Upgrade pricing - how it's calculated?

[villauk]

I am a little perturbed as I've tried to upgrade our cabins from C1 to D1 on Oasis today and have been quoted a price that is visible nowhere online :confused:. Perhaps some TAs could explain how it works :confused:.

 

I looked yesterday but the cabins we wanted only became available this morning - great. So I rang RCI as my TA didn't open until later this morning and asked them to hold the cabins as I didn't want to lose them. The advisor said he couldn't discuss the prices with me only my TA, fair enough, but I thought as it was after final payment they would let me just pay the difference. The amount he mentioned was virtually the same as I'd paid for my C1 cabins.

 

Anyway, to cut a long story short, RCI have told me I can only upgrade if I pay an additional £500 for each cabin as the online price (which is the same as he mentioned) is for new bookings only. No, it's not a Tuesday special price as it's on the UK site so we don't get them. Additionally, it's the only price you can see for that sailing when you do a dummy booking on line. So, my point is, the £500 I've been told to pay extra is not available to see anywhere? Whereas everyone else can book online for £500 less. I was under the impression that you could upgrade, even after final payment, at the current RCI website pricing :confused:. Nowhere on the UK site is the amount RCI is quoting visible? I have noticed that since this morning, they have now placed a little deal icon on the top right of the sailing.

 

A representative I spoke to on Customer Services said to get my TA to ring again and she was sure someone would accommodate me. The UK office's response was basically that Customer Svs are based in Miami, not here in the UK. So, where does the extra £500 quote come from, could someone explain? Btw, this isn't a group booking.

[gerif]

As I read it, the cheaper price is for new bookings only (as you stated). Since you are already booked on the cruise, you are clearly not a new booking and, therefore, not eligible for the lower rate. Am I not getting something here?More About Royal Caribbean International

 

Register for a Meet & Mingle

 

Learn More about Meet & Mingles

 

Royal Caribbean ROLL CALLS

 

Confirmed Party Listing

 

Royal Caribbean International

 

Royal Caribbean Cruise Reviews

 

Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals

Check Cruise Prices

Cruise Line:

 

Destination:

 

Month:

 

 

Compare deals from top travel sites

[villauk]

As I read it, the cheaper price is for new bookings only (as you stated). Since you are already booked on the cruise, you are clearly not a new booking and, therefore, not eligible for the lower rate. Am I not getting something here?More About Royal Caribbean International

 

Register for a Meet & Mingle

 

Learn More about Meet & Mingles

 

Royal Caribbean ROLL CALLS

 

Confirmed Party Listing

 

Royal Caribbean International

 

Royal Caribbean Cruise Reviews

 

Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals

Check Cruise Prices

Cruise Line:

 

Destination:

 

Month:

 

 

 

So what rate is used to calculate the upgrade if there is only one price rate available and I'm not eligible for it? Do they just pluck one out of the air?

[ggo85]

I'm guessing they have a price but it's not available for people to see b/c cruise lines typically only publish prices for new bookings. What would be interesting is to make a second call and see if you get the same price to upgrade on the same day.

 

If they don't entice people with the new booking price, they may eventually offer better deals to upgrade.

[villauk]

I'm guessing they have a price but it's not available for people to see b/c cruise lines typically only publish prices for new bookings. What would be interesting is to make a second call and see if you get the same price to upgrade on the same day.

 

If they don't entice people with the new booking price, they may eventually offer better deals to upgrade.

 

Thank you. Yes, you may be right. It's worth keeping my eye on it and making further calls to compare ;).

[TBone2K]

If you are trying to upgrade for more money via your TA, they will need to either go through resolutions, or keep calling back until they find someone who can give you what you want. This is part of the problem with RC. All agents seem to have the ability to do things, but some of them seem to be missing either the motivation or the training.

 

You really aren't upgrading, you are cancelling one booking and entering another. Basically if you are past final payment date, the TA needs to find someone who has the authority to waive the cancellation fee.

 

At least this is the way it has been explained to me. Others may have had success without this runaround, but like I said, inconsistencies abound at RC customer service.

[Lynnees]

If you are trying to upgrade for more money via your TA, they will need to either go through resolutions, or keep calling back until they find someone who can give you what you want. This is part of the problem with RC. All agents seem to have the ability to do things, but some of them seem to be missing either the motivation or the training.

 

You really aren't upgrading, you are cancelling one booking and entering another. Basically if you are past final payment date, the TA needs to find someone who has the authority to waive the cancellation fee.

 

At least this is the way it has been explained to me. Others may have had success without this runaround, but like I said, inconsistencies abound at RC customer service.

 

You have given a lot of wrong info here. First, OP is in the UK therefore different rules. Second, you can't just cancel and rebook after final unless there is a heck of big difference and you're still going to lose money depending on how long after final and that is not what OP wants to do, he/she simply wants to upgrade at a price he/she saw.

[TBone2K]

You have given a lot of wrong info here.

 

No third hand info here. Just retelling what happened to me and the explanation I received.

 

Bottom line, don't give up just because someone says you can't.

[Newtoncruise]

At the end of the day it is a very active market. There are full ships and less full ships. There are enquiries from everywhere after different cabin types. They have to match enquiries with availability and make the best profit possible.

 

So it can clearly change by the day. Is their marketing working or are they at a point where they can cut you a deal......

 

Keep trying........

[Lynnees]

No third hand info here. Just retelling what happened to me and the explanation I received.

 

Bottom line, don't give up just because someone says you can't.

 

Then you were given wrong information, because what you posted is just plain wrong.

[skiiergirl]

I am a little perturbed as I've tried to upgrade our cabins from C1 to D1 on Oasis today and have been quoted a price that is visible nowhere online :confused:. Perhaps some TAs could explain how it works :confused:.

 

I looked yesterday but the cabins we wanted only became available this morning - great. So I rang RCI as my TA didn't open until later this morning and asked them to hold the cabins as I didn't want to lose them. The advisor said he couldn't discuss the prices with me only my TA, fair enough, but I thought as it was after final payment they would let me just pay the difference. The amount he mentioned was virtually the same as I'd paid for my C1 cabins.

 

Anyway, to cut a long story short, RCI have told me I can only upgrade if I pay an additional £500 for each cabin as the online price (which is the same as he mentioned) is for new bookings only. No, it's not a Tuesday special price as it's on the UK site so we don't get them. Additionally, it's the only price you can see for that sailing when you do a dummy booking on line. So, my point is, the £500 I've been told to pay extra is not available to see anywhere? Whereas everyone else can book online for £500 less. I was under the impression that you could upgrade, even after final payment, at the current RCI website pricing :confused:. Nowhere on the UK site is the amount RCI is quoting visible? I have noticed that since this morning, they have now placed a little deal icon on the top right of the sailing.

 

A representative I spoke to on Customer Services said to get my TA to ring again and she was sure someone would accommodate me. The UK office's response was basically that Customer Svs are based in Miami, not here in the UK. So, where does the extra £500 quote come from, could someone explain? Btw, this isn't a group booking.

 

Villa,

 

Looks like the pricing was "Tuesday pricing " (even though you don't get Tuesday pricing" in UK). It is Weds morning here and the prices on our sailing are back up. They did lower yesterday just for the day and jumped back up this morning. Anytime they lower on Tuesday I always check back on Weds morning to see if they are still there. They have never honored the lower price (when we have checked) if the price shows on Tuesday but have honored the lower price (in the past ) if it still shows on Weds. So sorry for your frustration. I can understand why you would have thought it should apply since you don't get Tuesday sales across the pond. Keep an eye out and if the price lowers again before sailing (other than a Tuesday) give it another try.

[TBone2K]

Then you were given wrong information, because what you posted is just plain wrong.

 

If it is what I was able to do, then how can you say I am wrong? If you have evidence to the contrary on how the system works, please post links.

[jennyau]

Villa,

 

Looks like the pricing was "Tuesday pricing " (even though you don't get Tuesday pricing" in UK). It is Weds morning here and the prices on our sailing are back up. They did lower yesterday just for the day and jumped back up this morning. Anytime they lower on Tuesday I always check back on Weds morning to see if they are still there. They have never honored the lower price (when we have checked) if the price shows on Tuesday but have honored the lower price (in the past ) if it still shows on Weds. So sorry for your frustration. I can understand why you would have thought it should apply since you don't get Tuesday sales across the pond. Keep an eye out and if the price lowers again before sailing (other than a Tuesday) give it another try.

 

The same thing happened here in Australia yesterday......am now checking the price again as I'm guessing it will be at the Wednesday price? My TA called RCI three times but was told each time it was only for new bookings. We are in an E3 on Radiance and there was a price reduction but the biggest bummer was that D1s on deck 9 were the exact same price and we couldn't transfer either.

 

Edit: just checked and it is still the same "low price".......do I ring the TA again and see if she can do anything today?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

[skiiergirl]

The same thing happened here in Australia yesterday......am now checking the price again as I'm guessing it will be at the Wednesday price? My TA called RCI three times but was told each time it was only for new bookings. We are in an E3 on Radiance and there was a price reduction but the biggest bummer was that D1s on deck 9 were the exact same price and we couldn't transfer either.

 

Edit: just checked and it is still the same "low price".......do I ring the TA again and see if she can do anything today?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Forums mobile app

 

I would ask them to check again if it is the lower price and "Tuesday sale" is over. It never hurts to ask.