Now I have heard everything! I need your suggestions!

[Hypo]

We have a long-standing booking on Harmony of the Seas for Oct 20, 2018 in an Owners Suite.

 

 

I periodically check the RCCL website for any price reductions, and, when I find one I call my TA to try and get the reduction for us. This morning, I found a significant reduction. The price for the Owners suite went down by by $912.72 for our cruise. I called our TA, who unfortunately, was out of office on vacation. She won't be back until the 12th--next week.

 

 

I talked with another agent at her office and she went to bat for us with RCCL. She E-mailed me that she was able to get the reduction for us and sent us a new invoice.

 

 

Unfortunately, according to the new agent, RCCL said that our Diamond+ discount of $250.00 was not applicable or combinable under the terms of this "sale". They removed the Diamond+ $250.00 which still resulted in a net price reduction for the booking of $662.72. This is still a nice reduction; but I always thought that the Diamond+ discount was combinable with ALL offers!

 

 

Is this another case of HUACA? I think that I will wait until next week and call my regular TA and have her find out the straight dope.

 

 

What would you fine folks suggest?

Mark

[setsail]

Great job

 

I always read the terms and conditions first before calling, that way I always have the scoop.

[Clarea]

We have a long-standing booking on Harmony of the Seas for Oct 20, 2018 in an Owners Suite.

 

 

I periodically check the RCCL website for any price reductions, and, when I find one I call my TA to try and get the reduction for us. This morning, I found a significant reduction. The price for the Owners suite went down by by $912.72 for our cruise. I called our TA, who unfortunately, was out of office on vacation. She won't be back until the 12th--next week.

 

 

I talked with another agent at her office and she went to bat for us with RCCL. She E-mailed me that she was able to get the reduction for us and sent us a new invoice.

 

 

Unfortunately, according to the new agent, RCCL said that our Diamond+ discount of $250.00 was not applicable or combinable under the terms of this "sale". They removed the Diamond+ $250.00 which still resulted in a net price reduction for the booking of $662.72. This is still a nice reduction; but I always thought that the Diamond+ discount was combinable with ALL offers!

 

 

Is this another case of HUACA? I think that I will wait until next week and call my regular TA and have her find out the straight dope.

 

 

What would you fine folks suggest?

Mark

Most likely the price includes an "instant discount". This is a relatively new technique that RC uses to diminish the use of the C&A balcony discount. They "deem" that the instant discount is not combinable with the balcony discount.

 

Example:

 

Fake price is $1200 (website shows price of $1200), balcony discount $200 your price: $1000

 

Fake price is $1400, instant discount $200 (website shows price of $1200), balcony discount cannot be applied, your price $1200.

 

So, same website price, but no balcony discount. RC is a master at deceptive pricing. Pretty soon all prices will include something that makes them non-combinable with the balcony discount.

[bouhunter]

 

 

 

 

 

What would you fine folks suggest?

 

Mark

 

Be happy with the 600 bucks. There are lots of sales that negate or dilute the C&A discounts. It's BS, but there's nothing we can do about it.:mad:

[Hypo]

Thanks Bob and Setsail. I am familiar with RCCL pulling this stuff! They have done it for years to prevent us from using our Stockholders benefit. If we did not have a large amount of OBC available to us from our CC. (set to expire at the end of the year), We would probably start looking at other cruise lines or venues for our vacation money. It seems to me that the major cruise lines are "in a rush to the bottom" to see which can outdo the other in deceptive cruise pricing.

 

 

Mark

[Clarea]

Thanks Bob and Setsail. I am familiar with RCCL pulling this stuff! They have done it for years to prevent us from using our Stockholders benefit. If we did not have a large amount of OBC available to us from our CC. (set to expire at the end of the year), We would probably start looking at other cruise lines or venues for our vacation money. It seems to me that the major cruise lines are "in a rush to the bottom" to see which can outdo the other in deceptive cruise pricing.

 

 

Mark

I've said this before, if they would spend only 10% of the time they now spend on coming up with new deceptive pricing practices on fixing their website, that website would work perfectly.

[molly361]

That happened to us a few years ago. There was a great price on the FR for Christmas week- we got a D2 for under $900 total. They would not give us our balcony discount on it due to "special pricing"

[setsail]

Thanks Bob and Setsail. I am familiar with RCCL pulling this stuff! They have done it for years to prevent us from using our Stockholders benefit. If we did not have a large amount of OBC available to us from our CC. (set to expire at the end of the year), We would probably start looking at other cruise lines or venues for our vacation money. It seems to me that the major cruise lines are "in a rush to the bottom" to see which can outdo the other in deceptive cruise pricing.

 

 

Mark

 

 

I have had to lose obc before in order to get a better price and it seems that even on the same cruise the t&c's can be different for different cats. I always make a list of the discounts we have before calling and I always ask them to send me a confirm email while on the line before hanging up. Sometimes the invoice does not reflect what you are talking to the csr about and it can be fixed if you still have them on the phone. Sounds like your ta was on top of things

[Beachammo]

When I price check my future cruises, I do it with and without my C&A number. Its amazing how many times a first time cruiser can get a better price than one who has been loyal.

 

[emoji568][emoji572][emoji483]

 

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

[Clarea]

When I price check my future cruises, I do it with and without my C&A number. Its amazing how many times a first time cruiser can get a better price than one who has been loyal.

 

[emoji568][emoji572][emoji483]

I suspect that will happen more and more.

[Oceansaway17]

I suspect that will happen more and more.

 

 

Which begs the question of being loyal in the first place. Too many games being played. DCL doesn't do this so much.

[rimmit]

Which begs the question of being loyal in the first place. Too many games being played. DCL doesn't do this so much.

 

DCL has a terrible loyalty program as well. The loyalty is made in the service and experience.