Price Guarantee: Royal Caribbean's New Price Drop Policy

[RCCLCARIB]

Our Price Guarantee is our committment to you. When you book with Royal Caribbean and subsequently find a lower fare advertised by us, we will honor that rate by applying an onboard credit to the reservation equal to the price difference. For reservations outside of final payment period, the onboard credit may be replaced, upon request, with a reduction to the outstanding balance or a refund as applicable.

 

To be eligible, the fare must be a) available for the same ship, sailing, category and number of guests as the current booking; b) be available at the time the request for rate conversion is made; and c) a rate the current booking would be eligible to receive, if any special restrictions apply. Price protection will not be available within 72 hours of departure. Price protection will be available for most fare types with the exception of Royal Sales Event and Exciting Deals; Travel Agent, Interline or Industry Reduced Rates; Employee rate programs; and a select number of price programs and promotions for new bookings only, as specified in the price program detail. Price protection will be subject to the prevailing taxes and fees and/or fuel supplement, if applicable.

 

Highlights:

• No forms to fill out

• Book anytime and know you are protected up until 72 hours prior to departure

- Outside of final payment - Upgrade options, Onboard Credit, or price reduction (refund if applicable) - Inside final payment - Upgrade options or Onboard Credit

 

 

 

Terms & Conditions:

Program applies only to guests in the fifty states and Canada and applies only to bookings that were fully deposited prior to the expiration of this program, Guests who have a qualifying booking booked at a higher fare can receive the difference between that fare and a lower fare advertised or offered by the applicable Cruise Line in the form of an onboard cruise credit. (For reservations outside of final payment period, the guest may request the difference be granted in the form of a refund.) Requests for adjustments must be received by the cruise line at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled departure time for the cruise. The lower fare must be a) available for the same ship, sailing, category and number of guests as the current booking; b) available at the time the request for rate conversion is made; and c) a rate program that is not limited to new bookings only. If the lower rate is available under any of the following special price programs, it shall not be available under this Price Protection Program: Royal Sales Event and Exciting Deals; Travel Agent, Interline or Industry Reduced Rates; Employee rate programs. The Price Protection Program does not apply to any berths that are part of a group booking, any charter arrangements nor does it apply to any space that sold to a third party for resale. Price protection does not apply to government taxes and fees and/or fuel supplement charges. This Price Protection Program may be discontinued or modified at any time without prior notice and shall be void where prohibited or restricted by applicable law.

[JanineM]

I'm absolutely fine with this policy. It's clearly set-out and fair - in my opinion.

[critterchick]

I'm fine with it as well. In the FAQs that accompany the above, it explicitly states that any unused OBC will be refunded. So yes, you may have to wait 70-90 days for your money, but you do get it back.

[bmazzo]

A

I'm absolutely fine with this policy. It's clearly set-out and fair - in my opinion.

 

 

 

Agreed

[Cruisin MarcnFran]

I'm fine with it as well. In the FAQs that accompany the above, it explicitly states that any unused OBC will be refunded. So yes, you may have to wait 70-90 days for your money, but you do get it back.

 

Sorry ...I couldn't find anything that stated that unused OBC would be refunded. Do they refund any OBC?

[silentbob007]

I suppose this policy is no surprise since Carnival's been doing it this way for a couple of years.

[Richiebaseball]

Sorry ...I couldn't find anything that stated that unused OBC would be refunded. Do they refund any OBC?

 

Yes, they will refund unused OBC

[Sue L]

Here are the FAQ's

 

FAQs

What is the Price Guaranteeprice protection program?

 

If your customers book a cruise through you with Royal Caribbean and subsequently find a lower fare advertised

by Royal Caribbean, we will honor that rate by applying an onboard credit to the reservation equal to the price

difference. For reservations outside of the final payment period, the onboard creditmay be replaced, upon request,

as a reduction to the outstanding balance or a refund as applicable.

 

What should I do ifmy customer finds a lower rate?

 

Simply call a Royal Caribbean representative to have your guest’s onboard credit applied. There are no forms to fill

out. The adjustment will be made to their reservation. Onboard credits will be applied to the first and second guest

on the reservation for the full amount of the price difference unless otherwise requested at the time of application.

If you prefer, your guest will also be given the option of upgrading their stateroom based on availability and price

paid. Outside of final payment period, they also have the option to have their price reduced to the lower rate,

however commission will not be protected in this case.

 

When can Imake a reservation for my guest?

 

Anytime! Royal Caribbean’s Price Guaranteeprice protection applies anytime between booking and 72 hours prior

to sailing as long as they are eligible for the new lower rate. Use this programtomake their reservation early to give

your customer the best choice of staterooms and departures. That way you and your guest can rest easy knowing

that we will adjust their price should we lower our rates.

 

When can I call for Price Guarantee price protection?

 

Anytime between initial reservation and 72 hours prior to departure of the sailing. The new rate must be available

at the time of request for conversion and no conversions will be made after departure.

Are Groups bookings eligible to receive the Price Guarantee price protection?

Bookings that are part of an affinity or promotional group (non-contracted only) and that are both fully named and

depositedmay take advantage of the Price Guarantee price protection program. However, price protection will not

be available within 70 days of the sailing date if payment in full has not been received for the applicable booking

within the group.

 

Are the Onboard Credits refundable if not used onboard?

 

Yes, the onboard credits are refundable..

What are the Terms & Conditions for Individual and Qualifying Group Bookings?

Programapplies only to individual bookings or to affinity and promotional group bookings (non-contracted)made

in the fifty U.S. states and Canada. For individual berths within a qualifying group booking, the guest booked at a

higher fare can receive the difference between that fare and a lower fare advertised or offered by the applicable

Cruise Line in the form of an onboard cruise credit. For reservations outside of final payment period, upon request

the difference will be refunded back to the original payment source. Requests for adjustments must be received by

the cruise line at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled sailing date for the cruise. The lower fare must be a)

available for the same ship, sailing, category and number of guests as the current booking; b) available at the time

the request for rate conversion is made; and c) a rate program that is not limited to new bookings only. If the lower

rate is available under any of the following special price programs, it shall not be available under the Price

Guarantee program: Royal Sales Event; Travel Agent, Interline or Industry Reduced Rates; Employee rate programs.

The Price Guarantee program does not apply to any charter arrangements nor does it apply to any space that sold

to a third party for resale. Travel Agent commission will not be protected on reductions in cruise fare that result in

an onboard credit or refund. Price Guarantee does not apply to government taxes and fees and/or fuel supplement

charges. The Price Guarantee program may be discontinued or modified at any time without prior notice and shall

be void where prohibited or restricted by applicable law.

©2009 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ships registry: The Bahamas. MK09015983b

GUARANTEE

PRICE

[cruiselvr04]

As long as they will refund OBC due to price reductions I am fine with this policy. I can wait for my money - most of the time unless it's a large amount we'll spend it on the ship.

[Sue L]

I suppose this policy is no surprise since Carnival's been doing it this way for a couple of years.

 

 

Ah, Carnival does NOT give the drops AFTER final payment as of a few months ago, if it is available they will do some upgrades but no $$ of any kind.

[Guest maddycat]

Any unused OBC will be refunded. So yes, you may have to wait 70-90 days for your money, but you do get it back.

 

I'm OK with this also.

[msmayor]

Ah, Carnival does NOT give the drops AFTER final payment as of a few months ago, if it is available they will do some upgrades but no $$ of any kind.

 

Actually they WILL give price drops up to 48 hours before sailing...but ONLY if you booked under the Early Saver Rate. That rate requires a non-refundable deposit, and doesn't allow any name changes.

[Sue L]

Actually they WILL give price drops up to 48 hours before sailing...but ONLY if you booked under the Early Saver Rate. That rate requires a non-refundable deposit, and doesn't allow any name changes.

 

 

sorry should have added that, thanks for the clarification, they won't however for regular bookings.

[crusinmama06]

Actually they WILL give price drops up to 48 hours before sailing...but ONLY if you booked under the Early Saver Rate. That rate requires a non-refundable deposit, and doesn't allow any name changes.

 

And you have to fill out a form and submit it, waiting 2 days to get a response back.

 

I like RCCL's policy better.

[hcat]

Yesterday we got a $200 refund for our Jan cruise-- (also a drop in the ins charge)

 

why are they making things so complicated?--their staff can barely handle all the bookeeping now!

[Hlitner]

So, let me get this straight and read the fine print. If RCI lowers the price of a cruise, and if they say it is "for new bookings only," than you are out of luck? That being said, one would think they will just say "new bookings only" for all price decreases. Am I being a skeptic?

 

Hank

[Sue L]

So, let me get this straight and read the fine print. If RCI lowers the price of a cruise, and if they say it is "for new bookings only," than you are out of luck? That being said, one would think they will just say "new bookings only" for all price decreases. Am I being a skeptic?

 

Hank

 

they have always had that for some promotions like the tuesday Sales Events and the WOW promotions for example. They honor all the others very nicely. Before final payment all the lines no you can basically cancel to get the lower price so they are all pretty lenient it is after final payment that separates them

[Rancher Dave]

Times are a changing....on the cruises and everywhere else...:eek:

[will work to cruise]

I'm good with this!

[John Henry on CC]

I just wanted to bring one thing to everyone's attention.

 

It's neither a negative nor a positive, just "something".

 

It doesn't happen all that often, but it DOES, in some cases.

 

If the taxes/port fees on your cruise have increased since your initial booking, and you apply for a rate reduction, you will have to pay the increased fees.

 

This year, some ports *did* raise their charges, and RC passed that right along, on bookings that were made after the increases.

 

Remember Alaska, two years ago?

 

Just be sure to compute those changes if you see a rate drop.

[HRHPrinceJim]

I have no problem with this policy either! :D

[Ladylouwho]

I just wanted to bring one thing to everyone's attention.

 

It's neither a negative nor a positive, just "something".

 

It doesn't happen all that often, but it DOES, in some cases.

 

If the taxes/port fees on your cruise have increased since your initial booking, and you apply for a rate reduction, you will have to pay the increased fees.

 

This year, some ports *did* raise their charges, and RC passed that right along, on bookings that were made after the increases.

 

Remember Alaska, two years ago?

 

Just be sure to compute those changes if you see a rate drop.

 

Well sure, plus this new program is more beneficial to TA's. They collect the commission on the higher fare because essentially the fare is not lowered, the customer just gets OBC. Good for the TA's. A low cost way to keep the TA's Happy and pushing the RCI product, after all the recent cutbacks.

 

Plus don't forget the cost of cruise insurance. If your fare rate goes down a certain amount your insurance cost will as well. In this case your fare won't be going down, you will just be getting OBC, not a fare reduction. So you will be paying more in insurance than you would under the old system of actually getting the fare reduced.

 

Now once this is all in place and accepted by most, watch for the next thing. They will start restricting who can get any OBC when there are price reductions. For example, if you are using certain discounts already like C & A balcony discounts, C & A coupons, State Residency discounts, Senior Discounts, etc. Just like they eliminated the combining of some of these discounts late last year. JMO, but a fairly educated guess at the future.

 

 

Colleen

[livylotte]

Sorry, I must have missed something. Could anyone please answer a couple of questions I have? I asked about RCI price guarantees on here and was told that RCI doesn't have a guarantee policy.

 

So is this a new programme? or has it been around for a while and the poster that replied to me was mistaken?

 

And could someone please post the link to RCI's for this?

[Sue L]

Sorry, I must have missed something. Could anyone please answer a couple of questions I have? I asked about RCI price guarantees on here and was told that RCI doesn't have a guarantee policy.

 

So is this a new programme? or has it been around for a while and the poster that replied to me was mistaken?

 

And could someone please post the link to RCI's for this?

 

It is brand spankin new, they just started it yesterday.

[livylotte]

It is brand spankin new, they just started it yesterday.

 

Thankyou, is there an announcement on RCI's site somewhere?

 

I'm only asking because I see it only applies to bookings made in the US and Canada and I would like to know what RCI UK have to say about it? It also doesn't say if that would apply people who live in the UK who have booked with a US TA so I would like clarification.