No more price drops for RC?

[Elizanessie]

Hi Erica

 

Can you ask for confirmation please that this new policy is only for North American bookings only?

 

If so, for those from other countries who book with a US TA how will this new policy affect them?

 

Thank you

[Maybaybie10]

My answer from C&A today. I like this answer best. I am keeping it, printing it out and I suggest everyone else does too!!

Melissa

JesseRCCL [14:01]: Welcome to our real-time support chat. How can I help you today?

Melissa [14:01]: I need clarification on the new Price Guarantee program

[14:02]: good afternoon

[14:02]: I would like some clarification on the new price guarantee program as there seems to be a lot of confusion going on about it

JesseRCCL [14:03]: With the new Best Price Guarantee program, if you make a reservation and the price goes down within 48 hours of when the booking was made, we will give you 110% of the difference as an onboard credit.

Melissa [14:03]: As I understand it...if you book a cruise and you see a less expensive rate for the same thing, so will get 110% credit.

[14:03]: ok. got that part. Now the confusing part...

[14:04]: If there is a rate decreas AFTER the 48 hour window but BEFORE final payment, will you still honor the price drop?

JesseRCCL [14:05]: We will, but you will receive an amount equal to whatever the current price difference is, instead of 110% of the price difference.

Melissa [14:05]: yes, of course

[14:06]: so that part hasn

[14:06]: t changed

[14:06]: the new wording is very open to interpretation

JesseRCCL [14:06]: Right! The only other change is that after your final payment date, if there is a price change, you will not be eligible for the new price.

Melissa [14:07]: OK...is this for cruises booked after May 17th and previous bookings are 'grandfathered' with the old policies or no?

JesseRCCL [14:08]: This is for bookings made on or after May 17. And, yes older bookings are still under the old plicies.

Melissa [14:08]: Thank you, Jesse, you have been most helpful!

JesseRCCL [14:09]: My pleasure. Is there anything else I may be able to help with today?

Melissa [14:09]: no, that is fine. Thank you for your help!

JesseRCCL [14:09]: Great! Have a wonderful day.

Melissa [14:09]: you too.

[MIcruiser99]

Also, I'd like confirmation that all bookings made prior to May 17th are guaranteed to be grandfathered, no matter how far out those booking are made. I have bookings out to April 2011 and I know others are booked even later than that.

 

I think we all want something in writing so we can be assured there is a grandfathered policy. Someone earlier requested this and was directed to a specific post but I did not see anything in that post that specified a grandfathering policy.

 

I guess we just have to wait and see how it plays out.:confused:

[mommabean]

Why do we have to submit a claim form for the price reductions, then wait for up to 48 hours for RCI to see if the reduced rate is still available? The reduced rates can easily disappear between when we see them and submit the claim, and the time RCI gets around to checking. Thanks.

 

RCI has records of their pricing for every day - even in the past. When they check, they will be checking what the rate was at the time of your claim form submission.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

Why does it say this during the booking process:

Cancellation and Penalty Timetable

Cancel Before * Penalty per person

09-Oct-2011 $250.00 USD

18-Nov-2011 50%

10-Dec-2011 100%

 

Why does it say before instead of after?

 

I think Evaluator had some questions up there post #381 heh heh.

 

I actually started a whole thread on this after my last on line booking. It has been figured out that someone in Miami without a full grasp of the English language made an error when they plugged that into the website. Their IT dept. is working on it. ROFL......so don't count on it being changed anytime soon. :rolleyes:

 

All you have to do is ask for a copy of your booking invoice to be emailed to you and the correct information WILL be there. That will be your protection.

 

Gina

[marci22]

I actually started a whole thread on this after my last on line booking. It has been figured out that someone in Miami without a full grasp of the English language made an error when they plugged that into the website. Their IT dept. is working on it. ROFL......so don't count on it being changed anytime soon. :rolleyes:

 

All you have to do is ask for a copy of your booking invoice to be emailed to you and the correct information WILL be there. That will be your protection.

 

Gina

 

Yes, I remember that thread. I wasn't asking for me but because it comes up every now and again and everyone thinks the policy has changed. Mabye someone confused 'by' with 'before'.

[EVALUATOR]

RCI has records of their pricing for every day - even in the past. When they check, they will be checking what the rate was at the time of your claim form submission.

 

Gina

 

It clearly says under the terms and conditions, that the price drop you are requesting has to be available at the time they review the request, which can be up to 48 hours after you submit the claim.

 

"The lower rate must: i) be for the same ship, sail date, stateroom category and number of guests; and ii) be available for reserving at the time Royal Caribbean reviews your submitted Royal Caribbean"

 

That is what the t&c says. Not available when you make the claim, but available when they review the claim.

 

They can clarify it if asked.

[digital_curator]

I really do wish that RCI would inform their staff about policy changes.

 

I wasn't planning to get involved with this or the WOW sale but my CVP called today (I had a hold that expired over the weekend).

 

I told him that I wasn't really interested in the WOW "sale" since I get a better deal using either my platinum discount or my shareholder credit. He checked and agreed but suggested that the reduced deposit was a benefit. So I asked about the new Price Guarantee. He didn't know about it, so put me on hold to check.

 

Sure enough, he came back and said that there would be no refunds/OBC if the price dropped after 48 hours of booking. However, he did say that later residency discounts could be applied.

 

I told him that it was all a little confusing for me and that I would just hold off to book since the sailing I am looking at often has deep price discounts closer to departure. He agreed that this was my best bet! :eek: I asked that he tell his supervisors the reason I was not booking early.

 

Crazy!

[mommabean]

It clearly says under the terms and conditions, that the price drop you are requesting has to be available at the time they review the request, which can be up to 48 hours after you submit the claim.

 

"The lower rate must: i) be for the same ship, sail date, stateroom category and number of guests; and ii) be available for reserving at the time Royal Caribbean reviews your submitted Royal Caribbean"

 

That is what the t&c says. Not available when you make the claim, but available when they review the claim.

 

They can clarify it if asked.

 

It's likely just more poor wording. As usual........

 

Gina

[EVALUATOR]

It's likely just more poor wording. As usual........

 

Gina

 

I don't disagree that they did not improperly word it incorrectly, in regards to how they might not have wanted it read. I just did not want them to not have the chance to correct what they didn't mean to say wrong.

 

Translation... Yup.

 

Can I write for their website?

[cruisenfever]

I don't disagree that they did not improperly word it incorrectly, in regards to how they might not have wanted it read. I just did not want them to not have the chance to correct what they didn't mean to say wrong.

 

Translation... Yup.

 

Can I write for their website?

The unfortunate part is that they understood it the way it was written and they expected everyone else to understand it the way it was written.:eek:

 

I have a feeling that their policy writers and proof readers attend the same school.:rolleyes:

[EVALUATOR]

Almost check out time here, so Ill have to wait til tonight to find out what their responses were to Erica's questions. 91 degrees with a chance of showers. Don't shoot the weatherman.:D Later everyone.

[isujim]

The unfortunate part is that they understood it the way it was written and they expected everyone else to understand it the way it was written.:eek:

 

I have a feeling that their policy writers and proof readers attend the same school.:rolleyes:

 

What school?:D

[BobNoxious]

Hope Erica's interview is posted by tomorrow, else no WOW reservation from me.

[BILL-WI]

What school?:D

 

Pre-school!;):D

 

BILL

[cruisenfever]

Pre-school!;):D

 

BILL

Now why didn't I think of that?:p

[petesweet]

I never understood why they ever honored price drops.

 

And while I understand that people are upset over the great deals they used to get, it seems to me that RCL prob'ly can't keep giving cash back. It's not personal and punitive, it's prob'ly business survival.

 

pax are free to flee to other lines but is it really that much greener over the fence?

 

As a pp said, I'll book at a price I'm comfortable with, like I always did.

 

those of you talking about your loyalty, now that RCL is having to make cuts and whatnot to survive, where is your loyalty to them? Why is it only a one-way street?

 

You know, these are the same thoughts I have every time people complain when there has to be a cut of some kind. Right now, it's a matter of survival. I'll be happy if they just don't add on the fuel surcharge before we leave on the Oasis WAY DOWN THE ROAD. (But if they have to do that to survive, I'll still be happy.:))

I figure I get a pretty nice vacation for my $$$ when I cruise on Royal Caribbean. Call me a Pollyanna, but I love them.

Kathy

[isujim]

Pre-school!;):D

 

BILL

 

Good one Bill..........but that might be too much education:D:p

[mommabean]

I don't disagree that they did not improperly word it incorrectly, in regards to how they might not have wanted it read. I just did not want them to not have the chance to correct what they didn't mean to say wrong.

 

Translation... Yup.

 

Can I write for their website?

 

LOL

 

So it was YOU! A sneak from RCI infiltrating this forum. We should have known. :eek: ;)

 

Gina

[Cruzin-K]

I sure hope the Grandfathering information on this thread turns out to be true. I have four RCI cruises coming up in the next 11 months and am keeping my fingers crossed for big price drops on the two expensive ones. They already increased the rate a LOT for my September Majesty cruise so I'll be happy to keep the rate I've got :rolleyes:

[cruisenfever]

I sure hope the Grandfathering information on this thread turns out to be true. I have four RCI cruises coming up in the next 11 months and am keeping my fingers crossed for big price drops on the two expensive ones. They already increased the rate a LOT for my September Majesty cruise so I'll be happy to keep the rate I've got :rolleyes:

Now Karen, you doubt what we have posted?!:D I asked that question of 4 different people............and got the same answer from everybody.

[isujim]

Hopefully tomorrow or later tonight we will finally have some clairity......

 

As Ronald Reagan said.........."Trust but Verify":)

[CruiseLover15]

I haven't had time to look into the WOW sale because I have been too busy trying to work and read these 400 + post. My head is spinning.:confused:

[Dan Askin]

Hi everyone,

 

We've just put together a Q&A -- based on your questions and ours -- that we hope will help clarify RCCL's new Best Price Guarantee policy. You can read it here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3880

 

Dan

[3kids1dog]

I didn't read all the posts, I apolgize if someone clarified it. I booked a trip for 3/19/11 on Serenade of the Seas just a few hours ago, I asked specifically about price drops, and was told, "If your price drops before your final payment is due, (January 8) then the price I owe will drop. If it drops after January 8 I have 48 hours to find a better price and then I get OBC. After January 10th (48 hours after final payment is due, there will be no price adjustments." I said, "so I can watch the price between now and January 10th, then I am SOL, she said, "Exactly".