Something I did not know....

[dlong1969]

So I decide to book my September cruise on the Freedom today. Nothing to do with the WOW non-sale, I just happened to be checking prices and saw pricing on a D1 for the Sept 1 western caribbean sailing...

 

Now, I check on "Big Online Travel Agency" first for pricing and availability because I like their interactive deck maps... and once I find a cruise or price I like, I will usually call Royal Caribbean directly...

 

The price for the cabin was sub 879.00 per person for a D1... NICE. So I call Royal and ask about aft balcony availability, since "Big Online Travel Agency" wasn't showing any. The cruise specialist says SURE... 1402 is available... GREAT... let's book it!

 

She started taking all my information, etc, and then tells me that the price is nearly 1100.00 per person... I said "huh"??? And then explained that I saw the price of 879 pp on "Big Online Travel Agency"... She said that they probably booked a block of rooms as were discounting their own commissions to sell them... she also told me that she could not match their price. I went to Royal Caribbean's website, and after fighting with it for a few minutes, found the same prices she was quoting me. I asked her to do a courtesy hold on 1402 while I checked with "Big Online Travel Agency"...

 

Called "Big Online Travel Agency", and talked to them about the cruise, verifying that my balcony discount was still available... and it was... so I asked about cabin 1402, or any other aft balcony, since they weren't showing any.

 

She called Royal Caribbean and was able to secure 1404 for me even though it was not "available" on their site... for the same price as was showing on "Big Online Travel Agency" website.... ON top of that, I got an additional 75 bucks OBC to boot...

 

So I didn't realize that if you saw a cabin on Royal Caribbean's website and not on "Big Online Travel Agency's" website, that they could call Royal Caribbean and secure the cabin for you... nice to know!

 

I would rather book with RC directly, but the price difference, you couldn't beat it!

[Ilovepj]

Can only say, I am a TA, and I have lists of group rates, (can put anyone in a group rate) and get big savings and OBC, sometimes a bottle of wine, etc.

 

When you call direct they dont tell you about those.

 

Example: I just booked someone for a cruise with 4 cabins, put them in a group rate, got each cabin cheaper, 75 OBC per cabin, a bottle of wine per cabin, and choc covered strawberries. This customer said (who cruises alot) said that was the best deal she ever got.

 

So sometimes A TA can do alot better, just saying..

 

Have a great cruise.

[NorbertsNiece]

Have read of instances with people having issues down the line with booking through a 'group'. Just be aware that down the line you may have difficulties with say price drops.....

[Ilovepj]

Have read of instances with people having issues down the line with booking through a 'group'. Just be aware that down the line you may have difficulties with say price drops.....

 

 

Dont know what you heard!! But not true. booking thru a group, has nothing to do with price drops.

[rncruiser]

I usually book through an big travel agency that does a lot of business with Royal Caribbean. They give me OBC and free travel insurance, for the same price that I would pay if I booked with Royal Caribbean directly. I have never had a problem getting a price drop. In fact, their web site has a page where you can enter the new price info and they will get the new price for you. I see no reason to book directly with Royal as long as I can get a better deal with a TA.

[cruisnseas]

They are not actually discounting it. They booked a block of rooms when that price was $879pp to everyone, so until they are sold out of their block, they sell it for that price. I have seen the opposite as well when TAs are offering their groups at a higher price than what is available to the public (although this is typically quickly corrected with a price adjustment, naturally).

 

In addition, had you booked when that TA booked, you would have gotten the same price.

 

But yes, for the most part (not always), you can get any room added to a category that the group already holds. Not always, as sometimes Royal will not let the TA add a room to the group, but in most cases.

[dlong1969]

They are not actually discounting it. They booked a block of rooms when that price was $879pp to everyone, so until they are sold out of their block, they sell it for that price. I have seen the opposite as well when TAs are offering their groups at a higher price than what is available to the public (although this is typically quickly corrected with a price adjustment, naturally).

 

In addition, had you booked when that TA booked, you would have gotten the same price.

 

But yes, for the most part (not always), you can get any room added to a category that the group already holds. Not always, as sometimes Royal will not let the TA add a room to the group, but in most cases.

 

Actually, I have been watching this particular cruise since October of 2012, watching for the best price. I check this particular agency as well as Royal Caribbean's website a couple times a day, watching for the best price... and Royal Caribbean has never shown the price at 879 pp for a D1 in the past 4 months that I saw. What you are saying could be true, but it would have had to be at that low price for a very short amount of time for me to miss it. The rate that the online TA is advertising only started a couple of days ago in correlation with a big cruise sale. When I asked RC about it, they said that the only way that they could discount these rooms so much was if they were forgoing some of their commissions.

 

Either way, doesn't matter... I am going in September for probably one of the best prices on a D1 that I have gotten on a 7 nighter... now I will end up wishing my summer away....... ugh

[PattyG12]

My TA works for "A Big Online Agency" and we can normally get into a group. We get the amenities that RCI Offers and then she tosses in something from "A Big Online Agency" ... Yes, we get price drops (if there are any) and yes, we get wonderful service. It makes no sense to me why people don't use a good TA.

[roboref]

I have also had problems with getting price drops or upgrades when booked through a large online agency. The TA will say"oh, you are booked on a group rate, so that price drop doens't apply to you". It has happened on several sailings with different TA's. So my last couple I waited till after the final payment date and booked directly with RCCL. At least I can talk directly to RCCL and then get adjusted. Just saying it does happen!

[Yorkvillain]

My TA works for "A Big Online Agency" and we can normally get into a group. We get the amenities that RCI Offers and then she tosses in something from "A Big Online Agency" ... Yes, we get price drops (if there are any) and yes, we get wonderful service. It makes no sense to me why people don't use a good TA.

 

Agreed. I love when people say that they don't use a TA because they are a "control freak" and want to have control of their reservation. Umm, ok.

[ahecht]

Called "Big Online Travel Agency", and talked to them about the cruise, verifying that my balcony discount was still available... and it was... so I asked about cabin 1402, or any other aft balcony, since they weren't showing any.

 

She called Royal Caribbean and was able to secure 1404 for me even though it was not "available" on their site... for the same price as was showing on "Big Online Travel Agency" website.... ON top of that, I got an additional 75 bucks OBC to boot...

 

FYI: One side of the 1404 balcony is a steel bulkhead, so not only will your balcony be narrower, it will also be darker. In fact, 1404 and 1704 are the narrowest balconies on the aft, and the 1402 balcony is wider by a couple of feet. You can see the difference in the picture below:

 

[princess5750]

And here is where I get annoyed..lol

I was on AOS last March and booked FOS for this coming weekend...we are in 1404...our friends are 1402. I had asked for a nice, aft room...by the looks of it, 1402 is not only bigger but has a better balcony! Now how does my friend get that room when they went down to book it hours after I did!?!?!?! Geesh.....

 

Do you happen to have any other pics of 1404???? No one seems to ever have any!!!!

[Toddcan]

Agreed. I love when people say that they don't use a TA because they are a "control freak" and want to have control of their reservation. Umm, ok.

 

I've only booked 6 cruises (sailed on 4, and my 5th is coming up next week), so my experience may not be typical. I have been on both sides of this equation: booked with a TA on two cruises, and then booked the remaining myself.

 

The biggest disadvantage is that if I see a price drop, and I have booked through a TA, I have to go through that TA to claim the price drop. Now, I am not sure how long price drops stay on the website, but if there is a chance that it could be gone in a few hours, then I risk not claiming the price drop. A lot of times, I do my surfing in the evening. If I notice a price drop, unless they are a 24 hour TA - I have to wait until morning to try and get a hold of the TA.

 

So much easier doing it yourself.

[reallyitsmema]

And here is where I get annoyed..lol

I was on AOS last March and booked FOS for this coming weekend...we are in 1404...our friends are 1402. I had asked for a nice, aft room...by the looks of it, 1402 is not only bigger but has a better balcony! Now how does my friend get that room when they went down to book it hours after I did!?!?!?! Geesh.....

 

Do you happen to have any other pics of 1404???? No one seems to ever have any!!!!

Always look at the deck plans when you are booking. 1404 is also a connecting cabin to the JS beside it.

[critterchick]

I have also had problems with getting price drops or upgrades when booked through a large online agency. The TA will say"oh, you are booked on a group rate, so that price drop doens't apply to you". It has happened on several sailings with different TA's. So my last couple I waited till after the final payment date and booked directly with RCCL. At least I can talk directly to RCCL and then get adjusted. Just saying it does happen!

 

Being booked on a group rate has nothing to do with price drops. Not all agencies will honor them.

 

Always look at the deck plans when you are booking. 1404 is also a connecting cabin to the JS beside it.

 

And to the OP, call back and see if 1402 is available again. When RCI put it on hold for you, it took it out of inventory for a bit, so wouldn't have been available to the Big Agency.

[princess5750]

1404 looked ok to me...he had said the corners were already sold out, so I said give me the next best one up there...and that is what I got. I don't care if it's an adjoining room..that doesn't make a difference...oh well...I guess in the end, I am used to a smaller balcony so this is still a step up!! But if the room is bigger, it would have been nice to have that one instead since we have 2 kids and they have one! More room is always good!

[Georgiagolfer]

So I decide to book my September cruise on the Freedom today. Nothing to do with the WOW non-sale, I just happened to be checking prices and saw pricing on a D1 for the Sept 1 western caribbean sailing...

 

I would rather book with RC directly, but the price difference, you couldn't beat it!

 

dlong1969, don't forget to join our roll call for FOS on 9/1/13, and also signup for the Meet & Mingle.

 

Congrats on the rate, and welcome to our group.

[ahecht]

And here is where I get annoyed..lol

I was on AOS last March and booked FOS for this coming weekend...we are in 1404...our friends are 1402. I had asked for a nice, aft room...by the looks of it, 1402 is not only bigger but has a better balcony! Now how does my friend get that room when they went down to book it hours after I did!?!?!?! Geesh.....

 

Do you happen to have any other pics of 1404???? No one seems to ever have any!!!!

 

The room is the same size, it's just the balcony that's different. I am currently posting a review of my cruise on Independence of the Seas in room 1704, which is the mirror image of 1404. There are pictures of the room here, here, and here.

[Big_G]

Agreed. I love when people say that they don't use a TA because they are a "control freak" and want to have control of their reservation. Umm, ok.

 

Not all TA's are created equal. If you found one that makes you happy, that's great. RCI won't even talk to you if you have a TA so if you see price drops, 24/7 accessibility is a must.

[dlong1969]

And to the OP, call back and see if 1402 is available again. When RCI put it on hold for you, it took it out of inventory for a bit, so wouldn't have been available to the Big Agency.

 

Talk about the timing-Gods being on my side today. Called Royal Caribbean to check to see if 1402 or any other aft balconies opened up... and while on the phone with them, 1402 came back in inventory... my hold expired. Called the TA and had them switch it.... done!

 

Now if only 1400 or 1700 would open up....... RIGHT...

 

:)

[smoosh21]

So I decide to book my September cruise on the Freedom today. Nothing to do with the WOW non-sale, I just happened to be checking prices and saw pricing on a D1 for the Sept 1 western caribbean sailing...

 

Now, I check on "Big Online Travel Agency" first for pricing and availability because I like their interactive deck maps... and once I find a cruise or price I like, I will usually call Royal Caribbean directly...

 

The price for the cabin was sub 879.00 per person for a D1... NICE. So I call Royal and ask about aft balcony availability, since "Big Online Travel Agency" wasn't showing any. The cruise specialist says SURE... 1402 is available... GREAT... let's book it!

 

She started taking all my information, etc, and then tells me that the price is nearly 1100.00 per person... I said "huh"??? And then explained that I saw the price of 879 pp on "Big Online Travel Agency"... She said that they probably booked a block of rooms as were discounting their own commissions to sell them... she also told me that she could not match their price. I went to Royal Caribbean's website, and after fighting with it for a few minutes, found the same prices she was quoting me. I asked her to do a courtesy hold on 1402 while I checked with "Big Online Travel Agency"...

 

Called "Big Online Travel Agency", and talked to them about the cruise, verifying that my balcony discount was still available... and it was... so I asked about cabin 1402, or any other aft balcony, since they weren't showing any.

 

She called Royal Caribbean and was able to secure 1404 for me even though it was not "available" on their site... for the same price as was showing on "Big Online Travel Agency" website.... ON top of that, I got an additional 75 bucks OBC to boot...

 

So I didn't realize that if you saw a cabin on Royal Caribbean's website and not on "Big Online Travel Agency's" website, that they could call Royal Caribbean and secure the cabin for you... nice to know!

 

I would rather book with RC directly, but the price difference, you couldn't beat it!

 

That is nice to know. I will have to try that next time.