RCCL Holding back cabins

[seasidemama]

I've been watching a few sailings on two different ships for next year for about two months now. It's always the same (limited) cabins that are available on each deck. Same cabin numbers on same decks for each different sailing date on the same ships (looking at next summer).

 

One ship has the same decks and cabin numbers available on each sailing - all at really bad locations - all the way front or all the way aft. The other ship ONLY shows guarantee balconies (for cruises 10-12 months out).  I don't want a guarantee balcony and I don't want to be all the way aft/fore and I really doubt this is the actual room availability. I know I can book now and change later as cabins become available, but if I book a guarantee the price to choose my cabin if that option becomes available will probably cost as much as another cruise.. Really annoying.

 

I know RCCL is holding back rooms to give the appearance of high demand and pressure people to hit that book button but trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe it's just a coincidence on these two ships that I'm watching.

 

Their pricing shenanigans and cut backs as of late are really starting to get to me.

 

Anyone else notice this when price shopping for next year?

[OCSC Mike]

11 minutes ago, seasidemama said:

Anyone else notice this when price shopping for next year?

 

I've noticed it (for another reason but doesn't matter).

 

I believe in some cases a TA may have access to some of those cabins you can't see as available yourself on the RC site but don't quote me on that. Hopefully one will chime in.

[orville99]

14 minutes ago, seasidemama said:

I know RCCL is holding back rooms to give the appearance of high demand and pressure people to hit that book button but trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe it's just a coincidence on these two ships that I'm watching.

Ships have been sailing full (100%+ capacity) for quite awhile, and forward demand has not shown any softening through the spring of 2025, so I doubt they are "holding" anything back. Cabins in less than desirable locations tend to sell late in the booking cycle (if they sell at all). Every cruise that we have booked for 2024 and 2025 has more than doubled in price since we booked, and we have watched the number and locations of comparable cabins dwindle (as the song says) "down to those precious few" orphan cabins that I believe you are seeing.

 

Also, as OCSC Mike said, TAs may have some of the cabins you can't see being held in their group booking blocks, so I'd contact a TA and see if there are cabins available through them that you aren't seeing.

Edited August 6, 2023 by orville99

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, seasidemama said:

Anyone else notice this when price shopping for next year?

It's not a secret.  The CEO came right out and said they are doing this on one of the recent earnings calls or interviews.  They also hold back cabins to fulfil group obligations for group space blocked by TA's.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, OCSC Mike said:

I believe in some cases a TA may have access to some of those cabins you can't see as available yourself on the RC site but don't quote me on that. Hopefully one will chime in.

Yes, in many cases TA's can see more but not necessarily all the cabins.

 

 

[molly361]

Yes I noticed it and also find it annoying even though I book thru a TA.  When the Utopia first opened for bookings the only OV balconies that showed up were on deck 9 no matter what date I put in.  Also not in good locations.  Very frustrating even when just browsing.

 

In the "old days" I could contact my TA with the cabin number that I saw as available, no longer can do that but he knows my cabin preferences😇 so all  is good

Edited August 6, 2023 by molly361

[OCSC Mike]

3 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Yes I noticed it and also find it annoying even though I book thru a TA.  When the Utopia first opened for bookings the only OV balconies that showed up were on deck 9 no matter what date I put in.  Also not in good locations.  Very frustrating even when just browsing.

 

That's exactly when I noticed it. I had a cabin on hold for me in a location where the site showed nothing available... but as you know I was way too cheap to keep it... even though I had some online friends encouraging me to spend the money. 😁

Edited August 6, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[seasidemama]

9 minutes ago, orville99 said:

Ships have been sailing full (100%+ capacity) for quite awhile, and forward demand has not shown any softening through the spring of 2025, so I doubt they are "holding" anything back. Cabins in less than desirable locations tend to sell late in the booking cycle (if they sell at all). Every cruise that we have booked for 2024 and 2025 has more than doubled in price since we booked, and we have watched the number and locations of comparable cabins dwindle (as the song says) "down to those precious few" orphan cabins that I believe you are seeing.

 

Also, as OCSC Mike said, TAs may have some of the cabins you can't see being held in their group booking blocks, so I'd contact a TA and see if there are cabins available through them that you aren't seeing.

 

Yes, ships are sailing at full capacity as of late. That does not explain why on eight different sailings on the same ship - 10-12 months from now all  NLY have the same exact two balcony cabins available on each deck - all the way aft and all the way front. Maybe the desirable location theory would make sense if at least they were similar cabins on starboard/port side - but they are literally the same 2 cabins on each deck that are somehow the only ones available on each of these sailings..

 

It does make for a good pressure marketing tactic which is working very well for RCL.

[Ourusualbeach]

46 minutes ago, seasidemama said:

 

Yes, ships are sailing at full capacity as of late. That does not explain why on eight different sailings on the same ship - 10-12 months from now all  NLY have the same exact two balcony cabins available on each deck - all the way aft and all the way front. Maybe the desirable location theory would make sense if at least they were similar cabins on starboard/port side - but they are literally the same 2 cabins on each deck that are somehow the only ones available on each of these sailings..

 

It does make for a good pressure marketing tactic which is working very well for RCL.

What category were you looking at?

 

If it was a 4D balcony on Voyager class (where they have not added the new cabins on decks 11) there are literally less than 15 of these cabins on the ship and yes they do sell out quickly with only the least desirable ones left

Edited August 6, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[FionaMG]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

That's exactly when I noticed it. I had a cabin on hold for me in a location where the site showed nothing available... but as you know I was way too cheap to keep it... even though I had some online friends encouraging me to spend the money. 😁

 

I'm guessing none of them offered to contribute any $$$ towards the cost to help you make your mind up... 🤑😂

[OCSC Mike]

33 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

I'm guessing none of them offered to contribute any $$$ towards the cost to help you make your mind up... 🤑😂

 

No, they did not, lol.

 

I was hoping to go on the Utopia inaugural but those 4 nights cost more than 7 nights on Wonder around the same time and as much as I wanted to experience an inaugural cruise, my frugal mindset wouldn't let me spend extra money for 3 less nights on a nearly identical ship just for the experience.

 

The plan before the prices were released was actually to do a B2B on the 1st two sailings but that total was obviously even crazier. I'll live.

Edited August 6, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[seasidemama]

44 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

What category were you looking at?

 

If it was a 4D balcony on Voyager class (where they have not added the new cabins on decks 11) there are literally less than 15 of these cabins on the ship and yes they do sell out quickly with only the least desirable ones left

looking at oasis class ships

[molly361]

20 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

No, they did not, lol.

 

I was hoping to go on the Utopia inaugural but those 4 nights cost more than 7 nights on Wonder around the same time and as much as I wanted to experience an inaugural cruise, my frugal mindset wouldn't let me spend extra money for 3 less nights on a nearly identical ship just for the experience.

 

The plan before the prices were released was actually to do a B2B on the 1st two sailings but that total was obviously even crazier. I'll live.

Party  🎉 pooper

[OCSC Mike]

28 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Party  🎉 pooper

 

Should I start a (go fund me)?

 

I could check on current prices if you're gonna donate. 😁

Edited August 6, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[molly361]

10 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Should I start a (website where people send you funds the software won't let me type)?

 

I could check on current prices if you're gonna donate. 😁

I'll look for your go fund me page😇

[OCSC Mike]

7 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I'll look for your go fund me page😇

 

You must have typed more naughty stuff than me to know how to get around the censor. 🤣

[steveru621]

6 hours ago, seasidemama said:

I know RCCL is holding back rooms to give the appearance of high demand and pressure people to hit that book button but trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe it's just a coincidence on these two ships that I'm watching.

 

Not true.  There are TA's holding cabin groups.

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

Not true.  There are TA's holding cabin groups.

 

Both are true. See post #4.

[steveru621]

6 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

They also hold back cabins to fulfil group obligations for group space blocked by TA's.

 

15 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Both are true. See post #4.

 

I said, group. Did you read my post?

[Ourusualbeach]

28 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

Not true.  There are TA's holding cabin groups.

In order to hold actual cabins they need to have names and full deposits.  TA's can only do that for 30 days.  Other than that they hold space within the category and not actual cabin numbers.

[OCSC Mike]

7 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

I said, group. Did you read my post?

 

Yes, did you read all of post 4 or the CEO's comments? You told that poster it was "not true" that RC is holding back cabins when in fact they are, not just for TA groups, but in general.

Edited August 6, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[steveru621]

2 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Yes, did you read all of post 4 or the CEO's comments? You told that poster it was "not true" that RC is holding back cabins when in fact they are, not just for TA groups, but in general.

 

Semantics?  Where did RCI say in general?

[steveru621]

The uncountable 'SOME' cabins.

[seasidemama]

18 minutes ago, steveru621 said:

 

Semantics?  Where did RCI say in general?

I believe it was in one of the recent investor calls. I read the published transcript.

[steveru621]

3 minutes ago, seasidemama said:

I believe it was in one of the recent investor calls. I read the published transcript.

 

Quote?  or interpretation?