Price drop guarantee

[Clarea]

We are sailing on the Jewel Of The Seas on Christmas eve. DH and I have been loyal customers for many years. I don't remember how many cruises we have taken, but many on different cruise lines and we are Emrald class now on RC. After this cruise we will be Diamonds. As so many of you have stated, we are loosing money due to the price dropping after final payment. When I called for a ship credit I discovered the new policy. All three ladies I spoke with were polite to their credit in the face of my anger, but the outcome was the same as your stories that amounted to sorry about your luck. I find this policy very poor customer service also. I work in a field where customer service is the key to keeping the doors open. I would think in today's economy RC would make customer service a priority. I think in place of "sorry this is the policy and I cant do anything about it", RC should come up with a plan for loyal customers that would take the sting out of it. A good recovery would be "sorry I can't give you a refund now, but how about I arrange for you and your husband to enjoy a free drink and a free RC T shirt during your cruise and I will bring your complaint to the attention to our directors." It does not have to be a drink and T shirt. It could be a free dinner at Chops or something that would cost pennies to RC but would go a long way to making me feel less unappreciated. Of course there were no upgrades available so needless to say, I am disgruntled about the money I am loosing. My friends have been trying to get me to jump ship and sail away with them on another cruise line in the future and I am now thinking WHY NOT?

Because Royal's policy is the same as other mass market cruise lines, so there would be no difference.

[tfrcal]

We are sailing on the Jewel Of The Seas on Christmas eve. DH and I have been loyal customers for many years. I don't remember how many cruises we have taken, but many on different cruise lines and we are Emrald class now on RC. After this cruise we will be Diamonds. As so many of you have stated, we are loosing money due to the price dropping after final payment. When I called for a ship credit I discovered the new policy. All three ladies I spoke with were polite to their credit in the face of my anger, but the outcome was the same as your stories that amounted to sorry about your luck. I find this policy very poor customer service also. I work in a field where customer service is the key to keeping the doors open. I would think in today's economy RC would make customer service a priority. I think in place of "sorry this is the policy and I cant do anything about it", RC should come up with a plan for loyal customers that would take the sting out of it. A good recovery would be "sorry I can't give you a refund now, but how about I arrange for you and your husband to enjoy a free drink and a free RC T shirt during your cruise and I will bring your complaint to the attention to our directors." It does not have to be a drink and T shirt. It could be a free dinner at Chops or something that would cost pennies to RC but would go a long way to making me feel less unappreciated. Of course there were no upgrades available so needless to say, I am disgruntled about the money I am loosing. My friends have been trying to get me to jump ship and sail away with them on another cruise line in the future and I am now thinking WHY NOT?

 

So if prices go up a week before sailing are you going to give Royal the increased fare? I didn't think so. Book when you think the price is fair and be happy.

[DonnaK]

We are sailing on the Jewel Of The Seas on Christmas eve. DH and I have been loyal customers for many years. I don't remember how many cruises we have taken, but many on different cruise lines and we are Emrald class now on RC. After this cruise we will be Diamonds. As so many of you have stated, we are loosing money due to the price dropping after final payment. When I called for a ship credit I discovered the new policy. All three ladies I spoke with were polite to their credit in the face of my anger, but the outcome was the same as your stories that amounted to sorry about your luck. I find this policy very poor customer service also. I work in a field where customer service is the key to keeping the doors open. I would think in today's economy RC would make customer service a priority. I think in place of "sorry this is the policy and I cant do anything about it", RC should come up with a plan for loyal customers that would take the sting out of it. A good recovery would be "sorry I can't give you a refund now, but how about I arrange for you and your husband to enjoy a free drink and a free RC T shirt during your cruise and I will bring your complaint to the attention to our directors." It does not have to be a drink and T shirt. It could be a free dinner at Chops or something that would cost pennies to RC but would go a long way to making me feel less unappreciated. Of course there were no upgrades available so needless to say, I am disgruntled about the money I am loosing. My friends have been trying to get me to jump ship and sail away with them on another cruise line in the future and I am now thinking WHY NOT?

 

All mainstream cruiselines have the exact same policy, so your outcome will still be the same...no refund after final payment.

[silentbob007]

.... . It could be a free dinner at Chops or something that would cost pennies to RC but would go a long way to making me feel less unappreciated. Of course there were no upgrades available so needless to say, I am disgruntled about the money I am loosing....

 

I can't imagine the mess that would be caused by having different front-line policies apply to different cruisers just because of how "loyal" they are ... heck, we can't even agree as to what "loyalty" means when it comes to cruises, days, dollars spent, etc.

 

What it comes down to is that you are understandably upset, but you are not losing money. You are getting the same product that you originally agreed to pay for at the price you once thought was reasonable. What is upsetting you is that someone else is getting the same for less ... which is life.

[CruisingMachine]

I booked adventure of the seas , dec 26 sailing , last year while on RCL freedom of the seas. The sales pitch they give is by booking a year in advance you are guaranteed the best cabins at the best price. Let me mention that I have been on 15 cruises and HAVE NEVER booked this far in advance.WILL never do again. The one time I listened to the hype , I lost out big time. My RCL cabin has gone down $750.00 and unlike my experience with other lines, RCL will not accommodate in any way. I AM A CROWM AND ANCHOR MEMBER BUT HAVE NOW CANCELLED MY RCL credit card, memberships with them etc. I will not sail with them again . Also, for first time cruisers, unless you have a very specific cabin and location you want , keep checking prices and wait for best price. I have always (15) stayed in the category I wanted on ships and never, other than the above time, booked more than 6 months out. Also, when leaving from San Juan you never know with air. the prices have been high all year and I got my best fair ( under $150 ) last month. After 15 cruises , I don't think this is just luck. ALSO, I have always received OBC with my cruises.

RCL price guarantee basically just adds up to nothing. They guarantee that once you pay in full ( which I would never do until final payment date) they will not increase your rate should it go up. GIVE ME A BREAK. Only the cruise line benefits by consumers paying way in advance of sailing. To drastically cut prices and leave loyal customers in the hole is bad business. I think the problem they had with this sailing is the air to San Juan. When the air is so high that people are paying more in airfare than for the cruise, they have cancellations or no bookings and end up with many empty cabins that they need to full so basically are almost giving them away.

 

You seem to be mistaken about numerous things. First, you did indeed get the best cabin at the best price when you originally booked your cruise onboard. You were guaranteed at that point that your price would NOT go up, even before final payment whether you were paid in full or not. As soon as you paid your deposit, your rate was LOCKED in and could NOT go higher. Because you booked onboard, I am assuming you paid reduced deposit of $100 per person, whereas it would normally be $250 for a 7-night cruise or $450 p/p for a long cruise. In addition, you got on-board credit for making the booking.

 

You say the price dropped, but you don't say exactly when. Any price drop before the final payment date (whether you are already paid in full or not) can still be taken advantage of, as long as it is not a special promotion that applies to new bookings only.

 

If the price drop occured after final payment, it's true you can't get a refund or on-board credit of the difference; however, this is exactly the same situation with any cruise line. Royal WILL allow you to upgrade even after final payment to take advantage of lower prices. So if you were booked in an ocean view, and a balcony became available at the same price you had already paid, you could upgrade to the balcony for free.

 

There is ZERO downside to booking early. The deposit is refundable. Your rate is locked in and can't go up, but you can still take advantage of a price up right up to the final payment date. You can cancel for a full refund anytime prior to that final payment date. If you think the pricing is going to go down after final payment, then cancel, give up your room, and take your chances. Don't want to cancel and lose that prime room you got months ago that will get snapped in about 45 seconds? Big surprise.

 

Nobody ever calls the cruise line and says "Hey, I see the price for rooms went up after I made final payment for my cruise! Can I pay you more money?!" but you sure see people complaining if the price goes down after final payment. It's a bit of a gamble, but with very little downside for the consumer.

 

Much more often prices go UP after final payment than down, so the odds are on your side to book well ahead of time, especially if you want to go on a specifice cruise. Only if you aren't picky about ship, saildate, and room location would it be best to wait until late.

 

Ultimately, it's based on supply and demand. The cruise line does it's best job to estimate how much to charge for the rooms, but as you say if the pricing for airfare goes up they may have to drop the cruise fare to get the remaining rooms booked. Do you think they like to drop the prices and get less money? And you want them to then re-adjust every room booked? No cruise line would be in sailing for long with that business model.

[cantw8togo]

All mainstream cruiselines have the same policy of no price adjustments after final payment, so to say that RCI is the worst in customer service and loyalty is simply not true.

 

Last minute isn't always the best way to go - I have NEVER seen a price drop on any of our 6 previous RCI cruises; only price increases. The Explorer cruise we have booked has more than doubled after final payment from the price we paid. And our upcoming Oasis booking is up $150 since we booked (this one is not yet after final payment).

 

We booked our upcoming cruise (Jan. 2) five days ago and it has just gone down almost $600 for the four of us. Frustrating.

[Llbbss]

Don't understand comment about open booking etc.

 

Again, done with RCL . Interesting that so many have a different version of what the policy means , the fairness and industry standards. I will just share that this is my first experience with such a drastic price drop on a cruise line . Again, I have been on many cruises with different companies and RCL has been the worst in customer service, food and amenities . We travel on average with 2 or more other families and all agree. The only reason we decided on RCL for this cruise was because one family really wanted to do the Dutch islands and this seemed the best choice. Our kids all agree Disney and Carnival have the best kids programs at sea.

 

Bottom line, if you are financially capable of sailing with any cruise line, go with the one that knows you have choices and values the fact that you picked them and want you to be a return client.

 

Also, RCL asked me to pay an additional $ 300 for an upgrade. Can you imagine if I do that, price goes down again , and I end up losing not just $750 but another $300. Oh , a upgrade for no charge may be had if available----- and how often do you think it's available.

The great thing about being a cruise lover in the USA is our abundance of choices. Although RCL has bent on their policy ( despite others saying no way) to make us whole, I will take my business somewhere else. Mickey in march ,celebrity in July and carnival / Costa or NCL inept winter

[tfrcal]

Don't understand comment about open booking etc.

 

Again, done with RCL . Interesting that so many have a different version of what the policy means , the fairness and industry standards. I will just share that this is my first experience with such a drastic price drop on a cruise line . Again, I have been on many cruises with different companies and RCL has been the worst in customer service, food and amenities . We travel on average with 2 or more other families and all agree. The only reason we decided on RCL for this cruise was because one family really wanted to do the Dutch islands and this seemed the best choice. Our kids all agree Disney and Carnival have the best kids programs at sea.

 

Bottom line, if you are financially capable of sailing with any cruise line, go with the one that knows you have choices and values the fact that you picked them and want you to be a return client.

 

Also, RCL asked me to pay an additional $ 300 for an upgrade. Can you imagine if I do that, price goes down again , and I end up losing not just $750 but another $300. Oh , a upgrade for no charge may be had if available----- and how often do you think it's available.

The great thing about being a cruise lover in the USA is our abundance of choices. Although RCL has bent on their policy ( despite others saying no way) to make us whole, I will take my business somewhere else. Mickey in march ,celebrity in July and carnival / Costa or NCL inept winter

 

What cruise lines have given you OBC or other compensation when the price drops after final payment date?

[cruisinfanatic]

We are sailing on the Jewel Of The Seas on Christmas eve. DH and I have been loyal customers for many years. I don't remember how many cruises we have taken, but many on different cruise lines and we are Emrald class now on RC. After this cruise we will be Diamonds. As so many of you have stated, we are loosing money due to the price dropping after final payment. When I called for a ship credit I discovered the new policy. All three ladies I spoke with were polite to their credit in the face of my anger, but the outcome was the same as your stories that amounted to sorry about your luck. I find this policy very poor customer service also. I work in a field where customer service is the key to keeping the doors open. I would think in today's economy RC would make customer service a priority. I think in place of "sorry this is the policy and I cant do anything about it", RC should come up with a plan for loyal customers that would take the sting out of it. A good recovery would be "sorry I can't give you a refund now, but how about I arrange for you and your husband to enjoy a free drink and a free RC T shirt during your cruise and I will bring your complaint to the attention to our directors." It does not have to be a drink and T shirt. It could be a free dinner at Chops or something that would cost pennies to RC but would go a long way to making me feel less unappreciated. Of course there were no upgrades available so needless to say, I am disgruntled about the money I am loosing. My friends have been trying to get me to jump ship and sail away with them on another cruise line in the future and I am now thinking WHY NOT?

So what is the secret cruiseline that gives you a price drop or OBC after the final payment due date???

[cruisinfanatic]

Don't understand comment about open booking etc.

 

Again, done with RCL . Interesting that so many have a different version of what the policy means , the fairness and industry standards. I will just share that this is my first experience with such a drastic price drop on a cruise line . Again, I have been on many cruises with different companies and RCL has been the worst in customer service, food and amenities . We travel on average with 2 or more other families and all agree. The only reason we decided on RCL for this cruise was because one family really wanted to do the Dutch islands and this seemed the best choice. Our kids all agree Disney and Carnival have the best kids programs at sea.

 

Bottom line, if you are financially capable of sailing with any cruise line, go with the one that knows you have choices and values the fact that you picked them and want you to be a return client.

 

Also, RCL asked me to pay an additional $ 300 for an upgrade. Can you imagine if I do that, price goes down again , and I end up losing not just $750 but another $300. Oh , a upgrade for no charge may be had if available----- and how often do you think it's available.

The great thing about being a cruise lover in the USA is our abundance of choices. Although RCL has bent on their policy ( despite others saying no way) to make us whole, I will take my business somewhere else. Mickey in march ,celebrity in July and carnival / Costa or NCL inept winter

Worst in customer service??

That would be because you didn't get the answer you wanted maybe

 

Free upgrades? Who does that regularly unless there is a price drop?

 

Enjoy Mickey

[CruisingMachine]

We booked our upcoming cruise (Jan. 2) five days ago and it has just gone down almost $600 for the four of us. Frustrating.

 

I can understand that frustration. Since it was more than 48 hours ago your option would be to look at upgrade. Maybe you can get better rooms for no additional cost.

[Llbbss]

Glad my issue has been resolved . For those OK with the cruise line policy , great for you. Your loyalty should be recognized. For those who feel ripped off by the sales pitch and encouragement of booking in advance only to be out of hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars, advocate for yourself with the cruise lines .

I like Carnival's early booking policy---- should be industry standard and will take that in mind when booking in advance. After speaking with numerous lines, found that most are flexible and reasonable . Have you read about RCL trouble with financial reporting? Makes one wonder.

 

By the way, prices on adventure of the seas has dropped again. I just heard and confirmed on the wesite a drop of $ 1,200 from Sept prices.

[sr4mjc]

Don't understand comment about open booking etc.

 

Again, done with RCL . Interesting that so many have a different version of what the policy means , the fairness and industry standards. I will just share that this is my first experience with such a drastic price drop on a cruise line . Again, I have been on many cruises with different companies and RCL has been the worst in customer service, food and amenities . We travel on average with 2 or more other families and all agree. The only reason we decided on RCL for this cruise was because one family really wanted to do the Dutch islands and this seemed the best choice. Our kids all agree Disney and Carnival have the best kids programs at sea.

 

Bottom line, if you are financially capable of sailing with any cruise line, go with the one that knows you have choices and values the fact that you picked them and want you to be a return client.

 

Also, RCL asked me to pay an additional $ 300 for an upgrade. Can you imagine if I do that, price goes down again , and I end up losing not just $750 but another $300. Oh , a upgrade for no charge may be had if available----- and how often do you think it's available.

The great thing about being a cruise lover in the USA is our abundance of choices. Although RCL has bent on their policy ( despite others saying no way) to make us whole, I will take my business somewhere else. Mickey in march ,celebrity in July and carnival / Costa or NCL inept winter

 

I am having trouble following this. Are you past final payment or not? If so, an upgrade should not cost an additional $300. If a higher category cabin is available at a price less than what you paid, they should be able to move you at no cost. If you are going from a JS or lower to a GS you would incur some extra gratuities if you are doing MTD, but that's it.

 

If you aren't before final payment you will get your price drop. If you called about upgrading after final payment and it's an additional $300, well that's the price of the cabin. Sounds like with this quote you are before final payment ?"Can you imagine if I do that, price goes down again , and I end up losing not just $750 but another $300."

 

I'm not getting why you are so mad to be honest. If you don't like RCCL's cruise, that's cool though.

 

My Serenade cruise has no balconies left, I just made final payment. Had I waited, I would not be on the cruise. Can't afford the new price of the JS (which has gone up) and wouldn't want an inside or ocean view. It's a crap shoot.

[marci22]

In UK they pay penalties if they cancel but can still get price drops after final. I'd prefer that method to the one in place now.

 

Unlike other posters, my cruises have often gone down in price after final; maybe it is because I book during peak season when the prices are astronomical to start with.

 

Up until now I have had bookings that allowed price drops after final. Now that I no longer have that option, I am definitely booking more carefully.

[tfrcal]

Glad my issue has been resolved . For those OK with the cruise line policy , great for you. Your loyalty should be recognized. For those who feel ripped off by the sales pitch and encouragement of booking in advance only to be out of hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars, advocate for yourself with the cruise lines .

I like Carnival's early booking policy---- should be industry standard and will take that in mind when booking in advance. After speaking with numerous lines, found that most are flexible and reasonable . Have you read about RCL trouble with financial reporting? Makes one wonder.

 

By the way, prices on adventure of the seas has dropped again. I just heard and confirmed on the wesite a drop of $ 1,200 from Sept prices.

 

Again, would you had been willing to pay MORE had your cruise gone up in price. If not, why do you expect RC to drop the price for you because it has gone down?

[Llbbss]

Not mad at all. People have different views about expressing opinions. I personally will choose a different cruise line and just used this forum to provide information and MY opinion on the current state of policies. For consumers OK with RCL policies,fantastic.

 

I learned a lot from this experience which will serve me well on whatever cruise line I choose to use in the future.

[marci22]

Again, would you had been willing to pay MORE had your cruise gone up in price. If not, why do you expect RC to drop the price for you because it has gone down?

 

Why do they adjust prices after final for UK customers :confused:

[Starry Eyes]

Glad my issue has been resolved . For those OK with the cruise line policy , great for you. Your loyalty should be recognized. For those who feel ripped off by the sales pitch and encouragement of booking in advance only to be out of hundreds or sometimes thousands of dollars, advocate for yourself with the cruise lines .

I like Carnival's early booking policy---- should be industry standard and will take that in mind when booking in advance. After speaking with numerous lines, found that most are flexible and reasonable . Have you read about RCL trouble with financial reporting? Makes one wonder.

 

By the way, prices on adventure of the seas has dropped again. I just heard and confirmed on the wesite a drop of $ 1,200 from Sept prices.

are you also familiar with the downsides of Carnival's Early Saver policy? I do not generally cruise Carnival, so I have never been bitten by their policy. Others have and their are Carnival loyalists on these board who will not use Easly Saver. everyone should read the fine print before booking, otherwise one may be out the frying pan and into the fire...

anyway, have fun with Mickey and whichever lines you cruise...

[tfrcal]

Why do they adjust prices after final for UK customers :confused:

 

I believe it is due to governmental regulations.

[cantw8togo]

I can understand that frustration. Since it was more than 48 hours ago your option would be to look at upgrade. Maybe you can get better rooms for no additional cost.

 

They are completely booked in the higher categories. No upgrades available for us (at this time.) Maybe once the suites have been upgraded, the trickle down effect will make something available and the upgrade fairy will smile on us, but for now, I'm not optimistic.