RCL virgin, I need help! which would you choose??

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, Ack53 said:

! It's still showing the original price on the info page but when you click through to book it changes! It seems a coincidence that when I added the code the price went up? 

That is an issue on not just on RCI's site but some other TA sites as well - the final price is not reflected in earlier page views.

[Ack53]

16 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

You'll have to convert from USD but I'm seeing this...

 

 

 

Ocean View Stateroom Guarantee

$2,876.00

2 Guests

BOGO50 NRD

-$719.00

Subtotal:

$2,157.00

Taxes & Fees

$265.10

Total For Room (after discounts)

$2,422.10

Thank you so much! That's roughly what the UK site has now, give or take $50? The price this morning was £1,552? Approx $1,970? I think it was probably a mistake! 

[Ack53]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

That is an issue on not just on RCI's site but some other TA sites as well - the final price is not reflected in earlier page views.

I went right through to names and addresses earlier as wanted to double check before i sent to hubby? Sk i think it was an error price?

 

The UK offer is £500 off? I'm guessing someone took it off incorrectly?

Edited June 4, 2019 by Ack53

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, Ack53 said:

I went right through to names and addresses earlier as wanted to double check before i sent to hubby? Still think it was an error price?

No, by the time you get to names, the price shown is the final price.

[OCSC Mike]

I'm not sure it was an error.  I booked an interior GTY for a 7-night cruise about 2 weeks ago when the price dropped by $200-300pp from the night before.  The next day it had gone back up.  So yes, prices can change by $500+ for two people in less than a day,

Edited June 4, 2019 by OCSC Mike

[Ack53]

9 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

I'm not sure it was an error.  I booked an interior GTY for a 7-night cruise about 2 weeks ago when the price dropped by $200-300pp from the night before.  The next day it had gone back up.  So yes, prices can change by $500+ for two people in less than a day,

Ok thank you all, still kicking myself ☹! I rang and spoke to them and they just said to keep watching the price as holds on rooms may drop off? I'm not hopeful, and I'm definitely in the dog house tonight!! Thanks again everyone. 

[Big_G]

For 14 nighter I'm probably booking Allure. Rhapsody is a great ship but less to do.

[mac_tlc]

For us it’s an easy choice...Allure. While I can’t deny it’s a plus to possibly see Bob on Rhapsody, if you choose the Allure you will see me !!!!! We are booked on the 11/1/2020 TA. It’s personal preference but the Allure has so much more to do, or not do. Having sailed Vision and Legend, we prefer the Radiance class and above. 

 

mac_tlc

[taglovestocruise]

35 minutes ago, Ack53 said:

Ok thank you all, still kicking myself ☹! I rang and spoke to them and they just said to keep watching the price as holds on rooms may drop off? I'm not hopeful, and I'm definitely in the dog house tonight!! Thanks again everyone. 

If you book it now through a US site you can take advantage of any price drops over the next year.  It is still 17 months out, that is only a extra $7 per week.  If prices go up you can smile as to the price you locked in.  It is a awesome ship, hope to sea you onboard.  Just do it.  

[Ack53]

56 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

If you book it now through a US site you can take advantage of any price drops over the next year.  It is still 17 months out, that is only a extra $7 per week.  If prices go up you can smile as to the price you locked in.  It is a awesome ship, hope to sea you onboard.  Just do it.  

Thank you so much! Hubby isn't as annoyed as I thought he'd be! and seems to be agreeing with you 🤞🤞 I'm hopeful!! Still kicking myself, but hopefully I'll see you there 😁

[Hogbay]

Any mere male would of been happy with the chalk or the cheese 😊 Looks like the cost of the chalk has gone up big time 😥

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, Ack53 said:

Thank you so much! Hubby isn't as annoyed as I thought he'd be! and seems to be agreeing with you 🤞🤞 I'm hopeful!! Still kicking myself, but hopefully I'll see you there 😁

Scratch out the word hopefully,  Check out some youtube videos of the Oasis class TA"S.  Only drawback to this TA is it leaves Nov.1st, Halloween on a Oasis class is awesome.  This TA already has a huge roll call going, check  out https://teerich8.wixsite.com/allure2020wbta it is a link to our cruise.  sea you onboard

[vacationlover_mn]

My DH and I have no kids, and love having lots to do.  We love Oasis class.  We have been on allure and loved it 🙂

[crystalspin]

Crossed on Rhapsody from BCN last December -- LOVED it! We would sit on a higher deck overlooking the Centrum which almost always had something going on, usually musical, and the ocean on the other side. After dark there would be more music in the ?Schooner Bar? We really enjoyed the Canary Island ports, too.

 

A storm in the Gulf did prevent our disembarking in Tampa, but Royal handled it wonderfully and bused people to either Orlando airport (if you could move flights) or to port of Tampa or airport in Tampa. It probably doesn't happen that often... (or maybe it does? those buses appeared from somewhere!)

 

We are not attracted to larger ships, though, and we liked to get to know the various servers, who were top-notch on RhOTS. 

 

As far as the cheese-to-cheese comparision, make sure you're looking at the same type of deposit, either refundable or non-refundable (NRD). That will control the promotion(s) applied. And just keep checking back! 

[basictek]

I'm not sure if this will help, but my TA (Cruises n More) has group rates for balcony rooms on many RCI ships (showing available on Allure nov 1 2020 from Barcelona ) which puts the Ocean view balcony at about $200 US below the regular ocean view room, also they are offering about $160 cruise cash as well which would almost pay all the gratuities. 

 

So effectively that's $350 less than the quote above and you get a balcony guarantee instead of oveanview... 

 

I was looking for interior on Harmony and got such a nice deal on their group rates, cruise cash and prepaids, I ended up booking 2 balcony cruises this fall/winter.

 

I don't know if this is available via UK or if you can get group rates through other TA's over there but it is definitely something to check out. 

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by basictek

[Ack53]

19 minutes ago, basictek said:

I'm not sure if this will help, but my TA (Cruises n More) has group rates for balcony rooms on many RCI ships (showing available on Allure nov 1 2020 from Barcelona ) which puts the Ocean view balcony at about $200 US below the regular ocean view room, also they are offering about $160 cruise cash as well which would almost pay all the gratuities. 

 

So effectively that's $350 less than the quote above and you get a balcony guarantee instead of oveanview... 

 

I was looking for interior on Harmony and got such a nice deal on their group rates, cruise cash and prepaids, I ended up booking 2 balcony cruises this fall/winter.

 

I don't know if this is available via UK or if you can get group rates through other TA's over there but it is definitely something to check out. 

 

Thank you for the information, that's very interesting! I called a couple of UK based cruise travel agents yesterday but they all take their prices from RCL directly so apart from a little obc the prices were the same?

 

I have booked with US agents in the past for Disney? But I'm very confused by the terms and conditions of US TA's as we can't change our bookings without penalties here in the UK? So I don't think we can take advantage of any price drops? 🤔 . So I'm not sure how to go about it and what I need to look for?  

[basictek]

11 minutes ago, Ack53 said:

I have booked with US agents in the past for Disney? But I'm very confused by the terms and conditions of US TA's as we can't change our bookings without penalties here in the UK? So I don't think we can take advantage of any price drops? 🤔 . So I'm not sure how to go about it and what I need to look for?  

 

I'm pretty new at this but what I know about groups rates is that they cannot be advertised, it appears even the TA doesn't know where they appear unless you run the #'s on a particular cruise. CnM also just had a big promo for US memorial day, and that was combinable with all their other perks (I'd assume they will do something similar on other holidays) and I'd expect similar from other TA's.

 

I've seen overwhelmingly on these boards that the long time members seem to recommend using a TA, but I haven't seen any info about how to locate the best group rates, possibly using sites like cruise compete??? I'd search as many as possible, to me the deals are out there if you look long and hard enough...  

 

I wanted to post because the deals can be so good you might find a better price on a normally more expensive cabin. For instance on the cruise you are looking for the oceanview balcony rooms are well over $3,000 and with the group rate it was under $2300 + cruise cash. That's > $1000 swing

 

 

[Ack53]

1 hour ago, basictek said:

 

I'm pretty new at this but what I know about groups rates is that they cannot be advertised, it appears even the TA doesn't know where they appear unless you run the #'s on a particular cruise. CnM also just had a big promo for US memorial day, and that was combinable with all their other perks (I'd assume they will do something similar on other holidays) and I'd expect similar from other TA's.

 

I've seen overwhelmingly on these boards that the long time members seem to recommend using a TA, but I haven't seen any info about how to locate the best group rates, possibly using sites like cruise compete??? I'd search as many as possible, to me the deals are out there if you look long and hard enough...  

 

I wanted to post because the deals can be so good you might find a better price on a normally more expensive cabin. For instance on the cruise you are looking for the oceanview balcony rooms are well over $3,000 and with the group rate it was under $2300 + cruise cash. That's > $1000 swing

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to post. I'm going to do some more research on this! We definitely don't have as many TA's in the UK so they are usually not that competitive! It seems I need to get reading up!!  

[LMaxwell]

Allure is not my favorite ship, but it really is an amazing experience.   I'd be bored to death on a Vision-class (Rhapsody) for 14 days.   Allure is hard to take in in a week, but maybe with 2 weeks you can get 5-7 days to just enjoy and relax.  It really is an "experience" onboard Oasis-class as mentioned.  

[Ack53]

13 hours ago, crystalspin said:

As far as the cheese-to-cheese comparision, make sure you're looking at the same type of deposit, either refundable or non-refundable (NRD). That will control the promotion(s) applied. And just keep checking back! 

Can i just ask? If I booked with a non refundable deposit, does that mean you can't apply any price changes or other promotions to the booking? Trying to understand the US way of doing things!! We have very little flexibility in the UK!!

Edited June 5, 2019 by Ack53

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, Ack53 said:

Can i just ask? If I booked with a non refundable deposit, does that mean you can't apply any price changes or other promotions to the booking? Trying to understand the US way of doing things!! We have very little flexibility in the UK!!

 

If you are booked under US/Canadian rules, you can get price drops/perks for nonrefundable deposit bookings.

[Ack53]

6 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

If you are booked under US/Canadian rules, you can get price drops/perks for nonrefundable deposit bookings.

Brilliant thank you! Who knew booking a cruise could be so stressful 🤣