Onboard credit decreased, any idea why?

[ILOVEHI50]

Hi,  I booked a cabin for my cousin a cruise that departed Sept 22nd.  We kept the reservation with Royal.  It was booked as non refundable; so there was $100 OBC for booking on board.  There was also $100 OBC for booking it more than 6 months out; since the cruise is next August.  There was also a promotion of $125 OBC at that time.  Grand total of $325.  After returning home, Oct 11th there was a price drop.  The promotional OBC was now only $100; but a price drop of about $100.  A net savings of about $75 leaving them with $300 OBC.  We received a new invoice with the price drop and the new OBC of $300.  I did look online to verify that the $300 OBC was there and available to spend.  About a week later the reservation was transferred to a travel agent.  We received their invoice that showed the same balance due for the cruise; but their invoice never shows the OBC from Royal.  Sometime after the reservation had been transferred to the travel agent, I was still able to see the $300 OBC available to spend.  Fast forward to yesterday.  My cousin went to book drink package during the current sale, and there was only $200 OBC.  Their current balance due on the cruise is exactly the same as it was when they originally had the $300 OBC.  

 

Am I correct that the $100 OBC for booking on board should never disappear, and also the $100 for booking 6 months before cruise should not disappear, even though that 2nd credit is not something that is offered any longer.  We booked a cabin for ourselves with the C & A balcony discount, and received just these 2 $!00 credit for a total of $200 OBC.  We still have that $200; so my thought is it has to be that 3rd $100 for the promotion that disappeared; but why; since the cruise did not get repriced?

 

I am sure I've seen things like this on here before; but was not able to locate the thread.  The travel agent has contacted Royal and they have notes on the reservation, to see what happened.  Does anybody have any idea which of the $100 OBC would have disappeared and why?   Has anybody had this happen, and how long did it take to resolve.   We could have repriced the fare; since it was actually $103 less; but the concern was that they would somehow take another $100 OBC.  Does anybody have any suggestions, other than be patient.  Patience is not one of my virtues.  Thanks.

Edited November 27, 2018 by ILOVEHI50

[Sobro]

The price drop may have been for new bookings only. That means the perks for booking on board are lost. Happened to me once.

[ILOVEHI50]

I understand that; but we have a confirmation from Royal that shows the OBC, and it was there for about 6 weeks before it disappeared; so I don't see how that would be that case.  This was not a going, going, gone sale; since the cruise is still 9 months away.  Also, I received a price reduction for my cabin with the balcony discount, just no OBC on the same date, and did not lose any OBC.

 

[dutchclogs]

The early booking obc of $100 was stopped per 1 November.  (spun as 'feedback'indicated did not influence booking, for your greater certainty .....)

[molly361]

If any of those changes occurred on November 1 or after they would lose the $100 for booking 6 months in advance as that perk ended and any changed made after that lose that OBC

[ILOVEHI50]

4 hours ago, dutchclogs said:

The early booking obc of $100 was stopped per 1 November.  (spun as 'feedback'indicated did not influence booking, for your greater certainty .....)

 

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

If any of those changes occurred on November 1 or after they would lose the $100 for booking 6 months in advance as that perk ended and any changed made after that lose that OBC

 

Thanks guys.  The price drop happened October 11th; it definitely was not in November after the change; so I guess we will wait and see what they say.  I could see that something might have happened; if they had been repriced to the what the price was on Black Friday; but that did not happen; since the balance due now is exactly the same as it was prior to the price going down.  Also in that case, they would have lost an additional $!00, the $100 for the promotion that was going on at the time the original price drop took place.  I guess we will have to wait and see what they say.  They should certainly be able to tell them what the $200 they have is for; because each one should be coded.  That way, they can find out which of the $100 promotions disappeared.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by ILOVEHI50

[ScoutLeoOz]

I think the lesson here is that before taking a price drop confirm that no obc will be lost - because of course we all factor that in when considering taking the price drop. OP hope you get the situation resolved and don't forget to tell us why it was lost! Thanks!

[ILOVEHI50]

10 hours ago, ScoutLeoOz said:

I think the lesson here is that before taking a price drop confirm that no obc will be lost - because of course we all factor that in when considering taking the price drop. OP hope you get the situation resolved and don't forget to tell us why it was lost! Thanks!

You are correct.  We will give them a couple days to try to figure it out.    We did receive a new confirmation showing the price drop and the revised obc of $300, after they confirmed on the phone.  I will post back once we have an answer.

[ILOVEHI50]

Hi,  Just an update.  We actually gave them a few weeks to figure out what happened to the other $100 OBC.  I called the travel agent tonight, and they were able to see previous notes.  The very helpful agent contacted Royal to see what had happened to the $100.  They said for some reason one of the codes dropped off.  They were going to add it back; so the full $300 OBC was there.  They said to give it 24 hours; but it should show back up.  The travel agent put some great notes in the reservation; so if for some reason it doesn't show up, everything was written.  He said all of their phone conversations are recorded too; so there should not be any issue.  I was pretty confident nothing had been done on our end that caused this, and Royal confirmed that it happened on their end. 

[driftersdream]

Same thing here!  I was given $400 OBC for each stateroom when I booked at Next Cruise in May.  It showed the $400 in my cruise planner. I used the OBC for Voom and dinner reservations.  I have my receipt showing I had $400 OBC and used $400 OBC.  My DH had to cancel but I am still going.  Now I am receiving an invoice saying I have $100 OBC and owe $300.  I've been on the phone for the past 3 days and have been on hold for over an hour each day.  I will keep trying but the $300 is due tomorrow or they will cancel my voom and dinner reservations. 

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, driftersdream said:

Same thing here!  I was given $400 OBC for each stateroom when I booked at Next Cruise in May.  It showed the $400 in my cruise planner. I used the OBC for Voom and dinner reservations.  I have my receipt showing I had $400 OBC and used $400 OBC.  My DH had to cancel but I am still going.  Now I am receiving an invoice saying I have $100 OBC and owe $300.  I've been on the phone for the past 3 days and have been on hold for over an hour each day.  I will keep trying but the $300 is due tomorrow or they will cancel my voom and dinner reservations. 

 

Did they give a reason why the cancellation of your husband caused the OBC to be reduced?  Did they reprrice the cruise to current prices?

[driftersdream]

I haven't been able to speak to anyone who knows why.  The Royal rep who answers the phone keeps saying the Resolution department phone is busy, keep holding.  But I haven't given up trying!!!

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, driftersdream said:

  My DH had to cancel but I am still going.  

Did you tell RCI that?

[molly361]

If you told RCL that your husband was not going they might have repriced your reservation.  If you picked non refundable and took him off that reservation after November 1 you would lose the OBC that they used to give for booking a non refundable cabin more than 6 months in advance

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, molly361 said:

If you told RCL that your husband was not going they might have repriced your reservation.  If you picked non refundable and took him off that reservation after November 1 you would lose the OBC that they used to give for booking a non refundable cabin more than 6 months in advance

 

That's what I was thinking.  If so, the husband should have been a no show instead of cancelling.

[Keri's Cruisin']

I just rebooked/repriced my cabin for NOS for May 2019 as my son and girlfriend decided to come and we wanted to get rooms next to each other so I had to go up a category and pay approximately $130 more, what stinks that they removed my $50 OBC I got when I booked this cruise.  I had already used it to buy internet so now I owe RCCL $50.  

 

On a happier note, the rooms we booked just last night are today $75 less.  So I called and got price adjustments on both our rooms today.  Pays to check current pricing daily...And wait to make final payment until it's due date for this very reason. 

[Atlantix2000]

1 hour ago, Keri's Cruisin' said:

And wait to make final payment until it's due date for this very reason. 

 

You can still get price adjustments even if you've fully paid for a cruise.  The rules change after the due date not after the day you make the final payment.

[Keri's Cruisin']

6 hours ago, Atlantix2000 said:

 

You can still get price adjustments even if you've fully paid for a cruise.  The rules change after the due date not after the day you make the final payment.

Wait?  I don't understand.  So if my final payment is due on March 6th and I pay in full that day, I can still take advantage of price drops all the way up until we cruise?  I thought once you'd made your final payment you couldn't get any price drops?

[Clarea]

9 minutes ago, Keri's Cruisin' said:

 ...  I thought once you'd made your final payment you couldn't get any price drops?

 

Nope, if you make final payment early, you can still get price drops up to final payment date.

[Atlantix2000]

1 hour ago, Keri's Cruisin' said:

Wait?  I don't understand.  So if my final payment is due on March 6th and I pay in full that day, I can still take advantage of price drops all the way up until we cruise?  I thought once you'd made your final payment you couldn't get any price drops?

 

No I was trying to say paying before the due date doesn't prevent you from getting price drops.

 

So to use your example, if your final payment is due March 6th, you can get price drops up until March 6th even if you made your final payment in January.  But once you hit March 7th, your price can't go lower.

[Keri's Cruisin']

58 minutes ago, Atlantix2000 said:

 

No I was trying to say paying before the due date doesn't prevent you from getting price drops.

 

So to use your example, if your final payment is due March 6th, you can get price drops up until March 6th even if you made your final payment in January.  But once you hit March 7th, your price can't go lower.

Ok thank you! I understand now. Appreciate your help.