Applying a discount after booking?

[ARandomTraveler]

Ok, I called and spoke to a nice lady (Jennifer) who said that the $200 SAVEMORE promotion doesn’t apply to my room category (and she is correct, because the fine print says it’s for Outsides, Balconies and Suites).

 

However, she said that I could still save $225 if I was willing to switch to a non-refundable fare, but I don’t want to. I do plan to switch over right before my final payment date at the end of next month though, if the prices are still lower.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[ARandomTraveler]

I had no luck. Called and got right through to a rep, no hold, so I thought I was on my way. Explained the situation and told the rep (Bethany) that I wanted to re-price my cruise. I gave her my reservation #, she typed a bunch of stuff and told me she came up with the same price I paid. I explained the discounts I already had applied and told her I did a mock booking this morning for this sailing and got a bottom line price $200 lower than the final price I booked at. She typed a bunch more stuff and then told me that her system kept dropping the "SAVEMORE" promo code because it only applies to booking made between 2/22 and 3/7. My booking was made on 2/21. I asked her if that meant that if I had booked 9 hours later, I'd be entitled to a $200 discount, but as it stands I am not - she replied "yes, that's correct."

 

 

 

Am I getting hosed here or does this sound right to you guys?

 

 

I think you should call back and try again. My booking was made well over a year ago, and my rep said I could still get it if I was in a different room category. I don’t see any fine print and the only thing the actual advertisement mentions is room category

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[ARandomTraveler]

Good luck. Just got off the phone, they would only offer the 200.00 if everything was re-booked at current prices. Would have paid more and lost existing OBC. Not surprised. A holes........

 

 

 

Of course the title of the email was "You're in luck, offer code enclosed for your Southern Caribbean Sailing". HA.

 

 

Maybe they just sent that email to mock you. Like, “Hey guess what, that Southern sailing you booked now has a $200 discount, maybe you can tell a friend who will want to come with you for less money than you paid bwahahaha.”

 

If it makes you feel any better, they didn’t even send me the email.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[jcolley]

SO, interesting discussions. I received the email today as well, with the SAVEMORE offer. Went on the RCL website for a mock booking and was given a price. Emailed my TA for a re price. (I booked last week, price I paid vs today was the $200 discount) When TA called RCL they were given a price $140 higher than the price on the RCL website mock booking. Her TA website gave same rate. Strange. I screen shot the mock booking and sent to her as she was curious why the discrepancy. She talked to RCL several times and was still not getting the rate listed on their website (and yes ALL the info was same, date, category etc). Said she was going to do some digging once she got caught up. Basically, the $200 means nothing IMO. They put out these “sales,specials” and end up removing something (rate or whatever) to make up the difference. Never hurts to try though! My TA was great about trying to get it done ... just out of her hands I suppose, if RCL doesn’t even know what’s going on! ;)

[AmandaKaye79]

SO, interesting discussions. I received the email today as well, with the SAVEMORE offer. Went on the RCL website for a mock booking and was given a price. Emailed my TA for a re price. (I booked last week, price I paid vs today was the $200 discount) When TA called RCL they were given a price $140 higher than the price on the RCL website mock booking. Her TA website gave same rate. Strange. I screen shot the mock booking and sent to her as she was curious why the discrepancy. She talked to RCL several times and was still not getting the rate listed on their website (and yes ALL the info was same, date, category etc). Said she was going to do some digging once she got caught up. Basically, the $200 means nothing IMO. They put out these “sales,specials” and end up removing something (rate or whatever) to make up the difference. Never hurts to try though! My TA was great about trying to get it done ... just out of her hands I suppose, if RCL doesn’t even know what’s going on! ;)

 

 

 

This is exactly what happened to me. No one knew what I was talking about. However, I made them do the steps with me. I walked them step by step on the website and the were able to see the rate I was seeing. But, after talking to manager, the rate SAVEMORE that no one knew about was only for new bookings.

 

They told me I could upgrade like someone else mentioned but after going through the steps of upgrading, same “manager” said the discount would still not apply because it was not a new booking. I am still waiting the 24-48 hours for resolutions to call me.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[AmandaKaye79]

 

 

Look at the change since yesterday. I was able to do a mock booking and get $200 off for SAVE promotion. Now today, it shows $86 for SAVE promotion. Makes no sense. Nothing else changed but the amount given for the so called $200 off promo which has now turned into $86 off promo.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Evilgrin72]

This is so confusing. I'm going to try another mock booking now and see what I get.

 

The thing I guess I don't understand about my discussion with them yesterday is that if I am re-pricing my cruise, why does it matter whether I booked on 2/21 or 2/22 originally? Or 2/22/14 for that matter? Isn't the object to run my reservation through at TODAY'S prices/perks and compare that to what I originally booked?

[Evilgrin72]

Spacious Ocean View Balcony

$2,624.00

 

2 Guests

 

Deck 6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAVE Savings

-$340.00

 

RES Savings

-$270.00

 

30% Savings

-$686.00

 

CRBN Savings

-$75.00

 

CAS Savings

-$100.00

 

$100.00 Free Onboard Spending Credit

FREE

 

 

Subtotal:

$1,153.00

 

Taxes & Fees

$117.36

 

Total

$1,270.36

 

 

I paid $1,480.36 last Thursday.

[Clarea]

This is so confusing. I'm going to try another mock booking now and see what I get.

 

The thing I guess I don't understand about my discussion with them yesterday is that if I am re-pricing my cruise, why does it matter whether I booked on 2/21 or 2/22 originally? Or 2/22/14 for that matter? Isn't the object to run my reservation through at TODAY'S prices/perks and compare that to what I originally booked?

Your booking date does not change when you make changes in prices, staterooms, etc. If you want your booking date to change, you need to cancel and rebook.

[Evilgrin72]

Your booking date does not change when you make changes in prices, staterooms, etc. If you want your booking date to change, you need to cancel and rebook.

 

I get that, but if I am "re-pricing" the cruise, isn't the entire goal to essentially re-book at the current price, while sacrificing whatever incentives you received at the time of booking? That would render the original booking date obsolete, no? I mean, if I call them and tell them I want to re-price with today's incentives, why should it matter whether I originally booked on 2/21 or 2/22? Theoretically, I'm giving up whatever discounts/perks I received at the time of booking, so the original booking date should be insignificant.

 

Unless it all boils down to that non-refundable deposit. If they see that and know you can't simply cancel and re-book without paying a penalty, they have no impetus to really "re-price" the cruise, so perhaps this entire concept is now obsolete unless you booked with a refundable deposit and are still prior to final payment....

[Clarea]

I get that, but if I am "re-pricing" the cruise, isn't the entire goal to essentially re-book at the current price, while sacrificing whatever incentives you received at the time of booking? That would render the original booking date obsolete, no? I mean, if I call them and tell them I want to re-price with today's incentives, why should it matter whether I originally booked on 2/21 or 2/22? Theoretically, I'm giving up whatever discounts/perks I received at the time of booking, so the original booking date should be insignificant.

 

Unless it all boils down to that non-refundable deposit. If they see that and know you can't simply cancel and re-book without paying a penalty, they have no impetus to really "re-price" the cruise, so perhaps this entire concept is now obsolete unless you booked with a refundable deposit and are still prior to final payment....

Whether it's logical or not, the booking date never changes on a booking. What you say about non-refundable deposit has occurred to a few of us too. I suspect we will be seeing more price drops that are restricted to new bookings as time goes on.

[AmandaKaye79]

Wow. Yours says $340 with SAVE promo. I thought it was only $200?!?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Biker19]

I suspect we will be seeing more price drops that are restricted to new bookings as time goes on.

The slow process to reach the booking conditions outside of NA.

[Evilgrin72]

Whether it's logical or not, the booking date never changes on a booking. What you say about non-refundable deposit has occurred to a few of us too. I suspect we will be seeing more price drops that are restricted to new bookings as time goes on.

 

Yeah, I imagine that's probably the case. I don't even care all that much about the $200, it's more the principle of it. I booked through RCL rather than a travel agent for the first time ever and one of the reasons was that I was booking pretty far in advance and wanted to make sure I would get any (expected) price drops or added incentives.

 

An added kick in the bollocks is that when I booked last week, the difference between the cruise price based on non-refundable vs refundable deposit was roughly $100pp for the week. Today, when I did the mock booking, the difference was $3pp for the week. :o I would have booked refundable without a second thought had that been the case - and I'd be able to cancel and re-book right now and get the $200 off. The whole thing just feels like I'm being penalized for booking well in advance, which is precisely what they want you to do. Not only will I never do that again, I'm feeling a touch sour on RCL in general at the moment. Just a touch, but nevertheless, I'll look a lot harder at other lines for my next cruise. I mean, I'm still 8 months out from sailing, so to be out $210 based on having inadvertently booked a few hours before I would have been entitled to participate in a promotion they advertised to me directly feels odd. I'm in marketing/customer service myself and this just wouldn't fly with my customers.

[Evilgrin72]

Wow. Yours says $340 with SAVE promo. I thought it was only $200?!?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Yeah, I've about given up on trying to make sense of it all. I'm trying to apply sound logic to a situation that isn't based in logic, evidently. :D

[Clarea]

The slow process to reach the booking conditions outside of NA.

Yep, next I suspect is non-refundable rates on the JS category.

[Clarea]

... The whole thing just feels like I'm being penalized for booking well in advance, which is precisely what they want you to do. Not only will I never do that again, I'm feeling a touch sour on RCL in general at the moment. Just a touch, but nevertheless, I'll look a lot harder at other lines for my next cruise. I mean, I'm still 8 months out from sailing, so to be out $210 based on having inadvertently booked a few hours before I would have been entitled to participate in a promotion they advertised to me directly feels odd. I'm in marketing/customer service myself and this just wouldn't fly with my customers.

I still book way in advance, but I only book refundable that far in advance , as long as I still have that option.

[molly361]

I still book way in advance, but I only book refundable that far in advance , as long as I still have that option.

 

Me too!!

[Evilgrin72]

I still book way in advance, but I only book refundable that far in advance , as long as I still have that option.

 

Clearly, that was my mistake - lesson learned. I haven't cruised in about 4 years and was unfamiliar with some of the new parameters for booking.

 

Sometimes I wish I hadn't already cruised as much as I have, I live so close to a cruise port (I could literally walk to Port Canaveral in less time than just the flight time from Orlando to San Juan) that I could probably get a lot of screaming last-second deals without having to factor in hotel and airline availability. I'm just tired of the eastern and western ports and wanted to see some new places.

[saharaga]

I'm going to admit that I haven't read the entire thread. Can anyone explain what the different savings code means? I see the CBRN and SPSV with -$75.00 each. I'm not sure what they mean and they don't show when I look at the price on the travel agent site so I don't know if I should bother calling to get these discounts.

[LizzyDragon]

I'm going to admit that I haven't read the entire thread. Can anyone explain what the different savings code means? I see the CBRN and SPSV with -$75.00 each. I'm not sure what they mean and they don't show when I look at the price on the travel agent site so I don't know if I should bother calling to get these discounts.

 

I'm not sure what they mean either, other than it indicates what promo is running. Do a mock booking to see if they apply to your cruise.

[Reds4life]

I'm going to post this on this thread because it somewhat pertains to the topic. Any help is appreciated.

 

I have been booked since January for Adventure of the Seas May 25, 2018. My balance is paid in full for an Interior. Final payment date was Feb 24. I have a $50 OBC and the booking is through AAA.

 

This morning I saw the price of an Oceanview guarantee is $60 lower than the rate that I paid. I would be willing to switch and lose the OBC but still be coming out ahead $10 for a room with a window. Is this an option or am I locked into my reservation?

 

If I recall correctly, AAA offers a $50 OBC also for Royal Caribbean, but they wouldn't let me have OBC from both AAA and Royal Caribbean, and my booking already had $50 from RCI. Anyone have any experience with this?

[LizzyDragon]

 

This morning I saw the price of an Oceanview guarantee is $60 lower than the rate that I paid. I would be willing to switch and lose the OBC but still be coming out ahead $10 for a room with a window. Is this an option or am I locked into my reservation?

 

If I recall correctly, AAA offers a $50 OBC also for Royal Caribbean, but they wouldn't let me have OBC from both AAA and Royal Caribbean, and my booking already had $50 from RCI. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Yes, you can upgrade after final payment by paying the difference between the two rooms. In your case, since the cost is lower and you're past the final payment date, you wouldn't be refunded the difference.

 

As for the OBC question, it sounds like the OBC is a $50 promo that RCI is running, and that AAA is passing on to you. There's no second $50 to be had. Then again, many folks here have shared stories about having OBC from both their TA and RCI. I'd ask AAA about it.

[AmandaKaye79]

Anyone have an email contact for Royal that would connect me with a supervisor or someone higher? The customer service person told me a supervisor would return my call within 24-48 hours. It’s been 3 days now and I haven’t received the call. I would like to try to contact them again.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Clarea]

Anyone have an email contact for Royal that would connect me with a supervisor or someone higher? The customer service person told me a supervisor would return my call within 24-48 hours. It’s been 3 days now and I haven’t received the call. I would like to try to contact them again.

This has worked for some: mbayley@rccl.com.