People hold cabins (mostly Suites) and don't use them

[troykahack]

Their seems to be a practice on HOLDING Suites or cabins, way ahead of time and then releasing them. I personally know some that have a practice of booking almost all weekends of particular ships and then release them at final payment, so they can pick and choose which times they use.

 

This practice creates several problems for those of us that can not book so far in advance.

 

I will give an example....

 

We booked a cruise with other friends back in May for a cruise on Serenade 11 day in Nov 2016. NO JS or GS were available. So we booked a S Balcony and asked to wait-list for a paid upgrade to a GS. I kept watching the cabin availability and found JS available in July and was able to upgrade with a Club Royale discount. Then about two weeks later I found a GS available and upgraded with same discount (not same price by any means).

 

Now I look today, and about 1/3 the GS are now available. The JS were sold out too and now are available. The problem is, the rates normally climb the closer to the cruise date.

 

So, I am not sure I like the policy and how do others feel about reserving cabins at one rate and then not using them and others must now pay a higher rate to claim them? I think RCCL should limit the amount a cruiser can hold with a deposit that can be shifted to another cruise.

 

Around final payment, you are likely to see Suites open that had not been open previously as a result of this practice of holding cabins. So just look around final payment time.

 

How do you feel about this practice of holding cabins and not using them. I am not talking about someone that would hold one cabin, but someone who holds multiple cabins/bookings and then uses only a few.... Suites are in limited quantity, and on ships like Majesty/Empress, are the only cabins that offer a Balcony and therefore a show stopper for us to book as all are sold out for most of the weekend cruises.

 

I can see the flames coming...

__________________

[reallyitsmema]

Nothing is stopping you from doing the same thing. People book to get the cabins they want, if you might be sailing a specific weekend, put a deposit down to hold the cabin and the rate. It isn't just individuals either though, large travel agencies will hold lots of cabins in the hope of selling them. They release them before final payment too.

[molly361]

Nothing is stopping you from doing the same thing. People book to get the cabins they want, if you might be sailing a specific weekend, put a deposit down to hold the cabin and the rate. It isn't just individuals either though, large travel agencies will hold lots of cabins in the hope of selling them. They release them before final payment too.

 

Ditto this!!!!!!

[troykahack]

Nothing is stopping you from doing the same thing.

 

Not true. Some of us have work requirements that make it almost impossible to safely book so far in advance. Not everyone has the same type of job and obligations. I just see this practice abused regularly. Holding multiple reservations for cruises one will not use, is the issue.

 

It mainly pertains to those cabins that have limited availability as well as location.

[troykahack]

Hopefully this situation will get better as I think RCCL has increased the days before a cruise that final payment is due to 75/90 days. I wish all would be 90 days.

[reallyitsmema]

Not true. Some of us have work requirements that make it almost impossible to safely book so far in advance. Not everyone has the same type of job and obligations. I just see this practice abused regularly. Holding multiple reservations for cruises one will not use, is the issue.

 

It mainly pertains to those cabins that have limited availability as well as location.

 

Anyone can book a US/Canada reservation and then cancel before final payment and get a full refund, so not knowing a work schedule makes no difference.

 

It is how the travel business works, it is not just cruises. I used to book hotel rooms near my son's university for the whole fall and spring so I would have a room when we traveled go see his games. Once the schedule came out, I would cancel rooms if he had an away game and try to get a room in the city he was playing in.

 

You either play the game and book ahead, or see where the cards fall.

[MrsKC08]

I think it might be possible that Royal is not releasing those cabins until a certain date as well.

 

My feeling is that if someone pays the deposit and puts a cabin on hold, they are entitled to do that and change their mind at any time.

 

I realize the work constraints, my husband and I also have jobs and aren't retired. Because of that we book a year or more in advance most of the time. It gives us time to pay for our vacation and we can make our employers known about our time off plans well in advance.

[swoopy2110]

Change the US rules to the rest of the World's Rules and don't refund deposits for cancelled bookings.

 

That'll stop it soon enough!

[voyager70]

Change the US rules to the rest of the World's Rules and don't refund deposits for cancelled bookings.

 

That'll stop it soon enough!

 

Don't give them any ideas! :):eek:

[jmckay331]

Change the US rules to the rest of the World's Rules and don't refund deposits for cancelled bookings.

 

That'll stop it soon enough!

 

 

Lol well I guess if folks are being shady then maybe so. However, I think it more likely that either the person changed their mind or as one poster commented that travel agencies released unsold bookings. I don't think it's a conspiracy to hold "great" cabins just smart folks trying to have options. As someone that has had to cancel two bookings (much to my upset) I certainly didn't do it (book early) in an attempt to prevent others from booking. It was just that I liked the price, cabin and itinerary so booked then circumstances changed and I had to cancel. I like the option of getting my deposit returned if I'm unable to go. I would imagine that since the deposit is so large it will always be refundable up until final cutoff date. Usually nonrefundable deposits are smaller. I also think the bigger impact of nonrefundable deposits on the cruise industry is the likelihood that a large percentage of " average" people will not book early at all because as we all know stuff happens. Btw the "rest of the world rules" comment is inaccurate as I've booked all over the world and only a handful had nonrefundable deposits and those usually only because booking was discounted.

 

 

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[Beachammo]

Hi....

 

I'm Shelton and I'm a cruise holder.

 

 

I hold multiple cruises for many reasons.

 

1) I want certain cabins at the best price so we book early. Love aft wraps! They go quickly and won't be around after day one.

2) My friends that travel still work for the most part and are not sure of their schedules. Holding cabins gives me options to give them closer to sailing.

3) Royal likes to charter ships. This also gives me options.

4) Things happen in life......options again.

 

For every upcoming cruise you see below....I have at least one other on hold.

Edited August 31, 2016 by Beachammo

[troykahack]

Change the US rules to the rest of the World's Rules and don't refund deposits for cancelled bookings.

 

That'll stop it soon enough!

 

Thank you, couldn't agree more..... We wanted to sail Majesty this summer on possible weekends. We tried her once on OV but must have a balcony at least for personal reasons... (neither of us smoke) all JS and above were booked through the Summer... so we couldn't request off as schedules were already made.... I later found many came open later....

 

If someone is going to hold, should be some sort of penalty so this doesn't prevent someone wanting to use it....

[Longstockingpippi1]

 

How do you feel about this practice of holding cabins and not using them. I am not talking about someone that would hold one cabin, but someone who holds multiple cabins/bookings and then uses only a few.... Suites are in limited quantity, and on ships like Majesty/Empress, are the only cabins that offer a Balcony and therefore a show stopper for us to book as all are sold out for most of the weekend cruises.

 

I can see the flames coming...

__________________

 

Wow, that sucks. If we all played that game there would be no cabins to book. I suppose in the end it is the cruise ship that loses as it now has JS and suites that it can't sell because no one wants to pay big bucks right before sail time. Maybe the balcony/ JS cruisers win if the upgrade fairy comes calling to fill those empty rooms. I guess if you can't beat 'em, join 'em and start reserving...

[Ourusualbeach]

I would guess that there are far more rooms being held by travel agents than their are by individual cruisers.

[troykahack]

Hi....

 

 

For every upcoming cruise you see below....I have at least one other on hold.

 

One for each booked is significantly less than all weekends during summer on say Majesty....

 

How about a limit on booked cruises unused. You exceed the limit and future bookings are Pay in Full.

[SonicShip]

Btw the "rest of the world rules" comment is inaccurate as I've booked all over the world and only a handful had nonrefundable deposits and those usually only because booking was discounted.

 

I believe the comment is talking about people that live in other countries. For example if you live in the UK when booking with Royal Caribbean the booking deposit is non-refundable. If you live in the US and book the same cruise the deposit is fully refundable before the final payment date.

[troykahack]

For us, it is not a pricing issue, but an availability problem.

[reallyitsmema]

Thank you, couldn't agree more..... We wanted to sail Majesty this summer on possible weekends. We tried her once on OV but must have a balcony at least for personal reasons... (neither of us smoke) all JS and above were booked through the Summer... so we couldn't request off as schedules were already made.... I later found many came open later....

 

If someone is going to hold, should be some sort of penalty so this doesn't prevent someone wanting to use it....

 

Very simple solution, use a travel agent, give them a list of sailings you are looking for a specific cabin type and they can notify you. Or use one of the sites that you can monitor cruises and set it up to notify you when a cabin type is available.

 

Just because you don't like how the system works, doesn't mean those who should be penalized.

[Hypo]

These held bookings greatly benefit the cruise lines, as they have a large pool of money that they are using interest-free from these bookings.

[grandgeezer]

An easy fix. Charge a cancellation fee for any cruise cancelled, no matter when.

[troykahack]

I bet many of you will be the first to complain if a big box TA comes along and decides to automate it so they book all cabin types that you enjoy before you have a chance to hold it.... or if you discovered members had figured a way to beat you to your holdings...

[troykahack]

These held bookings greatly benefit the cruise lines, as they have a large pool of money that they are using interest-free from these bookings.

 

As a publicly traded company, i really don't think they can book this as revenue if is possible to refund it... that sure would be a problem....

[molly361]

I would guess that there are far more rooms being held by travel agents than their are by individual cruisers.

 

I agree!!!

[reallyitsmema]

As a publicly traded company, i really don't think they can book this as revenue if is possible to refund it... that sure would be a problem....

 

Hypo said nothing about booking deposits as revenue. They said "using the money interest free", big difference.

[troykahack]

Hypo said nothing about booking deposits as revenue. They said "using the money interest free", big difference.

 

Really, you are on a very fine line... I wouldn't want to be a company that uses money that might be refunded regardless of the interest rate on money. If they use it in any form, it must be booked as REVENUE. Doesn't look good on the books to then refund it...

 

And, please explain how a publicly traded company can use money (revenue that isn't booked)? They hide it under the bed as cash?

Edited August 31, 2016 by troykahack