Virgin Suite Perks Changes

[gkbiiii]

I predict a total Virgin/Richard bankruptcy for 2021.  In a time of near economic depression, firms that start offering a reduction of benefits/standards, will fail to others, who respect the consumer's wallet. This happened in the Great Depression and will happen again. 

[ownedbypets]

15 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

I predict a total Virgin/Richard bankruptcy for 2021.  In a time of near economic depression, firms that start offering a reduction of benefits/standards, will fail to others, who respect the consumer's wallet. This happened in the Great Depression and will happen again. 

 

Why are you even posting on the Virgin pages? There are a lot of people that are excited about Virgin and you are nothing but doom and gloom. Unless you have actual facts then there is no reason to take away other cruisers joy. 

 

[mnocket]

16 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

I predict a total Virgin/Richard bankruptcy for 2021.  In a time of near economic depression, firms that start offering a reduction of benefits/standards, will fail to others, who respect the consumer's wallet. This happened in the Great Depression and will happen again. 

Apparently you haven't been following the cruise industry for the past 10 years.  Reduction of benefits/standards has been the norm pretty much across the board.  The VV changes don't really stand out among all of the industry changes.

[gkbiiii]

We weren't in a near depression.  I am not "gloom & doom," I'm a realist.

[papamouse101]

date.  BUT... take this with a grain of salt because my responses coming from different people have literally been all over th charts.  So let me give you the cliff note version of our story.

 

• Booked a Suite on a "Sneak a Peek" Virgin on Feb 14th.  Was at a TA rate, so had to pay in full. 
• Few weeks later, the world went into a spiral and they had to cancel my cruise.  Offered me 200% credit or cash refund.
• Took the credit, but lost the TA discount... so ended up I couldn't touch the cabin I had booked for the 200%.  Price went up over 300%.
• Fast Forward, booked a Nov. cruise on May 3 using the credit.  Complete with the full set of perks.
• Got the aforementioned email  letting us know they wanted to help us out and lower the cruise rate (BUT took away the perks we talked about)
• Was told, yse sir we have already applied a credit to your cruise... this is you rnew price.  "But that is the exact price I recevied as my price on May 3rd originally.  It wasn't change"  "Well, that cabin now costs $200 more so we gave you a discount".  No... I bought the cabin for this price weeks before the email sent saying we would get a discount."  "OK well I will look into it and get back to you in next 2 days
• 5 days later, got the call today, and it was literally the same exact conversation.  "Your discount has been applied, your acccount shows $200 dscount?  NO it deosn't!  "Sir, that cabin now is listed at $200 more....  You get my drift.
• One change this time.  Once i walked the agent through step by step... "I go this price May3 right"  Yes  "I got email from you saying reduced price for suite right?"  Yes  "So where is the discount?  "Well actuall the discount doesn't apply to every sailing and all cabin,s etc"  
• So Why did you send me an email saying I was getting a break when I wasn't?

 

Long and short of it, they are now refusing to offer me a full cah refund on the 100% portion that was my cash payment saying I can only have a credit... since I accepted the first offer before.  So guess wer are goping to cruise... but they are a mess!!

 

[timf2001]

4 hours ago, papamouse101 said:

Long and short of it, they are now refusing to offer me a full cah refund on the 100% portion that was my cash payment saying I can only have a credit... since I accepted the first offer before.  So guess wer are goping to cruise... but they are a mess!!

 

 

I have been contemplating using the 200% credit, but I didn't want to forfeit my refund ability yet so I emailed Virgin asking about the policies.  The response echoes what they told you - once you apply the 200% credit to a reservation, you can no longer choose to get a refund.

[2NOLAcruisers]

On 6/4/2020 at 2:54 PM, papamouse101 said:

date.  BUT... take this with a grain of salt because my responses coming from different people have literally been all over th charts.  So let me give you the cliff note version of our story.

 

• Booked a Suite on a "Sneak a Peek" Virgin on Feb 14th.  Was at a TA rate, so had to pay in full. 
• Few weeks later, the world went into a spiral and they had to cancel my cruise.  Offered me 200% credit or cash refund.
• Took the credit, but lost the TA discount... so ended up I couldn't touch the cabin I had booked for the 200%.  Price went up over 300%.
• Fast Forward, booked a Nov. cruise on May 3 using the credit.  Complete with the full set of perks.
• Got the aforementioned email  letting us know they wanted to help us out and lower the cruise rate (BUT took away the perks we talked about)
• Was told, yse sir we have already applied a credit to your cruise... this is you rnew price.  "But that is the exact price I recevied as my price on May 3rd originally.  It wasn't change"  "Well, that cabin now costs $200 more so we gave you a discount".  No... I bought the cabin for this price weeks before the email sent saying we would get a discount."  "OK well I will look into it and get back to you in next 2 days
• 5 days later, got the call today, and it was literally the same exact conversation.  "Your discount has been applied, your acccount shows $200 dscount?  NO it deosn't!  "Sir, that cabin now is listed at $200 more....  You get my drift.
• One change this time.  Once i walked the agent through step by step... "I go this price May3 right"  Yes  "I got email from you saying reduced price for suite right?"  Yes  "So where is the discount?  "Well actuall the discount doesn't apply to every sailing and all cabin,s etc"  
• So Why did you send me an email saying I was getting a break when I wasn't?

 

Long and short of it, they are now refusing to offer me a full cah refund on the 100% portion that was my cash payment saying I can only have a credit... since I accepted the first offer before.  So guess wer are goping to cruise... but they are a mess!!

 

I am in the same situation and got the same explanation.

 

Booked a Sneak a Peek cruise that wound up getting cancelled.

Took the 200% offer for a Rock Star Suite on the Valliant Lady next year.

Got the email that says "we're lowering the fare for your suite" and "You'll receive an updated confirmation email from us in the next 7 days that reflects your new fare."

Did not receive an email.

Price of the suite did not change.

Called and was told that the price of the cabin went up and the "discount" is the protection from the fare increase.

I said the price did not change.  I've been checking often since I booked it.  I quoted the email.

The guy said they will research it some more and email me an explanation.

 

I don't think I'm going to get that explanation email.

[papamouse101]

So  2 weeks later, multiple phone calls, and literally the same idiotic explanation everytime ... the fare went up, my discount was the non increase.  Hey Virgin... you can't raise the fare after we already booked!!!  That is not a discount in any way shape or form.  really have no option but to cruise, but they better WOW me to ever consider another cruise with them.  Unprofessional Virgin...

[westguy99]

I had an aft suite booked for the December 7 day New Years cruise. The price dropped $780 USD. Seems to be worth the high speed internet reduced to standard internet and no transport. I then checked the website to see how the other pricing changed. I was able to upgrade to a Cheeky Corner Suite and keep the price the same as I paid originally. Initially this CC suite was $2400 more. In the end I saved $2400 from the initial pricing to get the better suite. Not a bad deal for me.  

[2NOLAcruisers]

It looks like they only applied the discount to the Scarlet Lady suites and not Valiant Lady suites.

 

Search for May 2021 sailings and apply the "I'm really picky - RockStar Quarters" filter.  You can see a significant price difference between the two ships.  I wonder if they forgot to apply it to the Valiant Lady sailings?

[2NOLAcruisers]

On 6/11/2020 at 11:43 AM, papamouse101 said:

So  2 weeks later, multiple phone calls, and literally the same idiotic explanation everytime ... the fare went up, my discount was the non increase.  Hey Virgin... you can't raise the fare after we already booked!!!  That is not a discount in any way shape or form.  really have no option but to cruise, but they better WOW me to ever consider another cruise with them.  Unprofessional Virgin...

So, I spoke with someone who explained the discount better and why some front line agents are confused.  He said that the price of the cabin goes up as we get closer to sailings.  The discount that was offered was to reset these increases back to the original price.  My sailing is so far out that it is still at the original price, so when an agent sees that I am at the lowest price, they think that the discount was applied (not knowing that I am still at the original price.)

 

That helps with the explanation, but it doesn't help make up for removing some perks.  

[drewdawg199]

has anyone had success in getting a refund of their deposit (to original payment) due to these changes in suite perks?  I booked a trip in Sept. 2021, which I imagine are at the lowest/original rates, and have not been provided any discount.  I only booked the suite due to the transfers being included, etc.  Between the changes in perks and COVID, I have no interest in taking this or another cruise with VV in the next several years.

Thanks