new rules for price drops

[betmust]

I have been reading all the information on threads about price drops, penalty period, being grandfathered in etc. To be honest, I am totally confused now.

In the past, I booked a cruise and twice found price drops which I was able to get. It was months before final payment.

 

Could someone tell me more (in simple terms) what this is now with new rules.

 

Sometimes reading so much information is confusing...

 

Thanks,

Bette

[Ashland]

If you see a price drop call RCI or have your TA...never know what the answer will be unless you ask at least 3 times to 3 different RC reps....;)

[uksimonusa]

I have been reading all the information on threads about price drops, penalty period, being grandfathered in etc. To be honest, I am totally confused now.

In the past, I booked a cruise and twice found price drops which I was able to get. It was months before final payment.

 

Could someone tell me more (in simple terms) what this is now with new rules.

 

Sometimes reading so much information is confusing...

 

Thanks,

Bette

 

For cruises booked after the change date, you can get price drops upto final payment, after final payment you can take an upgrade if it is available...no price drop

[ARCruisinNana]

On May 18 I booked a B2B on the Monarch for June 25 and 28. I had to pay in full. Today the price dropped $161 pp. I knew about the new policy but I called the C&A desk to ask for a price reduction. The woman got my reservation number, name, etc. She then asked if I knew about the new policy. I said I did. She said it no longer qualified for a price reduction. I booked in the few days between when the new policy started, but before we could combine benefits. So, I don't get the $322 or OBC.

[Ocean Boy]

On May 18 I booked a B2B on the Monarch for June 25 and 28. I had to pay in full. Today the price dropped $161 pp. I knew about the new policy but I called the C&A desk to ask for a price reduction. The woman got my reservation number, name, etc. She then asked if I knew about the new policy. I said I did. She said it no longer qualified for a price reduction. I booked in the few days between when the new policy started, but before we could combine benefits. So, I don't get the $322 or OBC.

 

Just one more example of why think people will be holding off longer and longer to book.

[betmust]

For cruises booked after the change date, you can get price drops upto final payment, after final payment you can take an upgrade if it is available...no price drop

 

So if I book now for 2011, I can get a price drop if it goes down. The only change would be I wouldn't get OBC after final payment? Only an upgrade if it is available?

 

Just want to make sure i understand it right. I am looking at cruises for 2011 and want to make sure before i do....

 

Thanks

Bette

[ARCruisinNana]

You can't get anything after the final payment.

[uksimonusa]

So if I book now for 2011, I can get a price drop if it goes down. The only change would be I wouldn't get OBC after final payment? Only an upgrade if it is available?

 

Just want to make sure i understand it right. I am looking at cruises for 2011 and want to make sure before i do....

 

Thanks

Bette

 

You got it

[lady_cruiser]

Great :mad:. We always pay for all our cruises in full within 2 or 3 months of booking them. And we always book our cruises at least a year in advance. Our March 2011 is already paid for but since we are grandfathered in I know we will be eligible for OBCs. Only thing now we will have to learn how "not" to pay off our cruises until the last minute.

[dmdicato]

For cruises booked after the change date, you can get price drops upto final payment, after final payment you can take an upgrade if it is available...no price drop

 

Not true....I made final payment on May 20, but on June 5 found a price drop of $200 for our cabin. I called RCCL, they issued onboard credit, as well as email confirmation. If I don't use the onboard credit, it's refunded back to my credit card at the end of the cruise.

[patseacruiser]

It's not when you make final payment but when you make deposit. If deposit made prior to May 17 you get obc after final payment.

 

It shouldn't matter if you pay off early. Final payment date is set by the cruise line and if it's let's say October 1 it doesn't matter if you pay final in May - you still have until October 1 to find a price drop.

[rummenroman]

Great :mad:. We always pay for all our cruises in full within 2 or 3 months of booking them. And we always book our cruises at least a year in advance. Our March 2011 is already paid for but since we are grandfathered in I know we will be eligible for OBCs. Only thing now we will have to learn how "not" to pay off our cruises until the last minute.

 

Weather you make your payment in full makes no difference, from what I understand. It goes only by final payment date, if you have paid in full and there is a price drop you get that refunded to you. Again that is what I understand from it.

[cruisenfever]

Not true....I made final payment on May 20, but on June 5 found a price drop of $200 for our cabin. I called RCCL, they issued onboard credit, as well as email confirmation. If I don't use the onboard credit, it's refunded back to my credit card at the end of the cruise.

If you booked your cruise prior to May 17, 2010, you were grandfathered in under the old pricing policy and therefore when the fare was reduced after final payment you were given an OBC.

 

Booking on or after May 17, the new policy goes into effect.

[newmexicoNita]

For cruises booked after the change date, you can get price drops upto final payment, after final payment you can take an upgrade if it is available...no price drop

 

That is how I understand it as well and how most lines are handling price drops at this time. I really can't blame them.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

On May 18 I booked a B2B on the Monarch for June 25 and 28. I had to pay in full. Today the price dropped $161 pp. I knew about the new policy but I called the C&A desk to ask for a price reduction. The woman got my reservation number, name, etc. She then asked if I knew about the new policy. I said I did. She said it no longer qualified for a price reduction. I booked in the few days between when the new policy started, but before we could combine benefits. So, I don't get the $322 or OBC.

 

from one AR grandma to another, I know how you feel, but think of it this way 1-you must have been content with the original price or you wouldn't have booked and 2-what would you do if the price went up instead of down and the cruise line wanted to charge you more?

Of course you would scream bloody murder, so would I.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

Great :mad:. We always pay for all our cruises in full within 2 or 3 months of booking them. And we always book our cruises at least a year in advance. Our March 2011 is already paid for but since we are grandfathered in I know we will be eligible for OBCs. Only thing now we will have to learn how "not" to pay off our cruises until the last minute.

 

It has little to do with when you make final payment, it is the due date for final payment. If you make final payment in Oct for a March cruise and the final payment date listed is Jan 10th, you can get an adjustment up to Jan 10th regardless.

 

NIta

[Georgia Peach 4]

Be careful -- some OBC is "nonrefundable", you either use it or lose it.

[cruisenfever]

Be careful -- some OBC is "nonrefundable", you either use it or lose it.

OBC issued from a price reduction is totally refundable because it was your money to begin with.:D

 

Though, we have found that on some ships, they prefer to issue you a credit back to the card on file for unused OBC. If you are using an RCI Platinum Plus Visa..........any credit that appears on your statement and is identified as coming from RCI will result in the loss of "double" points.

[chickalo]

Just to be sure I get this right, I booked a cruise on May 15th for April 2012. If the price drops am I still eligible for OBC?

[mdrobtx]

You can't get anything after the final payment.

What if you make a full and complete payment when you booked. Is it still just the final payment date still even though I paid in full when doing the initial booking?

 

My bad. Found the answer by reading a little more.

[cruisenfever]

Just to be sure I get this right, I booked a cruise on May 15th for April 2012. If the price drops am I still eligible for OBC?

Yes, you will receive any/all price reductions up until 72 hours prior to sailing.

[patseacruiser]

Just to be sure I get this right, I booked a cruise on May 15th for April 2012. If the price drops am I still eligible for OBC?

 

YES - eligible before and AFTER final payment as you are grandfathered in.

[ARCruisinNana]

from one AR grandma to another, I know how you feel, but think of it this way 1-you must have been content with the original price or you wouldn't have booked and 2-what would you do if the price went up instead of down and the cruise line wanted to charge you more?

Of course you would scream bloody murder, so would I.

 

Nita

 

Hi, Nita,

I didn't know about the new policy when I booked on May 18, but I would have booked anyway. I'm going with my daughter and it's the only time she can get away. I knew prices were high, but in the past I've gotten good price reductions closer to sailing time. We paid a lot, but we'll have a great time.

Carolyn

[ARCruisinNana]

What if you make a full and complete payment when you booked. Is it still just the final payment date still even though I paid in full when doing the initial booking?

 

My bad. Found the answer by reading a little more.

 

Sorry, final payment due date. I was already past that date when I booked. I'm not super upset, just stating what happened.

[chickalo]

Thanks Cruisenfever and Patseacruiser for the info. I'll be checking the prices.