New suite policy faq

[ebk2795]

Thankfully this has never happened to us, but what if you put a deposit down on a suite and later find out that the ship is chartered? Will you get your deposit back if RCCL bumps you off of the cruise?

 

What if it's a large group, but not a full charter, and you feel that your cruise would be negatively impacted by the presence of said group? Will RCCL allow you to switch sailings without losing your deposit?

 

Eileen

[Clarea]

Thankfully this has never happened to us, but what if you put a deposit down on a suite and later find out that the ship is chartered? Will you get your deposit back if RCCL bumps you off of the cruise?

 

What if it's a large group, but not a full charter, and you feel that your cruise would be negatively impacted by the presence of said group? Will RCCL allow you to switch sailings without losing your deposit?

 

Eileen

I'm sure if it's a full charter, you would be given the option to get all your money back. That has been the case on all the full charters I've seen reported here.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Thankfully this has never happened to us, but what if you put a deposit down on a suite and later find out that the ship is chartered? Will you get your deposit back if RCCL bumps you off of the cruise?

 

What if it's a large group, but not a full charter, and you feel that your cruise would be negatively impacted by the presence of said group? Will RCCL allow you to switch sailings without losing your deposit?

 

Eileen

 

I personally would hope so. I mean if RCCL cancelled on me, I'd expect some form of compensation no different than they would expect some form of compensation if I cancelled on them.

 

Partial charters or large groups, I don't believe they would refund. Full charters they have in the past allowed re-scheduling & offered a small OBC etc.

[borg1of2]

Sorry. I don't like it. There are other ways for RCCL to know who is holding cabins and canceling late. This impacts those that want to book, for say spring break, far in advance. Such that spring break dates may not even be known. Then if I have to change I am penalized. There are just too many legitimat reasons that schedules need to change.

[travelgoddess1]

Sorry. I don't like it. There are other ways for RCCL to know who is holding cabins and canceling late. This impacts those that want to book, for say spring break, far in advance. Such that spring break dates may not even be known. Then if I have to change I am penalized. There are just too many legitimat reasons that schedules need to change.

 

Because we have to fly to our cruises, like most do, we book our airfare far enough in advance to get a good schedule with good connections and preferred seats. When my husband recently became too infirm to continue traveling, we lost $3000 in airfares. No one plans for things like this to happen, but the #1 reason for trip cancellation is due to family member illness. Buyer beware.

 

If you are going to put a deposit down on a suite, you had better include trip cancellation insurance in your reservation and pay for the insurance when you pay for the deposit. In fact, it would be interesting to see if travel protection would even cover you for a loss of deposit.

[jamesr3939]

I don't think there is a way to scam them on the OBC. I would like to hear from somebody who has done it. When I booked my Next Cruise, in November, I got reduced deposit of $200 and OBC of $200. If I took the $200 at that time my $200 deposit was not refundable.

 

Personally, I don't think it's about people scamming the OBC. I think it's more about cabin hogs who tie up cabins way prior to sailing, wait for the price to come down, cancel and re-book. If the price doesn't come down they downgrade. However, I don't see that as something RCCL should complain about as my experience with suites is the price goes up near to/at final deposit and not down.

 

I am also guessing Next Cruise doesn't care about repeat/long term customer relations and there would be a huge revolt by travel agencies if RCCL tried to force it on them.

 

My long time agency dropped Carnival bookings a few years ago because of issues with customer service and lack of rep's being responsive to the agents.

[grapau27]

Because we have to fly to our cruises, like most do, we book our airfare far enough in advance to get a good schedule with good connections and preferred seats. When my husband recently became too infirm to continue traveling, we lost $3000 in airfares. No one plans for things like this to happen, but the #1 reason for trip cancellation is due to family member illness. Buyer beware.

 

If you are going to put a deposit down on a suite, you had better include trip cancellation insurance in your reservation and pay for the insurance when you pay for the deposit. In fact, it would be interesting to see if travel protection would even cover you for a loss of deposit.

In the UK you lose your deposit if you cancel no exceptions.When we book flights we have to pay the full amount too when we book.

We have had deals we have taken for this year like free drinks packages and buy 1 get 1 half price so we cannot complain.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[marci22]

When my husband recently became too infirm to continue traveling, we lost $3000 in airfares. No one plans for things like this to happen, but the #1 reason for trip cancellation is due to family member illness.

 

Did you put them on a card with trip cancellation benefits? Certain Chase and Amex cards (among others) provide coverage for some events.

[travelgoddess1]

In the UK you lose your deposit if you cancel no exceptions.When we book flights we have to pay the full amount too when we book.

We have had deals we have taken for this year like free drinks packages and buy 1 get 1 half price so we cannot complain.

 

love sailing with RCCL

 

Yes, I understand the rules are different from country to country. I suspect that it if it were legal to do in the US, the rules would be the same as in the UK.

 

My point about losing the airfare is that peoples' situations can change quickly, which causes them to lose money on planned trips. I see more people canceling cruises due to health issues than for nefarious reasons.

[grapau27]

Yes, I understand the rules are different from country to country. I suspect that it if it were legal to do in the US, the rules would be the same as in the UK.

 

My point about losing the airfare is that peoples' situations can change quickly, which causes them to lose money on planned trips. I see more people canceling cruises due to health issues than for nefarious reasons.

I know my mam died an hour before we were due to leave our hotel in Malaga November 2nd 2011 to go to the port to board Adventure of the seas so we missed our cruise and got the first flight home.

We lost our money but fortunately our insurance paid up.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[nolesrule]

I don't think there is a way to scam them on the OBC. I would like to hear from somebody who has done it. When I booked my Next Cruise, in November, I got reduced deposit of $200 and OBC of $200. If I took the $200 at that time my $200 deposit was not refundable.

 

Yes, canceling the booking would cause you to lose the deposit, but...

 

You could transfer to a shorter cruise or downgrade your booking to a lower cabin category. You wouldn't lose the deposit, as it would still apply to the booking even though you made changes, but you got the suite-level OBC.

 

Think about it, book a long cruise in a GS and get a $500 OBC for a $500 deposit. Then switch to a short cruise in an interior cabin. Now you have much sheaper room, and the $500 deposit still applies.

 

That's how people were gaming the system and needlessly locking up suite inventory they had no plans to use.

[molly361]

Yes, canceling the booking would cause you to lose the deposit, but...

 

You could transfer to a shorter cruise or downgrade your booking to a lower cabin category. You wouldn't lose the deposit, as it would still apply to the booking even though you made changes, but you got the suite-level OBC.

 

Think about it, book a long cruise in a GS and get a $500 OBC for a $500 deposit. Then switch to a short cruise in an interior cabin. Now you have much sheaper room, and the $500 deposit still applies.

 

That's how people were gaming the system and needlessly locking up suite inventory they had no plans to use.

 

RCL changed that a while ago. If you change to a cheaper room they will adjust your deposit if you took the instant OBC. If you change to a room that would only have gotten you $50 OBC they will adjust your deposit to $50, instead of the $500 that you paid.

[crusinthrough]

RCL changed that a while ago. If you change to a cheaper room they will adjust your deposit if you took the instant OBC. If you change to a room that would only have gotten you $50 OBC they will adjust your deposit to $50, instead of the $500 that you paid.

 

 

This is exactly what happened to me on a recent cruise. I booked a suite onboard then downgraded to a balcony. My OBC was adjusted accordingly.

 

On another note, I can't comprehend how those in support of the new policy thinks this is a win. I guess I get the change fee and full deposit but not keeping the deposit. Instead of booking onboard people will book online or through a TA. As such, you can still hold a suite until final payment and TA's can do the same. You can even get reduced deposits during sales. Since there is no cancellation fees prior to final payment, how do people feel the new policy will not allow others to hold a suite? I don't get it. I must be missing something.

 

 

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[Big_G]

This is exactly what happened to me on a recent cruise. I booked a suite onboard then downgraded to a balcony. My OBC was adjusted accordingly.

 

On another note, I can't comprehend how those in support of the new policy thinks this is a win. I guess I get the change fee and full deposit but not keeping the deposit. Instead of booking onboard people will book online or through a TA. As such, you can still hold a suite until final payment and TA's can do the same. You can even get reduced deposits during sales. Since there is no cancellation fees prior to final payment, how do people feel the new policy will not allow others to hold a suite? I don't get it. I must be missing something.

 

 

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I don't see it as a win but it may free up some suites that normally would have been booked and held only to be released just before final because of reduced deposits. This must have been a problem for Royal otherwise why waste their time doing it.

 

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[Maraprince]

Many people posted on Cruise Critic about the number of deposits they made on sailings/ships as far as 5 years out while never intending to actually use them but rather hold on to them and then pick and choose based upon pricing. Meanwhile, these cabins were taken out of inventory.

 

Obviously, if you book the same week on more than one ship you know there is no way you are going to sail on all of them. Surprised that the reservation system didn't catch this!!!!!:D

 

MARAPRINCE

[jmele999]

I have only been on one RCI cruise, but following this thread.

 

Can somebody please explain the benefits (cost, OBC, etc) when booking onboard and how the new policy affects those benefits. Correct me if I am wrong, but it sounds to me that prior to this new policy, the deposit was adjusted based on the change that you made - if you changed to a balcony from a suite, then the amount of your initial deposit was reduced accordingly.

 

Thanks.

[Clarea]

I have only been on one RCI cruise, but following this thread.

 

Can somebody please explain the benefits (cost, OBC, etc) when booking onboard and how the new policy affects those benefits. Correct me if I am wrong, but it sounds to me that prior to this new policy, the deposit was adjusted based on the change that you made - if you changed to a balcony from a suite, then the amount of your initial deposit was reduced accordingly.

 

Thanks.

Benefits of booking on board:

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=50760283&postcount=55

 

Prior to the new policy, you never lost a deposit if changing ship and/or sail date.

[grapau27]

Many people posted on Cruise Critic about the number of deposits they made on sailings/ships as far as 5 years out while never intending to actually use them but rather hold on to them and then pick and choose based upon pricing. Meanwhile, these cabins were taken out of inventory.

 

Obviously, if you book the same week on more than one ship you know there is no way you are going to sail on all of them. Surprised that the reservation system didn't catch this!!!!!:D

 

MARAPRINCE

OMG i never realised this went on and so far in advance too.

This is shocking and answers why most of the best suites are unavailable when i have looked.

 

love sailing with RCCL

[ReneeFLL]

Many people posted on Cruise Critic about the number of deposits they made on sailings/ships as far as 5 years out while never intending to actually use them but rather hold on to them and then pick and choose based upon pricing. Meanwhile, these cabins were taken out of inventory.

 

Obviously, if you book the same week on more than one ship you know there is no way you are going to sail on all of them. Surprised that the reservation system didn't catch this!!!!!:D

 

MARAPRINCE

How can someone book 5 years out? I thought even the cruise lines didn't know the dates of the cruises.

[Biker19]

How can someone book 5 years out?.

You can't on RCI (max is about 26 months) and most lines only go out maybe 3 years.

[mcchane1]

I booked a 7 day junior suite on the Allure when I was on board. I just called and changed to a 5 day on IotS in a grand suite, My OBC went from $100 to $200 and I didn't pay any more than my original $100 deposit. I don't have anything that says anything about change fees or nonrefundable deposit. I have every intention of keeping this sailing but anything can happen as it is almost 2 years out. Time will tell

[Big_G]

Many people posted on Cruise Critic about the number of deposits they made on sailings/ships as far as 5 years out while never intending to actually use them but rather hold on to them and then pick and choose based upon pricing. Meanwhile, these cabins were taken out of inventory.

 

Obviously, if you book the same week on more than one ship you know there is no way you are going to sail on all of them. Surprised that the reservation system didn't catch this!!!!!:D

 

MARAPRINCE

Maybe you meant to say 5 deposits a number of years out?

 

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