RCCL refuses to reduce cruise fare to match Happy Hour Special

[cruisePRN]

Take some confort in knowing that the leftover cabins they push on these specials are not the ones you'd want anyway.

[Sue L]

I hve never used Happy Hour specials because we book so far in advance.

 

but I do have a question

 

Is it normal for them to release these specials Prior to Tuesday? Just want to know for my continuing education.........I always thought they came out Tuesday.......never heard of them coming out early.

 

Just wondering.........

 

They usually release them on Wednesday or Thurs for the NEXT week, they are not valid until the Tuesday but at least you can do some research.

[isujim]

Thanks Sue...........

 

Somehow I missed that!!:)

[BML]

If you booked through a local travel agent you would not have that problem. It's nice to have a person you can see and talk to to go to bat for you. A good travel agent will check to see if the fare has come down prior to making final payment. It's easy to hide behind the telephone. So what did you really save by booking online?

[glgolfer]

HH rates are usually posted on the HH page on Thursday or Friday for the following Tuesday. You still can not book until Tuesday.

 

You can get promowave or other price reductions after final payment if the TA will do it. No problem if you're booked with RCI.

We got a Senior rate reduction about 3 weeks before a cruise last year. That was a few weeks after final payment.

[Iamthesea]

Take some confort in knowing that the leftover cabins they push on these specials are not the ones you'd want anyway.

I just held two JS based on this HH special that is suppose to start tomorrow. I held them through RCCL. I also found a Senior rate for my parents that was even less than the special.

 

The two JS staterooms that I have held are in a good location, to me. Yes, they are under the outer edge of the solarium and just outside the centrum stairs and elevators. Great location for my parents since they are elderly. DH and I take a white noise machine to drown out any noise at night. We are early risers.

[teajak]

If you booked through a local travel agent you would not have that problem. It's nice to have a person you can see and talk to to go to bat for you. A good travel agent will check to see if the fare has come down prior to making final payment. It's easy to hide behind the telephone. So what did you really save by booking online?

A big amen to this post. No I am not a TA but we have a great one, could never get the price drops,coupons, etc. without her. Well maybe we could get them but she sure makes life easier.

[EMc]

>>>>

I think you should be due a price reduction, but you are in a gray area here.

Just off a cruise 2 weeks ago, and I had gotten 2 adjustments on it AFTER FINAL PAYMENT, but when I was at the onboard cruise consultant I heard her tell another client that they don't adjust after final payment, so I don't know if that this is a new policy they are trying to institute. I wish I could find a place where their policy is in writing.

First, be sure that the Happy Hour prices are not listed as for new bookings only, that is their easy out. If this is not the case, then I would try again, and hope you are dealing with new people at RC. Having the online agent in the middle probably is not a help unless they are really willing to go to war for you.

 

BTW: actually listing the name of your agent here is a good way to get your message pulled.

<<<

 

You can find the written policy on your econfirmation from RCCL....this is copied and pasted from my econfirmation, below. When you book and deposit a cruise, you will get 2 email confirmations...one is the econfirmation and the other is in the form of a pfd document. The econfirmation is the one with the written policy. I just booked 3 cruises and recieved the same econfirmation notice on all 3 of them. (3 seperate ec notices, 1 for each)

 

If your price should decrease prior to your final payment date, we can easily match the new price. If the price should decrease on or after your final payment date - the new price may or may not be applicable as some of our price programs are restricted and valid for new bookings only.

 

For additional information please contact your Royal Caribbean Certified Vacation Planner.

 

 

 

 

Royal Caribbean International strongly recommends that all guests purchase a vacation protection plan to cover unexpected events.

Charges for late cancellation may apply if your vacation is cancelled 90 days prior to sailing. For details please contact us.

[bubbadog]

we just got a 200$ deducted from our booking as the price online went down,but we havent made final payment either:))),just watch for a price reduction online or the promo wave,seems like the specials always have a catch to them in fine print, enjoy your cruise:))));)

[zqvol]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the CC message Boards

 

BEWARE! DESPITE THE THREADS ON THIS SITE RCCL REFUSED TO REDUCE MY CRUISE FARE TODAY EVEN THOUGH THEIR HAPPY HOUR SPECIAL IS IN EFFECT THIS VERY MOMENT!

 

What is most disturbing about this piece of information is that over the weekend I received very different information.

I first learned of the Happy Hour specials here on this message board on Friday night. I even did some research here and found threads that indicated people had received these reductions on their fare AFTER FINAL PAYMENT.

So Saturday mornng I called RCCL and spoke to a customer service representative and I was told that despite the web site showing a Happy Hour special they were not in effect until Tuesday. This agent had asked for and I had given her my booking number.

On Sunday I was doing more research on these boards and I began to realize that I was going to have to go through my online travel agent in order to get this reduction. Unfortunately the travel agency was closed on Sunday. I called RCCL again and spoke to another travel specialist and I was told that my information was correct and that only through the agent could I get this reduction. This agent did not have my booking number but did find my booking information by ship's name , sail date and my name.

So today, Monday at 9:01 AM I was on the phone with and I was told " RCCL does not give reductions after the final payment". I had TA conference call me with RCCL and the agent repeated that statement. I asked for a supervisor who repeated that no price reductions were given after final payment. I asked why I had not been told that in the previous 2 calls and she said that probably the agents did not realize I had made final payment. I told her that the first agent had my booking number and second one knew my sail date. As I am well within the 60 days of the sail date I had to have paid in full. I also indicated to her that I had read about this policy on these boards and that since RCCL and Cruise Critic had a working relationship with regard to Meet and Mingles it was obvious that RCCL was aware of the threads that indicate that they do give price reductions after payment in full. She said that there was nothing she could do.

I told her I was going to post this thread and that RCCL would not be known for its friendly customer service for long.

I am most disturbed that I was not given this same answer the first time I called. I have paid for the trip the reduction would have been nice(over $300.00 PP) but not essential. I just do not like being misled!

In the meantime please let me know if anyone received different treatment because that would only make this more infuriating.

You error is in believing what you read on CC, not what you were told by RCCL. While cruise lines usually give passengers the benefits of price reductions that occur after booking, they are under no legal obligation to reduce the fare you agreed to pay when you booked.

[critterchick]

You error is in believing what you read on CC, not what you were told by RCCL. While cruise lines usually give passengers the benefits of price reductions that occur after booking, they are under no legal obligation to reduce the fare you agreed to pay when you booked.

 

I think Cruise Critics know far more about RCI's policies than their own employees do. The OP's error was believing that the some of the price reductions many of us have received after final payment were Happy Hour price reductions. I don't believe anybody has quoted a post that said a person was able to do that.

 

Price reductions after final payment are possible - we received a senior discount worth $100 to us about a month prior to our cruise on the Jewel. But not all price drops are available to everybody.

 

The OP is right about one thing - the first CSR should have been able to tell him everything we just did.

[mohavemommy]

I agree

RCCI does give price reductions after final payment as long as the reduction IS NOT A HAPPY HR SPECIAL. They are always for new bookings only. It's always been this way.

 

You took the words right off of my fingers. :p

 

I have never known RCI to adjust the price from a Happy Hour Sale. It was a misunderstanding on the OP's part.

[beachchick]

Too lazy to check myself but how much in advance are the HH specials? I was fortunate to get our Rhapsody cabin rate reduced, I THOUGHT from a HH rate but apparently after reading this thread it must have been a promowave rate. The same rate was reflected on the official RCCL website for my cruise. In fact, when I called my TA to alert her to the reduction she told me she was already working on getting me the new fare. We had already made final payment. Kudos to her for working at getting me the reduced rate even if it meant a lower commission. This is how TAs stay in business, customer satisfaction.

 

BTW I found out that a couple on our cruise paid $300 pp more for an outside cabin on the same deck steps away from our inside cabin. They did not use our TA nor did they ever check weekly for reductions. I think an inside on the same deck is usually $100 pp more??

 

I may be totally off here (wouldn't be the first time), but it's never been our experience that inside cabins are usually more expensive than outside cabins. In fact, it's the other way around. I've seen very limited situations where the cruise line might be trying to fill up specific categories or something and, for example, a balcony cabin will be less than an oceanview or an oceanview will be less than an inside. But typically (and if you look at the overall pricing structure), an outside cabin is always more expensive than an inside. To be honest, I can't imagine why it would be any other way. Seems to me in ascending order of category and pricing it's: inside>oceanview>balcony>junior suite>suite>RS (with RFS being a special case and Freedom having categories with which I am not familiar, so I don't know how to list them in order). The logic has always been that it's more desirable to be able to look out a window/porthole than not.

 

beachchick

[critterchick]

I may be totally off here (wouldn't be the first time), but it's never been our experience that inside cabins are usually more expensive than outside cabins. In fact, it's the other way around. I've seen very limited situations where the cruise line might be trying to fill up specific categories or something and, for example, a balcony cabin will be less than an oceanview or an oceanview will be less than an inside. But typically (and if you look at the overall pricing structure), an outside cabin is always more expensive than an inside. To be honest, I can't imagine why it would be any other way. Seems to me in ascending order of category and pricing it's: inside>oceanview>balcony>junior suite>suite>RS (with RFS being a special case and Freedom having categories with which I am not familiar, so I don't know how to list them in order). The logic has always been that it's more desirable to be able to look out a window/porthole than not.

 

beachchick

 

It also depends on when you book. We have a GS on Radiance that we booked when the itinerary came out, and D-1 guarantees are now going for about what we paid. I can see the same thing happening with inside/outside depending on when everybody booked.

[justkidding]

Wow, I feel sorry for the OP. Must have felt silly after arguing with the cruise line and then finding out that they misinterpreted what they read here....

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

I may be totally off here (wouldn't be the first time), but it's never been our experience that inside cabins are usually more expensive than outside cabins. In fact, it's the other way around. I've seen very limited situations where the cruise line might be trying to fill up specific categories or something and, for example, a balcony cabin will be less than an oceanview or an oceanview will be less than an inside. But typically (and if you look at the overall pricing structure), an outside cabin is always more expensive than an inside. To be honest, I can't imagine why it would be any other way. Seems to me in ascending order of category and pricing it's: inside>oceanview>balcony>junior suite>suite>RS (with RFS being a special case and Freedom having categories with which I am not familiar, so I don't know how to list them in order). The logic has always been that it's more desirable to be able to look out a window/porthole than not.

 

beachchick

 

Actually it does happen! Last cruise in November on the Radiance the oceanview staterooms were cheaper than the insides. I had an inside booked and was able to switch after final payment to an oceanview room and actually got money back!:) So, yes it does happen. Of course, mine was a promowave special and NOT a happy hour special. And quite recently I've seen the balcony category less than the insides on another cruise that I booked. While rare it does happen.

 

To the OP: It is very clear on the happy hour specials that they are for new bookings only.

 

Sandie

[beachchick]

Actually it does happen! Last cruise in November on the Radiance the oceanview staterooms were cheaper than the insides. I had an inside booked and was able to switch after final payment to an oceanview room and actually got money back!:) So, yes it does happen. Of course, mine was a promowave special and NOT a happy hour special. And quite recently I've seen the balcony category less than the insides on another cruise that I booked. While rare it does happen.

 

To the OP: It is very clear on the happy hour specials that they are for new bookings only.

 

Sandie

 

Exactly. Your descriptions are exactly the type of "limited situations" I was talking about. Most of the time inside cabins will be less than oceanview.

 

beachchick

[mollyeilis]

Can I have a clarification, for my own knowledge?

 

I got to the post after any specific TA info was edited out. But some replies made me think that there are SOME travel agencies/agents that do NOT give discounts after you book (or after final payment), even though the actual cruiseline would be willing to do so.

 

I saw mention of that in two replies, one said it straight out, and the other said that they used the same TA with Princess, and couldn't get a price drop but Princess gave them some perks b/c they knew that the TA was the one stopping the discount.

 

Am I reading it right?

 

Although I usually book any travel myself, I've been giving thought to finding a TA...but how do you know you have a good one, the first time you book with them?

[piercetc4]

molly- you ask a lot of questions before you book with them to know what their policy's are- ask before you book- fees, price drops before and after final payment, how they handle royal points, c and a coupons, etc...... and if you can get it in writing you will be in good shape-

[BonNYTX]

I may be totally off here (wouldn't be the first time), but it's never been our experience that inside cabins are usually more expensive than outside cabins. In fact, it's the other way around. I've seen very limited situations where the cruise line might be trying to fill up specific categories or something and, for example, a balcony cabin will be less than an oceanview or an oceanview will be less than an inside. But typically (and if you look at the overall pricing structure), an outside cabin is always more expensive than an inside. To be honest, I can't imagine why it would be any other way. Seems to me in ascending order of category and pricing it's: inside>oceanview>balcony>junior suite>suite>RS (with RFS being a special case and Freedom having categories with which I am not familiar, so I don't know how to list them in order). The logic has always been that it's more desirable to be able to look out a window/porthole than not.

 

Sorry for the confusion. I should always read my posts before I hit submit reply. I meant to say that OUTSIDE cabins are approx. $100 more than inside cabins. The other couple's outside cabin was approx $300 more pp than our inside cabin. Actually a short while before our cruise, our category K on deck 4 inside was less expensive than the lower category on decks 2 and 3. This was on RCCLs official website and not a promowave or HH special. I read this post and think it's accurate this time.

[Gma&Gpa]

I'm knew to RCCL - working on booking our first cruise with them in the near future. I know from reading that we should keep an eye online for price reductions in the particular class of room that we book, but how or where do I find Promowaves?

[rsscaptain]

I'm knew to RCCL - working on booking our first cruise with them in the near future. I know from reading that we should keep an eye online for price reductions in the particular class of room that we book, but how or where do I find Promowaves?

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/promowave/RCL.pdf

[Lightsluvr]

Nitra,

I kept calling to see if I had to get my TA involved. I was told I did!

And I called again today because I was told to call on Monday by the second RCCL agent!

 

If you have a TA, the RCI CSR is not supposed to discuss your reservation with you. They should have simply asked you to call your TA. Instead, it looks like you and the CSR got very confused...

 

"What we have here is a failure to communicate" (Cool Hand Luke, 1967)

 

LL

[crbonfiber]

It has been my experience that Happy Hour specials are for new bookings only. I have not read anything on these boards where someone has received the special with a current booking (especially after final payment.)

 

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!