Price Lowered

[Signet]

Hi - I am sure this has been asked and answered hundreds of times.  but I cannot find it answered.  Here is my question.

I am set to sail in September, final payment was due 6/5/24(which i paid) 

 

I look today (4 days after final) and the price of my cruise/cabin has dropped by just over 700 dollars.  My travel agent is closed on Sundays so I cannot ask them today. Question is of course, will I get the difference, or any kind of compensation at all?  or is just my bad luck to book early.

 

Thanks

[EbayCruiser]

No price adjustment after final payment, sorry.  Not sure if TA will do anything for you.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

You can ask for a room upgrade if that works for you.  Thats assuming a higher "grade" of room is equal to what you paid for the current room.

[Another_Critic]

14 minutes ago, Signet said:

Hi - I am sure this has been asked and answered hundreds of times.  but I cannot find it answered.  Here is my question.

I am set to sail in September, final payment was due 6/5/24(which i paid) 

 

I look today (4 days after final) and the price of my cruise/cabin has dropped by just over 700 dollars.  My travel agent is closed on Sundays so I cannot ask them today. Question is of course, will I get the difference, or any kind of compensation at all?  or is just my bad luck to book early.

 

Thanks

As stated, no price adjustments after final payment.  However, if another category that you're interested has also decreased, you can move to that category for either the difference in cost (if higher) or no additional cost if lower.

 

Example:  An OV w/ large balcony or JS is now cheaper or slightly higher than what you paid for an OV.

[crzndeb]

32 minutes ago, Signet said:

Hi - I am sure this has been asked and answered hundreds of times.  but I cannot find it answered.  Here is my question.

I am set to sail in September, final payment was due 6/5/24(which i paid) 

 

I look today (4 days after final) and the price of my cruise/cabin has dropped by just over 700 dollars.  My travel agent is closed on Sundays so I cannot ask them today. Question is of course, will I get the difference, or any kind of compensation at all?  or is just my bad luck to book early.

 

Thanks

Double post

Edited June 9 by crzndeb

[Another_Critic]

Why has anyone mentioned an upgrade?  😄

[Signet]

Thanks all, not the answers I was hoping for though ☹️

 

I'll certainly call my TA tomorrow morning, see if I can get any kind of compensation. It is definitely worth a phone call at minimum. 

 

Looking at the upgrade option, maybe, but the upgrade would cost me additional 900 dollars (going from GS to OS) plus a 50 dollars loss in OBC, and the loss of a free dinner in one of the specialty restaurants.

 

Do not think it's worth al that but I'll think about it. It all depends on what if anything my TA can or will do for me.

 

Thanks again all

[cruisinfanatic]

1 hour ago, Signet said:

Thanks all, not the answers I was hoping for though ☹️

 

I'll certainly call my TA tomorrow morning, see if I can get any kind of compensation. It is definitely worth a phone call at minimum. 

 

Looking at the upgrade option, maybe, but the upgrade would cost me additional 900 dollars (going from GS to OS) plus a 50 dollars loss in OBC, and the loss of a free dinner in one of the specialty restaurants.

 

Do not think it's worth al that but I'll think about it. It all depends on what if anything my TA can or will do for me.

 

Thanks again all

After final payment, the only option is for a free or low cost upgrade. Been that way for decades. Your TA can't do anything

[pcur]

This is what I would do if the price reduction was more than $100 per person, AND you have a non-refundable deposit:

 

Option 1: Tell my travel agent or RCCL (whomever I booked with) that I want the price difference as an obc, or I will move the cruise to a different ship and pay the $100 per person change fee. (This is basically a bluff; but your testing to see how anxious they are to keep your booking.)

 

Option 2: Cancel the cruise, lose your deposit, and rebook at the lower price.

 

Most times they will give you the obc.  The whole reason for the price drop is the ship is not fully booked, so you have some leverage. 

 

If you have a refundable deposit, then tell them you will cancel and rebook if they don't agree to give you the obc.

 

Then, use the obc to pay for tips, or cash it out by transferring it as a room charge in the casino, then cash out.  Be careful with this, because once you do it, you cannot put another room charge transfer on your account for the rest of the cruise.

Edited June 9 by pcur

[Ken at the beach]

2 hours ago, Signet said:

It all depends on what if anything my TA can or will do for me.

Unfortunately as others have mentioned your TA won't be able to do anything as it is after final payment.  It is not up to them.  They just follow the same rules that Royal has for all guests regardless of who they booked through.

[Ken at the beach]

45 minutes ago, pcur said:

This is what I would do if the price reduction was more than $100 per person, AND you have a non-refundable deposit:

 

Option 1: Tell my travel agent or RCCL (whomever I booked with) that I want the price difference as an obc, or I will move the cruise to a different ship and pay the $100 per person change fee. (This is basically a bluff; but your testing to see how anxious they are to keep your booking.)

 

Option 2: Cancel the cruise, lose your deposit, and rebook at the lower price.

 

Most times they will give you the obc.  The whole reason for the price drop is the ship is not fully booked, so you have some leverage. 

 

If you have a refundable deposit, then tell them you will cancel and rebook if they don't agree to give you the obc.

 

Then, use the obc to pay for tips, or cash it out by transferring it as a room charge in the casino, then cash out.  Be careful with this, because once you do it, you cannot put another room charge transfer on your account for the rest of the cruise.

You can't pay the $100 change fee after final payment.  The change fee only applies to bookings before final payment.  After final payment you go by the cancellation schedule.

 

They would lose more than the deposit by cancelling.

 

Other than during Covid Royal never gave OBC for price drops after final payment unless you go back over 20 years

[bajathree]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

This is what I would do if the price reduction was more than $100 per person, AND you have a non-refundable deposit:

 

Option 1: Tell my travel agent or RCCL (whomever I booked with) that I want the price difference as an obc, or I will move the cruise to a different ship and pay the $100 per person change fee. (This is basically a bluff; but your testing to see how anxious they are to keep your booking.)

 

Option 2: Cancel the cruise, lose your deposit, and rebook at the lower price.

 

Most times they will give you the obc.  The whole reason for the price drop is the ship is not fully booked, so you have some leverage. 

 

If you have a refundable deposit, then tell them you will cancel and rebook if they don't agree to give you the obc.

 

Then, use the obc to pay for tips, or cash it out by transferring it as a room charge in the casino, then cash out.  Be careful with this, because once you do it, you cannot put another room charge transfer on your account for the rest of the cruise.

Im sure glad I'm not your travel agent....lol

As for loosing your deposit and rebooking....you missed that the OP is booked in a suite...different deposit rules apply. 

Also people seem to think that their TA can make things magically happen or just give you money in OBC out of their pocket. Asking an TA to take some of their own commission to give to you as an OBC because your upset about a price reduction from the cruise line is just plain not nice.

[Mum2Mercury]

Ask. Be polite and be prepared to take NO for an answer since that IS the official rule. What do you have to lose?  

[pcur]

44 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You can't pay the $100 change fee after final payment.  The change fee only applies to bookings before final payment.  After final payment you go by the cancellation schedule.

 

They would lose more than the deposit by cancelling.

 

Other than during Covid Royal never gave OBC for price drops after final payment unless you go back over 20 years

What about with a refundable deposit? Is there any option there.  (Since I'm spoiled by my TA, I don't keep track of this kind of topic like I used to..... 😁.)

 

Yes!  I was thinking about the posts I read during COVID when they were being much more flexible.

Edited June 9 by pcur

[leaveitallbehind]

Just one other comment, typically favorable price changes after final payment are specified for new bookings only.   That typically is to avoid post final payment price adjustments.

Edited June 9 by leaveitallbehind

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, pcur said:

What about with a refundable deposit? Is there any option there.  (Since I'm spoiled by my TA, I don't keep track of this kind of topic like I used to..... 😁.)

 

Yes!  I was thinking about the posts I read during COVID when they were being much more flexible.

Deposit type post final payment makes no difference.  That only matters prior to final payment.

[pcur]

13 minutes ago, bajathree said:

Im sure glad I'm not your travel agent....lol

As for loosing your deposit and rebooking....you missed that the OP is booked in a suite...different deposit rules apply. 

Also people seem to think that their TA can make things magically happen or just give you money in OBC out of their pocket. Asking an TA to take some of their own commission to give to you as an OBC because your upset about a price reduction from the cruise line is just plain not nice.

Whoa!  You COMPLETELY misunderstood my post.  As I stated quite clearly I was referring to RCCL giving the obc for the price drop.  I would NEVER ask my TA to give up anything! He is a saint, available all kinds of crazy hours, and I bow to his hard work and excellent suggestions.

 

As I posted just now, I was thinking of the flexibility during COVID, which is no more.

 

And, yes, I was thinking of what I would do, as I also stated, and I don't book suites.

 

Geesh.

Edited June 9 by pcur

[cruisinfanatic]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

This is what I would do if the price reduction was more than $100 per person, AND you have a non-refundable deposit:

 

Option 1: Tell my travel agent or RCCL (whomever I booked with) that I want the price difference as an obc, or I will move the cruise to a different ship and pay the $100 per person change fee. (This is basically a bluff; but your testing to see how anxious they are to keep your booking.)

 

Option 2: Cancel the cruise, lose your deposit, and rebook at the lower price.

 

Most times they will give you the obc.  The whole reason for the price drop is the ship is not fully booked, so you have some leverage. 

 

If you have a refundable deposit, then tell them you will cancel and rebook if they don't agree to give you the obc.

 

Then, use the obc to pay for tips, or cash it out by transferring it as a room charge in the casino, then cash out.  Be careful with this, because once you do it, you cannot put another room charge transfer on your account for the rest of the cruise.

Can't be done after final payment date. Never could

[cruisinfanatic]

11 minutes ago, pcur said:

What about with a refundable deposit? Is there any option there.  (Since I'm spoiled by my TA, I don't keep track of this kind of topic like I used to..... 😁.)

 

Yes!  I was thinking about the posts I read during COVID when they were being much more flexible.

deposit refundable or not doesn't exist after final payment

[pcur]

14 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Ask. Be polite and be prepared to take NO for an answer since that IS the official rule. What do you have to lose?  

Thank you; my philosophy, too.

[pcur]

6 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

Can't be done after final payment date. Never could

Yes, it was quite common, as Ourusualbeach said, back in the way back. RCCL used to be THE most flexible cruise line then.

Edited June 9 by pcur

[cruisinfanatic]

Just now, pcur said:

Yes, it was quite common, a Ourusualbeach said, back in the way back. RCCL used to be THE most flexible cruise line then.

hasn't been the case in a long time

[leaveitallbehind]

18 minutes ago, pcur said:

Yes, it was quite common, as Ourusualbeach said, back in the way back. RCCL used to be THE most flexible cruise line then.

As you and @Ourusualbeach suggest it has been quite some time.  Our last favorable experience was 14 years ago on Oasis in 2010 when Grand Suites had a very attractive price change post final payment that was indicated as for new bookings only.  But with a little discussion our TA at the time was able to rebook the three 4D (today) balcony staterooms in our party to three Grand Suites for $300 total per stateroom.  There was fair resistance in having them do it as their older change flexibility had pretty much disappeared by then, but we all enjoyed GS's that cruise.

[Signet]

I’ll call my TA tomorrow, I have absolutely nothing to lose, except 10 or 15 minutes on the phone. All they can say is no, there is nothing they can do. 
 If I get nothing so be it, but you will never know what could happen if you don’t make the effort.  Maybe I’ll save a few beans, or not!

[Ken at the beach]

42 minutes ago, pcur said:

What about with a refundable deposit? Is there any option there.  (Since I'm spoiled by my TA, I don't keep track of this kind of topic like I used to..... 😁.)

 

Yes!  I was thinking about the posts I read during COVID when they were being much more flexible.

After final payment  refundable or non refundable don't matter.  You follow the cancellation schedule.  It's only before final payment that deposit type matters.