Price drop in Oz

[Oreollie]

In Oz, will TA or Royal Caribbean match price drops on a cruise that you have booked?

[happyaussies]

We asked and got! Saved BIg $$$$$$$

 

So no harm in asking? If you don't ask you don't get! :)

[Aussieflyer]

Unless new low price is for "new bookings only" which cruiselines seem to sometimes use to get around the problem.

[MicCanberra]

Very dependent on the offer and the TA:D

[The_Big_M]

Usually yes if through RCL, if it meets the standard conditions elsewhere in the world. Can't be new bookings only, and has to be before final payment.

 

Note that TAs can add their own extra conditions and charges, so you'd have to check with the TA if they would let you, and if there is a cost.

[dizzy1948]

Just trying that myself - I left a couple of hundred to pay towards final date - and noted our cruise has dropped in price - plus OBC is $100 per cabin - up from $75.00. So I have spoken to my TA and asked the very same question - can we have the reduced price plus the extra OBC and if there will be any charges to do this - will get a reply on Monday. Did the booking in Sept 2012 and paid up front for our cabin - then added the grand kids - all on the same booking - and only paid 3/4 of their cabin (someone somewhere had said don't pay all up front - then you can make changes as the transaction isn't complete. So I am testing that theory.:eek:

[keagle]

Our cruise in 2014 was advertised as an early bird special. Our friends rand their TA and asked if they could get the cheaper rate. No problem. Cancelled and re-booked with the same room at a reduced cost.

 

I had booked direct with RCI, but was not so sure how I would go. But, I cancelled our booking and then was taken to a screen asking if I wanted to book another cruise. :o Hmm, yeah, sure I do.

 

I went through the whole procedure again with the same cruise and was able to book the same cabin as well for a lower cost. :)

 

I did send an email to RCI about this asking if it would be possible to get the reduced fare on our original booking, only to get the spiel email about this is only for new bookings.

 

Glad I just went ahead online and did it myself. Saved about $900.

[MicCanberra]

Our cruise in 2014 was advertised as an early bird special. Our friends rand their TA and asked if they could get the cheaper rate. No problem. Cancelled and re-booked with the same room at a reduced cost.

 

I had booked direct with RCI, but was not so sure how I would go. But, I cancelled our booking and then was taken to a screen asking if I wanted to book another cruise. :o Hmm, yeah, sure I do.

 

I went through the whole procedure again with the same cruise and was able to book the same cabin as well for a lower cost. :)

 

I did send an email to RCI about this asking if it would be possible to get the reduced fare on our original booking, only to get the spiel email about this is only for new bookings.

 

Glad I just went ahead online and did it myself. Saved about $900.

I have recently cancelled two bookings and rebooked so as to take advantage of the 123 go promo. Both are well before final payment and had not increased in fares.:D

[Ladypop]

A couple of days ago I got a sale brochure from my cruise line....took the brochure to my TA, asked if I could have the reduced fare, got a flat "NO" . This is for a cruise we're taking in November, which we haven't made the final payment for. I asked if she could ring the cruise line and check, she was VERY reluctant, so I told her that was fine, I would just cancel the cruise and rebook directly through the cruise line. So she makes the phone call, and sure enough, we saved $250. Which might not sound like much, but it'll cover one of our shore excursions. I couldn't understand her reluctance, but when I was telling DH about it, he reckons she's probably rebooking EVERYONE who doesn't already know about the possible savings and then pocketing the difference!!!! ::eek::eek:

Surely not???

[dizzy1948]

I couldn't understand her reluctance, but when I was telling DH about it, he reckons she's probably rebooking EVERYONE who doesn't already know about the possible savings and then pocketing the difference!!!! :

Surely not???

 

No Ladypop - that can't happen - because each and every person would get the new itinerary and invoice. But............................If it could ...................I'm going to put my name down to be a TA:D:D:p

 

It would help to pay for future cruises. Only joking folks.

[Ladypop]

That's what I thought....surely the cruise line would notify you of the "new" booking. So I'm left wondering why she was SO reluctant to do anything?? If any other price cuts happen between now and the final payment date for our cruise, she'll be getting another visit from me, reluctant or not!!!

[goodycruising]

I'm voting for lazy TA. Bad day, or leaving the company soon and doesn't care about future business? I don't know why they would be reluctant after being busted in not letting you know of the better deal in the first place? Embarrassed maybe.

 

I know what I am, annoyed, that there seems to be plenty of attitude from TAs that need to realise the internet is alive and well and they better offer something if they want to keep customers. Punching the same buttons that I can on a computer and getting a nice percentage is not what I call service.

 

If I go to a website, do all my own research, and then have to chase a TA to get my C&A discounts, all the while paying the same dollar amount, why would I go back again? My TA will be getting one more chance to show me why I would bother using them this week, and I may even cancel the whole booking and go direct. I like to think there is some value to keeping TAs in business, but I am not being convinced.

 

You might say change to another. This is our second, we wanted to support a local one last year, they had a cursory look on the website and said, oh nothing available. We went home and looked ourselves, and found an online one that could get us the cruise we wanted. Now we have used them again and we need to continualy ask about all our entitled discounts?

 

It is my opinion that we should be on this board bragging about how our TA has done so well. Not getting info from other passengers and other CC members, and having to ring them, they don't ring back for 2 weeks, you ring again and they say ring back after you cruise and we will look into your next level discount. They couldn't make a note and get back to me after the cruise?

[The_Big_M]

I couldn't understand her reluctance, but when I was telling DH about it, he reckons she's probably rebooking EVERYONE who doesn't already know about the possible savings and then pocketing the difference!!!! :

Surely not???

 

No Ladypop - that can't happen - because each and every person would get the new itinerary and invoice. But............................If it could ...................I'm going to put my name down to be a TA:D:D:p

 

It would help to pay for future cruises. Only joking folks.

 

PErhaps it depends on the cruise line, but I don't see that people would get a new itinerary or invoice. When I book with a TA they're the only ones that send me the details, so there's no need to resend when the itinerary is the same. And they produce the invoice themselves, so that's also not an issue.

 

That said, I very much doubt they would do that unless they were really dodgy (which you get in an any business). But most would not as it's completely unethical and they would lose their job and custom once found out.

[MicCanberra]

PErhaps it depends on the cruise line, but I don't see that people would get a new itinerary or invoice. When I book with a TA they're the only ones that send me the details, so there's no need to resend when the itinerary is the same. And they produce the invoice themselves, so that's also not an issue.

 

That said, I very much doubt they would do that unless they were really dodgy (which you get in an any business). But most would not as it's completely unethical and they would lose their job and custom once found out.

IMHO, I do not think TA would rebook without permission just to profit. If they rebook it will have a new booking number, so the details may go to the TA but the booking number would be different and that is the easiest way a person to check.:D

[The_Big_M]

IMHO, I do not think TA would rebook without permission just to profit. If they rebook it will have a new booking number, so the details may go to the TA but the booking number would be different and that is the easiest way a person to check.:D

 

Again it may depend on the cruise line, as that's not always the case.

[Australian family]

A couple of days ago I got a sale brochure from my cruise line....took the brochure to my TA, asked if I could have the reduced fare, got a flat "NO" . This is for a cruise we're taking in November, which we haven't made the final payment for. I asked if she could ring the cruise line and check, she was VERY reluctant, so I told her that was fine, I would just cancel the cruise and rebook directly through the cruise line. So she makes the phone call, and sure enough, we saved $250. Which might not sound like much, but it'll cover one of our shore excursions. I couldn't understand her reluctance, but when I was telling DH about it, he reckons she's probably rebooking EVERYONE who doesn't already know about the possible savings and then pocketing the difference!!!! ::eek::eek:

Surely not???

 

Make mental note not to use that TA in the future!

[dizzy1948]

Got details and confirmation of my re-book - got a new booking ref, a cost reduction - and bonus............... more than double on board credit per cabin. One happy little vegemite now. :D:D:D Got a new itinerary and invoice (combined) to note the changes. Roll on Christmas :p

Just as an aside - it says flights are available through Princess for our cruise. (Already booked flights separately anyway)but........when I clicked on the flights tab it said: "Your cruise does not require flights" - Hello....we live in Perth - too far to walk, too long to drive - go figure. :eek:

[MicCanberra]

Got details and confirmation of my re-book - got a new booking ref, a cost reduction - and bonus............... more than double on board credit per cabin. One happy little vegemite now. :D:D:D Got a new itinerary and invoice (combined) to note the changes. Roll on Christmas :p

Just as an aside - it says flights are available through Princess for our cruise. (Already booked flights separately anyway)but........when I clicked on the flights tab it said: "Your cruise does not require flights" - Hello....we live in Perth - too far to walk, too long to drive - go figure. :eek:

Good work,

LOL, the websites are perculiar things, I remember the americans complaining of similar happenings between cruises that left Miami whren they reside in Oregon and California and vice versa. Even had Canadians not being able to book flights out of Fort Lauderdale.:D