Overpaid and RCCL says tough luck, you paid too soon.

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

It certainly hasn't, or you have not been a TA for very long.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/deposit-requirements

You seemed to have completely missed the point.  That is based on length of sailing and not the type of cabin.

 

[Ourusualbeach]

4 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

Group rates at a travel agent are pretty rare.  They would need to book a LOT of groups for 26 ships.

No they are not.  Book with any TA associated with a large Host agency / consortium and they will access to groups on better than 80% of all Royal sailings

Edited April 26, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[firefly333]

I'm amazed at how many say they would rather pay more for a nonrefundable booking to keep control. ..and I'm one who loves planning my cruises. 

[barbeyg]

On 4/21/2023 at 6:27 PM, poocher said:

Our deposit for suites last year and upcoming  was $250pp for 7 day cruises.

Same for us.  We book suites quite a bit, and the deposit is the same as any other cabin, based on length of cruise.

[steveru621]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You seemed to have completely missed the point.  That is based on length of sailing and not the type of cabin.

 

 

OMG, we have been charged $900 at the Next Cruise desk when booking a suite.  That was the policy 5 years ago because people were abusing deposits.

 

Probably the same myth as booking with a TA gets you a group rate.  This is not a debate, the rules have changed.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, steveru621 said:

This is not a debate, the rules have changed.

The thing that changed to cut down on the abuse of booking and canceling before final payment is the refundability, not the amount.

[steveru621]

9 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

No they are not.  Book with any TA associated with a large Host agency and they will access to groups on better than 80% of all Royal sailings

 

I stand by my comment.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, steveru621 said:

 

OMG, we have been charged $900 at the Next Cruise desk when booking a suite.  That was the policy 5 years ago because people were abusing deposits.

 

Probably the same myth as booking with a TA gets you a group rate.  This is not a debate, the rules have changed.

Well they changed 5 years ago which is how long I've been a TA.  What happened that long ago is irrelevant, and it's definitely not a myth that if you find the right TA you have access to a ton of group rates

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, steveru621 said:

 

I stand by my comment.

You obviously have no current first hand knowledge of what is currently available in the industry.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, steveru621 said:

 

I stand by my comment.

You are correct if talking about suites only (or a few other cabin categories) - no group rates on those.

[molly361]

49 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

OMG, we have been charged $900 at the Next Cruise desk when booking a suite.  That was the policy 5 years ago because people were abusing deposits.

 

Probably the same myth as booking with a TA gets you a group rate.  This is not a debate, the rules have changed.

My TA has had group rates and 10 out of my 12 bookings and the other 2 are very bargain rates for Xmas on the AD for 2023 and 2024 so don't care or need a group rate on those.   These are for balcony cabins

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, steveru621 said:

 

OMG, we have been charged $900 at the Next Cruise desk when booking a suite.  That was the policy 5 years ago because people were abusing deposits.

Most likely your cruise was 10+ nights.

[makiramarlena]

that's not an overpayment. The OP paid the price they agreed to pay. They're just annoyed the same cruise went on discount after final payment.

[A&L_Ont]

4 hours ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

The $1 deposit was a 1 day only promotion on April 18th to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Holland America Line.

Problem solved.😀

[Pratique]

2 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Most likely your cruise was 10+ nights.

I was paying $500 deposits on 7 night suites up through 2018. Then it went to $900.

[Russ Lomas]

6 hours ago, steveru621 said:

 

OMG, we have been charged $900 at the Next Cruise desk when booking a suite.  That was the policy 5 years ago because people were abusing deposits.

 

2 hours ago, Pratique said:

I was paying $500 deposits on 7 night suites up through 2018. Then it went to $900.

 

I was curious, so I just went on the RCCL website and put in a 7-day Harmony cruise in a grand suite.  RCCL is asking me to put down a $500 deposit, not $900, so I am guessing those who are quoting $900 is for a longer cruise.  We had to put down the $900 deposit for a 15-day cruise we recently booked in an interior cabin.

[meadowlander]

7 hours ago, steveru621 said:

Probably the same myth as booking with a TA gets you a group rate.  This is not a debate, the rules have changed.

Don't know why you would make this claim. I recently switched to a travel agent who has saved me hundreds of dollars on individual bookings due to his ability to offer group rates. Not every cruise I presented him with has group rates. Every cruise I have booked with him has had group rates, less expensive than cruise line prices. I consider myself fortunate to have found him.

[Pratique]

48 minutes ago, Russ Lomas said:

 

 

I was curious, so I just went on the RCCL website and put in a 7-day Harmony cruise in a grand suite.  RCCL is asking me to put down a $500 deposit, not $900, so I am guessing those who are quoting $900 is for a longer cruise.  We had to put down the $900 deposit for a 15-day cruise we recently booked in an interior cabin.

That is interesting. I went back and looked at some of my receipts since 2019. Some of them have $500 deposits for 7 night suites and some have $900 deposits for 7 night suites.

 

So far this year I only have one cruise booked (suite) and I booked it within final payment so I don't know for sure what the deposit would have been since I had to pay the entire amount immediately but I vaguely recall the RC reservations agent telling me it would have been $500 before she realized we were within the final payment window.

 

EDIT to add: I think I figured it out, since we were rebooking so many things during the pandemic some of the bookings that were originally 10+ nights ended up being changed to 7 nights but the $900 deposit was already in. That probably explains the discrepancies.

Edited April 26, 2023 by Pratique

[Merion_Mom]

11 minutes ago, meadowlander said:

Don't know why you would make this claim. I recently switched to a travel agent who has saved me hundreds of dollars on individual bookings due to his ability to offer group rates. Not every cruise I presented him with has group rates. Every cruise I have booked with him has had group rates, less expensive than cruise line prices. I consider myself fortunate to have found him.

 

Hell, yeah.  😄

 

[Another_Critic]

3 hours ago, meadowlander said:

Don't know why you would make this claim. I recently switched to a travel agent who has saved me hundreds of dollars on individual bookings due to his ability to offer group rates. Not every cruise I presented him with has group rates. Every cruise I have booked with him has had group rates, less expensive than cruise line prices. I consider myself fortunate to have found him.

We all know that getting group rates cost you money.  😉  😄

 

I recently booked two cruises with great group rates.  I would have passed if I had to pay the regular rate (and saved money by not booking).  Damn those group rates!  🙃

[biomedbob]

I know you are not suppose to give names of your agents but I live in the Middle of Nowhere Tennessee and inside plumbing is a rareity let alone a travel agent.  Please send some suggestions to biomedbob59@yahoo.com

[Russ Lomas]

On 4/26/2023 at 5:22 PM, Pratique said:

EDIT to add: I think I figured it out, since we were rebooking so many things during the pandemic some of the bookings that were originally 10+ nights ended up being changed to 7 nights but the $900 deposit was already in. That probably explains the discrepancies.

I think you figured it out.  That sounds totally plausible.

[not-enough-cruising]

On 4/26/2023 at 9:04 AM, steveru621 said:

 

OMG, we have been charged $900 at the Next Cruise desk when booking a suite.  That was the policy 5 years ago because people were abusing deposits.

 

Probably the same myth as booking with a TA gets you a group rate.  This is not a debate, the rules have changed.

I have never paid more than a $500 deposit on a suite for a 7 day itinerary. 
100% of my booked cruises (non suite) are booked at a group rate.

 

I admire your conviction, but your statements are false 

[not-enough-cruising]

On 4/26/2023 at 12:59 PM, Pratique said:

I was paying $500 deposits on 7 night suites up through 2018. Then it went to $900.

Then you are booking longer than 7 day itineraries. 

[alfaeric]

If anyone cares, we just deposited $400 for B2B in JS for ‘25. 7 nights each. So $100pp per cruse. Next Cruise.