$ deposit and re-booked gaining a net $2100 dollars.

 

Backstory - upgraded from an owner's suite to an aquasuite after final payment. Noticed later that evening that the prices dropped on the very cabin I had just upgraded to, royal was already closed (their system was down due to upgrades). So next morning, I called Royal and asked if they'd refund me the $599 dollars i paid for the upgrade less than 24 hours before. They said I was 7 minutes over the 24 hour limit and wouldnt refund me - i asked for OBC instead, no go. I asked for splitting the difference - no go. Spent an hour on the phone only to be told "no" on everything i asked for. Now i know prices aren't guaranteed, but it was, from what they say 7 minutes past my 24 hour time limit (i thought i still had an hour), you'd think they would give a diamond plus, suite customer the benefit of the doubt, but they didnt. I was livid, but realized that if I cancel and re-booked, not only would i make 2000 bucks (my travel agency would get the extra 5% promotion). So screw Royal for being straight up idiots, it cost them money and possibly a future customer.

 

Agree or disagree, giving it to the "man" feels good.

 

Why in the world did you put such a large deposit down?

 

We had a RCCL agent help us do that exact same thing, but since we only had $100 on our original cabin, we only lost that, and managed to upgrade for less money to a nicer cabin.

 

Which is to say, many of their own agents will help you "stick it to the man" as you call it. Too bad you put so much money down.

[CruisinShips]

Good for you, OP. Ignore the sanctimony by others in this thread. They showed poor customer service....especially if their system was in fact down....and you do deserve to be treated better. The "rules are rules" BS not withstanding. Companies bend the rules for the sake of customer satisfaction all the time and there is nothing wrong with you expecting them to do so in a case like this.

 

Glad it worked out for you.

[Sccrkeepr]

You wonder where I got the you feel you are entitled, but again you say, it was only a few minutes over and I am diamond and suite (inferring they should break the rules). You ended up following the rules and ended up better off, still not sure how that qualifies as giving it to the "man", but more power to you. You also seem entitled because since you didn't get what you wanted, it is horrible customer service. They followed along with the contract you signed, and would not break it. You knew the time you booked it, but overslept, not sure how that qualifies as bad customer service. Poor choice to loose money, sure, but not bad cs in my book, but you can choose that for yourself. Everybody thinks the grass is always greener on the other side, maybe it is in this case. Best luck in your future travels.

 

Like I said, congrats on saving money.

 

:* im not entitled - however, i do believe that royal should have made a better decision and Yes I do think that customers that give you repeat business (like more than 20 plus cruises) are some what entitled to getting a "one time exception". I do it for my clients, lots of big businesses do it for their clients. In this case Royal screwed themselves out of +1500 bucks. So you're right I didnt give it to the "man", they screwed themselves because they didnt see the big picture.

[Sccrkeepr]

Good for you, OP. Ignore the sanctimony by others in this thread. They showed poor customer service....especially if their system was in fact down....and you do deserve to be treated better. The "rules are rules" BS not withstanding. Companies bend the rules for the sake of customer satisfaction all the time and there is nothing wrong with you expecting them to do so in a case like this.

 

Glad it worked out for you.

 

Thank you, my post wasnt for the sake of back pats and i figured there would plenty of sanctimony... LOL. But, i want others to realize the extreme Royal will go to not see the big picture. I want other's to see this and realize they can go the same route and it's completely within the rules. I want people to see that companies can't and shouldn't walk all over their consumers. Eventually, it's going to bite them in the ass - one person turns into 1000 people leaving or canceling and rebooking and their looking at a lot of net losses.

[reallyitsmema]

Pretty smart - actually - people will go with agents that can find their way around and make sure they pay the least amount of money possible. When you're paying 10,000 bucks for a cruise, if you can get 1500 back, wouldn't you take it and go with the agent who did that for you......

 

My clients would applaud me for this! You all are just so high and mighty -- oooo someone found the loophole in the rules, I would congratulate the people who screwed the travel industry. They keep raising prices and screwing us on fees all over the place....

 

You think you are the only one to ever cancel and rebook to save money? People post here all the time about doing that since you can no longer get OBC for a price drop after final payment.

 

You posted that Royal had "already closed" when you saw the price change and then edited your post when you were questioned. Interesting that the system was down yet you found a price change.:rolleyes:

 

I just find it bizarre for a travel agent to post such unprofessional comments about a company that you make money off of. Nothing "high and mighty" about it, I would just expect a paid professional to know how to go up the food chain to have a small issue like this corrected.

[Sccrkeepr]

Why in the world did you put such a large deposit down?

 

We had a RCCL agent help us do that exact same thing, but since we only had $100 on our original cabin, we only lost that, and managed to upgrade for less money to a nicer cabin.

 

Which is to say, many of their own agents will help you "stick it to the man" as you call it. Too bad you put so much money down.

 

it's a holiday cruise - No refund deposit 250 p/p - so basically, no way around that 1000 bucks. Actually, this was the first cruise out of the 60 or so I've been on in my life where the deposit was so big and non-refundable. I think more cruise-lines will be moving towards that in the future. NCL is already there with some of their promo's, your deposit is 1500 Nonrefundable.