Amplification Update and Itinerary Changes

[Milwaukee Eight]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

Just one more reason why I always book refundable deposits.  (Yes, I know this does not apply to suites)

I know the NRD has now bitten me twice now. First was $100 to transfer. This one unknown at this time  If it was refundable, we would cancel for sure. Having said this, we still like the intent of NRD on Suites. As an example, when MJ was at PC, only cabins with balconies are Suites. Unless you book right out of the gate, most Suites were booked for weekend Summer cruises. It was unlikely to find a Suite(Balcony) until after final payment. Then several would open up but generally at a crazy high price. The NRD has just about eliminated this option. I have family that are P’s that would book a suite every weekend and just move deposits to other dates as final payment came if they decided not to use that weekend. There are lots of other good reasons the NRD came about but I’ll leave it alone. 
 

M8

[Ourusualbeach]

15 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I know the NRD has now bitten me twice now. First was $100 to transfer. This one unknown at this time  If it was refundable, we would cancel for sure. Having said this, we still like the intent of NRD on Suites. As an example, when MJ was at PC, only cabins with balconies are Suites. Unless you book right out of the gate, most Suites were booked for weekend Summer cruises. It was unlikely to find a Suite(Balcony) until after final payment. Then several would open up but generally at a crazy high price. The NRD has just about eliminated this option. I have family that are P’s that would book a suite every weekend and just move deposits to other dates as final payment came if they decided not to use that weekend. There are lots of other good reasons the NRD came about but I’ll leave it alone. 
 

M8

I agree, it certainly stopped people from hold now decide 3 months before sailing.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[lovescats5]

psujmatt...we had the largest room on Liberty, Presidential Suite and if you want a good balcony this will not provide that.  I am more than willing to follow Allure to whatever port they will be at but I want to keep my A1.  I also looked at other sailings and there is nothing to compare to the A1, there are not any available on any of the Oasis ships, and other SC rooms are at least $10,000 more that we got the A1 for.  There is no way we will be happy with any outcome except to let us keep the room and go wherever Allure goes.

[twangster]

41 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

There is no way we will be happy with any outcome except to let us keep the room and go wherever Allure goes.

 

That or refund the deposit.  Anything other than Star Class on some ship that week is unacceptable.  

[nessy48]

1 minute ago, twangster said:

 

That or refund the deposit.  Anything other than Star Class on some ship that week is unacceptable.  

We feel the same way as you.  We booked star class on Allure with some friends in a 2 bedroom aqua theatre suite and they have moved us into a 2 bed grand suite on liberty.  We got such a good deal on the star class and it was our first time doing it, we are very frustrated.  If they are not going to offer an equivalent experience on another oasis class ship, we should have the option to refund our money.  I am going to call later to give my $.02.  Not that it will help, but I am hoping that if they get enough "complaints", maybe they will just move us to Allure out of FLL for the same room/date/price.  

[cruiselvr04]

We were booked B2B in a large balcony on Allure out of Galveston.  There’s no replacement for that unless maybe an aft.  Not going back on Liberty so I’m getting my money back ( up to 90 days) grrrr and will book something else.  I’m not interested in the ports, we were going for the ship.  If we fly we rarely do 7 nights, usually at least 8-14.  

 

Now please, please do not let me read that Royal will mothball Empress as is rumored.  I have her booked in the spring of 21.  We love that little ship and have one of the biggest ocean views on her booked. 

[Biker19]

51 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Now please, please do not let me read that Royal will mothball Empress as is rumored.

Won't be mothballed, just long term storage, which may or may not extend till your sailing.

[firefly333]

9 hours ago, Petroplex said:

As am I. I can't read this as anything other than a desperate ploy to hold on to cash.

If it was just to hold onto cash, why not let people keep their allure bookings if they are willing to go out of Florida. 

 

I'm kinda thinking rcl might wind up giving way on this crazy deal with no options but a fcc offered. If people kept their bookings, they would pay off the cruises and would be easier to fill allure out of florida while demand is down.

 

Someone with a mind for business didnt come up with this. A business person would want to keep all the possible bookings rather than have more cancellations .... not to mention I'm sure the phone line is lit up from people calling, many not happy. Waste of customer service time. Handled poorly. 

[Ourusualbeach]

48 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

If it was just to hold onto cash, why not let people keep their allure bookings if they are willing to go out of Florida. 

My guess is that Allure will do the 3/4 or 4/4/5 itinerary rotation which makes it pretty hard to move to from a 7 day itinerary. 

[John&LaLa]

13 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Any idea when Allure bookings might open? I am thinking of moving my Jan 2021 Oasis sailing to Jan 2022 on Allure.

 

After August 1😉

[John&LaLa]

12 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Even though Star class doesn't exist on Liberty, it would be easy for Royal to include the equivalent benefits for free where possible...Internet, drink package, dining package.  They can't do anything about a Genie or SL/CK but the dining and drink packages could partially make up for that.  Don't understand why they don't at least offer this to Allure Star passengers.  

 

With dining and drink pkg, you don't need SL/CK😉

[John&LaLa]

12 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Lift and Shift is a program where Royal can manipulate bookings when it suits them or it's to their advantage.  There seem to be hidden restrictions that aren't published so it's a bit a of whack-a-mole game trying to Lift and Shift.  

 

On one hand they are willing to offer to Lift and Shift Allure to Liberty.  This is the default action for the bulk of Allure Galveston sailings.  What about a Lift and Shift to Symphony or Harmony?  That's where they play the "different ports" card, if it suits them.  

 

For my week:

 

Allure as booked - Western Caribbean

 

Oasis - Eastern Caribbean, no 2 bedroom suites available, no Star Class available

Symphony - Western Caribbean, no 2 bedroom suites available, no Star Class available

Harmony - Eastern Caribbean, no 2 bedroom suites available, no Star Class available

Allure - not available to accept bookings at this time.

 

So in my case for my travel week there is no Star Class available and there are no 2 bedroom suites available on any ship that on the surface comes close to matching any resemblance of the original booking - seven nights to the Caribbean.

 

There is Anthem to the Bahamas that has Star Class available but it's twice the price of my booking so they'll play the "sorry that doesn't qualify for L&S" card.  I doubt my siblings want to sail from Bayonne in the winter anyways so that's a non-starter.

 

 

Royal could do lots of things but they get their anus grows very tight when it doesn't suit them.  In Royal's mind putting a Star Class guest into a JS with no benefits = okay, extending the benefits they booked = not okay (that costs them money).  Liberty doesn't offer Sky Class let alone the loss of a Genie.  What price do they put on a Genie?  Apparently a Genie is worthless in Royal's eye since they don't offer anything for removing that benefit.   

 

First off, L&S needs to be a year past your sailing. Nothing released yet fits that criteria 

 

And yes, a Genie is worthess, just a big tip expense in my opinion🤣🤣

 

I do feel for you

Edited June 11, 2020 by John&LaLa

[John&LaLa]

9 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We love that little ship and have one of the biggest ocean views on her booked. 

 

Great cabin

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

After August 1😉

They said all the transfers of people off the Allure would  be completed by June 24 and her new itineraries would be available shortly after,

 

the original terms of the lift and shift stated it only applied to itineraries that had been released as of May 6.  We’ll see if they stick to that to deny people the chance to shift to Allure. 

[Bonroxie19]

I was booked into a 2 bd aqua suite also.  I spent 30 very frustrating minutes on the phone yesterday and was basically told take the fcc for my deposit of a grand, or get on the Liberty.  I am so disappointed and have no interest in going on LIberty.  I am happy to follow Allure to Fl and get the room that i booked.  I am hoping that something changes before i have to accept the FCC.  I would rather a refund.  

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

My guess is that Allure will do the 3/4 or 4/4/5 itinerary rotation which makes it pretty hard to move to from a 7 day itinerary. 

If its 3/4 still possible as that's a week.

 

Just glad I'm moved. 

[John&LaLa]

Just now, firefly333 said:

If its 3/4 still possible as that's a week.

 

Just glad I'm moved. 

 

They aren't going to swap for two cruises

[John&LaLa]

Beginning to look like there were some outstanding deals on Allure Star Class out of Galveston 

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

If its 3/4 still possible as that's a week.

 

Just glad I'm moved. 

Two cruises...not happening. 

[John&LaLa]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

Two cruises...not happening. 

 

That's what happened when Royal swapped Ovation for Explorer in 2019 TP

[lovescats5]

So, if I understand what is being said, we have no choice but to move to Liberty to an inferior room from what we had booked on Allure, say good-by to the genie and all associated Star Class perkes or take a FCC for deposit paid.  Not much of a deal.  To keep watch for when they open the new Allure bookings I can only imagine what they will be asking for an A1.  And, yes, to us a genie is worth having.  If everything is suppose to be done by June 24 we should be hearing from them before too long.

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

So, if I understand what is being said, we have no choice but to move to Liberty to an inferior room from what we had booked on Allure, say good-by to the genie and all associated Star Class perkes or take a FCC for deposit paid.  Not much of a deal.  To keep watch for when they open the new Allure bookings I can only imagine what they will be asking for an A1.  And, yes, to us a genie is worth having.  If everything is suppose to be done by June 24 we should be hearing from them before too long.

The letter is just a standard letter telling you to call or that they will call you.  I wouldn’t wait for the letter or them to call.  I would call the number in the letter that has been posted.

[BSocial]

for those of you that had Allure  (non-suite) bookings with a Refundable deposit, call and ask for your new invoice if they have advised you were switched to Liberty sailing. 
 

My original 4-day Allure was booked with a Refundable deposit.   I called yesterday and asked for an invoice, and saw they transferred my booking to the Liberty as Non-refundable.    
I was able to talk to Resolutions, and they quickly created a new Refundable reservation. 

Edited June 11, 2020 by BSocial

[newcruzer2]

18 minutes ago, BSocial said:

for those of you that had Allure  (non-suite) bookings with a Refundable deposit, call and ask for your new invoice if they have advised you were switched to Liberty sailing. 
 

My original 4-day Allure was booked with a Refundable deposit.   I called yesterday and asked for an invoice, and saw they transferred my booking to the Liberty as Non-refundable.    
I was able to talk to Resolutions, and they quickly created a new Refundable reservation. 

This is what i'm afraid of .... Will call today for my refundable deposit and just cancel before royal's I.T causes me more headaches

[firefly333]

I've read the options have been changed. 

 

Option 1 move to within 4 weeks of your date on oasis or symphony of the seas ... for those with suites they can now keep them

 

Options 2 full refund and there was a option 3.

 

I'm not a ta, and my screen shot is from a site I dont think I can post. Do we have a ta in the house who can post this or post the update on a new thread.