What can you do if your cruise price drops?

[SRF]

On 2/16/2020 at 9:52 PM, leaveitallbehind said:

And BTW regarding your appliance analogy, the significant difference is that with that type of purchase, you buy the item, take it home, and have immediate benefit for it's use - so a subsequent lower price would not likely have any validity for to be honored.

 

Although some retailers do give price protection.  That, if you find the same item at a lower price within X days, they will refund the difference.  Or in come cases 110% of the difference.  X days can range from 10 to 30.

 

Also one other thing, they can be sales that apply ONLY to new bookings, so if you are already booked, you are not eligible for those rates.

[lynncarol]

I would like to report a very positive experience when I booked through Royal Caribbean with a man called Ralph. I had not made final payment yet when I noticed online last week that fares had dropped $200.00 per person.  I immediately called him, but my message went to his voice mail. I explained my reason for calling and 2 hours later I received a new invoice from Royal Caribbean where I noticed not only had the now lower price been reflected, but an addition $50 per person reduction had also been included. Since we had booked two cabins (4 people total) this was a $1000 savings! 

[leaveitallbehind]

48 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

Although some retailers do give price protection.  That, if you find the same item at a lower price within X days, they will refund the difference.  Or in come cases 110% of the difference.  X days can range from 10 to 30.

 

Also one other thing, they can be sales that apply ONLY to new bookings, so if you are already booked, you are not eligible for those rates.

Agree that there are exceptions with retail purchases - was just trying to draw a general comparison to show that the analogy between the two purchases was not really valid as the two are not the same.

 

You are also correct about new bookings only pricing, which often happens with price changes post final payment.  But when that does occur (pre or post final payment) one can always cancel and rebook if the price savings (and total package with the new booking) offsets the cancellation penalties.

 

Good info, however.

Edited February 18, 2020 by leaveitallbehind

[2wheelin]

On 2/17/2020 at 2:29 AM, gerryuk said:

 

There is a big difference between buying a washer and a cruise ticket though. When you buy your washer you are buying it today and it can be used from the moment it is installed in your house. The same thing goes for clothes or any other purchase you buy on the high street.

If you bought a washer from a local store, but it will not be available for months, and the price then dropped, are you really telling me that you would pay the original price whilst others who purchased the same product a month later, in the same store, are getting it for $100 cheaper, as its now on sale?

Buying washers or any other merchandise in stores are immediate, you get the goods and can use the goods, purchased straight away, you dont when you buy a cruise ticket.

 

Then change appliance to airline ticket. I know one airline that will give you credit (to be used within 1 yr of original purchase) if you notify them you found they offered it for a lower price. Most airlines I do not expect do this. Not in my experience.

Since one can lock in the price of a cruise with a deposit, and not have to pay more if it goes up, why should you also get the benefit if it goes down. You can cancel and rebook if it is that much cheaper.

[SRF]

16 hours ago, 2wheelin said:

Then change appliance to airline ticket. I know one airline that will give you credit (to be used within 1 yr of original purchase) if you notify them you found they offered it for a lower price. Most airlines I do not expect do this. Not in my experience.

Since one can lock in the price of a cruise with a deposit, and not have to pay more if it goes up, why should you also get the benefit if it goes down. You can cancel and rebook if it is that much cheaper.

 

That sounds like the airline that is NOT listed on any of the booking sites. 😄
 

[2wheelin]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

That sounds like the airline that is NOT listed on any of the booking sites. 😄
 

That’s the one! And as it relates to a previous discussion on these boards, we just flew from MSP to Kauai HI for $263 per person, no baggage fees added. We also checked in at the 24 hour mark for each of the two segments. Got B15,16 on one and sat together in row 8. Got B35, 36 on the other and sat together in row 6. Could have paid $80 each to get group A (for better seats). HA. Not a sucker, though. 😂

[Itchy&Scratchy]

On 2/16/2020 at 4:50 PM, KnowTheScore said:

Since every cruise line is different Mkrug your only option is to phone or email your cruise line and complain as bitterly and aggressively as you can and ask for a refund of the balance or equiv OBC if that's acceptable to you.

I've never had to do it bitterly and aggressively. I made phone calls to the cruise line companies, and it was before the final payment day, they adjusted the price (you may lose the perks), and if it was after the final payment day, they either 1) adjusted the price and refunded the difference; or 2) offered a category upgrade for free; or 3) offered nothing. Which is no big deal, because it's after final payment day and they are not obligated to adjust the price or offer a freebie at all.

[clo]

On 2/20/2020 at 8:11 AM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I've never had to do it bitterly and aggressively.

As I mentioned upthread, our Oceania cruise which was fully paid for and about three weeks from departure had a $400pp price decrease. I called my O rep and he offered either OBC for that cruise or FCC for a cruise I have booked in the fall. He didn't act like it was anything unusual.