New RCI Booking Game

[Ocean Boy]

I was pricing out a cruise today. Now the OBC changes depending on whether you choose non-refundible or refundable deposit. So now with refundable you not only pay more for the cruise but the OBC is also reduced

 

Nice job RCI

[Clarea]

I'm starting to get the feeling they don't like refundable deposits.:rolleyes:

[cruisinfanatic]

I was pricing out a cruise today. Now the OBC changes depending on whether you choose non-refundible or refundable deposit. So now with refundable you not only pay more for the cruise but the OBC is also reduced

 

Nice job RCI

It's been that way since it started

[molly361]

It's been that way since it started

Ditto this

 

Sent from my BG2-W09 using Forums mobile app

[Ocean Boy]

I guess this is the first booking I've attempted since it started and there was also an OBC promo.

[EBFURR]

Related (I hope) question. We just booked a cruise using prepaid cruise deposits that we had. The agent strongly discouraged me from going with the non refundable fare so I went with the refundable which is higher. She told me that I could change this later on to non refundable to get the lower fare if I wanted to. Is that true? I guess I just don't trust these people since I often get different answers to the same question from different agents.

[Clarea]

Related (I hope) question. We just booked a cruise using prepaid cruise deposits that we had. The agent strongly discouraged me from going with the non refundable fare so I went with the refundable which is higher. She told me that I could change this later on to non refundable to get the lower fare if I wanted to. Is that true? I guess I just don't trust these people since I often get different answers to the same question from different agents.

 

Yes, you can change to non-refundable any time before final payment date. You cannot change back.

[EBFURR]

Yes, you can change to non-refundable any time before final payment date. You cannot change back.

 

Thanks, Bob. You I trust. :D

[reallyitsmema]

Yes, you can change to non-refundable any time before final payment date. You cannot change back.

 

You can only change to non-refundable if there are cabins available in your category, correct? I just made final payment on a cruise but all suites on the ship are sold out, so I did not try to change to non-refundable because I assumed I couldn't since my category is sold out. Final isn't due for a few weeks, so I will call back if I made a mistake.

 

Like OB, I haven't dealt with the non-refundable vs refundable mess yet since I am just dealing with existing bookings.

[molly361]

And to add on to yes you can change, but that does not necessarily mean that the same price you see today will be there when you decide to change.

[EBFURR]

And to add on to yes you can change, but that does not necessarily mean that the same price you see today will be there when you decide to change.

 

Good point.

[Clarea]

You can only change to non-refundable if there are cabins available in your category, correct? I just made final payment on a cruise but all suites on the ship are sold out, so I did not try to change to non-refundable because I assumed I couldn't since my category is sold out. Final isn't due for a few weeks, so I will call back if I made a mistake.

 

Like OB, I haven't dealt with the non-refundable vs refundable mess yet since I am just dealing with existing bookings.

Correct, there has to be a price showing to change to non-refundable. I would guess (Ellen would know from vast experience) that the switch to non-refundable has to be done well before final payment date to get a decent price drop.

[molly361]

Correct, there has to be a price showing to change to non-refundable. I would guess (Ellen would know from vast experience) that the switch to non-refundable has to be done well before final payment date to get a decent price drop.

 

I don't know I don't really pay attention to the non refundable rates

[reallyitsmema]

Correct, there has to be a price showing to change to non-refundable. I would guess (Ellen would know from vast experience) that the switch to non-refundable has to be done well before final payment date to get a decent price drop.

 

Thanks, that is what I thought, but I figured I would just confirm it. It is an Alaska cruise, the prices have not gone down at all and the suites all went within the first couple of months of the when the itinerary was released. I will keep an eye out to see if anything opens up as we are near final, would be interesting to see what the prices are now.

[reallyitsmema]

I don't know I don't really pay attention to the non refundable rates

 

Thanks.:)

[Clarea]

I don't know I don't really pay attention to the non refundable rates

Wow, something we agree about. I'll have to mark this day.:)

[molly361]

wow, something we agree about. I'll have to mark this day.:)

 

:) :)

[Clarea]

:) :)

I can think of no one better suited.:)

 

Oh, you changed your post before I could quote it. Grrr.

[tullers]

Related (I hope) question. We just booked a cruise using prepaid cruise deposits that we had. The agent strongly discouraged me from going with the non refundable fare so I went with the refundable which is higher. She told me that I could change this later on to non refundable to get the lower fare if I wanted to. Is that true? I guess I just don't trust these people since I often get different answers to the same question from different agents.

And you don't think you'll have the same problem with differing answers on the boards?

[Regguy]

Correct, there has to be a price showing to change to non-refundable. I would guess (Ellen would know from vast experience) that the switch to non-refundable has to be done well before final payment date to get a decent price drop.

 

I have only one datapoint, but this is my experience. We booked refundable about 14 months in advance. I did not want to commit before I knew whether airfare would be doable, and that meant waiting to 11 months out. At the time of booking, the difference for two cabins between nonrefundable and refundable was about $800 total and $200 in OBC. I figured that the difference between 14 months and 11 months out would not be that significant. I figured wrong. We booked our airfare a month ago and once it was done, I checked to see whether we could change to nonrefundable. Worse cabins were $2,000 more each to switch -- at 11 months out. Now, it is 10 months out, and the difference is closer to $3,000 each, and only obstructed view balconies are left.

 

This is for a holiday cruise, so probably higher demand than other cruises but I guess the bottom line is to be fully prepared to pay the higher amount.

[Clarea]

... This is for a holiday cruise, ...

That probably skewed the prices for you.

 

 

I'm still interested to hear from others about switching from refundable to non-refundable.

[nelblu]

I was pricing out a cruise today. Now the OBC changes depending on whether you choose non-refundible or refundable deposit. So now with refundable you not only pay more for the cruise but the OBC is also reduced

 

Nice job RCI

 

 

Yes, I re-priced my Feb.'19 Symphony cruise, during one of their promos, to a non-refundable and saved not only $400+ but got $175 in OBC which I had not before which was booked before the new 2 tier pricing structure.

[EBFURR]

And you don't think you'll have the same problem with differing answers on the boards?

 

No doubt, but some of these people really know their stuff. Over the years you figure out who they are. :)

[molly361]

I can think of no one better suited.:)

 

Oh, you changed your post before I could quote it. Grrr.

 

Sorry I went ahead and wrote down the current non refundable fares for the Harmony cruises that we have booked for next year. Right now they are around $200 total less than the refundable ones that we booked.

 

I'll keep them somewhere so as time goes on I can see if they go up or down

[Georgeny]

Crown and Anchor price $200 less but no $200 OBC, OBC with price no loyalty rate, thank you for flying RCL. More like an airline everyday.