Incentives or Leverage - Cruising less than 90 days

[robmtx]

I have done price match before outside the 90 day cutoff. But today is day 89 until our cruise, and the price has now dropped $320 per cabin (2 cabins).

 

Question - does anyone know if Royal is offering incentives or providing other bonuses to keep your booking? I know most of the time you can't price match under 90 days, but I've heard people get OBC or upgrades. 

 

Also, can I reach out to RC directly or must I go thru my TA? My TA's agency hasn't been the best to work with recently, and I'd rather not involve them if I can help it.

 

I'm willing to sit on hold to speak to RC if they can help me directly.

[Biker19]

Just now, robmtx said:

I know most of the time you can't price match under 90 days, but I've heard people get OBC or upgrades. 

Upgrades, yes, OBC, no.

[lovescats5]

I tried to get ahold of Royal this morning and the recorded answer was if you were not sailing within the next 2 week hang up and try after the 2 weeks is over.

[Ourusualbeach]

You must go through your TA.  Upgrades only.  They will not issue OBC.

[robmtx]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You must go through your TA.  Upgrades only.  They will not issue OBC.

This is what I was anticipating. But I used FCC to book this cruise, and now as I understand it, the FCC I used applied to the fare, not as a pmt. So my FCC reduced my fare below what the current market price is.  So I'm not so sure I'm in a position to get an upgrade anyway.

 

To make it even more of a pain, our rooms are adjoining so an upgrade wouldn't work unless they took our two cabins and gave us one nice big suite lol.

 

Appreciate the feedback from all who replied. 

[Biker19]

57 minutes ago, robmtx said:

To make it even more of a pain, our rooms are adjoining so an upgrade wouldn't work unless they took our two cabins and gave us one nice big suite lol.

That's not going to happen - you'd have to cancel one of the cabins and suite availability/price makes that unlikely as well. The FCC won't make a diff.

[trarecar]

3 hours ago, lovescats5 said:

I tried to get ahold of Royal this morning and the recorded answer was if you were not sailing within the next 2 week hang up and try after the 2 weeks is over.

I planned on calling tomorrow to try and get an upgrade due to price change on my 4/17 cruise. I feel like all the good stuff will be gone if I wait till two weeks out! 

[Itsasecret80]

My TA is ghosting me so I am SOL....

[DoubleGG]

3 hours ago, Itsasecret80 said:

My TA is ghosting me so I am SOL....

Mine flat out told me they won't be waiting on hold for hours for no commission.  While I am sympathetic to the stressors that exist in the travel industry ecosystem the goal should always be to maintain consumer dollars by way of service.  Frankly, I don't care if my TA has to wait on hold, they are being paid to do so.  The guilt trip is unnecessary to say the least.

 

At this point, I'd like to remove the booking from my TA but am unsure how to do so.....

[Another_Critic]

38 minutes ago, DoubleGG said:

Mine flat out told me they won't be waiting on hold for hours for no commission. 

 

An uniformed TA.

 

From the RC Blog:  

 

Royal Caribbean has told its travel agents any cruises that are canceled and converted to a future cruise credit will have their commission protected on both the canceled booking and the future reservation where the FCC is redeemed.

[DoubleGG]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

 

An uniformed TA.

 

From the RC Blog:  

 

Royal Caribbean has told its travel agents any cruises that are canceled and converted to a future cruise credit will have their commission protected on both the canceled booking and the future reservation where the FCC is redeemed.

She mentioned that too.  What she mean't with the on hold statement is that she is focused on activities that impact her immediate paycheck - new bookings or paid upgrades, not reprices and cabin assignment changes. 

[taglovestocruise]

5 hours ago, DoubleGG said:

Mine flat out told me they won't be waiting on hold for hours for no commission.  While I am sympathetic to the stressors that exist in the travel industry ecosystem the goal should always be to maintain consumer dollars by way of service.  Frankly, I don't care if my TA has to wait on hold, they are being paid to do so.  The guilt trip is unnecessary to say the least.

 

At this point, I'd like to remove the booking from my TA but am unsure how to do so.....

You just have to call Royal, wait on hold for 3 hours, plead you case that you have a awful TA that won't go to bat for you and then hope RC takes back the booking and then plead with Royal for a reprice, OBC or upgrade.