Cancelled drinks package freebie to move to better cabin. Refund due?

[lucywestie]

So here is the story.

 

Booked on the Jade sailing December 18th 2017.(booked it in May 2017) We originally booked an inside cabin and along with that we chose the drink package.

 

Fast forward to a September. We had made final payment and then saw that there were some pretty good prices on balcony cabins, but the price was only good if you just had the cabin with no perks. So we upgraded to a balcony with no perks.

 

For ease of explanation.

 

Inside cabin with drink package - approx $3300 (inc. gratuities)

 

Balcony with drink package - approx $4800 (inc gratuities)

 

Balcony without drink package - approx $3750

 

So we had made final payment and that included the fees/gratuties etc. for having the drink package.

 

So my question is. Because we upgraded and got rid of the package am I not due a refund of those gratuities? I have fired off an email to my TA as I just thought about this 2 minutes ago.

 

Just wondering what other peoples thoughts are on this.

[BaWBarmy]

So you were paying $3300 approx. for an inside with drinks and gratuities included and you have 'upgraded' to a balcony without drinks and therefore no gratuities for $3750. Your final payment was $3300 I am guessing. Have they not just taken the gratuities rebate and used it to pay the extra $450.?

 

I am not even going to ask about the DSC because it leads to so much added confusion.

[lucywestie]

This is purely about the fee's you pay on the drinks package. Waiting to see what my TA says though no doubt I bet somewhere along the line the math is factored so that Im not due anything!!

 

So nope, I had to pay an additional $450 (just rounded all the figures up here) on top of the original $3300 that I had paid.

[TifffanyD]

If you paid $450 for the upgrade then that sounds right. You had originally paid $3300 (which included the grats) and the new cost is $3750. 3750-3300 = 450.

[lucywestie]

Yup. But I dont have the drink package on the upgrade. So theoretically I have paid the fees for a drink package that I no longer am getting.

[goldmom]

Technically in this situation I would think that you should get back the gratuities you paid for the drink package. However, since the change was made after final payment, that could affect the decision. But I would definitely follow up with your travel agent. Let us know what happens.

[TifffanyD]

It doesn't matter that you don't have the drink package anymore. Your new cruise cost is 3750. So far you had paid them 3300 total. The difference is 450.

[TifffanyD]

Do you want them to refund you the ~$200 for drink grats... then apply the $3100 dollars you had paid them to the upgrade... in which case you would owe 3750-3100 = 650? The math works out the same.

[lucywestie]

TiffanyD.

 

Yup...I think my brain got a big foggy when working it all out earlier today but I think you are right. I will wait to see what TA says

[ssalaam85]

I had a similar situation but with the specialty dining package, the gratuities gratuitiesI paid were just added to the difference for upgrading so I didnt see a refund. I did specifically ask about them and my PCC they just automatically apply.

 

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[garycarla]

No idea of your situation, but some packages/promo included the 18% at one point, but did not actually charge it. If they actually CHARGED the 18% - then I would say you get it back, since that is an ADD ON and nothing to do with the cost of the cruise. But, only if you were charged it.

 

By the way, I would avoid term gratuities since too many people confuse that with the DSC. Just use the term 18% or 18% gratuity.

 

So, said another way. I had the drink package and you required me to pay 18% on the value. Now the value is zero. Go ahead and charge me 18% on that and refund the other money.

[rtkenmore]

How many people are in your room? The prices you’re quoting seem so high compared to what’s on the site right now even...

 

 

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