Gil T. Azell

I tried buying the premium package tonight before the price goes up but I keep getting an error. Anyone else have this issue tonight?

If you select it to add to cart for some reason the error message pops up. However, if you look at your cart it will actually show it's been added. Just click on the cart after you get error message and click on check out and you will be able to pay for it.

Thanks for this Pete.

 

I wonder what they mean by "depleted"? Like when they run out of beer on the ship?

I take "depleted" to mean until they run out of select package stickers.

What is different about a presidents cruise and a regular cruise on RCCL?

The cruise itself will have special entertainment for that sailing and some special events onboard. The Royal big wigs will be onboard and you may enjoy meeting them. However, as far as cruise passengers you will find that like member cruises there will be an awful lot of know it alls onboard and a whole lot of complaining. These cruises tend to attract some unhappy people that like to complain about anything and everything! Although you may find many happy passengers the huge number of complainers will be evident.

I am from Canada and I know the dollar is not at 72 cents its more like 79. Maybe it will go up or down you never know. But if you are worried about cheap cruising maybe you should just stay home. From one Canadian to another

 

 

Edit: I have talked about the Canadian dollar in other fourms here. But like I tell my wife it is what it is. If you want to cruise you are going to pay. If you want a cheap trip there is always Cuba

I think that the confusion around the dollars from various people here is how they are comparing it. While $1 CAD is worth .79¢ USD it does cost $1.2715 CAD to buy $1 USD. The original OP probably thought that meant it was worth .72¢ if they are not familiar with the proper way of converting it. While it is worth .79¢ USD I think the lack of understanding of the OP in conversion is to blame for the value difference.

You know they don't just let you change citizenships easily, right? If they did I'd be Canadian! Or an Irish citizen. Not sure. :) Alas, no one wants Americans, and I don't want to be denied access to my favorite countries, so I haven't snuck anywhere to try to live.

 

 

 

This isn't about Canada, but the UK: My husband was on a work trip last summer and he managed to fall and hurt his knee badly AND gash his head open. It was not pretty. He went to an urgent care type of place, and they made him go to a hospital. He got checked out by everyone (though they did not do any scans), and it was $0. Zero. For urgent care and an ER. Was amazing.

That's better than what you get in Canada. While it may be zero dollars for Canadians it certainly isn't zero dollars if you are an out of Country person. Just a trip to the ER can run you hundreds to thousands in Canada also if you are from outside the Country.

Just be aware the ship itself is different. There are no bars on the Promenade; now there are only shops. Bars have been taken out, shops added, and the casino has expanded into new areas with tables and slots added. It's a much different ship than it was in the US. Many of the crew have very poor English so there will be some language barrier. If you are ok with being in the minority than you will have a great cruise. If this bothers you than you may not like it.

You should usually receive the email confirmation within 2 weeks of getting off the ship. If you do not receive it by that time you can call Royal and explain that you purchased it onboard but did not receive your confirmation. If it wasn't charged then they will charge you at that time and issue the next cruise certificate to you. However they won't do this until 2 weeks have passed.

I have seen fares where solos pay 3 times as much as double travelers, as recently as last week. I will post the price here the next time I see it. Of course, I guess if I wanted to sail that date, I would do a dummy booking with Brad Pitt as my roommate and then , he would be a no-show (probably :D) and I would pay double.

 

Until RC gets their website and prices straightened out, much of this is just speculation. We get double points, that is the fact. Whether we can continue to search for good deals as a solo remains to be seen. We just have to wait for the website. :rolleyes:

That particular sailing would just be a glitch in their system. Royals policy is that max supplement is 200%. Just like when they show a cabin pp rate is 101,000 the triple pricing is a mistake.:)

The facts stand on their own. I clearly stated that the same category is not available for a solo when booking the November 18 cruise on-line. That results in a solo on this particular cruise having to pay 240%. So you are wrong in this case. And I can compare prices any way I chose, not the way you tell me to chose!

Haha.....you don't. However you won't be right if you use different categories to compare. You may be too stubborn to see it but I am not wrong. Single supplement pricing is NEVER more than 200% of all available categories offered to solo cruisers.

As far as what's available and what's not available to who is irrelevant. Within a specific category the single supplement max is 200%. To make it simple for you.....In terms of single supplement.....the total cost of those paying for different categories to determine a percentage is irrelevant. True single supplement percentages are determined on the fare for a specific category and the pp fare of that category. Comparing total cost of two different products is a whole other thing and does not determine the single supplement percentage.

I will apprehensively admit that we booked the Enchantment with two (side-by-side) cabins for just $2 more than a single cabin for both of us. This is a November sailing in two weeks. This was booked before the system up-grade. So I was just wondering what it would be like post up-grade.

 

I just did two mock bookings for the lowest priced Nov. sailing on the Enchantment and got the following results: $421.82 total price for two pax in one cabin, $409.91 for a solo pax. This is way more than 200% of the base price. That's because a guarantee rate is available for two pax in a room, but the guarantee is not available for a solo traveler. I doubt this disparity is a system glitch problem.

 

So at this time solo bookings can be as high as 240% (338/139) to as low as????.

A solo passenger will never have to pay 240% of the cruise fare. The max supplement is 200% and then one set of taxes. When comparing prices you must use the same category. Not all categories will be available to singles just like not all categories are available for 3 and 4 passengers.

It is my opinion that this is a glitch in the website "improvements". Clearly one person does not pay two sets of taxes and fees. Those are PER PERSON charges. It is simply not showing up properly on the website.

You are correct that the solo cruiser only pays 1 set of port taxes but I think the above poster was confusing port taxes with non commission fare. The website does not show 2 sets of taxes for a single cruiser but does show it is 200% of the full fare.

I confirmed and it is not a glitch. This is the new way of doing things now. Singles in cabins now have to pay the supplement % on the full fare. No longer is it only double on the base fare. You do only pay one set of taxes still but now the fare involves a solo to pay even the non commissionable amount twice.

However it's possible that if they continue with this than solo bookings may go down on sailings that are charging the full 200% supplement. If that happens then they'll end up having to run more 125-150% single supplement sales. Will be interesting to see what happens in regards to fares and supplement percentages.

And I think we are getting closer to what really happened. I do sympathize with the OP and feel that he TA was not acting and still is not acting in his best interest.

I don't think this is what happened at all. I believe that Royal made a mistake. Just like when the same thing happened on one of our Radiance cruises. My reservation was made direct with Royal for 3 people. We checked in and boarded the ship. Once we got to the room we discovered that it was only a double room. Royal did nothing to help as the ship was full. Their attitude was wait until tomorrow and we'll see if anyone did not show. For me waiting just delays finding a solution so I took control myself. I found a couple that had a similar room except theirs had a pull man and they agreed to switch with me.

All this speculating that it was the TA that played with guests names is ridiculous. The OP would not have been able to check in all 3 into the cabin at check in UNLESS all 3 were registered to that room. Otherwise one person in the party would have a seapass for a different room. That is not what the OP has said happened. Also Royal never would have given them a future cruise certificate of 25% if they were not at fault. What is worse it that Royal assigned the room!

I know for a fact that it happens as it happened to me and Royal did nothing to help when the problem was discovered. Unlike the OP I did not leave it in GS hands and simply asked the room steward which cabins near me could accommodate 3 people and had only 2 people registered in them. I then when to their cabins till I found a couple that were willing to switch with me.

It's sad that in both my situation and the OPs that GS did not think of this solution on their own. Not to mention that guest entertainers are often in guest cabins and could have easily been switched out to accommodate their guests. Other than the headliner acts that may have a specific cabin type in their contract there would have been a guest entertainer or another guest that could have switched cabins with the OP.

Now that the cruise is over the TA has really dropped the ball by providing no assistance to the OP. The OP should stick to their guns and get compensation that they are happy with. Both the TA and Royal need to step up and do right by their customer.

'''

 

did you ever find out HOW this even happened?

For us we were never given an explanation as to why our family of 3 was booked into a cabin for 2. Of course we never followed up on it after the cruise. We solved the problem ourselves on the ship and actually it became quite the joke with the couple that we switched cabins with. We are very easy going people.....once we solved the problem we had no interest in pursing the issue further. However, in your case, I believe that you should follow this up as you were cramped and your situation was not solved on board.

That's horrendous.

 

I absolutely agree that it's nuts that their computer system doesn't prevent such a booking.

Yes it really isn't good that it happens. However, I'm not sure what is worse....that it happens....or that Royal can't solve it on their own.

Then they don't even clearly explain it to the room steward and they first call you by the wrong names and then can't figure out why you are in that cabin. Eventually you just answer to whatever name they call you. First port getting off was a mess as the list wasn't updated and the pictures didn't transfer so we didn't match our cards.

We also got excursion tickets delivered to our cabin but we just brought them to the other cabin rather than involve the front desk. However we took it all in stride and joked with each other we'd have to see which bill we got and keep whichever one was less. LOL

Actually about the names.....that was kind of funny. Towards the end of the cruise our girl who struggled a bit with English but was very pleasant got it. She comes up to me one day and says....oh you not...you are....LOL that made me laugh and I told her oh that's ok I was getting used to my new name! lol

Was everything correct in your original paperwork? I'm thinking maybe the 16 year old was listed as a 16 month old? Since he doesn't have to show ID, this could have gone unnoticed at check-in. This just doesn't make any sense and I'm sorry it happened to you. I am glad you got through it, now that you are past it, HELL, YEAH! I'd take a 25% reduction. Next time, book directly with RCI (once they get the computers fixed :rolleyes:) and you won;t have to worry, especially since the TA is refusing to do anything.

It doesn't matter if you book directly with RCI or use a TA. My family of 3 booked a cruise on the Radiance. It was booked directly with Royal and all names and ages on the invoice were correct. When we got to the cabin we discovered that it was only a 2 person cabin....no sofa bed or pull man. There were no cabins available for us to switch to and Royal was not much help for us. We ended up finding our own solution and switched our cabin with other passengers. However it was a hassle as credit card info and such had to switched and all room info also. It wasn't seamless.

The attitude on board was very casual to their mistake and we were offered no OBC or future cruise credit. That was ok for us as we did have a proper cabin in the end. However, it would have been nice if they had at least sent us a bottle of wine to us for finding our own solution and saving them from having to think.:rolleyes:

If it wasn't for my finding the solution myself we would have ended up like the OP with just a rollaway in the room. It's a shame that the onboard staff didn't step up and at least try and find someone to switch cabins with the OP. A little bit of OBC for both parties and everyone would be happy and at a cost less than having to issue a future cruise credit. I know it happens as it has happened to me personally. I'm not one to accept that there is no solution so I solved my situation myself.

Extra training is needed on board if they cannot come up with such a simple solution and need passengers to do their job. We had a balcony cabin and there was no way I wanted to deal with a roll away in the cabin. The OP was in an inside cabin with a roll away!! The OP should insist on at least a 50% future cruise credit as I am sure they were extremely crowded in the cabin with the roll away. Their enjoyment of their cruise would have been affected by the crowding and sleeping arrangements.

Not to mention....it is Royals booking system that allowed 3 adult passengers in a 2 person cabin so they should offer adequate compensation for their error. Again....all our paperwork was correct with the proper names and ages of each of us as it also seems to be for the OP. The TA should have noticed this also so I would also want something from the TA. At the very least the TA should be fighting for their client.

PS....I say adults as we are speaking of adults and teenagers

Seems factually accurate given the current state of mathematics.

 

 

 

Royal will sell a cabin to anyone willing to pay and they will gladly sell one cabin to one adult at whatever they determine the supplement needs to be to fill up that room. They are better off with rooms with solo cruisers than empty rooms; are they not? They are a public corporation that must answer to shareholders, which means doing things that increase overall profits.

 

If RCI did not believe this sort of marketing would improve profits they wouldn't do it; would they? I doubt it.

 

I don't care how people get points; I want the best value for my money and in some cases that means booking two cabins instead of one. So be it. You seem to be personally offended by this and I can not imagine why. The actual percentage of people who will do this will be miniscule.

 

Your argument also applies to families of 4 who put the kids in one room and the parents in another. Why shouldn't they be forced to be in one cabin, they all have the same address, thus freeing up the other cabin for MORE revenue generating passengers who will tip the room stewards and waiters as well? By your standards the family of four is cheating the system by reducing the tip pool to the hotel staff, no?

Couples splitting up into separate cabins does not increase profits for Royal. A family of four in one cabin is better for both Royal and the room stewards. However most projections are based on double occupancy so kids in one room and parents in another still better than all 4 each in their own cabin. Ultimately the more bodies on board is better for Royal's bottom line. The promotion is geared towards encouraging those that would not otherwise have booked and to add a benefit to those traveling solo.

We see things differently and you continue to add things to my words that I have not expressed. My reading comprehension is good....it is you that continues to not comprehend what I have actually written.

I will leave you now to your own imagination and let you make up stuff on other peoples post. Good day to you sir!

Yeah....no, not at all. Website maintenance. Calm down with your theories. I've literally seen ones and ones of people "scheming" to get points. You do realize that the bonus points is a promotion to gain sales, run by a marketing department. They aren't going to announce a new policy and a week later can it. That's just non-sense.

 

I really don't care how quickly people earn points. The absolute rock bottom cheapest way to get points is to book solo cabins Cat Z. Would you be mad that someone was sucking up all those inside guarantees? :D

LOL.....you really have a bee in your bonnet!:rolleyes::rolleyes: STEP AWAY from your computer and take a breath. No need to get your knickers in such a knot. NO ONE said anything about them canning the promotion. Now you are just making things up or lack basic reading comprehension. Seriously you have your ideas and I have mine.

I wouldn't be mad at anyone booking anything. All the power to them. You certainly are confused. Just because one has a different opinion than you doesn't make them angry about yours. It would be a sad day if one were to be angry over such a trivial thing as this topic. Expressing ones opinion is the purpose of discussion. The bottom line is Royal is putting this promotion out to attract single cruisers to book. It is not in the best interest of the company to have couples split over 2 cabins as ultimately they prefer more bodies in each cabin.

It's exactly what I said it is.

 

Categories Below JS = 1 point per night per person double occupancy.

Categories Below JS = 1 point per night per solo cruiser + 1 bonus point.

Categories JS and Higher = 2 points per night per person double occupancy.

Categories JS and Higher = 2 points per night per solo cruiser + 1 bonus pt.

 

Why is this like trying to perform rocket surgery to so many on here; this is the absolute simplest promotion to understand.

That is not what was implied by your above post. However if you have to be right then go ahead and repeat what I said above using your own words.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

A simple fix would be for RCI to change their policy. You want people who play according to the rules to be punished?

 

Not everyone is in it for the points. On cruises with a 110% supplement I'd book connecting balcony cabins, get my balcony discount (2x) apply any savings certificates (2x), bring aboard the full allotment of wine (2x); get welcome aboard amenities (2x) net result; I'd have a room for my luggage, a giant balcony, and two bathrooms for us to get ready in the evenings in for the same or lower cost than booking 1 room for two people.

 

It's not cheating. THAT'S the rules. It's very enticing.

You cannot get a balcony discount and also apply a saving certificate. If these same couples booked 2 cabins previously for the reasons you state it would be one thing but I don't believe that to be the case. Some may not to admit to being point chasers but the recent scheming would say otherwise.

I still believe that it is the room stewards that ultimately lose out by the couples booking solo connecting cabins. Normally they would book together and the low supplement may entice a new cruiser or any other solo cruiser to book. The couple booking connecting cabins take away the opportunity for the room steward to gain maximum tips by having couples that would normally be in one room spread out over 2. Now the room steward is not getting extra from this couple but is now doing twice the work.

You believe what you will but I have a different view. Ultimately I believe it would be better if Royal did not award the bonus points to members of the same household/spouses unless they pay 200% for each cabin.

Correct. It is simply 1 Bonus point per night for a solo cruiser; regardless of category.

Well actually it is not regardless of category completely. It is one bonus point for the solo cruiser and also 1 bonus point if booked in a suite.

Double the points big whoop rather have a cheaper cruise solo :(

It doesn't appear that Royal's system has been loaded with current solo pricing at this time. Also there are many other mistakes often on the same sailing within the booking system at this time. I suspect that even next week some errors will still be there.

All the recent scheming by couples on recent threads here about booking solo connecting cabins on low supplement sailings to gain extra points may have caught the attention of Royal. It wouldn't surprise me if solo pricing remained high at this time since they are giving extra points on these fares.

Of course.....there is a really simple fix to avoid such schemes of couples booking solo in connecting cabins. Simply not give extra points to anyone booking a solo cabin on the same ship and sale date for members of the same household/spouse unless they pay 200% for each cabin.

It's interesting to see all the couples that are scheming to get extra points by booking 2 connecting cabins. Funny how they didn't feel this way for the years that solos paid extra and didn't get the extra points.:rolleyes: Many that claim they don't care about the extra points are the the ones who have posted the most on this thread and have been busy scheming but yet "they don't care". It is clear who the point chasers are no matter how much they try and deny it.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

A simple fix to avoid such schemes would have Royal not giving bonus points to any solo cabins booked for members of the same household/spouses. Only if they booked solo cabins on separate ships would bonus points be awarded. That would help avoid the point chasers taking advantage of something that was designed to be a perk to the true solo passenger. Ultimately the room stewards would be the ones that would lose out the most if many couples booked solo in connecting cabins.

It's not there yet.

 

Don't you know that we know stuff here on CC long before IT gets around to putting it up on the website? ;)

Funny that you should say that as the C&A team were quite proud that they beat CC to the punch and had the info BEFORE CC posters called in to question the policy.

To the person that I originally addressed this to.........Gil T Azell.

 

I asked you a question. I told you that MM was a friend that I could count on for correct answers.

 

With your screen name......which I find delightful, i simply was punning.......which I'm sorry that you took as rude. My sincere apologies.

 

Rick

It wasn't the punning that I found rude but what was implied. However it's entirely possible that what I read between the lines was not what you intended me to take away from your words. Afterall....I am Gil T. Azell. LOL What I'm saying in this convoluted way......is....we're all good!:D

Oh and thank you for the compliment on my screen name.....it really does suit me for to a T as I can get in trouble at times even when I'm not trying. LOL Although it is only all in good fun! :)

Thanks, I have seen something like this before. How do you get one weekly - I sign into my C&A from time to time but never seen anything like this, so easy to read.

Just bookmark the link and it will update automatically when the new specials are available. Usually done Thursday afternoons or the Friday for the following week. Sometimes the specials are good for different dates but for the most part it is a weekly Monday/Tuesday sales deal flyer.