Balcony discount during RCCL sale?

[TNT]

I just booked (6/28) a balcony for a transatlantic.  When I asked about applying my diamond balcony he quoted me a price higher than what it was without discount.  When I asked about the higher price he said, “you can’t use your CA discount if there a sale.  
We’ve always booked during some type of sale AND used our discount.  
Can anyone help?  Not sure if I should call again tomorrow or let it go. 

[Merion_Mom]

4 minutes ago, TNT said:

I just booked (6/28) a balcony for a transatlantic.  When I asked about applying my diamond balcony he quoted me a price higher than what it was without discount.  When I asked about the higher price he said, “you can’t use your CA discount if there a sale.  
We’ve always booked during some type of sale AND used our discount.  
Can anyone help?  Not sure if I should call again tomorrow or let it go. 

Call back.

[Biker19]

8 minutes ago, TNT said:

When I asked about the higher price he said, “you can’t use your CA discount if there a sale.  
We’ve always booked during some type of sale AND used our discount.  

That might be true - the balcony discount is sometimes discounted by the amount of the flash sale and sometimes that sale is higher than the balcony discount thereby eliminating it entirely. You should be able to check this yourself by doing a mock booking with and without being logged in.

[TNT]

Thank you, Biker19.  That is pretty much exactly what agent  told me.  I will do a mock reservation with/without login.  As a retired math teacher i’m  all about the numbers. 😉

[George C]

We are diamond plus and we’re unable to get discount on last couple of cruises. One of the reasons we are going back to MSc yacht club. 

[smokeybandit]

This is pretty normal. You typically cannot combine the C&A discount with any other promo.

[firefly333]

3 hours ago, TNT said:

I just booked (6/28) a balcony for a transatlantic.  When I asked about applying my diamond balcony he quoted me a price higher than what it was without discount.  When I asked about the higher price he said, “you can’t use your CA discount if there a sale.  
We’ve always booked during some type of sale AND used our discount.  
Can anyone help?  Not sure if I should call again tomorrow or let it go. 

6/28 this year?

 

Typically my TA has group prices but if it's this year, group prices would be gone, but he will have for next year. He can apply my balconys discount but has to be at least 4 months out. Group rates sell out and start getting recalled about a month before final payment. But even for this oct when I asked usa group rates were already sold out. 

 

That's a drawback imo to booking last minute. 

[twangster]

Many times over the years the CAS discounts are not the lowest fares. 

 

This was especially true when I was lower in the CAS program.  As I climbed higher CAS rates more frequently became the best rate.  Even now as Pinnacle they are not always the best rate. I have a Utopia booking in a suite where the CAS rate wasn't the best rate.  It happens. 

 

Some sales and promotion are combinable with CAS discounts and some are not.    

[firefly333]

52 minutes ago, twangster said:

Many times over the years the CAS discounts are not the lowest fares. 

 

This was especially true when I was lower in the CAS program.  As I climbed higher CAS rates more frequently became the best rate.  Even now as Pinnacle they are not always the best rate. I have a Utopia booking in a suite where the CAS rate wasn't the best rate.  It happens. 

 

Some sales and promotion are combinable with CAS discounts and some are not.    

Theres one I almost always hit where inside is $50 more obc or I get the balcony discount with $50 less obc. Not combinable. 

[nelblu]

10 hours ago, TNT said:

I just booked (6/28) a balcony for a transatlantic.  When I asked about applying my diamond balcony he quoted me a price higher than what it was without discount.  When I asked about the higher price he said, “you can’t use your CA discount if there a sale.  
We’ve always booked during some type of sale AND used our discount.  
Can anyone help?  Not sure if I should call again tomorrow or let it go. 

Do a mock booking and see results.  If lower, use that as your price in dealing with RCL agent.  You have to be prepared to deal with certain folks at Royal. 

[nelblu]

37 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Theres one I almost always hit where inside is $50 more obc or I get the balcony discount with $50 less obc. Not combinable. 

Recently there’s a $75 instant savings and combinable with the balcony discounts. 

[smokeybandit]

I still remember sitting in line at the NextCruise office, watching a guy berate the agent because his C&A discount fare was a lot more expensive than the current promo fare.

[Another_Critic]

One sailing I'm looking at, I'm seeing multiple combinable discounts.

 

 

Solo still combines discounts.

 

 

$75 instant savings goes away when booking DP340 (150% solo supplement).

 

 

 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

9 hours ago, firefly333 said:

6/28 this year?

 

Typically my TA has group prices but if it's this year, group prices would be gone, but he will have for next year. He can apply my balconys discount but has to be at least 4 months out. Group rates sell out and start getting recalled about a month before final payment. But even for this oct when I asked usa group rates were already sold out. 

 

That's a drawback imo to booking last minute. 

It's currently 10:13A ET on 6/29.  The OP was posted "13 hours ago", which would be roughly 9P ET 6/28.  

 

If they were able to book at 9P at night for a cruise that left that day, I would be VERY disappointed in both Royal's IT department for letting that happen AND the OP for even attempting.

 

I think it's a safe assumption it's for 6/28 next year. 

[Another_Critic]

1 minute ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

It's currently 10:13A ET on 6/29.  The OP was posted "13 hours ago", which would be roughly 9P ET 6/28.  

 

If they were able to book at 9P at night for a cruise that left that day, I would be VERY disappointed in both Royal's IT department for letting that happen AND the OP for even attempting.

 

I think it's a safe assumption it's for 6/28 next year. 

Actually, the OP said that they booked the cruise on 6/28, not a sail date of 6/28.  FYI, there are no RCI transatlantics in June.

 

"I just booked (6/28) a balcony for a transatlantic."

[S.A.M.J.R.]

2 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Actually, the OP said that they booked the cruise on 6/28, not a sail date of 6/28.  FYI, there are no RCI transatlantics in June.

 

"I just booked (6/28) a balcony for a transatlantic."

Ah, I misread. Thank you.

 

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

One sailing I'm looking at, I'm seeing multiple combinable discounts.

 

 

Solo still combines discounts.

 

 

$75 instant savings goes away when booking DP340 (150% solo supplement).

 

 

 

I haven’t seen a senior or a resident discounts in years, at least for my sails🤣

[twangster]

You are always wise to ask but CAS discounts are not a fixed amount from the lowest price you see online.  
 

 

Edited Saturday at 04:17 PM by twangster

[TNT]

Thank you all for your replies.  I always learn so much from these boards. You are correct in saying I BOOKED ON 6/28  for Apri, 2025. 
I did several mock reservations with/without login.  The agent did indeed give me the best rate.  Thanks again for the help!

[ONECRUISER]

8 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

One sailing I'm looking at, I'm seeing multiple combinable discounts.

 

 

Solo still combines discounts.

 

 

$75 instant savings goes away when booking DP340 (150% solo supplement).

 

 

 

Deals and Discounts are out there just have to watch often. Just received another $300 off a Fall Cruise, on 3 other Cruises saved $1800 when they added Military Disc to those

[RRTcruiser]

Happened to me as well …..once I added the senior and resident discount  recently, the price jumped significantly…. some major head scratching over pricing algorithms. Additionally I priced a three day cruise from Florida where the taxes and port charges were as much as the cruise. Ironically a 5 day cruise same ship had port charges and taxes $10 more. 

If you want to come out on top buy RCI stock.

[nelblu]

11 hours ago, RRTcruiser said:

Happened to me as well …..once I added the senior and resident discount  recently, the price jumped significantly…. some major head scratching over pricing algorithms. Additionally I priced a three day cruise from Florida where the taxes and port charges were as much as the cruise. Ironically a 5 day cruise same ship had port charges and taxes $10 more. 

If you want to come out on top buy RCI stock.

I have a 3 and 4 niter on Utopia and the 3 niter T&F are higher than the 4 niter.  Itinerary is same with stops in Nassau and Coco Cay.  Also, regarding the price algorithms, on some sails that I have booked OV balconies cheaper than CP balcony.  Makes no sense.

[Ocean Boy]

On 6/28/2024 at 9:00 PM, TNT said:

Thank you, Biker19.  That is pretty much exactly what agent  told me.  I will do a mock reservation with/without login.  As a retired math teacher i’m  all about the numbers. 😉

Did you teach RCI math? 

[Vibe]

I sometimes think that I might need to consult a CPA to interpret their pricing shenanigans and invoices to figure out what the actual per person price is.

[nelblu]

Just booked Odyssey for Easter '25 of 3 OV balconies and saved over $1,200 from a mock booking I did last week and mostly due to Resident discount.

 

Thank you @Another_Critic for pointing it out on one of your pricing illustrations.😊