Oasis price drop

[onesphinx2004]

We are sailing on the Oasis Nov. 6 and already made the final payment. Just today, noticed a $200. pp price drop on Junior Suites. We booked 2 suites in March. Anyone know if RCI will honor that price drop? Plan on calling this AM.

[nancronin]

Since the cabins were booked before May 17th, RC is supposed to give OBC for price drops after final payment - but with everything I've been reading this week about RC now saying price drops are for new bookings only, I'll be very happy if they just give you the OBC and be done with it. Good luck!:)

[MoFarbs]

RCI has been giving me the runaround after prices dropped for our cabin the day after our final payment went through. You may have better luck since you are in a JS (we were just Oceanview). Seems like they are trying very hard to inforce some internal policy of not negotiating with people when this happens.

 

Very disappointing.

[John Henry on CC]

We are sailing on the Oasis Nov. 6 and already made the final payment. Just today, noticed a $200. pp price drop on Junior Suites. We booked 2 suites in March. Anyone know if RCI will honor that price drop? Plan on calling this AM.

Call RC and then let us know the outcome!

[time4me2fly]

Call the C&A number 800-526-9723. You might have better luck with that department. Good Luck!

[bajathree]

We are sailing on the Oasis Nov. 6 and already made the final payment. Just today, noticed a $200. pp price drop on Junior Suites. We booked 2 suites in March. Anyone know if RCI will honor that price drop? Plan on calling this AM.

 

If booked after May 17th and you are past final due date....forget about it. If you booked before May 17th and it's not a special rate then you should get an OBC.

 

Get ready for this people....they just extended the final payment date out to 75 days prior to sailing for a 7 night'r....ain't it something how just days after final they drop the price:rolleyes: This is the new game.

[willysgrandma]

Royal Caribbean is no longer honoring price drops after final payment. That goes for giving OBC's or upgrades. They changed their policy when they changed their Price Protection Policy in May.

 

I shouldn't say "changed" - the RCCL rep. I spoke to recently said they "revised" it.

[marci22]

RCI has been giving me the runaround after prices dropped for our cabin the day after our final payment went through. You may have better luck since you are in a JS (we were just Oceanview). Seems like they are trying very hard to inforce some internal policy of not negotiating with people when this happens.

 

Very disappointing.

 

In this particular case, I thought you had 48 hours after final to get a price drop credited to your account. I would call another C&A rep and let us know what happens.

[willysgrandma]

You have 48 hours after you book and you will receive an OBC equal to 110% of the price difference. Otherwise, as long as it is before final payment, you can receive either an OBC or a reduction of the outstanding balance due. After final payment - you are out of luck.

 

From RCCL's website:

When you reserve with Royal Caribbean and subsequently find a lower rate advertised by Royal Caribbean within 48 hours from the time the reservation is made, we will honor that lower eligible rate by applying an onboard credit to the reservation equal to 110% of 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. to get a price drop.

 

I'd still call - it doesn't hurt to ask. All they can say is no.

 

 

In this particular case, I thought you had 48 hours after final to get a price drop credited to your account. I would call another C&A rep and let us know what happens.

[marci22]

You have 48 hours after you book and you will receive an OBC equal to 110% of the price difference. Otherwise, as long as it is before final payment, you can receive either an OBC or a reduction of the outstanding balance due. After final payment - you are out of luck.

 

 

Ok, there was a lot of debate regarding how they would apply that '48 hour after final' window. I assumed it would count as 48 hours after final was made, not just if you booked after final. I would still call and talk to another rep.

[39august]

Onesphinx Please come back and tell us RCI's response!

[bajathree]

In this particular case, I thought you had 48 hours after final to get a price drop credited to your account. I would call another C&A rep and let us know what happens.

 

Marci...thats not how the 48hr price protection works....that ONLY comes into play if you book once your already in final....which means you have to pay in full right away....thats when you are protected for those 48hrs.

 

I talked with a Royal rep this weekend and voiced my displeasure to the new price protection policy and how some pricing is just out there. This is how they are looking at it in their mind...of I should say what I was told.....after final all the "best" cabins have been picked thru and whats left is cabins that no one wanted.....so thats why they are being reduced in price.....those that purchased in advance got the best cabin choice and that's what they paid the premium for....so shouldn't be upset if there is a price drop after final.....I mention good luck explaining that to clients:rolleyes: Bottom line......they are going to drop prices after final....they know it and it's the new game....this is what's currently keeping revenue up on sailings I guess.

[Esmerelda]

I sent Royal a very opinonated email yesterday about their 'new' policy. It's absolutely the worst ever. They are giving many people the runaround.

 

I fully intend on booking about 4-5 weeks out before we want to cruise. So it would seem booking cruises a year out is a waste of all of our time.

 

Royal, I think this is total hogwash.

 

:mad:

[onesphinx2004]

Called RCI this AM and was given OBC.

[catlady27]

I sent Royal a very opinonated email yesterday about their 'new' policy. It's absolutely the worst ever. They are giving many people the runaround.

 

I fully intend on booking about 4-5 weeks out before we want to cruise. So it would seem booking cruises a year out is a waste of all of our time.

 

Royal, I think this is total hogwash.

 

:mad:

 

Depends on the room. For us, had we waited, we would not have been able to book the cabin we wanted AND the ones that were available are higher than what we paid.

[onesphinx2004]

Onesphinx Please come back and tell us RCI's response!

 

 

Was told that I would have OBC ($200 per person). Have not received confirmation of this by email. Will not be completely comfortable until I receive that email.

[marci22]

Marci...thats not how the 48hr price protection works....that ONLY comes into play if you book once your already in final....which means you have to pay in full right away....thats when you are protected for those 48hrs.

 

Ok, it took me about 4 months to finally understand that one :rolleyes:

 

This is how they are looking at it in their mind...of I should say what I was told.....after final all the "best" cabins have been picked thru and whats left is cabins that no one wanted.....so thats why they are being reduced in price.....those that purchased in advance got the best cabin choice and that's what they paid the premium for....so shouldn't be upset if there is a price drop after final.

 

I'll pay a couple hundred premium but not a couple thousand, and that's what it was on two of my cruises in the last 13 months. I'll take the less desirable cabins to save that much money! If I get a great location at a decent price that's another story. I have one cruise booked pre-May 17th and I'm not inspired to book anything else right now.

[nancronin]

Called RCI this AM and was given OBC.

 

 

So glad to hear this - good for you - enjoy!:D

[Cookie1]

 

I talked with a Royal rep this weekend and voiced my displeasure to the new price protection policy and how some pricing is just out there. This is how they are looking at it in their mind...of I should say what I was told.....after final all the "best" cabins have been picked thru and whats left is cabins that no one wanted.....so thats why they are being reduced in price.....those that purchased in advance got the best cabin choice and that's what they paid the premium for....so shouldn't be upset if there is a price drop after final.....I mention good luck explaining that to clients:rolleyes: Bottom line......they are going to drop prices after final....they know it and it's the new game....this is what's currently keeping revenue up on sailings I guess.

 

Long time lurker and cruise newbie here - but I have been following these threads with interest, and have wondered about a few things - so If I am way off base, please be gentle!

 

One thing I noticed about these threads regarding the new policy, and the implemention of it -- the most loyal and wise RCCL guests are the ones who are getting burnt (or at least, realize they are getting burnt). These also appear to me, often to be guests who have 4 or more cruises booked.

 

Now, looking at the above quote, it occured to me, that perhaps a different angle by those loyal and wise cruisers could net the same result, with a little risk involved. My assumption is, that those who have several cruises in the works would have some capitol to play with....

 

What say if a loyal royal and wise cruiser booked several cabins on the same ship for the cruise they wanted, way out in advance. at 500 deposit, fully refundable until the cut off date, they could sit with those rooms and watch the rates until the 'pay in full' date. If the ship did not appear to be very full (you can see room availability if you play with the website to get a general idea) then perhaps you dump all the rooms the last hour before the cutoff. Now, some great rooms are in the inventory, and would hopefully be in the sale rates --

 

If you tied up 2500 in capitol but the net result was saving 2 or 3 hundred, or possibly more, well then, thats a heck of a lot better then current interest rates, or the market, lord knows!

 

Thats some risk though -- and what about flights and all the other things that require preplanning

 

How about if the wise cruiser picked a couple of rooms on different ships and itineraries that had the exact same dates, so flights and such could be booked, just not knowing what ship or itinerary you would be on. There are many ships in each port, not necessarily royal, but it could be interesting to try, and in todays economy, well, some great deals could be out there.

 

What about those who have the flexibility on time to book 3 or 4 cruises that are 75 days apart (or 100, or whatever). Well then, they could book the exact same cruise, hold about 2-4 rooms on each cruise, drop them back into inventory just prior to the cut off -- and if you cant get a great price on a good room on the first cruise, then you could try again with the next cruise, or opt to keep your room on the next cruise, and not dump it into inventory.

 

I am sure there are even better ways to manipulate the new version of this policy,and those experienced cruisers will figure it out, and share it on these boards.

 

And I am all for Royal making their money -- its just weird how they are punishing their best customers -- I am sure that those who search and keep up to date with price drops are a very small portion of the actual cruising population - but they are savvy and loyal royals to know exactly how to manipulate the system.

 

I would also like to point out something about Royal itself -- as an outside observer just researching cruises on different lines, having only cruised with Disney (twice). Royal has done some amazing things with the new ships, and the older ships still maintain huge appeal as well. They appear to offer something for every demographic, and quite frankly, if you read many reviews, I am shocked at how positive and glowing the majority of them are. Pretty amazing. And its not just about the new floating cities, cruisers also love the elegance and beauty of the older class of ships, and these ships appeal to the classic and traditional cruiser. They have the double whammy of people who never cruised who want to try the floating cities, and those traditional cruisers. A total corner of the market, imho.

 

Now, it appears to me, that Royal is not an up and coming cruise line, it 'has arrived'. But it still advertises and acts like a little kid, jumping up and down, saying "Im great! I'm great". Unlike Disney, who walks like a giant, and talks like a giant and advertises like a giant. The deposts on disney cruises can run you thousands, depending on the length of the cruise and the number of your party.

 

I believe (and please dont yell at me for this) that Royal should just up their prices across the board by 50 to 100 and DEMAND the respect of the cruise industry - all their ships are worth it, and I believe the people will pay. They should maintain or increase the quality and level of service they offer, and be darn proud of how positive customer satisfaction is. And, they should let their loyal and wise customers who are savvy enough to know about cruise faire price drops, to give them the upgrades or obc -- I cant imagine that the number would be so significant that it would affect operations - especially if they have done a small increase across the boards.

 

I would also tell management to do a way better job in advertising, their vacation planning CD is a JOKE! (compare it to the Disney cruise CD and you know what I mean) I also dont love the 'why not' slogan, it seems silly to me -- the 'its out there' was better imho. I dont know why they would not focus just on the new ships, but let people know there is a perfect ship and itinerary for EVERYONE, and no one does it better then royal!

 

Wow, long post, sorry! And no spell checker either, sorry about that!:o

[bajathree]

Long time lurker and cruise newbie here - but I have been following these threads with interest, and have wondered about a few things - so If I am way off base, please be gentle!

 

One thing I noticed about these threads regarding the new policy, and the implemention of it -- the most loyal and wise RCCL guests are the ones who are getting burnt (or at least, realize they are getting burnt). These also appear to me, often to be guests who have 4 or more cruises booked.

 

Now, looking at the above quote, it occured to me, that perhaps a different angle by those loyal and wise cruisers could net the same result, with a little risk involved. My assumption is, that those who have several cruises in the works would have some capitol to play with....

 

What say if a loyal royal and wise cruiser booked several cabins on the same ship for the cruise they wanted, way out in advance. at 500 deposit, fully refundable until the cut off date, they could sit with those rooms and watch the rates until the 'pay in full' date. If the ship did not appear to be very full (you can see room availability if you play with the website to get a general idea) then perhaps you dump all the rooms the last hour before the cutoff. Now, some great rooms are in the inventory, and would hopefully be in the sale rates --

 

If you tied up 2500 in capitol but the net result was saving 2 or 3 hundred, or possibly more, well then, thats a heck of a lot better then current interest rates, or the market, lord knows!

 

Thats some risk though -- and what about flights and all the other things that require preplanning

 

How about if the wise cruiser picked a couple of rooms on different ships and itineraries that had the exact same dates, so flights and such could be booked, just not knowing what ship or itinerary you would be on. There are many ships in each port, not necessarily royal, but it could be interesting to try, and in todays economy, well, some great deals could be out there.

 

What about those who have the flexibility on time to book 3 or 4 cruises that are 75 days apart (or 100, or whatever). Well then, they could book the exact same cruise, hold about 2-4 rooms on each cruise, drop them back into inventory just prior to the cut off -- and if you cant get a great price on a good room on the first cruise, then you could try again with the next cruise, or opt to keep your room on the next cruise, and not dump it into inventory.

 

I am sure there are even better ways to manipulate the new version of this policy,and those experienced cruisers will figure it out, and share it on these boards.

 

And I am all for Royal making their money -- its just weird how they are punishing their best customers -- I am sure that those who search and keep up to date with price drops are a very small portion of the actual cruising population - but they are savvy and loyal royals to know exactly how to manipulate the system.

 

I would also like to point out something about Royal itself -- as an outside observer just researching cruises on different lines, having only cruised with Disney (twice). Royal has done some amazing things with the new ships, and the older ships still maintain huge appeal as well. They appear to offer something for every demographic, and quite frankly, if you read many reviews, I am shocked at how positive and glowing the majority of them are. Pretty amazing. And its not just about the new floating cities, cruisers also love the elegance and beauty of the older class of ships, and these ships appeal to the classic and traditional cruiser. They have the double whammy of people who never cruised who want to try the floating cities, and those traditional cruisers. A total corner of the market, imho.

 

Now, it appears to me, that Royal is not an up and coming cruise line, it 'has arrived'. But it still advertises and acts like a little kid, jumping up and down, saying "Im great! I'm great". Unlike Disney, who walks like a giant, and talks like a giant and advertises like a giant. The deposts on disney cruises can run you thousands, depending on the length of the cruise and the number of your party.

 

I believe (and please dont yell at me for this) that Royal should just up their prices across the board by 50 to 100 and DEMAND the respect of the cruise industry - all their ships are worth it, and I believe the people will pay. They should maintain or increase the quality and level of service they offer, and be darn proud of how positive customer satisfaction is. And, they should let their loyal and wise customers who are savvy enough to know about cruise faire price drops, to give them the upgrades or obc -- I cant imagine that the number would be so significant that it would affect operations - especially if they have done a small increase across the boards.

I would also tell management to do a way better job in advertising, their vacation planning CD is a JOKE! (compare it to the Disney cruise CD and you know what I mean) I also dont love the 'why not' slogan, it seems silly to me -- the 'its out there' was better imho. I dont know why they would not focus just on the new ships, but let people know there is a perfect ship and itinerary for EVERYONE, and no one does it better then royal!

 

Wow, long post, sorry! And no spell checker either, sorry about that!:o

 

I think they already feel that way....in my conversation with the same rep that feeling/message was being conveyed....."if you want just price...then go to the Competition"....and you know who I mean. I will agree...Royal has a fantastic product compared to most of the rest. As far as Disney remember that D has ONLY 2 ships to fill also...yes soon to be 4...but thats still just a fraction compared to Royal....I think all 4 may almost equal one Oasis:eek:...OK...maybe one Oasis and half of Allure:p Also remember that Disney falls into the Niche category .....a much smaller less competitive segment of the market.....Disney is Disney....name alone sells Disney.

[insulationbabe]

Well here goes my opinion

 

We always book way out before - because of choice of cabin, etc - thank goodness we did this for the Oasis in October, they could price drop this cruise about 5 times and it still wouldn't be as low as we paid - the price has more than doubled, almost tripled now, so there goes the theory of booking 4-5 weeks before

We could actually have booked a back to back for less than one week in a balcony room (the price now) - we are still kicking ourselves for not doing this

We lock in a cabin that we really like and then before the final payment we can make adjustments, like upgrades, etc.

Wasn't aware of the final payment dates being changed, but thats OK too, we are more than happy with our upcoming cruise prices, etc - hence booking far ahead of time

I understand a lot of people do last minute bookings, and we have done that too in off season dates - while watching for "good deals" - It's kind of a hobby with me booking cruises - and will continue to do so - already looking for a great anniversary cruise next fall for our 50th - hoping of course we manage a great deal with Royal.

It does help too to have a few future cruises booked when you call Royal for upgrades, etc.:)

[Cookie1]

I think they already feel that way....in my conversation with the same rep that feeling/message was being conveyed....."if you want just price...then go to the Competition"....and you know who I mean. I will agree...Royal has a fantastic product compared to most of the rest. As far as Disney remember that D has ONLY 2 ships to fill also...yes soon to be 4...but thats still just a fraction compared to Royal....I think all 4 may almost equal one Oasis:eek:...OK...maybe one Oasis and half of Allure:p Also remember that Disney falls into the Niche category .....a much smaller less competitive segment of the market.....Disney is Disney....name alone sells Disney.

 

**disclaimer** not a vet of the cruise boards or of cruising, and I realize all my opinions are totally subjective

 

Very true about the size of the Disney cruise interest. However Royal needs to put the 'big boy' pants on, and market their product so that "Royal is Royal, and the name alone sells Royal".

 

It seems to me that the Operations department of Royal is exceeding in standards and presenting consistently a fantastic product, as well noted by the customer satisfaction. Can they improve? Maybe, but they are already doing an impressive job, clients come back to this line repeatedly. Trip reports and reviews are embarrassingly positive for the most part.

 

It appears that the planning department is hitting the nail on the head for new product, the popularity of Oasis and Allure, the totally new concept for cruising. At the same time, they do not neglect the older ships, they refurbish and condition them with some of the newer concepts, but maintain the traditional beauty of cruising (I have friends who rave about the radiance class of ships, the beauty and the views from everywhere inside the ship). So planning and maintenance are all doing their jobs, I think.

 

Whats lacking? proper sales and advertizing management, inho. It appears that Royal is trying to stop up little loop holes for savvy cruisers to save money, which is a waste of time and harms image for loyal repeat customers. Its a waste of time because knowledgable cruisers that can be flexible on time and room selection can easily find other loop holes in order to save money, its just a matter of time before the 'hows' are posted on boards like these.

 

What sales and management need to do (again, my uneducated opinion) is to reinvent marketing and the way they sell rooms on cruises with the same scale as they totally reinvented cruise ships with the Oasis and Allure. They need to think outside the box, and perhaps totally revamp the sales system to increase both revenue AND customer satisfaction. Impossible you say? I would have said a ship with an ice rink or park with trees was impossible at one time too.

 

Some questions I ask myself while I am playing on the RCCL website booking our potential cruise on the ALLURE (yippee!).

 

If I had a stake in Royal, I would want people to put their money down EARLY and keep it there without switching and changing. (On interest alone, this is some serious revinue!!) Why then are the past benefits of early booking slowly eroding away? It has dwindled down to 'cabin selection' basically.

 

How is it possible that some of the most expensive and desirable cabins on the ships (balconies and suites) can frequently go for cheaper then much less desirable cabins? I just looked at the Oasis in October 2010, and shocked to see that some of the best suites were going for not much more then what a balcony went for, and balcony rooms for almost the same price as inside rooms. That seems upside down to me.

 

Why would Royal want customers that have booked the cruise well in advance have less advantage/satisfaction in their booking then last minute bookers. It seems to me that most people have to factor in flights, so last minute bookings are not a large percentage of cruisers. Wouldnt Royal want more cruisers to book early and keep their bookings, rather then doing cutrack rates last minute? I think Royal should reinvent booking like they reinvented the ships.

 

Why not incorporate a real 'loyal royal' advantage, and not just for many time repeat customers. They need to lure in new customers, get them to put their money down, keep it down, and give the whole booking process an easier/ fairer way to play.

 

In this day and age with the internet, forum boards and search engines like cruise shark, its time someone in sales figured out how to make the internet a PRO instead of a con. Somehow, the sooner you book, the better it is.

 

For example, what would happen if you booked early, and ticked off something with your TA or on the website that says, show me special upgrades or offers on my ship/itinerary/cabin. Then, when the cruise gets closer to cruise dates, and Royal wants to discount some cabins - clients who requested this info could automatically be sent something like 'hey - you can upgrade to a balcony for x number of dollars. Sorta resell the inventory to the exhisting clientele - So instead of selling down the more expensive cabins, sell up to people who are already on the ship. Then, cheaper cabins become available, and these would probably be easier to sell on the open market. The consumer is happy - they can choose if they want to stay or upgrade, get that advantage before it is open to the public, and that would make them even happier maybe.

 

Also, do you think that balcony cabins would go quicker if instead of the norm being cheap balcony cabins on sale inside the 90 day ticker?

 

There are any number of things Royal could do to totally overhaul cruise cabin sales, I dont think they are thinking 'big' enough. A brilliant bean counter could come up with some ideas I am sure.

 

If you dont mind, I would like to make an example using Disney (my point of limited expertise) and how the bean counters can be absolutely brilliant with sales and marketing. Several years ago, a disney ticket was like other theme park tickets, 50 bucks a day, and the longer you stayed, the cheaper it got per day, but only by a little. A 7 day ticket would be about 220 bucks in total, a six day ticket 190, a five day ticket 150, and so on.

 

Now, about 4 years ago, the bean counters did something that was so incredibly brilliant, and 99% of the paying population figured it was a FANTASTIC deal. They invented the 'my way' ticket. The first four days basically cost about 55 bucks a day, and the 5th day costs about 15 dollars, 6th, and 7th day only cost 2 bucks per person! So the difference between a 4 day ticket and a 7 day ticket is literally less then 20 bucks. Disney marketed this as a huge deal - and the reality is, the price for the 7 day ticket was pretty much the same as it alway had.

 

But here are the kickers -- disney obliterated Universal when they did this. Before, a person would buy a 4 day pass to disney, and then go and buy 2 or 3 days at universal, and spend a few days there too. However,, with this new ticket structure, people would say - I am not going to spend 100 bucks on universal tickets when disney just costs 6 bucks more for the 3 days!!!! Not only did disney still basically get the same net price for a 7 day ticket, but they kept their customers at their theme parks, eathing their food, and buying their souvies!

 

Another kicker-- there were millions of unused single day or two day tickets that over the years disney goers would collect (unused days on old passes), and this new ticket structure made them basically worthless. Unless you have enough old tickets around to cover the first 4 days at disney, you are paying the mouse maximum dollar for the 'extra' tickets you need for your trip. Also, they added an 'non expiring option' that costs about 100 per ticket, and I could go on and on about how this is totally brilliant on Disney's part too! And the cherry on top of this whole marketing scheme is consumers LOVE IT! I am sure, that Royal could come up with a new game plan for selling cruises, increase revenues, and increase customer satisfaction. I thiiiink the only way to do it is to totally reinvent the system and fearlessly institute it. (they were fearless in their ships weren't they?)

 

And my only other point is to not forget their entire fleet. Dont just sell the oasis, they need to market their other ships as well. As you say, Disney fills just one niche, Royal's marketing should show how they fill ALL the niches. Believe me, I think Disney is very concerned with royal blowing away them in cruise competition, the only substantial thing disney has left is its 'name' to peddle for the cruises. They are no longer the best or most kid friendly cruise ship in the industry. (and disney only ever did younger kids well, the teen scene imo was a let down).

[Cookie1]

Sorry, cant stop thinking about this

 

What about a 'this is my ship' cruise deposit. On top of the regular cruise deposit, a customer can choose to add a 'this is my ship' additional deposit. Say its only available for bookings that are a year out or more. Say its an additional 250 per cabin on the deposit, but does not effect the cost of the cruise (just more money down, earlier). Then, Royal will offer them first any discounts on upgraded cabins, and keep them in the loop on any price drops. Royal upsells better rooms, and has the added benefit of a larger deposit for a longer period of time (interest on these deposits would add up to be significant, wouldnt it?) Net result - earlier bookings, more deposit, satisfied customers.

 

there are probably many holes in my idea, but I bet the professionals could come up with a lot of ideas, better then this.

 

The point is - minor adjustments are not the way to go, they need to totally revamp the system. imho.

[RLM77]

Cookie1,

 

You've made some excellent points and have some truly great ideas here.

 

I certainly hope folks from RCCL really do read this board as is often rumored; they would learn alot from you!

 

Lurk less.

Post more.

 

Marlee

[bajathree]

Cookie1,

 

You've made some excellent points and have some truly great ideas here.

 

I certainly hope folks from RCCL really do read this board as is often rumored; they would learn alot from you!

 

Lurk less.

Post more.

 

Marlee

 

Yes....you certainly have.....VERY nice post Cookie1....one of the best I have sen in quite a long time:)