Having trouble getting credit for lower fare

[SoonerDan]

Booked a cruise yesterday (Mar 5 voyager). 
checked today. It’s about $300 cheaper for the same exact scenario and room

 

First, They are saying they can’t find the rate 

now trying to say something about special sale 

 

my understanding is I’m in the 48 hour best price guarantee. Any help?

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, SoonerDan said:

Any help?

Make sure of the rate (look at a couple of other sites) and then call back, perhaps more than once. You are still outside of final payment (barely) so the 48hr rule is not needed.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Biker19

[SoonerDan]

So here is what ended up happening..

1- we called back

2- agent found rate  (a decrease of almost $300)

3- she said she could not honor the rate because it was a flash sale for the weekend

4- my wife politely explained that the 48 hour price guarantee says "any publicly available rate".  She also explained that being outside final payment it shouldn't matter, so we should be covered either way

5- she said doesn't matter can't do it

6- we had booked the cruise about 26 hours prior

7- she said she could cancel our first booking and redo the booking

8- so that is what we did..we cancelled booking 1..have to wait 7-10 days for deposit to show up

9- made a new booking for same exact category (balcony guarantee) at lower price

10- I still think this policy is misleading at best or a completely uninformed agent and a deceptive practice

 

 

maybe we are completely wrong but at best this is confusing for the consumer.  She said the new rate wouldn't qualify as publicly available because it was a sale.  My wife said well i am a member of public and simply went to your website and searched for a cruise...that seems public

Edited December 5, 2022 by SoonerDan

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, SoonerDan said:

She said the new rate wouldn't qualify as publicly available because it was a sale.

This part of her statement is incorrect - the part about not honoring the price drop on an existing booking may technically be correct (the small print says exactly that on the flier usually), but most of the time they do adjust to the new price.

[Engineroom Snipe]

25 minutes ago, SoonerDan said:

She said the new rate wouldn't qualify as publicly available because it was a sale.  

 

I once asked my TA," Should I contact him if I see a price that seemed significantly better than what we acquired?" He said absolutely because it is easier for him to change the price if the price is currently available. He admitted that he could not keep track of all of the deals for each customer on a daily basis and the request for price comparison would only take a few minutes.

 

I tend to not bother with the $0 to $50 increments but once it approached $75 or more, I notify him. In some cases, he explains that the decrease comes with the caveat that my $200 next cruise deposit needs to be increased to $500. In some cases, he explains that in getting the lower price, I could lose the negotiated OBC that was not associate with next cruise. Many small disclaimers which limit the application of the decreased price to my specific cruise.

 

I have hit the jackpot and saved over $400 per cabin on some cruises by checking them every day. Some of the decreases only occurred for three days or less and it is best to do it immediately. The prices then went even higher than my original price one week later. He stated it is hard to try and negotiate if it is not current.

 

Like @Biker19noted, most of the time, they try to get the discount for you. It seems like your contact was more interested in not giving you any breaks which might cost the cruise line goodwill. Your comments suggest they left a bad taste in your mouth, and this is not good sales.

[SoonerDan]

2 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

I once asked my TA," Should I contact him if I see a price that seemed significantly better than what we acquired?" He said absolutely because it is easier for him to change the price if the price is currently available. He admitted that he could not keep track of all of the deals for each customer on a daily basis and the request for price comparison would only take a few minutes.

 

I tend to not bother with the $0 to $50 increments but once it approached $75 or more, I notify him. In some cases, he explains that the decrease comes with the caveat that my $200 next cruise deposit needs to be increased to $500. In some cases, he explains that in getting the lower price, I could lose the negotiated OBC that was not associate with next cruise. Many small disclaimers which limit the application of the decreased price to my specific cruise.

 

I have hit the jackpot and saved over $400 per cabin on some cruises by checking them every day. Some of the decreases only occurred for three days or less and it is best to do it immediately. The prices then went even higher than my original price one week later. He stated it is hard to try and negotiate if it is not current.

 

Like @Biker19noted, most of the time, they try to get the discount for you. It seems like your contact was more interested in not giving you any breaks which might cost the cruise line goodwill. Your comments suggest they left a bad taste in your mouth, and this is not good sales.

The frustrating part was her solution which was not giving me the rate, but giving me a new booking took her nearly an hour to get done. Maybe there was perks or bonuses for them getting sales..I don't know..it was frustrating that one agent couldn't even replicate the rate and then one could but wouldn't do anything.  This is the first time we have ever had a price drop

[soccer2010]

On 12/5/2022 at 11:23 AM, Engineroom Snipe said:

 

I once asked my TA," Should I contact him if I see a price that seemed significantly better than what we acquired?" He said absolutely because it is easier for him to change the price if the price is currently available. He admitted that he could not keep track of all of the deals for each customer on a daily basis and the request for price comparison would only take a few minutes.

 

I tend to not bother with the $0 to $50 increments but once it approached $75 or more, I notify him. In some cases, he explains that the decrease comes with the caveat that my $200 next cruise deposit needs to be increased to $500. In some cases, he explains that in getting the lower price, I could lose the negotiated OBC that was not associate with next cruise. Many small disclaimers which limit the application of the decreased price to my specific cruise.

 

I have hit the jackpot and saved over $400 per cabin on some cruises by checking them every day. Some of the decreases only occurred for three days or less and it is best to do it immediately. The prices then went even higher than my original price one week later. He stated it is hard to try and negotiate if it is not current.

 

Like @Biker19noted, most of the time, they try to get the discount for you. It seems like your contact was more interested in not giving you any breaks which might cost the cruise line goodwill. Your comments suggest they left a bad taste in your mouth, and this is not good sales.

Engineroom Snipe, I have a question for you and I was unable to send you a message.  Could you send me an email at soccercummings@cinci.rr.com

[Engineroom Snipe]

20 minutes ago, soccer2010 said:

Engineroom Snipe, I have a question for you and I was unable to send you a message.  Could you send me an email at soccercummings@cinci.rr.com

Will do.

[Jbluebird]

On 12/3/2022 at 5:00 PM, SoonerDan said:

Booked a cruise yesterday (Mar 5 voyager). 
checked today. It’s about $300 cheaper for the same exact scenario and room

 

First, They are saying they can’t find the rate 

now trying to say something about special sale 

 

my understanding is I’m in the 48 hour best price guarantee. Any help?

I have also seen our cruise for much lower on their web site and we are more than 90 days out, but each time I call I'm told our deposit is refundable and the current sales only have non-refundable deposits.   Plus we have a guarantee booking so in addition to the deposit we'd lose our room (which has already been assigned).  Last agent I talked to was very nice and told me to keep checking and calling back.