No more refundable deposits?

[SteveinPhilly]

That's the price TODAy. Based on what I'm seeing that refundable price - still good tomorrow will probably be $300 more than non-refundable. Prices change TOMORROW.

Still Refunadble is safe a year out.

[SteelMagnolia9]

6 minutes ago, SteveinPhilly said:

That's the price TODAy. Based on what I'm seeing that refundable price - still good tomorrow will probably be $300 more than non-refundable. Prices change TOMORROW.

Still Refunadble is safe a year out.

Yes, that’s why I didn’t wait to book after I saw the pricing!

[cmich068]

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

What change takes place tomorrow??

 

I know the automatic $100 OBC for booking a non-refundable fare six months out ends today.

 

Not sure what other changes are happening. 

[SteveinPhilly]

1 hour ago, LuCruise said:

It's strange too...if you book 2 rooms, then it's the opposite where it will give you the refundable price.  However, there is no way to switch (online) to non-refundable....even if you fill in all the information.

that's why you book on phone with a travel agent. 😉

[cmich068]

1 hour ago, cmich068 said:

 

I know the automatic $100 OBC for booking a non-refundable fare six months out ends today.

  

Not sure what other changes are happening. 

 

Won't let me edit but that should be the automatic $25/$50/$100 OBC

[LuCruise]

55 minutes ago, SteveinPhilly said:

that's why you book on phone with a travel agent. 😉

We do book by phone (but with Royal)...but once we switch to non-refundable it would be nice to be able to do price checks myself .  

[SteveinPhilly]

By booking with Royal you are missing HUNDREDS of Dollar in OBCs. Even Royal recommends you use a TA. And ANY additional OBC you get from an agent. (we typically get $525 on a $3,000 cabin - is FULLY REFUNDABLE.  Cruise Compete is easist but use other on line agents too. They take reservation over phone and confirm. No one has yet shown me they got better deal or service by booking with a cruise line.  Just trying to help.

[Biker19]

14 minutes ago, SteveinPhilly said:

 No one has yet shown me they got better deal or service by booking with a cruise line. 

Better deal no, but we probably have weekly threads from someone swearing off using a TA due a variety of issues. Then there's the control freaks out there.........

[StolidCruiser]

1 hour ago, SteveinPhilly said:

By booking with Royal you are missing HUNDREDS of Dollar in OBCs. Even Royal recommends you use a TA. And ANY additional OBC you get from an agent. (we typically get $525 on a $3,000 cabin - is FULLY REFUNDABLE.  Cruise Compete is easist but use other on line agents too. They take reservation over phone and confirm. No one has yet shown me they got better deal or service by booking with a cruise line.  Just trying to help.

 

I’ve yet to find a TA that can beat the deal I can make directly with the cruiseline.  Messy OBC and “perks” may make you feel like you got a deal, but I prefer a comparable net fare without the games.... and I get it.

 

Just trying to help. 

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

I’ve yet to find a TA that can beat the deal I can make directly with the cruiseline.  

You haven't looked hard enough.

[SteveinPhilly]

29 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

You haven't looked hard enough.

Damn auto correct. Sorry Biker. It should have said "can't" Sorry.  BTW I just did my final check on a $5200 11 night RCI cruise if booked today. OBCs ranged from $100 (RCCI) to $575 and $600 (both refundable) from two agencies. That was price today for a NON-refundable booking. If I wanted a refundable booking TODAY (before the change) it went up to $5.666 (or $400.)

 

So we'll just watch the fare over next few months and look for new promotions. I was not locking in at $400 per person cancel fee (you get $300pp credit to use within one year). Just my experience

[nelblu]

5 hours ago, molly361 said:

What change takes place tomorrow??

I believe it's the elimination of the OBC promo with the non-R fares.

[nelblu]

2 hours ago, SteveinPhilly said:

By booking with Royal you are missing HUNDREDS of Dollar in OBCs. Even Royal recommends you use a TA. And ANY additional OBC you get from an agent. (we typically get $525 on a $3,000 cabin - is FULLY REFUNDABLE.  Cruise Compete is easist but use other on line agents too. They take reservation over phone and confirm. No one has yet shown me they got better deal or service by booking with a cruise line.  Just trying to help.

Never had any success with "Cruise Compete."  Get a lot of inquiries, but at the end the offers were not worth it.  I get better deals with Cru-C when they have their holiday specials.

[Naomigruis]

On 6/3/2018 at 10:18 PM, Ocean Boy said:

So after they get rid of refundable deposits completely will eligibility for price drops be next? I foresee RCI forcing a re-booking to get a price drop which, of course, will then cause the forfeiting of the non-refundable deposit.

 

This has already happened, i have a non refundable (didn't realize i was booking this) and when the price dropped i couldn't get the new price without losing the deposit, was not that big of a difference, first time this has ever happened to me, i have always been able to reprice in the past. 

 

Makes me rethink if our next cruise will be with RCL 

[Ourusualbeach]

39 minutes ago, Naomigruis said:

 

This has already happened, i have a non refundable (didn't realize i was booking this) and when the price dropped i couldn't get the new price without losing the deposit, was not that big of a difference, first time this has ever happened to me, i have always been able to reprice in the past. 

 

Makes me rethink if our next cruise will be with RCL 

 

I’ve received 3 price drops in the last 2 months on non refundable deposit fares.  The latest one being 2 days ago.  So far there is no change to the policy on price drops, unfortunately you must have spoken to an inexperienced rep.

[Naomigruis]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

I’ve received 3 price drops in the last 2 months on non refundable deposit fares.  The latest one being 2 days ago.  So far there is no change to the policy on price drops, unfortunately you must have spoken to an inexperienced rep.

 

I spoke to three levels of supervisors and had a phone call back after they "looked into it" they not doing price drops on non refundable deposits without losing deposit and having to re-book. I am in Australia though so that may make a difference. 

[Ourusualbeach]

15 minutes ago, Naomigruis said:

 

I spoke to three levels of supervisors and had a phone call back after they "looked into it" they not doing price drops on non refundable deposits without losing deposit and having to re-book. I am in Australia though so that may make a difference. 

 

Yes being in Australia does make a difference.

[DeputyDawg46]

I was just on the Explorer of the Seas from Seattle to Sydney and looked at different bookings with Future Cruises and unless I asked about the refundable rate they would not mention it.  On one cruise I looked  at and for the same Inside Room and same Category the difference in non and refundable was $2000.  Absolutely Ridiculous!!  Someone mentioned that the OBC is less on Refundable and that was always correct.

Edited November 1, 2018 by DeputyDawg46

[ONECRUISER]

8 minutes ago, DeputyDawg46 said:

I was just on the Explorer of the Seas from Seattle to Sydney and looked at different bookings with Future Cruises and unless I asked about the refundable rate they would not mention it.  On one cruise I looked  at and for the same Inside Room and same Category the difference in non and refundable was $2000.  Absolutely Ridiculous!!  Someone mentioned that the OBC is less on Refundable and that was always correct.

Yeah been like that for months. Sometimes Refundable rate is hundreds cheaper then non, others not and then some are same exact amount. Spend few hours everyday checking sailings, rates and cabins, never any consistency...

[StolidCruiser]

13 hours ago, Biker19 said:

You haven't looked hard enough.

 

With all due respect, I have.

 

I can get Steve’s $5200 cruise direct with the cruiseline for $4700 with a fully refundable deposit and no annoying OBC.  

 

You just have to know how to do it.

[SteveinPhilly]

12 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

 

 

12 hours ago, DeputyDawg46 said:

I was just on the Explorer of the Seas from Seattle to Sydney and looked at different bookings with Future Cruises and unless I asked about the refundable rate they would not mention it.  

Others may disagree with me but there is really almost NO advantage to a buying a Future cruise There used to be. You used to get a $100 OBC for paying $100 and it never expired. THREE years ago RCi changed to $25 ONC for a 12 night cruise. Not worth it. ONLY time I saw it was worth it was if you had a special cabin you wanted and were not going to change. Again, just MY opinion.

 

[SteveinPhilly]

5 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

With all due respect, I have.

 

I can get Steve’s $5200 cruise direct with the cruiseline for $4700 with a fully refundable deposit and no annoying OBC.  

 

You just have to know how to do it.

BUt will they give you the Efunable $600 OBC that one agency offered or $525 the other did?  Anyway, I put an alert in on ***** and will know IF price drops.

 

[Biker19]

9 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

I can get Steve’s $5200 cruise direct with the cruiseline for $4700 with a fully refundable deposit and no annoying OBC.  

 

You just have to know how to do it.

What ever deal you get from RCI, can very likely be beaten by some TA. You could book whatever deal you can make with RCI, like the one above, transfer it to  a TA and the TA will likely give you something more.

 

Biker, who'll take any and all OBC, including annoying one.

[SteveinPhilly]

And just to point out AGAIN. If you get an OBC from cruise line you need to use it. If it comes from agent you don't need to spend, At end of cruise it goes back on your creit card as a credit. The OBC from the two agents I use is usually = to 10% And Sometimes ppd gratutities.  So what's to be "annoying"?  😉