NR 8/7/20 Sailing, ‘Legit’ Cancellation Options?

[keishashadow]

Still waiting for refund on our 3/28 sailing on the Harmony, sigh.  Also, have a NR short cruise booked for 8/7.  Added it onto a planned trip with myself, DH & young GD.  Would’ve bailed already if I hadn’t booked NR.  Have until 5/24 to decide if I’m going to walk away & lose the DP.  

 

When tossing this hot potato around of what to do with my DH, had an idea.  At the risk of sounding shady, wondered if it would be permissable/legit to downgrade the reservation to a GTY inside, pay it off & then either...

 

A.   cancel with confidence 48 hours prior to sail date for the FCC* or

 

B.  hope it’s cancelled outright/restrictions are extended & then, request a refund to our credit card.  

 

When I called RCCL last Friday inquiring as to the status of my 3/28 saiing refund (told it’s still processing), I posed the above questions to the rep.  Response was “I don’t know...you’ll have to call back during regular business hours”.  Figured i might as well ask the experts here first 🙂

 

*Since we have GD along & she might not be able to sail within the given time frame, guessing we would lose the value of her FCC in that instance, another consideration.

[Ourusualbeach]

14 minutes ago, keishashadow said:

Still waiting for refund on our 3/28 sailing on the Harmony, sigh.  Also, have a NR short cruise booked for 8/7.  Added it onto a planned trip with myself, DH & young GD.  Would’ve bailed already if I hadn’t booked NR.  Have until 5/24 to decide if I’m going to walk away & lose the DP.  

 

When tossing this hot potato around of what to do with my DH, had an idea.  At the risk of sounding shady, wondered if it would be permissable/legit to downgrade the reservation to a GTY inside, pay it off & then either...

 

A.   cancel with confidence 48 hours prior to sail date for the FCC* or

 

B.  hope it’s cancelled outright/restrictions are extended & then, request a refund to our credit card.  

 

When I called RCCL last Friday inquiring as to the status of my 3/28 saiing refund (told it’s still processing), I posed the above questions to the rep.  Response was “I don’t know...you’ll have to call back during regular business hours”.  Figured i might as well ask the experts here first 🙂

 

*Since we have GD along & she might not be able to sail within the given time frame, guessing we would lose the value of her FCC in that instance, another consideration.

You can cancel your GD up until 30 days prior to sailing and get a full refund for her fare (different rules for 3rd and 4th guest).  You could also take her off now and her deposit is applied to your fare.

 

nothing wrong with downgrading. 

[molly361]

I have a balcony booked for the end of August and right now if prices don't drop I am going to downgrade to an interior right before final payment hoping the balcony prices drop and I can move back up.  If not we may cancel for the FCC depending how things look then

[keishashadow]

12 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You can cancel your GD up until 30 days prior to sailing and get a full refund for her fare (different rules for 3rd and 4th guest).  You could also take her off now and her deposit is applied to your fare.

 

nothing wrong with downgrading. 

I had no idea her NR deposit could be applicable to our fares.  Is this standard booking policy vs CV-19?

 

So, just to be clear:

 

Prior to 30 days pre final cruise payment we could both remove her (& receive a refund) & also utilize the 48 hr FCC for ourselves if desired.

 

If one of the earliest ships to sail, thinking head count might be down.  Is there there an option to add her back onto cabin pre sailing (at whatever prevailing rate) as we are booked in cabin that sleeps three now?

 

5 hours ago, molly361 said:

I have a balcony booked for the end of August and right now if prices don't drop I am going to downgrade to an interior right before final payment hoping the balcony prices drop and I can move back up.  If not we may cancel for the FCC depending how things look then

 

Hmmm, after reading your strategy, not sure if we do downgrade to inside GTY; we’d be permitted to upgrade to non GTY category.  

Edited April 20, 2020 by keishashadow

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, keishashadow said:

I had no idea her NR deposit could be applicable to our fares.  Is this standard booking policy vs CV-19?

 

So, just to be clear:

 

Prior to 30 days pre final cruise payment we could both remove her (& receive a refund) & also utilize the 48 hr FCC for ourselves if desired.

 

If one of the earliest ships to sail, thinking head count might be down.  Is there there an option to add her back onto cabin pre sailing (at whatever prevailing rate) as we are booked in cabin that sleeps three now?

That’s standard booking practice.  Different rules for third and fourth guests.  Royal May want to move you to a double occupancy room though but from what I have seen for recent sailings is they have so many cabins available they are making quad cabins available to doubles.  Ask before you do anything. 

 

Since you are before final payment why not just remove her from the booking now and then her deposit gets applied to your fare which you then get back as a FCC if you cancel under the CWC

 

You could add her back in closer to sailing if it’s still a go. 

 

 

[keishashadow]

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

That’s standard booking practice.  Different rules for third and fourth guests.  Royal May want to move you to a double occupancy room though but from what I have seen for recent sailings is they have so many cabins available they are making quad cabins available to doubles.  Ask before you do anything. 

 

Since you are before final payment why not just remove her from the booking now and then her deposit gets applied to your fare which you then get back as a FCC if you cancel under the CWC

 

You could add her back in closer to sailing if it’s still a go. 

 

 

 

Hadn’t thought of your strategy, seems solid, thank you.  Will run it past the mr 🙂.  Will definitely try to speak to somebody @ RCCL who can give me an answer.  

 

The phone call Friday was so static filled, believe perhaps a worker at home on a cell.  Wondering if they are so sort-staffed, they’ve re-assigned staff into fielding calls who aren’t fully up to speed.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, keishashadow said:

 

Hadn’t thought of your strategy, seems solid, thank you.  Will run it past the mr 🙂.  Will definitely try to speak to somebody @ RCCL who can give me an answer.  

 

The phone call Friday was so static filled, believe perhaps a worker at home on a cell.  Wondering if they are so sort-staffed, they’ve re-assigned staff into fielding calls who aren’t fully up to speed.

All staff are working from home so you do get the occasional call with poor quality.

[keishashadow]

Another twist...
 

Previously cancelled pre paid excursion on booked cruise (coco WP $194.97)   It was my understanding it would be refunded to my CC

 

yesterday,

 

removed GD from reservation 

 

dropped down to an inside guaranty 

Remaining balance due end of May is less $194.97. Agent insisted the price didnt reflect that as a credit

 

Hung up, called back & spoke to another rep. He said the same thing...

 

the invoice is correct.  the refund of cancelled excursion is on file and will be credited to my CC in 2 to three weeks. He even referenced the last 4 numbers of my CC

 

???

 

 

 

 

[Milwaukee Eight]

On 4/20/2020 at 9:47 AM, Ourusualbeach said:

All staff are working from home so you do get the occasional call with poor quality.

How do they transfer to a Supervisor if needed?

[Jimbo]

3 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

How do they transfer to a Supervisor if needed?

Me thinks she says hold on, then picks up 10 minutes later with her second voice :)

Edited May 1, 2020 by Jimbo

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

How do they transfer to a Supervisor if needed?

I actually asked them about this a few days ago.  They are using a web based phone app so apparently it is not much different from being in the office and transferring to different extensions.

[keishashadow]

Any thots on whether I should call back & ask to speak to a supervisor?

 

It would be swell to have received a magical $194.97 reduction in my cruise fare plus the same refund, but since we are still awaiting our refund from 3/13 cancellation I am dubious, at best.

 

FYI, The stated timeline for the excursion’s refund is after my final payment date. 

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, keishashadow said:

Agent insisted the price didnt reflect that as a credit

That's probably right, planner purchase cancellations (the excursion refund) can't be credited against fare owed.