TA won't honour price reduction Rhapsody of the Seas (RCL)

[Murrumba]

We are Australians going on our 2nd Rhapsody of the Seas (RCL)cruise within a couple of months. Never intended to go on the second one this quickly, but had such a good time and trip to New Zealand came up in January. We booked senior discount inside stateroom guarantee.

We noticed price reduction which was $50 US below Seniors discount for any available inside stateroom. This is $100 US about $185 Australian a lot of money for us. Got in touch with USA TA who initially denied that there was reductions, (had to prove that it was) then said it was a happy hour special. All staterooms have been reduced bet if I gave them more money for Oceanview, Balcony or Suite they would have accepted this. I did not even get the opportunity to "pick" available staterooms inside category. There were insides available on deck 8 - they all went and over the 4 days, have watched really good cabins disappear, while we sit on a more expensive guarantee for inside - can't imagine what we will get.

I feel really upset and think that this is unfair. Wrote to Crown and Anchor RCL and they said I need to contact TA; obviously this TA won't be used again by us if they do not honour price drops!!!

 

Any suggestions?

Thanks :confused:

[FEMH]

I've never had a good experience with a TA, ever.

[pomgo]

Were you on Oct.19th?? ROS

 

We were and are booked for DEc 23rd .Firstly had the only ones available which were inside cabin. Now have O/V and as I have constantly looked at RCL page and found price reductions and then notified TA in USA and each time have had credit card amended .

We had paid up full early and all these credits have been since then.

See Carnival as from Dec 1st not giving any refunds or credits??for price reductions.

Irene and Stan.

Feel we have a wonderful agent and each timme has been so effecient.

[Mark_K]

We are Australians going on our 2nd Rhapsody of the Seas (RCL)cruise within a couple of months. Never intended to go on the second one this quickly, but had such a good time and trip to New Zealand came up in January. We booked senior discount inside stateroom guarantee.

We noticed price reduction which was $50 US below Seniors discount for any available inside stateroom. This is $100 US about $185 Australian a lot of money for us. Got in touch with USA TA who initially denied that there was reductions, (had to prove that it was) then said it was a happy hour special. All staterooms have been reduced bet if I gave them more money for Oceanview, Balcony or Suite they would have accepted this. I did not even get the opportunity to "pick" available staterooms inside category. There were insides available on deck 8 - they all went and over the 4 days, have watched really good cabins disappear, while we sit on a more expensive guarantee for inside - can't imagine what we will get.

I feel really upset and think that this is unfair. Wrote to Crown and Anchor RCL and they said I need to contact TA; obviously this TA won't be used again by us if they do not honour price drops!!!

 

Any suggestions?

Thanks :confused:

If it was a happy hour special, they are for new bookings only and your TA was correct.

[Murrumba]

Hi =- Irene and Stan, yes, Phill and I were on the same bus from the airport to the ship with you (remember we had to wait for our prebooked shuttle). Yes, you did tell us that you were going on this cruise and I believe we are talking about the same TA (from memory) - Don't think I am allowed to mention names.

I will have to get the name of the travel counsellor from the company with you. We are so disappointed with the situation at the moment.

I hope that you have a wonderful time on the ship and it was great meeting with you and talking with you around the ship too. I will keep you informed of what is happening and I will let the TA know what you have said if that is OK?

[Murrumba]

If it was a happy hour special, they are for new bookings only and your TA was correct.

 

Hi Mark - does a happy hour special run for 4 days? And no where on the Web page does it state it was for new booking only - I checked and checked this.

[Mark_K]

Hi Mark - does a happy hour special run for 4 days? And no where on the Web page does it state it was for new booking only - I checked and checked this.

I'm not really sure, but when I checked the website all of the January Rhapsody prices had an * and when I checked the *, it said:

 

* Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, for cruise only on select sailings and stateroom categories. Government taxes and fees are additional. For new reservations only. Subject to availability. Certain restrictions apply. May not be combinable with any other promotion and may be withdrawn at any time. "Deals" pricing reflects the special rate(s) you may be eligible for. Proof of eligibility required. If eligibility cannot be validated, you will be charged the standard rate or denied boarding. All prices are quoted in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Ships' Registry: Bahamas. © 2008 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

[Murrumba]

I'm not really sure, but when I checked the website all of the January Rhapsody prices had an * and when I checked the *, it said:

 

* Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, for cruise only on select sailings and stateroom categories. Government taxes and fees are additional. For new reservations only. Subject to availability. Certain restrictions apply. May not be combinable with any other promotion and may be withdrawn at any time. "Deals" pricing reflects the special rate(s) you may be eligible for. Proof of eligibility required. If eligibility cannot be validated, you will be charged the standard rate or denied boarding. All prices are quoted in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Ships' Registry: Bahamas. © 2008 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Hi Mark - I checked this again. Yes, it does have the asterisk, but I checked all the bookings and the asterisk referring to this are in any month for any ship. The boards are alive today with people saying that RCL have honoured their price drop.

[HowBadAmI]

Tell me again what purpose a Travel Agent serves?

 

I've yet to see ANY advantage to just booking online with the cruise line.

 

EVER.

[Murrumba]

Hi Howbad - I totally agree with you. TA serve no advantage. They really get money for hitting a few keys on a computer. After all, all the work is done by the passenger on-line - BUT in Australia RCL will not allow us to book with them directly. We have to use a Travel Agent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I have NO choice.

[pepsicruiser]

The only time I use a TA is just before final payment is due and they can give me some kind of benefit...ie: OBC, free insurance or gratuities paid by them. I wait til the end so I can control booking.

[libramitch]

our TA is great!!! Nothing like having someone who is looking at for your interest. Someone who will handle discrepencies as they occur on your reservation. A go between that has some power. Someone who has knowledge to also steer you in the right direction. Someone who looks out for you with your cabin selection. Also your table selection. Someone who links multiple reservations for you. Etc. . . . .

 

The trick is to find a TA that you trust. :)

[rummenroman]

Tell me again what purpose a Travel Agent serves?

 

I've yet to see ANY advantage to just booking online with the cruise line.

 

EVER.

 

In using a TA i will be getting 100 OBC for my Serenade cruise and a 50 OBC for my Monarch cruise. Oh and my TA was able to get me into portafinos instead of chops, which is what we wanted. My TA does is a big plus for me. But then again I might be a lucky one!

[Kenwoody]

After your payoff date, which is around 60 days before your cruise. You can no longer get a price adjustment on the cruise. Since you are sailing in January, your payoff date has passed. We sail on Feb. 10 and our payoff is December 2 ( at least the date TA gave us). Last week we actually received a drop on our cruise price. The prices out there are great.

So booking 30 days before a cruise can get you better deals. Living near a port would help, with no airline to reserve. Planning a vacation on short notice has it's price advantage, not anyone can do that.

[KelJ]

After your payoff date, which is around 60 days before your cruise. You can no longer get a price adjustment on the cruise. Since you are sailing in January, your payoff date has passed. We sail on Feb. 10 and our payoff is December 2 ( at least the date TA gave us). Last week we actually received a drop on our cruise price. The prices out there are great.

So booking 30 days before a cruise can get you better deals. Living near a port would help, with no airline to reserve. Planning a vacation on short notice has it's price advantage, not anyone can do that.

 

Royal Caribbean will honor price drops after final payment.

[KelJ]

I'm not really sure, but when I checked the website all of the January Rhapsody prices had an * and when I checked the *, it said:

 

* Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, for cruise only on select sailings and stateroom categories. Government taxes and fees are additional. For new reservations only. Subject to availability. Certain restrictions apply. May not be combinable with any other promotion and may be withdrawn at any time. "Deals" pricing reflects the special rate(s) you may be eligible for. Proof of eligibility required. If eligibility cannot be validated, you will be charged the standard rate or denied boarding. All prices are quoted in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Ships' Registry: Bahamas. © 2008 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

 

It will say this on any cruise that you price out. They will, however, honor price drops when it says this. The only price drops they will not honor are Tuesday Happy Hour Specials, and I believe the writing will be in red.

[cruiserbryce]

I have tried to avoid the use of TA's for reasons like this...just to much personal interest there and a lot of sketchy stories

[DonnaK]

our TA is great!!! Nothing like having someone who is looking at for your interest. Someone who will handle discrepencies as they occur on your reservation. A go between that has some power. Someone who has knowledge to also steer you in the right direction. Someone who looks out for you with your cabin selection. Also your table selection. Someone who links multiple reservations for you. Etc. . . . .

 

The trick is to find a TA that you trust. :)

 

 

But this is all stuff you can very easily do for yourself. You are your own best advocate, and RCI resolves issues with you directly much more quickly and easily than having to go through a middleman. It's not like you need someone with "power" to stand up for you and handle these simple issues. What's the difference in calling your TA and asking them to call RCI on your behalf, or just calling RCI directly? It's the same phone call. A TA has never done anything for me that I couldn't do better for myself, with less aggrevation. No waiting for a TA to be in the office. No waiting for the TA to get back to me.

[DonnaK]

After your payoff date, which is around 60 days before your cruise. You can no longer get a price adjustment on the cruise. Since you are sailing in January, your payoff date has passed. We sail on Feb. 10 and our payoff is December 2 ( at least the date TA gave us). Last week we actually received a drop on our cruise price. The prices out there are great.

So booking 30 days before a cruise can get you better deals. Living near a port would help, with no airline to reserve. Planning a vacation on short notice has it's price advantage, not anyone can do that.

 

Totally untrue. RCI honors price adjustments after final payment day unless it is a special for new bookings only.

[Murrumba]

We are Australians going on our 2nd Rhapsody of the Seas (RCL)cruise within a couple of months. Never intended to go on the second one this quickly, but had such a good time and trip to New Zealand came up in January. We booked senior discount inside stateroom guarantee.

We noticed price reduction which was $50 US below Seniors discount for any available inside stateroom. This is $100 US about $185 Australian a lot of money for us. Got in touch with USA TA who initially denied that there was reductions, (had to prove that it was) then said it was a happy hour special. All staterooms have been reduced bet if I gave them more money for Oceanview, Balcony or Suite they would have accepted this. I did not even get the opportunity to "pick" available staterooms inside category. There were insides available on deck 8 - they all went and over the 4 days, have watched really good cabins disappear, while we sit on a more expensive guarantee for inside - can't imagine what we will get.

I feel really upset and think that this is unfair. Wrote to Crown and Anchor RCL and they said I need to contact TA; obviously this TA won't be used again by us if they do not honour price drops!!!

 

Any suggestions?

Thanks :confused:

 

Just checked RCL again - now they have put the prices up 100 US and guarantee is nearly 130 above cost of inside rooms, Senior discount is $50 US above all available inside cabins!! So after waiting 5 days to get an positve answer from our TA - now we can do nothing. I knew the staterooms were booking out fast!!!!!! I will never book with a TA again - I will get my friends in Maine to do my bookings for me (I will try and work out how this can be done) - In Australia we have to use a TA. RCL website locks us out and we have to contact any TA either in the States or Australia. I chose the States because I had read on these boards that this TA always OBC price drops.

[ladylawyer]

Just checked RCL again - now they have put the prices up 100 US and guarantee is nearly 130 above cost of inside rooms, Senior discount is $50 US above all available inside cabins!! So after waiting 5 days to get an positve answer from our TA - now we can do nothing. I knew the staterooms were booking out fast!!!!!! I will never book with a TA again - I will get my friends in Maine to do my bookings for me (I will try and work out how this can be done) - In Australia we have to use a TA. RCL website locks us out and we have to contact any TA either in the States or Australia. I chose the States because I had read on these boards that this TA always OBC price drops.

 

As you have discovered, unfortunately, this is not always the case. So sorry for your trouble ... and the additional cost of your cruise.

 

We had a TA once who refused to honor a price drop after final payment ... I say once, because that was the last cruise I booked with them. The best policy is to ask a prospective TA if they will honor price drops at any time, including after final payment.

 

I know you will find this hard to believe, considering your circumstances here, but a good TA is worth his/her weight in gold ... particularly one who is very familiar with your cruise line. My current TA not only honors post-final payment price drops ... she regularly checks to see if there has been a drop and will apply it and notify her clients that it's been done. :D

 

Again, sorry for your aggravation. I hope you have much better luck in the future. ~ LL

[AussieCruise]

We booked 2 Large Inside Staterooms on Dec 23 Rhapsody 14 night for approx US$2,100 per person. Category K.

 

Last weekend the price dropped to $1,199 per person on the RCCL website.

 

This amounts to nearly US$4,000 - around 400 cocktails of the day, including healthy tipping!!!

 

Contacted my Australian TA & then RCCL agent listed on the website, who both said nothing could be done because it was for New Reservations Only.

 

Has anyone ever had luck getting price drop after final payment on the "Deals"?

 

There seems to be many Aussies travelling on this ship who book through U.S. TA's and are reporting positive responses to price drop credits. Will be looking forward to the Meet & Greet to get the TA names.

[Murrumba]

We booked 2 Large Inside Staterooms on Dec 23 Rhapsody 14 night for approx US$2,100 per person. Category K.

 

Last weekend the price dropped to $1,199 per person on the RCCL website.

 

This amounts to nearly US$4,000 - around 400 cocktails of the day, including healthy tipping!!!

 

Contacted my Australian TA & then RCCL agent listed on the website, who both said nothing could be done because it was for New Reservations Only.

 

Has anyone ever had luck getting price drop after final payment on the "Deals"?

 

There seems to be many Aussies travelling on this ship who book through U.S. TA's and are reporting positive responses to price drop credits. Will be looking forward to the Meet & Greet to get the TA names.

 

 

Hi fellow Aussie, the reason that I started this thread was because we used an American TA for the reasons that I had read on this thread that they honoured price drops with upgrades and OBC. I think the reason is that we are Aussies and do not have a chance of negotiating directly with RCL. I did write to RCL and they said that my request "seemed possible" but I would need to contact my TA - well you know the rest - the 5 day sale sailed by with me not being able to contact my TA until this morning (about 14 hours ago), they said No and stalled everything and now the price has gone up.

Anyway, I too will be at the meet and mingle and getting names and telephone numbers of responsible TA for my future business. I do not blame RCL at all for this other than I am not able to book with them directly as we live in Australia. I believe that if I had booked with them they would have honoured the price drop from their response. :rolleyes: We are retired and have time to travel, but we do not have a lot of throw away cash.

[Murrumba]

As you have discovered, unfortunately, this is not always the case. So sorry for your trouble ... and the additional cost of your cruise.

 

We had a TA once who refused to honor a price drop after final payment ... I say once, because that was the last cruise I booked with them. The best policy is to ask a prospective TA if they will honor price drops at any time, including after final payment.

 

I know you will find this hard to believe, considering your circumstances here, but a good TA is worth his/her weight in gold ... particularly one who is very familiar with your cruise line. My current TA not only honors post-final payment price drops ... she regularly checks to see if there has been a drop and will apply it and notify her clients that it's been done. :D

 

Again, sorry for your aggravation. I hope you have much better luck in the future. ~ LL

Thanks for your support and time to write regarding this price drop issue and TA's - I appreciate having a sounding board to write my frustrations to. I am a retired social worker and I hate injustice!!!!! Anyways thanks a lot everyone for replying - it does help to share LOL

[Moeve]

We are seeing alot of price reductions for NEW BOOKINGS ONLY these days. The lines are simply trying to protect their revenue which in these economical times is a fair thing to do.

 

In some cases you win in some you don't. I have just been able to reduce my cruise rate but it was weeks after US bookings. In our case it was probably inventory that was returned for a TA but that is being gobbled up quickly so I don't think we will be sailing with a reduced load but certainly the whole cruise will yield far less than planned.