Price drop - but no refund?

[little britain]

To set the picture, we had a great aft JS booked for £2500 and then RCI had an offer on a gty suite for £2000 so as it was a significant saving we asked them to move us to the gty, and refund the £500 as obc under CWC as we are past final payment date.

Well they have eventually moved us to a gty (and we have already been allocated a regular JS) but now they are refusing to give us any credit. 
 

My TA says :

The Cruise line has advised the following:
They are unable to give the difference in price in Onboard spend as they changed the category to a guarantee suite.

 

To say I’m fuming 😤 is an understatement!

 

Where can I go from here please? 

 

[brillohead]

48 minutes ago, little britain said:

Where can I go from here please? 

To a different TA.  Your TA should have advised you that changing categories would have invalidated the OBC for a price drop.

 

[Pandamonia]

Did you book by a US TA? Ive never seen that offered by anyone in the UK. 

[nelblu]

That is strange you went from an actual cabin location to a guarantee and you basically are getting screwed.  Don't know the UK laws, but recently in the last week of August and 1st week of September there was a unannounced sale and people were able save $ or to get OBCs after final payment.  

 

I was able to save some $500 as my Allure Jan. 22 sail was priced as true solo and was before final  payment.

 

Everyone thanked the sharp-eyed CC member that posted this sale.

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, little britain said:

Where can I go from here please? 

Three way call with TA and RCI to list the T&C of CWC and to hear the excuse of the denial first hand.

[little britain]

4 hours ago, nelblu said:

That is strange you went from an actual cabin location to a guarantee and you basically are getting screwed.  Don't know the UK laws, but recently in the last week of August and 1st week of September there was a unannounced sale and people were able save $ or to get OBCs after final payment.  

 

I was able to save some $500 as my Allure Jan. 22 sail was priced as true solo and was before final  payment.

 

Everyone thanked the sharp-eyed CC member that posted this sale.

Thanks! Yes I think the price drop was around that time when the gtys dropped….. others on the RC had their refund as obc applied overnight. I don’t know what they’re playing at. 
Needless to say no response to my email today. 
A friend snapped up my aft JS but she wants to RoyalUp so it’s very simple for RCI to resolve this and make everyone happy: give them the RoyalUp and make a few quid and give me my old cabin back and we will forget about the saving. Simples.

Edited October 5, 2021 by little britain

[nelblu]

58 minutes ago, little britain said:

Thanks! Yes I think the price drop was around that time when the gtys dropped….. others on the RC had their refund as obc applied overnight. I don’t know what they’re playing at. 
Needless to say no response to my email today. 
A friend snapped up my aft JS but she wants to RoyalUp so it’s very simple for RCI to resolve this and make everyone happy: give them the RoyalUp and make a few quid and give me my old cabin back and we will forget about the saving. Simples.

But that is not fair to you as there was a real price drop and RCL should honor it.  The Loyalty Ambassador on Oasis, gave me the following e-mail as I have some issues with issued FCCs.  My sail is some 6 months away and waiting a few months before contacting them

 

royalguestrelations@rccl.com

tele # 800.256.6649

[little britain]

Thanks @nelblu I’ll try that route! 
 

The cheek is they’ve just send me a RoyalUp email!

Edited October 5, 2021 by little britain

[HicksRA]

I’m no genius, but it seems to me that when you changed from your JS to a GTY, you changed categories and the cruise was rebooked. This was not a price drop but a rebooking. I believe your beef should be with your TA for not doing his due diligence and properly informing you - not RCL. 

 

Are you saying that others did the same thing and were given obc?  

 

Edited October 5, 2021 by HicksRA

[twangster]

A price drop usually involves the staying with the same category.

 

A suite guarantee is a category WS.

A Junior Suite is general a category something like J1, J3 or J4.  

 

A lower price for a suite guarantee compared to a confirmed junior suite is not a price drop,  that's no different than booking a balcony or interior at a lower price because it's a different category of cabin.

 

You mentioned that you invoked CWC.  A CWC after final payment should result in all of your original fare not including port fees & taxes or prepaid gratuity being converted to an FCC.  Port fees & taxes and prepaid gratuity will be refunded.  With that your booking is cancelled and you will eventually get your FCC.

 

However that's not what it sounds like occurred so I am confused.

 

Just CWC your original booking and create a clean new booking.  You won't get double points now because that promo is over.

[little britain]

The cruise has not been rebooked. It’s the same booking ref.

The CWC ref is to the fact that they honour price drops now in England which they didn’t do before. 
They moved me to the W gty.

They then said I wouldn’t get a refund. 
I now have a cr@p cabin. 
I either want the refund associated with moving to a gty or I want my old cabin back. 
This is not tricky to resolve. 
 

[Another_Critic]

Why did your TA confirm the change (without the price drop) before confirming with you?

 

Unless there's more to the story, it appears that your TA owes you £500 for their lack of communication with you and/or RCI.

[brillohead]

2 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Why did your TA confirm the change (without the price drop) before confirming with you?

 

Unless there's more to the story, it appears that your TA owes you £500 for their lack of communication with you and/or RCI.

This is what I want to know..... you booked through a TA, so why isn't your TA doing the work to correct this situation?

What has your TA done so far?

[Iamcruzin]

18 hours ago, little britain said:

To set the picture, we had a great aft JS booked for £2500 and then RCI had an offer on a gty suite for £2000 so as it was a significant saving we asked them to move us to the gty, and refund the £500 as obc under CWC as we are past final payment date.

Well they have eventually moved us to a gty (and we have already been allocated a regular JS) but now they are refusing to give us any credit. 
 

My TA says :

The Cruise line has advised the following:
They are unable to give the difference in price in Onboard spend as they changed the category to a guarantee suite.

 

To say I’m fuming 😤 is an understatement!

 

Where can I go from here please? 

 

Why did your TA allow the change if they didn't approve the OBC and why aren't they going to bat for you?  Go back to your TA to get you back in your chosen room.

[poocher]

My TA would never have let me do that!  She has saved me from more than 1 boneheaded move with my cruises. “No Gail, that’s not a good idea because…..”   I would be all over yours for either not telling you or, worse, not knowing you weren’t getting OBC for going this.

[twangster]

5 hours ago, little britain said:

The cruise has not been rebooked. It’s the same booking ref.

The CWC ref is to the fact that they honour price drops now in England which they didn’t do before. 
They moved me to the W gty.

They then said I wouldn’t get a refund. 
I now have a cr@p cabin. 
I either want the refund associated with moving to a gty or I want my old cabin back. 
This is not tricky to resolve. 
 

 

I'm glad to hear they are now doing price drops for UK bookings but changing categories is not a price drop in any region.  What you requested is no different than saying "Please move me to an interior 4V cabin".  Wish granted, no money back, no OBC after final payment.  That is not a price drop.  

 

If you were booked in a J3 junior suite and now a J3 junior suite is a lower price - that is a price drop.  

 

A suite guarantee could result in any kind of suite even though often the result is a junior suite.  It could also be a GS or better.  I scored a GS from a suite guarantee once.  It happens.  

 

I'm sorry you did this to yourself.  A better TA would have warned you.  Perhaps because the concept of price drops is new to a UK based TA they didn't think this through and basically let you shoot yourself in the foot.  

 

Hope it works out for you.

 

[little britain]

4 hours ago, twangster said:

 

I'm glad to hear they are now doing price drops for UK bookings but changing categories is not a price drop in any region.  What you requested is no different than saying "Please move me to an interior 4V cabin".  Wish granted, no money back, no OBC after final payment.  That is not a price drop.  

 

If you were booked in a J3 junior suite and now a J3 junior suite is a lower price - that is a price drop.  

 

A suite guarantee could result in any kind of suite even though often the result is a junior suite.  It could also be a GS or better.  I scored a GS from a suite guarantee once.  It happens.  

 

I'm sorry you did this to yourself.  A better TA would have warned you.  Perhaps because the concept of price drops is new to a UK based TA they didn't think this through and basically let you shoot yourself in the foot.  

 

Hope it works out for you.

 

Thanks for your reply.

No the TA gave no indication that this couldn’t be done. I should know better after all the cruises I’ve done ( hanging head in shame) - I guess I wasn’t thinking straight and my roomie wanted the refund 💰!

 

However, to confuse matters further; today I get a new invoice from RCI confirming the new cabin number and also showing a significant price drop….!! More than I had actually calculated….. so my money is either being held by RCI or by my TA! Let’s see what happens now. 
I’ve sent my original RCI issued invoice and the new one to the TA so she knows that I know there’s been a drop ….

 

 

Edited October 6, 2021 by little britain

[swoopy2110]

Sounds like a bit of a mess. Either way if you were after final payment and have paid the higher rate you definitely should be getting some OBC under the CWC, especially as your booking number hasn't changed.

[cruiseguy1016]

Sounds to me like it's definitely time to find a new TA.

[AustinCruise]

Can you check in the online cruise planner and see if you have an onboard credit?  In my case, it shows at the top of the page.  

[chucknmarilyn]

3 hours ago, little britain said:

Thanks for your reply.

No the TA gave no indication that this couldn’t be done. I should know better after all the cruises I’ve done ( hanging head in shame) - I guess I wasn’t thinking straight and my roomie wanted the refund 💰!

 

However, to confuse matters further; today I get a new invoice from RCI confirming the new cabin number and also showing a significant price drop….!! More than I had actually calculated….. so my money is either being held by RCI or by my TA! Let’s see what happens now. 
I’ve sent my original RCI issued invoice and the new one to the TA so she knows that I know there’s been a drop ….

 

 

If you got a new invoice from Royal I would assume that the TA got the additional price drop for you and had the invoice sent directly to you. At least in the US the invoice doesn't normally go to the guest unless the TA requests it.

[twangster]

4 hours ago, little britain said:

Thanks for your reply.

No the TA gave no indication that this couldn’t be done. I should know better after all the cruises I’ve done ( hanging head in shame) - I guess I wasn’t thinking straight and my roomie wanted the refund 💰!

 

However, to confuse matters further; today I get a new invoice from RCI confirming the new cabin number and also showing a significant price drop….!! More than I had actually calculated….. so my money is either being held by RCI or by my TA! Let’s see what happens now. 
I’ve sent my original RCI issued invoice and the new one to the TA so she knows that I know there’s been a drop ….

 

 

 

That's encouraging.  Hold onto that new invoice... might be your golden ticket to a refund or the basis of a filing of a complaint in the UK when compared to your credit card charges.

 

Here in the US when they do the OBC thing after final payment they say it will take weeks but it's usually available the same day.

[little britain]

5 hours ago, AustinCruise said:

Can you check in the online cruise planner and see if you have an onboard credit?  In my case, it shows at the top of the page.  

Trust me, I’m checking regularly…. Especially after the new invoice this morning!

Edited October 6, 2021 by little britain

[vjmatty]

9 hours ago, little britain said:

Thanks for your reply.

No the TA gave no indication that this couldn’t be done. I should know better after all the cruises I’ve done ( hanging head in shame) - I guess I wasn’t thinking straight and my roomie wanted the refund 💰!

 

However, to confuse matters further; today I get a new invoice from RCI confirming the new cabin number and also showing a significant price drop….!! More than I had actually calculated….. so my money is either being held by RCI or by my TA! Let’s see what happens now. 
I’ve sent my original RCI issued invoice and the new one to the TA so she knows that I know there’s been a drop ….

 

 

If there was a price drop in the suite guarantee after you switched to it, you should be able to take advantage of the Best Price Guarantee, which results in OBC in the price difference from what you originally paid. That’s been my experience FWIW

[RKHOOKER]

Royal told me today the “Best Price Guarantee” is for cruises sailing before 30th April 2022.  After that date, it’s just bad luck… Royal certainly know how to piss their so called customers off. 

Certainly wouldn’t happen with P & O or Carnival.