Tips on how to try to get a room when sold out?

[Dorie7]

Hi!

 

If the category cabin that you want on a cruise is sold out months in advance, what are your chances of procuring a room later in this category? Any suggestions that might increase your chances?

 

Thanks, Dorie

[canadiansnowbird]

Dorie:

Your TA should be checking regularly with the cruise line and other then that: the best time to get your choice of category (if there are any) would be the time when the cruise has to be paid in full. Anyone that cancels, it would be then.

 

Snowbird

[canadiansnowbird]

Dorie:

Your TA should be checking regularly with the cruise line and other than that: the best time to get your choice of category (if there are any) would be the time when the cruise has to be paid in full. Anyone that cancels, it would be then.

 

Snowbird

[Dorie7]

I actually booked online directly with RCI.

Long explanation of why:

I wanted to book with a TA but the TA that was recommended made the booking for me in a much lower category than what I wanted and said that she would continue to keep looking. However, I kept watch online myself and found several opportunities to get rooms closer to what I wanted. I was unable to change the reservation that she made so I reserved a room online. I expected her to call me later in the day with the other upgrade still available, but she didn't. I tried calling her and was told 5 times that she was on another call. I left a message for her to call me back. She didn't. I kept the courtesy hold on the one that I booked online in hopes that she would call back the next day. On the next day, I found another cabin had opened up that was an upgrade from my last one so I changed to that one, releasing the last upgrade again. Again, expected the TA to call me with the opportunity to upgrade. Finally, I gave up trying to reach her to change, or expecting her to call and about a week after booking I made the payment to RCI online. I think that it was about 2 days later that my TA called to tell me that I needed to come in to make a payment. Since i had seen an upgrade online that morning, I had thought that she was finally after noticing/checking for me. (At this point I had upgraded 6 times and was now in the category room that I was fairly happy with, just in the wrong section of the ship.) When I asked her if any upgrades had become available, she said no, that I was still in the original cabin that she had booked. I simply told her to release the reservation and thanked her for her efforts. I felt badly about using her and then canceling, but I also felt that I need to be able to change my reservation myself if she is obviously not going to do so. i have considered turning the reservation over to her once the final payment is made, but I won't until then, just in case the room that I want becomes available. Frankly, I don't trust her anymore to get it for me. Plus, I've concluded that perhaps it is unfair to expect anyone to spend the time that I am able to invest in working on my travel plans. Therefore, I need control over the reservation myself.

As a result, I am trying on my own to access a different room in my present category (or better) that is closer to mid ship, but all are (as they have been since my original booking) sold out. Every time that I have changed, it has been the result I guess of a cancellation or change by someone previously booked.

 

Still there must be a way, if I have been able to move 6 times to make it as far as I have. Right now, I am checking multiple times every day online or by phone with RCI directly. However, I would hate to miss out because I didn't know the best way to accomplish my goal

 

I have thought of the final payment time. Would the best time be the actual day or the day after final payment is due?

[serene56]

Call Royal NOW and ask to transfer that booking. Dont cancel it--you would lose the rate you paid. You need to do this before final payment

 

I would NOT be doing business with this agent- If I call and no one returns my calls??? No way.

 

Its a good thing people cant get in there and change stuff around themselves.. its good protection-- suppose if you did something that accidently cancelled your cruise.... I have never been able to make changes myself on any cruise I have taken-- i needed my agent to do that

[serene56]

Im sorry-- I didnt pay attention that you already cancelled. (damn)

 

the longer you wait to book your cabin the more you may be paying. Cruise prices fluctuate daily- the price you see today may not be what it is later. When we sailed the voyager it went up slowly by the time we sailed it was over 250 more pp then what we paid.

[Dorie7]

I am aware that I am paying premium $$$ for this reservation at this point, but I now have the level room that I want booked and deposit paid, so the price should not change if I merely change room #, should it? The reservation will remain the same. Since these rooms were sold out at the time that I started to book, I guess that I am stuck with whatever price RCI deems fair in this situation. I wish that I had booked earlier, but it's too late for that now. At this point my main objective is to attempt to change to a mid ship location in the same category, if such a room becomes available. I am fully prepared to stay in the room that I have booked if this doesn't pan out, but i really don't want to miss an opportunity to move if such a room does luckily open up.

 

Curious, do you think that I should turn this ressie over to the TA when final payment is made and let her have the commission?

Thanks,

Dorie

[serene56]

No-- why giuve her the commission when you been doing the work and she wont even return your call. Leave it where it is

[wrp96]

Definitely don't switch it to a TA because she doesn't deserve the commission and she's already proved that she isn't working in your best interests.

 

What you can do is call RCI and get on the waiting list for certain rooms. Also, Serene's suggestion of checking back daily is a good one. A good time to look is at 11pm Eastern time because that is apparently when they update their booking computers to show rooms available.

[Dorie7]

Thank you, wrp96! That is really useful information! I will be checking at that time from now on!

 

Dorie

[Jarronwood]

I want to thank you guys for your tips on getting a cabin that is sold out. I booked a while ago for next June on Legend and decided to just book an oceanview (hubby and I weren't too bothered about a balcony - we had one on Explorer a few years back so thought we could save a few pounds). To upgrade to the next stage would be a balcony and the difference was quite a bit.

 

Anyway, I avidly read these boards and was so amazed at the reviews on having an aft cabin that this got me to thinking about upgrading to an aft and the price for the aft is the same for the balcony. So I rang my TA who said there were not any available so I asked to be put on the wait list. He said he would see what he could do. So the following week I rang and again was told no afts available. This went on for a few weeks and then yesterday I spoke to someone else at the TA who actually typed in the actual cabin numbers and then hey presto one was available, only it was a connecting one. I said I would have it. He said he would need to go downstairs and use the direct line computer with RCI to book it and I said could he see if there was any more cabins available but not connecting ones.

 

Anyway he rang me back to say that there was one no. 7630 which was next to the connecting cabins. So it was booked.

 

It goes to show that you have to keep on at your TA.

 

Now that I have booked this particular cabin, does anyone have any feedback about these ones.

[rt1092]

Call RCI in person dont rely on their website. I called a couple of times and was surprized at the cabins that were available. I booked an aft JS and had 4 or 5 to chose from. None of which were on the website.