Checking the RCCL website booking page...strange phenomenon

[Bruin Steve]

Whenever I have a cruise booked, I often check back on the website to see pricing and availability.  Sometimes, I'll see price drops--and I'll arrange a revision or an upgrade.  Sometimes, I'll have a bid on the table on RoyalUp or Celebrity MoveUp--and I might adjust my bids based on availability for certain categories.  Sometimes it is just out of curiosity.

 

So, today, I was checking on my upcoming January 20 Navigator cruise-...just a little over a month away.

 

Here is what I found...I think:

All Suites are clearly "sold out".

But you CAN click to book in Inside, Ocean View and Balcony categories...

And here is where it gets strange...

Each of those options leads you to a page with a choice of "We choose your cabin" or "You choose your cabin".  "We choose", in each case, is at a lower price.  BUT, when you choose "You choose", ALL of the options, ALL at higher prices, are "Guarantee" rates...

IOW, you book those rates and you are in the same exact situation in which you would have been if you merely clicked on the lower rate "We choose your cabin"!!

 

Why have a "We choose" your balcony for $950 and a "You choose" your balcony--BUT you can't choose, so we will eventually choose it for you as well rate for $1165???

 

On Celebrity...and every other cruise line, when there are no unassigned cabins left but they still want to book cabins, they merely offer a SINGLE "Guarantee" rate.

Edited December 15, 2022 by Bruin Steve

[Merion_Mom]

5 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

Whenever I have a cruise booked, I often check back on the website to see pricing and availability.  Sometimes, I'll see price drops--and I'll arrange a revision or an upgrade.  Sometimes, I'll have a bid on the table on RoyalUp or Celebrity MoveUp--and I might adjust my bids based on availability for certain categories.  Sometimes it is just out of curiosity.

 

So, today, I was checking on my upcoming January 20 Navigator cruise-...just a little over a month away.

 

Here is what I found...I think:

All Suites are clearly "sold out".

But you CAN click to book in Inside, Ocean View and Balcony categories...

And here is where it gets strange...

Each of those options leads you to a page with a choice of "We choose your cabin" or "You choose your cabin".  "We choose", in each case, is at a lower price.  BUT, when you choose "You choose", ALL of the options, ALL at higher prices, are "Guarantee" rates...

IOW, you book those rates and you are in the same exact situation in which you would have been if you merely clicked on the lower rate "We choose your cabin"!!

 

Why have a "We choose" your balcony for $950 and a "You choose" your balcony--BUT you can't choose, so we will eventually choose it for you as well rate for $1165???

 

On Celebrity...and every other cruise line, when there are no unassigned cabins left but they still want to book cabins, they merely offer a SINGLE "Guarantee" rate.

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

you have mail

[Starry Eyes]

It’s kinda sweet that you are willing to label Royal IT screw ups are a “ strange phenomenon”

edit:

I guess I’d give them a partial credit if the listed options really were different. For example:  inside gty and promenade view gty under inside cabins; neighborhood balcony gty or obstructed balcony gty and OV balcony gty under balconies.  The booking website is still awkward, so I cannot be very kind.

Edited December 15, 2022 by Starry Eyes

[ONECRUISER]

Then many times me picking the Cabin is cheaper then Them/Guarantee. These and many more are nothing New with Royal

[footzz]

One of the strangest phenomena I've encountered was on the RCCL website landing page. There was a 24 hour period of NO adverisements for the ever present % off cruise sales. This strange occurrence happend during the announcement of the Icon of the Seas. I don't recall ever seeing that happen before, nor since.

[Engineroom Snipe]

13 hours ago, Bruin Steve said:

Whenever I have a cruise booked, I often check back on the website to see pricing and availability.  Sometimes, I'll see price drops--and I'll arrange a revision or an upgrade.  Sometimes, I'll have a bid on the table on RoyalUp or Celebrity MoveUp--and I might adjust my bids based on availability for certain categories.  Sometimes it is just out of curiosity.

 

So, today, I was checking on my upcoming January 20 Navigator cruise-...just a little over a month away.

 

Here is what I found...I think:

All Suites are clearly "sold out".

But you CAN click to book in Inside, Ocean View and Balcony categories...

And here is where it gets strange...

Each of those options leads you to a page with a choice of "We choose your cabin" or "You choose your cabin".  "We choose", in each case, is at a lower price.  BUT, when you choose "You choose", ALL of the options, ALL at higher prices, are "Guarantee" rates...

IOW, you book those rates and you are in the same exact situation in which you would have been if you merely clicked on the lower rate "We choose your cabin"!!

 

Why have a "We choose" your balcony for $950 and a "You choose" your balcony--BUT you can't choose, so we will eventually choose it for you as well rate for $1165???

 

On Celebrity...and every other cruise line, when there are no unassigned cabins left but they still want to book cabins, they merely offer a SINGLE "Guarantee" rate.

 

Unfortunately, it is typical of many website booking databases. The structure was not created to address "all things considered." In this case, you want to choose your inside cabin and it is a higher price than the GTY inside cabin, but they assign the inside cabin.  You are paying more to get an inside cabin anywhere they want, but you will not have a connecting inside cabin. Some people do not want to be in a connecting cabin and are willing to pay more for that option. When you buy the lower priced inside GTY, they can put you in a connecting cabin or any other cabin of their choosing.

 

In this case, if I paid for an inside cabin lower priced GTY, I could be placed into an inside connecting cabin and you would pay a premium to obtain my inside GTY wherever it was on the ship according to the vacancies.