UK guests experience trying to change a guarantee room to equivalent category room

[adam7392]

Have been assigned cabin number on Voyager for Jul 31st sailing (booked guarantee balcony).  Seems like US guests are often talking about being able to call RC at this point and change the assigned room to one of their preference in the same category for free.  Have called RC today and was told definitely no unless I pay more than double what I am paying at the moment to 'upgrade' based on current price for a pick your own balcony room.   Then tried the webchat and same result.  

 

Have any UK or non US guests had any luck getting a different cabin to the one assigned, if so how did you do it (I booked direct so no travel agent to lean on).

 

I'd probably have been happy enough with the assigned cabin but after having the hope of a 'better'  cabin (to me but RC consider them to be the same) based on US experience I'm a bit miffed with the varying treatment between nationalities.

Edited May 16, 2022 by adam7392

[leaveitallbehind]

That is unfortunate as in the US we do have that flexibility and I am one of the ones, who based on our experience, has posted about doing so. 

 

But I do know that there are different travel planning regulations in place in the UK that I believe are country? - not cruise line - oriented that do affect how you can originate, modify, and cancel bookings. 

 

I have heard this in discussions regarding UK TA policies v US and wonder if that is not the source of the differences since the majority of all cruise travel is handled through TA's?  The cruise line policies would need to remain consistent with theirs.  I know, for example, that there are differences regarding refundable versus non-refundable deposits, etc.,  I guess this policy is just another difference between our two countries.

Edited May 16, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[suekay]

Unfortunately the cruiseline policies aren't consistent. I've previously booked direct through the cruiseline and still hit this probem of being unable to change an allocated guarantee cabin

[adam7392]

I get there are different policies per country around financials such as price drops, payment protection etc many historically based around consumer and political campaining and enshrined in national laws.  But something like allowing a cabin switch is purely down to the cruise line. So to allow in one country but not others makes RC look a bit pathetic.

[leaveitallbehind]

17 minutes ago, suekay said:

Unfortunately the cruiseline policies aren't consistent. I've previously booked direct through the cruiseline and still hit this probem of being unable to change an allocated guarantee cabin

I think what I was trying to say in my response was that the cruise lines will adapt to the policies governing travel planning in that country.   So that if booking direct or booking through a TA the policies would be the same.  In other words whatever UK policies drive the TA's would be the same with the cruise lines and visa versa - if you can't change a GTY booked through a TA you will also not be able to change it if booked direct.  In that manner they would be consistent.  They would be inconsistent if one could do one thing and the other another.

 

It's that way in the US - the TA's general booking policies are the same as the cruise lines.  Unfortunately they may just differ between countries.

Edited May 16, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[swoopy2110]

I have heard before that UK guests can't change a GTY cabin once assigned.

What surprises me more is that US based guests are able to change it. What's the point in getting assigned a GTY cabin if they just let you change it afterwards?! I feel the policy should be consistently applied of not being able to change it worldwide but it's not.

 

Sadly, picking a GTY gets you a lower price, but no flexibility if you aren't happy with your cabin assignment.

[Ourusualbeach]

12 minutes ago, swoopy2110 said:

What surprises me more is that US based guests are able to change it.

It seem lately that they are waiting longer to assign the guarantees thus preventing most from being able to change staterooms as they are all sold out

[adam7392]

11 minutes ago, swoopy2110 said:

I have heard before that UK guests can't change a GTY cabin once assigned.

What surprises me more is that US based guests are able to change it. What's the point in getting assigned a GTY cabin if they just let you change it afterwards?! I feel the policy should be consistently applied of not being able to change it worldwide but it's not.

 

Sadly, picking a GTY gets you a lower price, but no flexibility if you aren't happy with your cabin assignment.

Couldn't agree more - where there is no legislation driving the decision then make it consistent across markets.  I'm happy enough to accept the cabin assigned so no issue there - it's what I paid for over a year ago and I accepted it.

 

However, as a little kicker, I also have a summer 2023 booking on Rhapsody for a guarantee inside and surprisingly got assigned a deck 2 inside cabin last week.  This was booked thru a UK TA.  I called the TA (based on peoples' posts on cruise critic) to change to same category on deck 7 and the TA did it within an hour no charge.  In fact although category was the same I moved from a forward to a midship assignment that based on the RC site had a small upcharge.  It's the inconsistency that annoys me not the issue of a guarantee assignment.

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, adam7392 said:

But something like allowing a cabin switch is purely down to the cruise line.

You are in a unique position that the ship may so vacant that you may be able to change to another cabin on board.

[little britain]

In the UK you cannot change a gty once assigned. 
This achieves little apart from p**sing the Uk guests off especially when our USA chums can swap and swap again. 

[Missusdubbya]

On 5/17/2022 at 4:17 AM, adam7392 said:

Have any UK or non US guests had any luck getting a different cabin to the one assigned

I book direct from Australia, and never have been able to change rooms with a GTY 

 

5 hours ago, little britain said:

In the UK you cannot change a gty once assigned. 
This achieves little apart from p**sing the Uk guests off especially when our USA chums can swap and swap again. 

Agreed

[adam7392]

OP here - So big update.  Needed to pay balance so called RC, said I'd like to change room and pay balance.  Gave a couple of rooms I knew were available but she said not - probaly because my assigned cabin was a 2D and these were 5D.  Quickly became aparent that I could chose a 2D cabin so ended up with 7316 on the hump (Voyager), no extra charge all very easy.  All quickly confirmed on cruise planner and email. 

 

I did raise a complaint about this directly with RC customer services (not so much not being able to swop but that US customers could swop but not UK / Others) and recevied a very vanilla T&C etc type reply.

 

So it seems that UK customers CAN change their guarantee IF you get the right person or some other mysterious alignment of the stars occur.   Original guarantee balcony back in march 2021 was £1089 each (taxes, fees included but not gratuities) and new cabin was £2208 each on same basis so its not as though there was a price drop.  

 

Its strange I couldn't go to a 5D category as these were listed as about £300 cheaper than a 2D but I'm super happy as I feel a deck 7 hump is better than the deck 6 near forward stairs that we had.  From what I can see deck 6 balconies have a solid metal rail but other decks have glass.

[Reina del Mar]

Just another issue where T&Cs are different for UK passengers.

 

Sorry to say, I moan about this at every opportunity, in the hope someone from the cruise line eventually takes notice!!!!!

[cublet]

2 minutes ago, Reina del Mar said:

Just another issue where T&Cs are different for UK passengers.

 

Sorry to say, I moan about this at every opportunity, in the hope someone from the cruise line eventually takes notice!!!!!

Hello,

 

Not likely to happen. It is quicker, easier AND CHEAPER to say "No" than actually do anything.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[FamilyCruiserUK]

This is just another example where those of us outside of the US get little in the way of flexibility with RCL. My biggest gripe is the price drop guarantee. In the US if you see it cheaper then change to new price, as many times as you want.  In the UK unless under certain booking terms, then nope sorry. Annoying as its the same cruise, ship, same destinations......

[adam7392]

Reina / cublet / FamilCruiser - yes but don't give up - it does seem to be possible as I just proved.