Travel agent blocks Royal Up question

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

So the OP's BigBoxTA is just being a jerk?

More likely a case of the agent not being fully informed and just giving a reason they think is correct 

[Ourusualbeach]

9 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Well then, if the bids aren't accepted, there is no work for the TA.

But there is.  I have received numerous repeated calls from clients who have received the offers.

 

What should I do?

How high should I bid. And on and on.  The newer  the cruiser the more questions.

 

Lots of clients and very few bids that get accepted and those that are more often than not are very low in $ value...moving from an inside to an OV etc.lead to a lot of time on the phone with little payback. 

[tennislvr8]

I booked my last cruise through a TA, not a big box one. They were not involved in my Royal Up at all. As a matter of fact, my TA didnt even know we upgraded until I told him, a month later. My documents online were correct the day my bid was accepted. The TA did absolutely nothing to facilitate the bid. When you bid you have to put in a credit card and it's charged as soon as the bid is accepted, again nothing to do with the TA. Your TAs explanation makes no sense. 

Edited September 14, 2019 by tennislvr8

[Merion_Mom]

49 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

 

But there is.  I have received numerous repeated calls from clients who have received the offers.

 

What should I do?

How high should I bid. And on and on.  The newer  the cruiser the more questions.

 

Lots of clients and very few bids that get accepted and those that are more often than not are very low in $ value...moving from an inside to an OV etc.lead to a lot of time on the phone with little payback. 

 

 

Ohhhhhhhhhh.  THAT kind of work.

 

😉

 

🙄

[dolphingirl47]

6 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

You would not have received those bid offers had you been booked with a travel agency that has opted out of the RoyalUp program. 

 

That must be a difference between the USA and the UK then. I remember the original announcement that this was happening, but there was nothing about us been able to opt out. We would not have done anyway and I do not know why any agency would. It is not like it is creating any extra work. Occasionally I do mention it to a customer who asks if there may be any cheap upgrades going and advise them to create a Royal Caribbean account. More occasionally, I get a call asking me how much they need to bid to get the upgrade, which of course I don’t know.

 

Corinna

[AZSwissGal]

4 hours ago, coaster said:

Sorry,  but I don’t know your background. How do you know TA’s are getting commission in regards to accepted Royal Up offers? The offers are being sent directly to the passengers and bypassing the TA’s. How would a TA even know an upgrade was offered let alone the acceptance by the passenger to pay a higher fare?

 

I received my Royal Up offer for my upcoming cruise via my travel agent, not directly to me.  My TA forwarded Royal's e-mail with the link to the bids and I took it from there.

 

 

 

[PhoenixCruiser]

 
 
Ohhhhhhhhhh.  THAT kind of work.
 
[emoji6]
 
[emoji849]

What does that mean?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[ForeignQueen]

10 hours ago, irishgal432 said:

I got communication and then talked to an agent and they said the big box ta opted out of it. 

Pretty easy to go to the rc site,type in Royal Upgrade and put in your cabin number. It will tell you what upgrades, if any you qualify for. 2 if our 3 cabins were eligible 

[ReneeFLL]

8 hours ago, Krazyfuntimes said:

 

Yep, just booked Odyssey for March 2021 directly. Now I know the rules I am good to go.

I would let the TA know you booked another cruise and why you aren't going to use them again (assuming you aren't).

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

What does that mean?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 

 

I think it means hand-holding/explanations/reassurances type work. 😊 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Coralc

[parrotfeathers]

On the comment there are no "free" upgrades anymore (upgrade fairy)--do we for sure know that is true or is it just something we assume since no one here (a small percentage of the cruise world) posts of such anymore?

 

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, parrotfeathers said:

On the comment there are no "free" upgrades anymore (upgrade fairy)--do we for sure know that is true or is it just something we assume since no one here (a small percentage of the cruise world) posts of such anymore?

 

 

I'd say the latter.

[parrotfeathers]

3 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

I'd say the latter.

 

Thanks.  And I absolutely believe it is true they don't have upgrade fairy anymore.

[dpostman]

I do believe there is extra work and liability issues for TAs when clients participate in Royal up.  Many times the royal up is awarded in the last week, even just days before the cruise.  The client may have already left their home.

 

Luggage tags have to be reprinted, (Because clients insist on them)  New SetSail print outs for check-in.  In our case, we had communications from purchased activities that did not make it to our room, we assume it is because we had a last minute room change from our successful RoyalUp.  Some clients would take this opportunity to complain to their TA and create frustrating situations that they would just prefer to avoid.

 

As already mentioned, the amount of extra calls from customers and paperwork involved for the small amount of return does not make it viable for big box TA's who work on small margins to make it worth their while.

 

I'm certain that these Big TAs most likely had high level staff meetings to take this in consideration and arrived at the conclusion that it was not for them.

 

I believe most clients that purchase cruises form big box TAs are completely oblivious that this program even exists.

 

dp

Edited September 14, 2019 by dpostman

[notmyrealnameoremail]

12 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

TA’s absolutely do benefit from any upgrades awarded to accepted bids from customers.  They earn full commission on the entire upgrade amount.

 

Ourusualbeach, can you explain what this means in flyer?

 

"net price code"  I'm trying to figure out if might have something to do with the big box opt out of the program.

 

Thanks for sharing your professional expertise.

 

Tom

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, notmyrealnameoremail said:

 

Ourusualbeach, can you explain what this means in flyer?

 

"net price code"  I'm trying to figure out if might have something to do with the big box opt out of the program.

 

Thanks for sharing your professional expertise.

 

Tom

Net pricing is usually travel agent or interline rates that are not combinable with anything. 

[notmyrealnameoremail]

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Net pricing is usually travel agent or interline rates that are not combinable with anything. 

 

Thanks.  That helps me to understand what is going on.

 

Tom

[Judyrem]

13 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

Why can't you just put in a bid without telling the TA?  What happens when you go the Royal Caribbean website to enter your bid?  (Maybe it will work and your TA doesn't have to know.)

 

 https://www.royalcaribbean.com/booked/cruise-room-upgrade

 

 

I tried twice to use the the Royal Up and the site would not let me do it.

[Judyrem]

6 hours ago, ForeignQueen said:

Pretty easy to go to the rc site,type in Royal Upgrade and put in your cabin number. It will tell you what upgrades, if any you qualify for. 2 if our 3 cabins were eligible 

Won't let me participate at all.

 

In fact, I just tried it now and once again it would not let me use it.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Judyrem

[ChinaShrek]

16 minutes ago, Judyrem said:

I tried twice to use the the Royal Up and the site would not let me do it.

 

Good to know. I am sorry this happened to you.  If this important to you, I would try to have your reservation moved by to Royal Caribbean.

[Judyrem]

8 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

 

Good to know. I am sorry this happened to you.  If this important to you, I would try to have your reservation moved by to Royal Caribbean.

It is too late, we sail next week.

[ATG]

We book with the big box TA.  I book the cabin I want and get a substantial cash card or check after the cruise.  Would I like to be able to bid for an upgrade?  Of course, but for me “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”.  For the slim chance I could get a bid accepted at a reasonable cost, I will take the guaranteed cash.  JMHO.

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, parrotfeathers said:

On the comment there are no "free" upgrades anymore (upgrade fairy)--do we for sure know that is true or is it just something we assume since no one here (a small percentage of the cruise world) posts of such anymore?

 

Why would a company give away for free something that they have demonstrated conclusively people will pay good money for? 

[ForeignQueen]

1 hour ago, Judyrem said:

Won't let me participate at all.

 

In fact, I just tried it now and once again it would not let me use it.

Do you, by chance, already have a Royal class suite? As a last resort have you asked your travel agent to see about switching to a better room? Even the Royal Up costs more money

[Judyrem]

14 minutes ago, ForeignQueen said:

Do you, by chance, already have a Royal class suite? As a last resort have you asked your travel agent to see about switching to a better room? Even the Royal Up costs more money

No I have tried it when i just had a balcony cabin.