Advice on Booking????

[lvssushi]

I am new to RCCL and I have been looking at a particular cruise next spring. Have checked several website and called some TAs, all quotes were within a few dollars. Then I find this company that is offering me the same cruise at a 15% lower price including all taxes and port charges, however, they don't do price adjustments and they have a $30 per person fee. Sounds great as overall I am saving about $700, and since I'm six months from the cruise I'm inclined to think that this is a pretty good deal. Agent on phone was kind of short, put me off a bit. But, I don't need a TA to hand hold and will probably do as others have on this board and go through RCCL for any questions after booking. I guess I'm just curious as I don't really understand how the new RCCL pricing policy works.

[Merion_Mom]

Ask carefully about any discounts they are assigning to you. It is true that RC is not allowing TAs to discount, so if this one is, it may be because they are giving you some age- or geography-related discounts to which you may or may not be entitled. IF you show up at the pier on departure day, and they discover that you are booked under, say, a senior discount rate, or a Georgia residents rate, and you can't prove that you are a senior or from Georgia, they will make you PAY THE CASH DIFFERENCE at the pier or will not let you board.

 

It COULD be on the up-and-up, if they are a huge booker of RC cruises and have purchased a block of cabins, and this is a last minute, fill-the-ship booking, but otherwise, CAUTION is well-advised. (and you DID say that this is for next spring, so it can't be a last-minute discount)

 

Verbum sapienti satis est.

 

Carol

[lvssushi]

Thanks for your reply. Will the agency tell me if it is a block of rooms and can I verify that with RCCL?

[stargate fan]

Might not be a bad idea to contact Better Business Bureau also.

"If it sounds too good, it usually is."

[Coralc]

You can't go to RCCL with questions after booking, if you are booked with a TA. All questions must go through your TA. If the agent was short with you initially, it probably does not bode well for future communications. $700 is a great savings, but think carefully before you make your decision. I would be turned off by an agent that will not honor price drops and charges a cancellation fee. :)