Question about booking and date change

[papajak]

Hi all, I was talking to a friend of a friend who is a cruise travel agent, and I mentioned I want to cruise in fall 2026, but bookings are not available yet. He suggested I book for fall of 2025, lock in the price, then when the 2026 bookings open, simply change the dates. I have never heard of this. Is it an actual option? Thanks. 

[Ken at the beach]

44 minutes ago, papajak said:

Hi all, I was talking to a friend of a friend who is a cruise travel agent, and I mentioned I want to cruise in fall 2026, but bookings are not available yet. He suggested I book for fall of 2025, lock in the price, then when the 2026 bookings open, simply change the dates. I have never heard of this. Is it an actual option? Thanks. 

You friend should not be a travel agent if that is the advice he is giving.  

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, papajak said:

Is it an actual option?

Not without a $ penalty. 

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

On 10/15/2024 at 6:14 PM, papajak said:

He suggested I book for fall of 2025, lock in the price, then when the 2026 bookings open, simply change the dates. 

 

While the change fees might be worth it if the premise were valid, unfortunately it is not. 🙁 If you book a cruise other than the one you ultimately want to take, the only price you have "locked in" is the cruise you originally booked. Even if there were a 2026 option with the identical ship, departure port and itinerary (which would be quite unusual), the price would almost certainly be different. And the 2026 version would be the price charged when you switched from the original 2025 booking.

 

[ARandomTraveler]

You're friend is an idiot 

[FOXTROT]

Have not been able to do that without charge for years. That person is not a TA, some one pretending to be one.

[Ken at the beach]

12 minutes ago, FOXTROT said:

Have not been able to do that without charge for years. That person is not a TA, some one pretending to be one.

That really only applied during Covid with the "lift and shift"

[cruiseguy1016]

8 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

You're friend is an idiot 

 

To be fair, the OP stated it was a friend of a friend. Kind of like the brother of the maid that works for my sister's hairdresser.

Edited October 17 by cruiseguy1016

[firefightermediclasvegas]

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit.  For all those calling his cruise agent an idiot, you do not know what your talking about. It is easy to change to a different date with a non-refundable deposit. 

[Another_Critic]

19 minutes ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit.  For all those calling his cruise agent an idiot, you do not know what your talking about. It is easy to change to a different date with a non-refundable deposit. 

 

WRONG!

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit.  For all those calling his cruise agent an idiot, you do not know what your talking about. It is easy to change to a different date with a non-refundable deposit. 

As OP Stated, "book for fall of 2025, lock in the price, then when the 2026 bookings open, simply change the dates" Nope, not happened since CV... So "Nonrefundable Deposit" and no cost to change, interesting concept. Wish we still could

Edited October 17 by ONECRUISER

[Biker19]

35 minutes ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit. 

If you experienced that since RCI introduced NRD bookings, buy a lottery ticket. 

[Ken at the beach]

49 minutes ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit.  For all those calling his cruise agent an idiot, you do not know what your talking about. It is easy to change to a different date with a non-refundable deposit. 

You may want to reread the original post. 

[firefightermediclasvegas]

29 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

WRONG!

I am a cruise agent, I unfortunately you are wrong.  

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

I am a cruise agent, I unfortunately you are wrong.  

You need to change your CC name.

[firefightermediclasvegas]

3 minutes ago, Ken at the beach said:

You may want to reread the original post. 

I did read the original post.  Yes, you cannot change the dates, but you can lock in the current rate on a cruise in 2025 and then cancel.  He can then rebook at the rates for the new cruise dates. 

[Ken at the beach]

4 minutes ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

I did read the original post.  Yes, you cannot change the dates, but you can lock in the current rate on a cruise in 2025 and then cancel.  He can then rebook at the rates for the new cruise dates. 

The OP suggested booking now to lock in the rate and shift that rate to 2026.

 

 

[Another_Critic]

13 minutes ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

I am a cruise agent, I unfortunately you are wrong.  

 

WRONG! ... again.

 

Note, this is RCI rules.  Are you thinking of another cruise line???

[Ken at the beach]

6 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

 

WRONG! ... again.

 

Note, this is RCI rules.  Are you thinking of another cruise line???

Maybe this is the friend of a friend.

[Another_Critic]

20 minutes ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

I did read the original post.  Yes, you cannot change the dates, but you can lock in the current rate on a cruise in 2025 and then cancel.  

 

If you cancel a RCI NRD booking (before final payment), you lose the ENTIRE deposit.

[poocher]

1 hour ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

I did read the original post.  Yes, you cannot change the dates, but you can lock in the current rate on a cruise in 2025 and then cancel.  He can then rebook at the rates for the new cruise dates. 

And what would be the point of doing that?

[brillohead]

4 hours ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit.  For all those calling his cruise agent an idiot, you do not know what your talking about. It is easy to change to a different date with a non-refundable deposit. 

 

3 hours ago, firefightermediclasvegas said:

I did read the original post.  Yes, you cannot change the dates, but you can lock in the current rate on a cruise in 2025 and then cancel.  He can then rebook at the rates for the new cruise dates. 

 

 

And this, folks, is why you don't listen to random strangers on the internet.

It's mind-boggling to me that someone things a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit will be refunded.... um, it's right there in the name!!!

And while you can change dates on a non-refundable deposit, there *is* a $100pp change fee.  


Again, don't believe everything you read on the internet, folks.

[FOXTROT]

On 10/17/2024 at 1:48 PM, firefightermediclasvegas said:

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit.  For all those calling his cruise agent an idiot, you do not know what your talking about. It is easy to change to a different date with a non-refundable deposit. 

Not with Royal. Impossible.

[Another_Critic]

Did firefighter choke on the crow?  🙄

[firefightermediclasvegas]

On 10/17/2024 at 10:48 AM, firefightermediclasvegas said:

There is no change fees if you have not reached final payment and have a non-refunded deposit.  For all those calling his cruise agent an idiot, you do not know what your talking about. It is easy to change to a different date with a non-refundable deposit. 

I meant to write refundable deposit.  Not non-refundable.