RCCL website now defaulting to non-refundable pricing

I'm not sure if this has already been discussed on the board, but today I was trying to get pricing for upgrading the cabin type on a future cruise I already have booked (half of the Ovation transpacific next April/May). I thought I had worked out the difference in the prices and phoned to make the change, only to be told that the pricing online was now NON-refundable deposit pricing with the refundable deposit pricing being approx. CDN$500 more (almost an extra $50 a day) than the non-refundable deposit price. The agent at RCCL kept telling me there was a checkbox in order to change it to refundable pricing, but there was no option on the webpages I could see (I only took it up to the guest info page).

I think this is very, very sneaky of RCCL, as the only difference I could see was the "small print" telling you that you will lose your deposit immediately upon any changes is in the cancellation section text. There is no information earlier in the process setting out the refundable/non-refundable options.

We all know that the RCCL website sucks (when I said that to the agent, she laughed and said she had heard that before) but they are now making it impossible to find out "real-time" pricing, which is making it very difficult to be "loyal to royal"! This is already a very expensive B2B transpacific (even though I'm booked in an interior studio - the cheapest option for a solo traveller). They are not the only cruiseline sailing that route, and I might just reconsider my options!

The checkmark the agent referred to doesn't show up until you commence booking the cruise by selecting a cabin (with the non-refundable price), completing the name, contact info, birthday screen, and then when you finally get to the screen to choose a dining time, if you want to pay prepaid gratuities, buy their insurance, you will find a new box on that screen for refundable deposit. It is deceptive since it can appear like just another fee to tack on to "run up the bill" and the hope could be that many will ignore it or not understand it, and then they go to the payment page and without realizing it have booked a cruise with a non-refundable deposit.

This new non-refundable deposit pricing has definitely stopped us from booking at least two cruises this year. When you have a busy job and kids in high school involved in various activities, there’s every chance your plans will need to change, but adding $500 per cabin for that flexibility nudges the price out of being good value for us.

When you have a busy job and kids in high school involved in various activities, there’s every chance your plans will need to change, but adding $500 per cabin for that flexibility nudges the price out of being good value for us.

Welcome to the booking pattern in the rest of the world.

The checkmark the agent referred to doesn't show up until you commence booking the cruise by selecting a cabin (with the non-refundable price), completing the name, contact info, birthday screen, and then when you finally get to the screen to choose a dining time, if you want to pay prepaid gratuities, buy their insurance, you will find a new box on that screen for refundable deposit. It is deceptive since it can appear like just another fee to tack on to "run up the bill" and the hope could be that many will ignore it or not understand it, and then they go to the payment page and without realizing it have booked a cruise with a non-refundable deposit.

If you phone RCI, do they have to give you the Refundable price?

If you phone RCI, do they have to give you the Refundable price?

You should specify refundable when you call, else you will probably get non-refundable.

You should specify refundable when you call, else you will probably get non-refundable.

Yes you have to be very careful to make sure that you get refundable if that is what you want. Their system defaults to non refundable

So not transparent. So RCI.....sigh.

This new non-refundable deposit pricing has definitely stopped us from booking at least two cruises this year. When you have a busy job and kids in high school involved in various activities, there’s every chance your plans will need to change, but adding $500 per cabin for that flexibility nudges the price out of being good value for us.

While I somewhat understand why they have gone to this option, I completely agree with you. We do a Holiday cruise in December and with my daughters exam schedules, it's very difficult to schedule something that far out that's non-refundable. It's funny, I thought the increased deposit (I've never paid more than $50-100 per person before) would bother me more, but it doesn't.

I booked refundable with RCL but just befor e final payment date I plan to change it to refundable.

OntarioCruiser

I booked refundable with RCL but just befor e final payment date I plan to change it to refundable.

OntarioCruiser

Assume you mean change to non-refundable. And of course one would only do that IF the non-refundable price is lower than the existing booking.

Wow, that is good to know - thanks for the heads up. I really like the refundable deposit and don't mind paying a couple hundred bucks for it.

You should specify refundable when you call, else you will probably get non-refundable.

When you call RC's 800# call reservation center asking about a specific ship and date you're asked several scripted qualifying questions (55+ / Military Service / State Residence / C&A number / Type of Accommodations)... You are then asked if you want a Refundable or Non-Refundable fare quote.

If you do not specify Refundable and tell the agent you are just looking for the lowest price, they will of course quote you the Non-Refundable Rate and will advise you from another script prompt on their screen about the $100 per person fee and Future Cruise Credit for a ship/Date change prior to final.

Yes you have to be very careful to make sure that you get refundable if that is what you want. Their system defaults to non refundable

If you mean the search result on the RC website this is true. If you call the reservation call center it is not true.

Go all the way to last page before you pay, page you pick Dinner choice and Prepaid Gratuities,and it gives you a choice for Refundable or Non-Refundable price... Just checked and still on to cold bookings...

i always do refundable. we are looking to book on oasis in october and i just looked and went all the way to the end where you can normally check refundable and that option doesnt exist anymore. not sure if its just this week or what but for the week and ship i was looking at the only option i have is non refundable.

i always do refundable. we are looking to book on oasis in october and i just looked and went all the way to the end where you can normally check refundable and that option doesnt exist anymore. not sure if its just this week or what but for the week and ship i was looking at the only option i have is non refundable.

Are you trying to book a Grand Suite or better?

nope just an interior

nope just an interior

Haven't heard of this one. I'd try clearing cache and cookies and trying again. If that does not work, you may have to call to make the booking.

This thread is very interesting. Yesterday I was looking at some cruises and was wondering why no choice was appearing as to whether I wanted refundable or not. I guess it now comes up much later in the booking process. But I had no idea that I was looking at non-refundable pricing.

... But I had no idea that I was looking at non-refundable pricing.

Which, I believe, is the intention of the programming change.

i always do refundable. we are looking to book on oasis in october and i just looked and went all the way to the end where you can normally check refundable and that option doesnt exist anymore. not sure if its just this week or what but for the week and ship i was looking at the only option i have is non refundable.

That happened to me this past weekend. I was doing some dummy bookings for October and when I looked at a Mariner cruise, when I got to the screen where the refundable box is now supposed to be, it wasn't there. I then did another booking on Empress for same month and when I got to that screen the check box was there. No cookies and cache clearing, never logged out of the RCI website, just started a different booking.

So, now I wonder how many bookings have been made for certain cruises where the choice of deposit never showed up as the check box and all those people booked non-refundable without knowing it.