Price Lowered

[cruisinfanatic]

the last time I received a rate refund was 2009

[leaveitallbehind]

23 minutes ago, Signet said:

I’ll call my TA tomorrow, I have absolutely nothing to lose, except 10 or 15 minutes on the phone. All they can say is no, there is nothing they can do. 
 If I get nothing so be it, but you will never know what could happen if you don’t make the effort.  Maybe I’ll save a few beans, or not!

Good luck, but I doubt there will be anything they can do, and I think it will be a shorter call than that.  As mentioned before, post final payment price adjustments are typically for new bookings only and would only be available if you cancel your original booking, incurring whatever penalties you will have accrued, and rebook it as a new booking at the new price.  You would likely also loose any booking offers provided at the time to be replaced with whatever is included with the new booking. Rarely the adjustment is worth that.

 

As mentioned before by @Ourusualbeach, your TA has to follow the same rules as anyone else regardless of how they booked. 

Edited June 9 by leaveitallbehind

[EbayCruiser]

Please let us know what you find out - Good Luck!

[mjkacmom]

16 hours ago, pcur said:

This is what I would do if the price reduction was more than $100 per person, AND you have a non-refundable deposit:

 

Option 1: Tell my travel agent or RCCL (whomever I booked with) that I want the price difference as an obc, or I will move the cruise to a different ship and pay the $100 per person change fee. (This is basically a bluff; but your testing to see how anxious they are to keep your booking.)

 

Option 2: Cancel the cruise, lose your deposit, and rebook at the lower price.

 

Most times they will give you the obc.  The whole reason for the price drop is the ship is not fully booked, so you have some leverage. 

 

If you have a refundable deposit, then tell them you will cancel and rebook if they don't agree to give you the obc.

 

Then, use the obc to pay for tips, or cash it out by transferring it as a room charge in the casino, then cash out.  Be careful with this, because once you do it, you cannot put another room charge transfer on your account for the rest of the cruise.

In this case it’s after final payment, will lose more than the deposit.

[Signet]

UPDATE:

 

I called my TA this morning, to see about getting any compensation for the lower posted price:

 

I did not know this, but the date given to me as the final payment day (6/5) by my TA is actually a few days prior to the actual final payment day. They list the day earlier just in case people forget or there is some kind of issue with a credit card payment. Then they have time to correct the issue without jumping through lots of hoops.  I must say I am super happy this was done.

 

As it turns out today is the actual final payment day for my cruise as set by Royal.  The TA called Royal, and they matched the current posted price, and I will be receiving a 740-dollar credit back to my card, My OBC given by my TA will be reduced by 50 dollars, but I still get the free specialty restaurant dinner.

 

Needless to say, I am super happy about the way this all turned out. It always worth a phone call all they can say is No.  In this case I learned the final payment day was posted earlier than the actual day - This was a god send for me, and it saved me over 700 dollars. 

 

Moral of this story - always check the price, and call when you see a difference. It could be well worth your time (as in this case).

 

Thanks for all the comments and answers to my post  

[Ken at the beach]

1 minute ago, Signet said:

UPDATE:

 

I called my TA this morning, to see about getting any compensation for the lower posted price:

 

I did not know this, but the date given to me as the final payment day (6/5) by my TA is actually a few days prior to the actual final payment day. They list the day earlier just in case people forget or there is some kind of issue with a credit card payment. Then they have time to correct the issue without jumping through lots of hoops.  I must say I am super happy this was done.

 

As it turns out today is the actual final payment day for my cruise as set by Royal.  The TA called Royal, and they matched the current posted price, and I will be receiving a 740-dollar credit back to my card, My OBC given by my TA will be reduced by 50 dollars, but I still get the free specialty restaurant dinner.

 

Needless to say, I am super happy about the way this all turned out. It always worth a phone call all they can say is No.  In this case I learned the final payment day was posted earlier than the actual day - This was a god send for me, and it saved me over 700 dollars. 

 

Moral of this story - always check the price, and call when you see a difference. It could be well worth your time (as in this case).

 

Thanks for all the comments and answers to my post  

Great to hear.

 

What you just described is why it is so important to get a copy of Royals invoice from the TA.  It will list the actual final payment date.

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, Signet said:

Moral of this story - always check the price, and call when you see a difference.

No, the moral is - know the RCI final payment date, which is the one that governs any price drops.

[Signet]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

No, the moral is - know the RCI final payment date,

 My Moral stays the same always call when you see a price difference

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, Signet said:

 My Moral stays the same always call when you see a price difference

Most experienced RCI cruisers know not to waste time calling when it's after final payment as there won't be any price drops.

[Signet]

never try never win - no harm in calling - a NO does not hurt

[cruiseguy1016]

30 minutes ago, Signet said:

UPDATE:

 

I called my TA this morning, to see about getting any compensation for the lower posted price:

 

I did not know this, but the date given to me as the final payment day (6/5) by my TA is actually a few days prior to the actual final payment day. They list the day earlier just in case people forget or there is some kind of issue with a credit card payment. Then they have time to correct the issue without jumping through lots of hoops.  I must say I am super happy this was done.

 

As it turns out today is the actual final payment day for my cruise as set by Royal.  The TA called Royal, and they matched the current posted price, and I will be receiving a 740-dollar credit back to my card, My OBC given by my TA will be reduced by 50 dollars, but I still get the free specialty restaurant dinner.

 

Needless to say, I am super happy about the way this all turned out. It always worth a phone call all they can say is No.  In this case I learned the final payment day was posted earlier than the actual day - This was a god send for me, and it saved me over 700 dollars. 

 

Moral of this story - always check the price, and call when you see a difference. It could be well worth your time (as in this case).

 

Thanks for all the comments and answers to my post  

 

Congrats on your fortunate outcome. I'm glad it worked out for you.

[Ken at the beach]

47 minutes ago, Signet said:

never try never win - no harm in calling - a NO does not hurt

As a TA I can positively confirm that after Royal's final payment you gain absolutely nothing by calling

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, Signet said:

never try never win - no harm in calling - a NO does not hurt

Other than taking up your TA's time for a question you now already know the answer to.  You got the adjustment in this case as you were still prior to final payment.  Past that, the answer per the cruise line, that they have to honor, is no.  No point in wasting their time.

Edited June 10 by leaveitallbehind

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, Signet said:

I did not know this, but the date given to me as the final payment day (6/5) by my TA is actually a few days prior to the actual final payment day. They list the day earlier just in case people forget or there is some kind of issue with a credit card payment. Then they have time to correct the issue without jumping through lots of hoops.  I must say I am super happy this was done.

 

It always worth a phone call all they can say is No.  

 

Moral of this story - always check the price, and call when you see a difference. It could be well worth your time (as in this case).

A good TA will provide the cruise line booking confirmation along with their agency invoice and review this with you so that you can see the actual final payment date and would be aware of that with future price changes.  Most good TA's also confirm payment a few days early for the reasons you expressed. There are also good TA's that may also follow pricing and will advise their clients of favorable price changes on their behalf.

 

Experienced cruisers will understand this as well as the rules regarding price changes, pre and post final payment. 

 

The real moral if of this story is moving forward with your future bookings to be aware of your booking and final payment dates and also understand, as has been repeatedly clarified in this thread, what the pre and post final payment date pricing policies are so that you don't have to make unnecessary calls to your TA to hope to get something they have no power to provide.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 10 by leaveitallbehind

[Signet]

 

29 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

No point in wasting their time.

I really do not consider calling my TA with a question as just taking up or wasting their time. Giving me their time is how they stay my TA, and how they make their living. If asking a TA a question is waste of their time, I would say change careers, where they do not have direct contact with their customers.

I understand what is being said that after final payment the chance of getting a price reduction is next to zero. But they will have to tell me the answer was No.  You never know what else you might learn while speaking with them

[leaveitallbehind]

52 minutes ago, Signet said:

 

I really do not consider calling my TA with a question as just taking up or wasting their time. Giving me their time is how they stay my TA, and how they make their living. If asking a TA a question is waste of their time, I would say change careers, where they do not have direct contact with their customers.

I understand what is being said that after final payment the chance of getting a price reduction is next to zero. But they will have to tell me the answer was No.  You never know what else you might learn while speaking with them

I can confirm that there are at least two TA's responding on this thread who have confirmed from direct knowledge with you what the policy is and that any TA's answer will be the same. Yours, just because they're yours, will not have a different answer. You can also check with the cruise line directly to get the policy from them.  Aside from that there are a number of very experienced cruisers on this thread who have echoed the same thing.

 

I don't understand why you don't want to accept that fact and feel the need to have independent confirmation from your TA. They won't be able to change the cruise line's policy.  But since you already have called them with receiving the pre final payment price adjustment, why not call them and ask what the policy is post final payment?  You are correct, they provide a valuable service and there are indeed a number of things you likely can learn from them.  Certainly one will be a confirmation of this information.

Edited June 10 by leaveitallbehind

[crzndeb]

Also, now that you know there is a TA final payment date, and the cruise line final payment date, don’t look at prices after the cruise line final payment date. What you don’t know won’t hurt you. You got lucky on this one. 
There are other lines, depending on the rate code you booked, that will honor price drops after final payment and give you the difference in OBC. But it comes with rules.

[Another_Critic]

8 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

... don’t look at prices after the cruise line final payment date. What you don’t know won’t hurt you. 

I look after final payment for two reasons.

 

1. Hoping the price goes up and I can congratulate myself for getting a "bargain".  😄

2. To see if there are price drops on higher categories and possibly get a "cheap" upgrade.

[EbayCruiser]

Good news!  Enjoy your cruise.

[Signet]

37 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

I don't understand why you don't want to accept that fact and feel the need to have independent confirmation from your TA. They won't be able to change the cruise line's policy.  But since you already have

A couple things here. If I automatically took the advise of posters on this web site I would not have even tried to get the price match. Granted even if the posted comments were correct, and nothing would be price matched after final.

I did just learn today the TA had a different final date on their web site from the actual final date. If I just accepted what I thought was the final date and not called I would not have gotten the 740 dollar price reduction. Because every told me after final payment date there is nothing that will be done (not can’t be done, would be done). 
 

You really do not need to understand why I want independent confirmation of how much money I need or want to spend.  Just because someone types it on a screen does not make it so. Even if the information is correct , it’s my responsibility to verify what can and cannot be done. Relying 100% on posts on a bulletin board is a fool’s errand.

[pcur]

4 hours ago, Signet said:

UPDATE:

 

I called my TA this morning, to see about getting any compensation for the lower posted price:

 

I did not know this, but the date given to me as the final payment day (6/5) by my TA is actually a few days prior to the actual final payment day. They list the day earlier just in case people forget or there is some kind of issue with a credit card payment. Then they have time to correct the issue without jumping through lots of hoops.  I must say I am super happy this was done.

 

As it turns out today is the actual final payment day for my cruise as set by Royal.  The TA called Royal, and they matched the current posted price, and I will be receiving a 740-dollar credit back to my card, My OBC given by my TA will be reduced by 50 dollars, but I still get the free specialty restaurant dinner.

 

Needless to say, I am super happy about the way this all turned out. It always worth a phone call all they can say is No.  In this case I learned the final payment day was posted earlier than the actual day - This was a god send for me, and it saved me over 700 dollars. 

 

Moral of this story - always check the price, and call when you see a difference. It could be well worth your time (as in this case).

 

Thanks for all the comments and answers to my post  

Doing the happy dance for you!

[pcur]

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Most experienced RCI cruisers know not to waste time calling when it's after final payment as there won't be any price drops.

Actually, I move a cruise to a new sail date after final, and they waived the change fee.  Ya never know.....................

[Signet]

5 minutes ago, pcur said:

Actually, I move a cruise to a new sail date after final, and they waived the change fee.  Ya never know.....................

Exactly you never know, until an attempt is made. It will either work out for you, or nothing changes from what you had. Absolutely no risk to make a phone call.

[leaveitallbehind]

35 minutes ago, Signet said:

A couple things here. If I automatically took the advise of posters on this web site I would not have even tried to get the price match. Granted even if the posted comments were correct, and nothing would be price matched after final.

I did just learn today the TA had a different final date on their web site from the actual final date. If I just accepted what I thought was the final date and not called I would not have gotten the 740 dollar price reduction. Because every told me after final payment date there is nothing that will be done (not can’t be done, would be done). 
 

You really do not need to understand why I want independent confirmation of how much money I need or want to spend.  Just because someone types it on a screen does not make it so. Even if the information is correct , it’s my responsibility to verify what can and cannot be done. Relying 100% on posts on a bulletin board is a fool’s errand.

Not arguing, just clarifying. But IMO, you are completely missing my point.  You originally thought the price change was after final payment.  TA's who know the policies on this thread told you there was no price change option past final payment. To that, they are correct. Your call would not have changed that nor is that why you got the adjustment.  You only received what you did because you learned that you were actually still before final payment.  Shame on you (and your TA if the did not clarify) for not having awareness of your booking to realize what the true final payment date was, as that is a critical date and your responsibility to know.

 

The whole issue was centered only on the fact that post final payment there is not price change and you have repeatedly said that it is worth a call anyway to find out, which it isn't.  Nothing more.  Agree that taking advice from posters here can be a fools errand, but when it is factual information from a TA, it is good information.  But I also said to call your TA to confirm so that this issue can be put to rest.  Have you?  Let us know their response.

 

BTW I am genuinely very happy for you that you got the adjustment.  That's a great savings.  Just reinforces the need to understand the cruise line pricing policies and, most importantly, when your actual final payment date is.  Enjoy your cruise!

Edited June 10 by leaveitallbehind

[Ken at the beach]

40 minutes ago, pcur said:

Actually, I move a cruise to a new sail date after final, and they waived the change fee.  Ya never know.....................

After final payment there is no moving the cruise or "change fee".  The change fee and ability to move a cruise only applies up until final payment with the exception of the start up period after Civid which has long passed.