so disappointed with RCI

[bob&france]

So what your saying is that at this moment your could get a suite for a little more than the inside Cabin you paid for. You are in final payment given your sailing date is May 29th.If you could book a suite today for 50 euro more, then all you should need to do is contact the TA and ask to change cabins and pay the difference.....

 

Bob

[bob&france]

A little more detail.... one of my porevious posts indicated that you should be able to change TA's BUT I was wrong ...you can't change TA's because you are in final payment.

 

That said....simply call your TA and ask him/her to change your cabin to the available suite and that you will pay the extra $....at the end of the day you will accomplish what you set out to do...obtain a better fare.

 

Bob

[JeffHatfield]

Sorry but that does not apply to UK bookings...here you can get price drops even after final payment...and it is done by refund to credit card not as OBC.

 

Why would RCI discriminate against the US passenger in this case. If they give a refund to the UK passengers, they should treat everyone the same.

[Elizanessie]

Why would RCI discriminate against the US passenger in this case. If they give a refund to the UK passengers, they should treat everyone the same.

 

How about if they changed their policy for cancelling so that US cruisers lost their deposit if they cancelled?...that is what happens in the UK.

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

Apart from the money issue, also make sure you get all of the flight information you are seeking from either RCCL or your TA.

 

Because you booked an air/sea package and you live in the UK, the rules are a lot different than in the United States.

 

All of those posts from the Americans telling you that RCCL just acted as a booking agent in ordering your flights are not true. In the EU, when a package including air is booked, RCCL is considered to be the "organizer" (this is a legal term with a very precise definition) of the whole package, and as such preserves legal responsibility for the flights as well as the cruise, unlike what happens in the United States.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[trinitytrees]

thanks Bob i might ask them that, to get a Suite for £50 each = £100 more would be a result.

 

I wont build my hopes up, that way not got far to fall!

[bob&france]

Can't really comment as to why RCI only changed it's North American policy , but my instict is telling me that they were losing $....from handing out too many OBC and cash backs. Sure the intent was to offer available cabins at lower fares to fill up the ship...BUT....if they have 25 empty balconies and lower the price to sell them...then what was happening was that the other 1200 sold balconies were requesting a discount.....

 

Bob

[kymbakitty]

Dear friends:

 

Apart from the money issue, also make sure you get all of the flight information you are seeking from either RCCL or your TA.

 

Because you booked an air/sea package and you live in the UK, the rules are a lot different than in the United States.

 

All of those posts from the Americans telling you that RCCL just acted as a booking agent in ordering your flights are not true. In the EU, when a package including air is booked, RCCL is considered to be the "organizer" (this is a legal term with a very precise definition) of the whole package, and as such preserves legal responsibility for the flights as well as the cruise, unlike what happens in the United States.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

 

Assuming that is 100% true, there won't be a cruiseline in the entire FREE WORLD that would give a cruise passenger the terminal that the plane will depart and/or where the baggage will end!!!!!

 

Heck, half the airlines won't give out this information because they simply don't know. If they do tell you, just assume they are guessing.

 

As far as RCI not discussing the booking with you, I understand your frustration. I have had this happen before...but I will also tell you it is custom in the cruise industry. Once you had over a booking (or even if you have the TA book it for you from the beginning), you cannot simply call the cruiseline to discuss your booking. I think this is to protect the TAs and because so much has been taken from the TAs (RCI doesn't even allow discounting anymore...if your TA gives you a discount, it is in the form of OBC). But I know that other cruise lines have this same policy.

 

I hope everything works out for you...but you need to know that what you are describing as a bad taste in your mouth needs to be directed at the TA in this case.

[Elizanessie]

.... I think this is to protect the TAs and because so much has been taken from the TAs (RCI doesn't even allow discounting anymore...if your TA gives you a discount, it is in the form of OBC). But I know that other cruise lines have this same policy.

 

UK TAs are allowed to discount.:D

[trinitytrees]

This discussion has allowed me to realise the same rules dont apply across the board from a company, but different rules re different countries from same company.

 

regarding airline, manchester only has 3 terminals, and I just needed to know which one so I could book carparking. also needed to know how much baggage allowance so dont go over weight.

[kymbakitty]

This discussion has allowed me to realise the same rules dont apply across the board from a company, but different rules re different countries from same company.

 

regarding airline, manchester only has 3 terminals, and I just needed to know which one so I could book carparking. also needed to know how much baggage allowance so dont go over weight.

 

Understood....but the same answer applies. A cruseline is simply not going to have your specific airport questions.

 

And the airline will only be guessing before the actual day the planes land (as to which gate). The terminal that the airline uses should probably be online (find the website for Manchester....it should tell you what airlines fly out of what terminals). A cruiseline is not a source for this information. If you had a good TA and didn't want to find out on your own, perhaps you could ask them to do the 3 minute research for you.

 

Go to the airfare's website and you will find out for yourself what the baggage allotment is....it will take you 3 minutes for this too!

 

Heck, go to flyertalk dot com (one of my favorite message boards) and you can find out everything you need and then some!

 

Enjoy!

[Elizanessie]

To find out flight details...ask your TA for the Record Locator ...and then go to -

 

https://www.checkmytrip.com/plnext/XCMTXITN/CleanUpSessionPui.action?SITE=XCMTXITN&LANGUAGE=GB

 

Enter Record Locator and check your flight details. :D

[trinitytrees]

Hi again, as my previous post, I had tried to go straight to airline company to ask them the questions, but as I posted they said they could not give me an answer because of data protection and that I had to ask via TA, yet my TA told me to ring airline!! frustration. (did this twice)

anyhow I got that one sorted, someone at RCI got the answers for me from the airline company.

[Lynnees]

You should be able to change TA's without a problem....contact a new TA and ask if they have a form you can sign to transfer the booking to them, the new TA sends it to RCI and then becomes the TA on record. In Canada this can be done.

 

Bob

That's certainly not true. The TA who owns the booking must send in a letter on their letterhead releasing the booking. Most will not do that without a charge.

[Merion_Mom]

That's certainly not true. The TA who owns the booking must send in a letter on their letterhead releasing the booking. Most will not do that without a charge.

 

But the point is moot, anyway, since the OP is long past final payment.

 

Unless, of course, THAT is different in the U.K., too. :rolleyes:

[Cruzaholic41]

All of those posts from the Americans telling you that RCCL just acted as a booking agent in ordering your flights are not true. In the EU, when a package including air is booked, RCCL is considered to be the "organizer" (this is a legal term with a very precise definition) of the whole package, and as such preserves legal responsibility for the flights as well as the cruise, unlike what happens in the United States.

 

And what exactly are you saying happens in the U.S.? They are just as responsible in an air/sea package here. But that does not mean they will know what terminal the flight will be at - which was the Op's question.

[kymbakitty]

Even if that is the case, calling the "organizer" to ask what terminal your plane leaves from and/or the baggage limit seems over the top. I wouldn't trust that they had the latest and greatest information anyway.

 

I guess I just don't understand why you would even think to contact a cruise line for that information (they wouldn't even make my top 3 list).

 

Maybe it's me and most people would call and ask the cruise line for airport/airline-specific questions.

 

Learn something new every day.

[Paulxyz2004]

Even if that is the case, calling the "organizer" to ask what terminal your plane leaves from and/or the baggage limit seems over the top. I wouldn't trust that they had the latest and greatest information anyway.

 

I guess I just don't understand why you would even think to contact a cruise line for that information (they wouldn't even make my top 3 list).

 

Maybe it's me and most people would call and ask the cruise line for airport/airline-specific questions.

 

Learn something new every day.

 

 

You are not alone, I´m with you on that one. I´d just go online to get the information from the airline / airport site.

[trinitytrees]

To find out flight details...ask your TA for the Record Locator ...and then go to -

 

https://www.checkmytrip.com/plnext/XCMTXITN/CleanUpSessionPui.action?SITE=XCMTXITN&LANGUAGE=GB

 

Enter Record Locator and check your flight details. :D

 

This is were my problem started I had tried several times to get details via the locator number, but i kept getting message saying it was invalid number, phoned TA who told me that number was locator number was wrong and for me to call airline, I did but they wouldnt/couldnt give me any info because of data protection, and refered me back to TA, TA then told me to ring RCI, I got the runaround, If I had a right locator number I would have been sorted.

[bob&france]

Opps..seems that changing TA's requires a little extra paperwork than I originally thought, as per Marilyn from Expedia Cruiseshipcenter's clarification,....but seem's do-able none the less.I suppose the "fee" to change might well be worth it.

 

Sorry to mislead.

 

Bob

[Tranquil Waters]

Sorry but that does not apply to UK bookings...here you can get price drops even after final payment...and it is done by refund to credit card not as OBC.

 

So for all the threads/posts about how "unfair" RCI is to cruisers from across the pond - apparantly that is a bit overstated??? :rolleyes::p:D Like with many things in life, there is good and bad for each side.......

[trinitytrees]

quick update, I sent email to RCI earlier to someone higher up, just got email back saying "I will get one of my team to contact you tomorrow"" fingers crossed that we get some news to help make a better start to our cruise.

 

fingers crossed all, and thank you for your advice and support i really appreciate it.

[firestarter_112]

This is were my problem started I had tried several times to get details via the locator number, but i kept getting message saying it was invalid number, phoned TA who told me that number was locator number was wrong and for me to call airline, I did but they wouldnt/couldnt give me any info because of data protection, and refered me back to TA, TA then told me to ring RCI, I got the runaround, If I had a right locator number I would have been sorted.

 

If you are on a 'Group Allocation' then this will not work until at least a month prior to your flight..

 

If you are flying with a low cost airline... i.e. JET2, Monarch, EasyJet, Aer Lingus, then it will work as most of them don't use Amadeus..

[firestarter_112]

Hi again, as my previous post, I had tried to go straight to airline company to ask them the questions, but as I posted they said they could not give me an answer because of data protection and that I had to ask via TA, yet my TA told me to ring airline!! frustration. (did this twice)

anyhow I got that one sorted, someone at RCI got the answers for me from the airline company.

 

the reason the airline wouldn't answer was because you were asking about a specific booking, if you'd called them and just asked what their kuggage allowance was if you flew from departure airport to destination airport in economy, they would've answered your question... And I would still double check with the airline, to ensure the info given is correct...

[trinitytrees]

just to update as I said I would, I got an email response back from someone in RCI today, whilst the answer is not what i was looking for at least I got an answer regarding my price query and cheaper prices now available. it has been explained as my booking was for a specific offer and included flights to recalculate now using lower cabin price, airfare would put it more than we paid last year (although I feel air fares do go up nearer the time so not good fair equation)

 

so I have resolved that we have to accept, at least I am happier that we got someone to respond and I have written back to thank her (grace) for that.

 

cheers everyone happy cruising.............I hope we enjoy ours we deserve to as does everyone thanks for all support and advice on here.