Beware - Price Guarantee

[JMHappy]

I wanted to share my experience. I placed a hold on a cabin for Oasis. I am a Diamond Level and I had a "Next Cruise Certificate" I needed to be added to the reservation. I called the next night to have the additional things added. At that time I paid the booking in full and was told there was a 48 hour guarantee. Two days later I contacted RCCL because there was a $200 decrease in the fare. They said it was based on when the HOLD was placed. I asked if they could provide the difference in an OBC....NO! They were willing to upgrade my cabin to another Oceanview Balcony but I already have a great cabin so that was not a benefit. I asked as a goodwill jesture if they would give us a speciality dining certificate....NO! I went all the way to dispute resolutions.

 

I just want everyone to know...the clock starts ticking when you place the HOLD.....and that wasn't what I was told. So much mis-information.

 

I'm disappointed RCCL isn't doing more.

 

I even have another cruise booked in August for a party of 14....I'm considering cancelling.

 

JMHappy isn't so happy today!!!

[Paulxyz2004]

Go ahead, vote with your feet and cancel the August sailing.

[FLACRUISER99]

I wanted to share my experience. I placed a hold on a cabin for Oasis. I am a Diamond Level and I had a "Next Cruise Certificate" I needed to be added to the reservation. I called the next night to have the additional things added. At that time I paid the booking in full and was told there was a 48 hour guarantee. Two days later I contacted RCCL because there was a $200 decrease in the fare. They said it was based on when the HOLD was placed. I asked if they could provide the difference in an OBC....NO! They were willing to upgrade my cabin to another Oceanview Balcony but I already have a great cabin so that was not a benefit. I asked as a goodwill jesture if they would give us a speciality dining certificate....NO! I went all the way to dispute resolutions.

 

I just want everyone to know...the clock starts ticking when you place the HOLD.....and that wasn't what I was told. So much mis-information.

 

I'm disappointed RCCL isn't doing more.

 

I even have another cruise booked in August for a party of 14....I'm considering cancelling.

 

JMHappy isn't so happy today!!!

If you are unhappy you should cancel!

[uksimonusa]

If you feel that strongly, then go ahead and cancel your August Cruise. It would make sense that the clock starts ticking when the reservation is created, ie put on hold, that is the idea of the hold, to hold the price, I imagine if the price went up between you creating the hold and then calling to confirm, you would have wanted the lower hold price.

[travelplus]

I don't get it why not just let the Hold Expire and book again under the new terms? I've done this with airfares as I saw a better one during the 24 hour hold and just let the previous one expire.

[marci22]

I knew what happened as soon as you said, "I placed a hold..."

 

Same thing happened to my mother on Celebrity. Put the cabin on hold for 1 day, then purchased. Price went down a few hours after the price guarantee time period expired.

 

I can see both sides. You're not really booked until you pay your deposit, but they will hold your cabin for 24 hours while you make your deposit, during which time they will maintain the price.

 

Still stinks when it happens to you though.

Edited April 12, 2014 by marci22

[marci22]

I don't get it why not just let the Hold Expire and book again under the new terms? I've done this with airfares as I saw a better one during the 24 hour hold and just let the previous one expire.

 

Looks like he booked and paid in full so it was after final already (when best price guarantee applies).

 

I would always use the second name as the primary booking name if I was going to cancel and rebook for a promotion. So if wife made hold and cancelled, put husband first on the new booking.

Edited April 12, 2014 by marci22

[silentbob007]

I can understand both sides ... I'm not surprised there was not a concession though. Their IT is bad enough before they start randomly awarding a "free" meal onto reservations. ;)

 

With that being said, RCI always takes the least customer friendly approach to reservations, IMO. It's like when I want to use a NC with a weekly sale rate ... I've been told the NC is an existing reservation. However, for any other purpose, it is not an existing reservation.

[orville99]

Not sure what happened to the OP, but every time we put a hold on a cabin and then follow up with a call to C&A to use a NCC, the hold (and its booking number) is cancelled and the reservation is made using the booking number of the NCC, so the clock should have started ticking the day the actual reservation was made.

[Paulette3028]

I wanted to share my experience. I placed a hold on a cabin for Oasis. I am a Diamond Level and I had a "Next Cruise Certificate" I needed to be added to the reservation. I called the next night to have the additional things added. At that time I paid the booking in full and was told there was a 48 hour guarantee. Two days later I contacted RCCL because there was a $200 decrease in the fare. They said it was based on when the HOLD was placed. I asked if they could provide the difference in an OBC....NO! They were willing to upgrade my cabin to another Oceanview Balcony but I already have a great cabin so that was not a benefit. I asked as a goodwill jesture if they would give us a speciality dining certificate....NO! I went all the way to dispute resolutions.

 

I just want everyone to know...the clock starts ticking when you place the HOLD.....and that wasn't what I was told. So much mis-information.

 

 

I'm disappointed RCCL isn't doing more.

 

I even have another cruise booked in August for a party of 14....I'm considering cancelling.

 

JMHappy isn't so happy today!!!

 

 

 

Perhaps, I am reading this incorrectly -- if so I apologize.

 

What I am reading is this -- You put a reservation on hold on day 1 (clock starts -- from all I have ever know, a hold will only be held for 24 hours), then you called back the next day when you added your name to reservation and paid in full (from what I know if you don't pay for it either in full or partially -- you lose the hold); then two days after that, on day 4 you see a better price for the cruise. So now you have a confirmed reservation that is for a cruise in a cabin you like and call to complain and want RCCL to either lower your price or give you some type of credit.

 

Are you disturbed that you were not advised that the clock for the hold did not start, WHEN you put the hold on? If they did NOT tell you that, WHAT is it that you feel they did tell you, when you PUT the hold onto the reservation?

 

Second, I have never heard of a 48 hour guarantee, when you 'pay for a cruise in full' -- has anyone else? Your words above are "At that time I paid the booking in full and was told there was a 48 hour guarantee".

 

From my reading of it, even using a 48 hour/2days window (which I have never heard of) you are over that time limit.

 

There is a different type of booking called a 'price guarantee' -- which means YOU do not pick your cabin at the time of booking, but Royal guarantees a certain type of cabin or higher for the booking fee you have chosen. Are you using the words/phrase correctly? Just trying to understand better.

 

In any case you are dissatisfied, and believe RCCL is wrong.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Paulette3028

[marci22]

It's like when I want to use a NC with a weekly sale rate ... I've been told the NC is an existing reservation. However, for any other purpose, it is not an existing reservation.

 

How many times have you tried? I have a NC and figured I could use it on a weekly sales event.

[Ourusualbeach]

Perhaps, I am reading this incorrectly -- if so I apologize.

 

What I am reading is this -- You put a reservation on hold on day 1 (clock starts -- from all I have ever know, a hold will only be held for 24 hours), then you called back the next day when you added your name to reservation and paid in full (from what I know if you don't pay for it either in full or partially -- you lose the hold); then two days after that, on day 4 you see a better price for the cruise. So now you have a confirmed reservation that is for a cruise in a cabin you like and call to complain and want RCCL to either lower your price or give you some type of credit.

 

Are you disturbed that you were not advised that the clock for the hold did not start, WHEN you put the hold on? If they did NOT tell you that, WHAT is it that you feel they did tell you, when you PUT the hold onto the reservation?

 

Second, I have never heard of a 48 hour guarantee, when you 'pay for a cruise in full' -- has anyone else? Your words above are "At that time I paid the booking in full and was told there was a 48 hour guarantee".

 

From my reading of it, even using a 48 hour/2days window (which I have never heard of) you are over that time limit.

 

There is a different type of booking called a 'price guarantee' -- which means YOU do not pick your cabin at the time of booking, but Royal guarantees a certain type of cabin or higher for the booking fee you have chosen. Are you using the words/phrase correctly? Just trying to understand better.

 

In any case you are dissatisfied, and believe RCCL is wrong.

 

From RCI's website.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=best_price_guarantee&cid=RCConsumerWebLP-091609BestPriceGuarantee

[Ourusualbeach]

Not sure what happened to the OP, but every time we put a hold on a cabin and then follow up with a call to C&A to use a NCC, the hold (and its booking number) is cancelled and the reservation is made using the booking number of the NCC, so the clock should have started ticking the day the actual reservation was made.

 

Excellent point. The hold reservation would have had to have been cancelled and the reservation created under the NCC reservation number.

 

I would call back and not mention that you had put the cabin on hold.

[marci22]

Second, I have never heard of a 48 hour guarantee, when you 'pay for a cruise in full' -- has anyone else? Your words above are "At that time I paid the booking in full and was told there was a 48 hour guarantee".

 

From my reading of it, even using a 48 hour/2days window (which I have never heard of) you are over that time limit.

 

There is a different type of booking called a 'price guarantee' -- which means YOU do not pick your cabin at the time of booking, but Royal guarantees a certain type of cabin or higher for the booking fee you have chosen. Are you using the words/phrase correctly? Just trying to understand better.

 

Their 'best price guarantee program' applies to bookings made after final payment. If the price goes down within 48 hours, they will give you the price difference + 10%. (you have to fill out a form online)

 

If it's before final, you can just cancel.

 

Not sure if calling back would work. How did they know he placed the hold the first time he called for an adjustment? The NC number plus date and time should have been evident by then.

Edited April 12, 2014 by marci22

[squadron]

I wanted to share my experience. I placed a hold on a cabin for Oasis. I am a Diamond Level and I had a "Next Cruise Certificate" I needed to be added to the reservation. I called the next night to have the additional things added. At that time I paid the booking in full and was told there was a 48 hour guarantee. Two days later I contacted RCCL because there was a $200 decrease in the fare. They said it was based on when the HOLD was placed. I asked if they could provide the difference in an OBC....NO! They were willing to upgrade my cabin to another Oceanview Balcony but I already have a great cabin so that was not a benefit. I asked as a goodwill jesture if they would give us a speciality dining certificate....NO! I went all the way to dispute resolutions.

 

I just want everyone to know...the clock starts ticking when you place the HOLD.....and that wasn't what I was told. So much mis-information.

 

I'm disappointed RCCL isn't doing more.

 

I even have another cruise booked in August for a party of 14....I'm considering cancelling.

 

JMHappy isn't so happy today!!!

 

Don't understand why RCCI "should do more". As a Diamond cruiser I would think you would understand about "holds". A 24 hr hold is a 24 hr hold - not a mystery or misinformation. Ask if you are unsure about something. Sometimes prices do change after you buy something and you can't go and coomplain and expect to get a rebate.

[Paulette3028]

Their 'best price guarantee program' applies to bookings made after final payment. If the price goes down within 48 hours, they will give you the price difference + 10%. (you have to fill out a form online)

 

If it's before final, you can just cancel.

 

Not sure if calling back would work. How did they know he placed the hold the first time he called for an adjustment? The NC number plus date and time should have been evident by then.

 

On the link to the 'best price guarantee program' it has to be for the exact cabin on the exact same cruise and there is a FORM to complete and submit to them....perhaps the OP would have a different outcome if he followed the instructions to the program, if it is applicable RATHER than call someone who does not handle it.

 

Thanks for sharing the "best price guarantee program info' -- we don't usually book that close to a sailing. We only booked very close to a sail date, once and got a ridiculously low fare for a very nice OV cabin.

[marci22]

On the link to the 'best price guarantee program' it has to be for the exact cabin on the exact same cruise and there is a FORM to complete and submit to them....perhaps the OP would have a different outcome if he followed the instructions to the program, if it is applicable RATHER than call someone who does not handle it.

 

Thanks for sharing the "best price guarantee program info' -- we don't usually book that close to a sailing. We only booked very close to a sail date, once and got a ridiculously low fare for a very nice OV cabin.

 

I don't think he would have had a different outcome. When I filled out the form for my mother, it was rejected. I called and was told it was because the cabin had been placed on hold the day before deposit was made.

[JMHappy]

From what I have been told by RCCL...if you place a hold and need to add a NC, the hold is cancelled and the booking is recreated in the same cabin. That is the way it is normally handled. The representative told me it was not a normal policy to adjust the current hold.

 

The lesson is that I did not realize it would change the 48 hour price guarantee. Instead of 48 hours from the true decision to book it was really only 24.

 

I was told they would not honor the faxing because I had already passed the 48 hours.

 

In hindsight. I should have let the hold expire...recreated the booking with a RCCL, have all the credits applied THEN it would have been 48 hours from the time I paid in full (45 days exactly!) and I would have received the price drop.

 

EVERYONE JUST BEWARE AND LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE.

 

Sometimes things just don't work out the way we would like but it's okay. ;)

[traveler/]

From what I have been told by RCCL...if you place a hold and need to add a NC, the hold is cancelled and the booking is recreated in the same cabin. That is the way it is normally handled. The representative told me it was not a normal policy to adjust the current hold.

 

The lesson is that I did not realize it would change the 48 hour price guarantee. Instead of 48 hours from the true decision to book it was really only 24.

 

I was told they would not honor the faxing because I had already passed the 48 hours.

 

In hindsight. I should have let the hold expire...recreated the booking with a RCCL, have all the credits applied THEN it would have been 48 hours from the time I paid in full (45 days exactly!) and I would have received the price drop.

 

EVERYONE JUST BEWARE AND LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE.

 

Sometimes things just don't work out the way we would like but it's okay. ;)

Thanks for posting this situation. I'm wondering: Did RCL use your NC booking number? Did you get the OBBC from that Cert? Was the final payment you made before the actual final payment date, which RCL uses?