RCCL Made A Pricing Error and I Have to Pay The Difference

[SPARKLE10]

Hi::)

 

First, I want to say that my DH and I cruise RCCL, anywhere from one to three times each year, so you can tell we really like their cruises. We're Diamond members and if they could find some old records, it would be D+.

Anyway, I booked a cruise for next January for my DH and myself; and my son and his fiance.

 

I was sent a confirmation (prices, etc.) from my travel agent and also from RCCL yesterday. Today, I was checking prices for this cruise and it looked like it went down in price so I contacted by TA for a price reduction. First, she told me there wasn't one, when I knew there was; and then, she said that the RCCL agent who booked this cruise made a mistake with the pricing of the air fare and actually we would be charged even more than before. My TA called RCCL and did find out that there was a price reduction. What she also found out was they forgot to charge the full air fare price for the 4 of us. I told her that since it was their mistake, don't I get to keep the lower price?:confused: She kind of laughed and said " they said there was no way they were going to eat the $700 for each person that they forgot to charge you yesterday". I said (half kidding, half not) isn't it like our local grocery store if they make a mistake with the price they have to honor the price; since they made the mistake? She said no, they don't operate that way. I told her maybe they don't know how many cruises we take a year with them and how many we have booked for this year and next. My TA said "well, they just kept saying that yes it was their mistake, but no, you are not going to benefit from it." In the 20+ years I've been booking RCCL cruises, this is the first time this has happened.

 

I know there are so many knowledgeable people on these boards, that I would get some interesting feedback. My TA said she would be sending me the corrected invoices.:eek: But I want the one they sent me yesterday.:mad: She said they wouldn't stay in business if they didn't correct mistakes like this. I thought to myself....maybe they won't stay in business if they treat their loyal customers this way. I know I will have to pay the new, higher price; but we are taking my son and his fiance with us (booking two balcony cabins) and since my DH and I; we're paying for everyone.....I was hoping for a price break.:rolleyes:

 

If I hadn't of asked about the lower price, I would have been paying less than now.......maybe it doesn't pay to check for price reductions every day.:(

 

Comments welcome....Happy Cruising....Sparkle 10 (Anita)

 

PS I had the Diamond Discount applied and also transferred a down payment from a cruise we previously booked, that we can longer take; so it really didn't seem to me that I was getting a price that was out of line....getting the first price I mean.

[temple1]

I understand why you are unhappy with them catching their mistake. Did you not think something was odd about the rate and you were kind of holding your breath that they wouldn't catch it? If you haven't made your final payment, I'm guessing it is fair game for them to make corrections.

 

I don't know how far off in the future, but would you have been upset in 3, 4 months when everyone was printing their boarding passes and some wouldn't print, because they didn't exist in the airlines system and you have to pay the going rate for the airfare?

 

One more observation, at what point should RCCL "eat" their mistakes? 4 cruises? or 15 cruises?

[unklez]

........ I was sent a confirmation (prices, etc.) from my travel agent and also from RCCL yesterday. Today, I was checking prices for this cruise and it looked like it went down in price so I contacted by TA for a price reduction. First, she told me there wasn't one, when I knew there was; and then, she said that the RCCL agent who booked this cruise made a mistake with the pricing .....

 

Let me see if I got this right.

 

You booked the cruise + air yesterday based on written quotes? Then the prices dropped. Rather than honor the new dropped prices, they are charging you higher prices now.

 

You get 24 hours to cancel everything without charge. Just do it. Then rebook thru' another TA or directly.

[temple1]

Let me see if I got this right.

 

You booked the cruise + air yesterday based on written quotes? Then the prices dropped. Rather than honor the new dropped prices, they are charging you higher prices now.

 

You get 24 hours to cancel everything without charge. Just do it. Then rebook thru' another TA or directly.

 

Actually, no. The problem is according to the TA the RCCL rep left off the airfare for several members of the group.

[ziggypup]

I would keep the lower cruise price and do the airfare on my own. The prices they charge for airfare is crazy. I've always done better booking my own airfare. Why give them the money? Their is no benefit to buying airfare through the cruiseline.

[luvscruising2007]

Also, something to think about. We booked cruise/air with RCL. A price reduction came out but the airfare had gone up. If we changed the cruise fare we would have to change the airfare also.

I am confused. Did they charge you lower rate on the airfare or did they not charge for a couple of the passengers.

[cruisinfanatic]

First of all, why are you using RCL for your air? 90 % of those rates are a rip off compared to what you can get on your own.

Second,

I sure would have known that I was not given the correct rate in the fist place.

Some places may have policies that they will honor mistakes, but it's far from any law that they need to. Pay what you rightfully owe

[kc320]

I agree..as you seem to be a seasoned cruiser why pay RCL prices for air? Unless you have an unusal situation why not look into booking your own air?

[ziggypup]

Also, something to think about. We booked cruise/air with RCL. A price reduction came out but the airfare had gone up. If we changed the cruise fare we would have to change the airfare also.

I am confused. Did they charge you lower rate on the airfare or did they not charge for a couple of the passengers.

 

I've never seen any cruise prices change because you decide not to use the cruiseline airfare. The cruise price is independant from the airfare unless you are using a travel agent who is playing around with the numbers.

[SPARKLE10]

Hi:

 

Interesting comments so far. When my TA sent me the new invoices just now; I compared the two and the difference was $700 more (total for four people), not each person as my TA had said....to the first person who commented...no I was not holding my breath hoping they wouldn't catch their mistake. I'm not that way. And no, the price didn't seem out of line for four people because I had the Diamond Discount applied and also a deposit transferred over from a cancelled cruise.

 

I was just wondering if anyone else had this experience or not. I didn't mean to say that I was trying to benefit from their mistake.....I said it kiddingly to my TA, but I knew we would have to pay the corrected price.... RCCL made the comment about not eating the additional cost, according to my TA. It wasn't something I said.

 

Sparkle 10 (Anita)

[unklez]

Actually, no. The problem is according to the TA the RCCL rep left off the airfare for several members of the group.

 

Then definitely cancel the air booking for the remaining also if you can. If not, cancel the whole booking; rebook cruise only and do the air on your own. There is no way you want to pay those bloated airfares to the cruise-line. Your TA deserves a kick on the butt for allowing you to book air thru' cruise-line.

[SPARKLE10]

HI::)

 

To cruisinfanatic....I didn't say I wasn't going to pay what I owed....wow,:( I know why I don't post more often now. I wasn't prepared to be flamed, I just wanted some feedback, but I did ask for comments and feed back, so I have to take the good along with the bad. :eek:

 

Thanks....Sparkle 10 (Anita):p

[TBSCruiser]

Where are the flights from and to? What are they charging per ticket? for what dates?

[megr1125]

we don't know your origin and cruise cities but 99% of the time you can do better own your own.

 

is there a reason you booked cruise air?? you have cruised often so i presume you realize that cruise air is a courtesy and if your flights are cancelled you'll be at the bottom of the totem pole for reaccomodation? (and that is just the tip of the iceberg!)

 

if you haven't read the cruise air sticky on the cruise air board, it would be a good idea...(if you have...that's great!)

 

i would ditch the air and do it on your own...........!

[ziggypup]

Then definitely cancel the air booking for the remaining also if you can. If not, cancel the whole booking; rebook cruise only and do the air on your own. There is no way you want to pay those bloated airfares to the cruise-line. Your TA deserves a kick on the butt for allowing you to book air thru' cruise-line.

 

Their is no need to cancel the reservation and re-book. Obviously the poster doesn't mind paying the inflated airfare through Royal Caribbean. And if the poster decides to buy the air on their own, they can still do that just by canceling the air portion of the reservation.

[luvscruising2007]

I've never seen any cruise prices change because you decide not to use the cruiseline airfare. The cruise price is independant from the airfare unless you are using a travel agent who is playing around with the numbers.

 

In our case the air had gone up $100pp and the cruise had gone down $50pp. And they do book them as a package. We let it go because it would have cost more. Later on the airfare went down over $250pp and we were able to get that rate.

I don't know what happens if you cancel the airfare. You probably get the rate you booked originally for the cruise itself.

[ziggypup]

In our case the air had gone up $100pp and the cruise had gone down $50pp. And they do book them as a package. We let it go because it would have cost more. Later on the airfare went down over $250pp and we were able to get that rate.

I don't know what happens if you cancel the airfare. You probably get the rate you booked originally for the cruise itself.

 

Is this through a TA that you are referring to? Because once you book and leave a deposit with Royal Caribbean all the prices are locked in. They can't come back to you later and say the airfare went up.

[TBSCruiser]

Their is no need to cancel the reservation and re-book. Obviously the poster doesn't mind paying the inflated airfare through Royal Caribbean. And if the poster decides to buy the air on their own, they can still do that just by canceling the air portion of the reservation.

 

 

Just did that recently, I had the air on RCCL on hold as it was a decent rate. I kept watching it on my own and when it got down to half of what RCCL was charging I booked my own and canceled the cruise air.

[ziggypup]

Just did that recently, I had the air on RCCL on hold as it was a decent rate. I kept watching it on my own and when it got down to half of what RCCL was charging I booked my own and canceled the cruise air.

 

That was a good move. I have never seen air pricing though the cruise line cheaper than doing it on your own.

[metfan747]

"I said (half kidding, half not) isn't it like our local grocery store if they make a mistake with the price they have to honor the price; since they made the mistake? She said no, they don't operate that way."

 

I work for a grocery store. You're right to a small degree. The price guarentee is only for 1 item, not the whole lot. And if the item is over 10 dollars, you only get a max of 10 dollars.

 

I agree with the other. Get a new travel agent.

[luvscruising2007]

Is this through a TA that you are referring to? Because once you book and leave a deposit with Royal Caribbean all the prices are locked in. They can't come back to you later and say the airfare went up.

 

We were going to ask for the cruise fare price drop. When the TA called RCL they said we would have to pay the new airfare as well. I am just going by what the TA was told. I am sure that RCL made the statement. Our TA is great and works hard to get us the best rates. It could be one of those situations where the CR didn't know what they were talking about but who knows. We now have the best air rate and best cabin rate so it doesn't matter any more.;):):D

[ziggypup]

"I said (half kidding, half not) isn't it like our local grocery store if they make a mistake with the price they have to honor the price; since they made the mistake? She said no, they don't operate that way."

 

I work for a grocery store. You're right to a small degree. The price guarentee is only for 1 item, not the whole lot. And if the item is over 10 dollars, you only get a max of 10 dollars.

 

I agree with the other. Get a new travel agent.

 

Let's Go Mets !!! Can they win 2 in a row from S.F ??????

[SPARKLE10]

Hi:

 

Thanks again.:) We've taken over 50 cruises and we've always booked the air and cruise together as a package. I think it's time that I handled the air portion myself. We live in Des Moines, Iowa, so the price is from Des Moines, to Ft. Lauderdale, where the Independence of the Seas departs from. Love the IOS, this will be our 3rd time on this ship.

 

A little off topic....I remember reading about a cruise message board for Las Vegas. :rolleyes:Does anyone else remember what it was? My next cruise isn't until the Oasis Inaugural in December, and I feel I need to get away for a few days now. Since my birthday is next month, we decided to go to Vegas for a few days. We haven't been there in a long time. My father passed away a few weeks ago, and since my cruise is so far away, I just felt the need to get away from work and take a land vacation for a change. We use to go to Vegas every year for my birthday in June; but since we take so many cruises, we haven't done that lately. I think this year is the time to go. I remember reading there was a message board (like this one for cruises) but I couldn't remember what it was called.

 

Thanks again.....Sparkle 10 (Anita):p

[kc320]

Check out the Las Vegas Forum on Trip Advisor...I just came back from my first trip to Vegas a couple weeks ago..and hung out on there for months trying to learn everything I could before I went..

 

Good idea to make the switch & book your own air... have a great cruise!

[wrp96]

Within the US, for a roundtrip cruise, you can usually do much better booking air on your own. That way you can choose your own flights, control your schedule, etc. Definitely look into booking your own air and cancelling the cruise air.

 

Not knowing your cruising dates, I chose a random weekend in November flying down on a Saturday, flying back on a Sunday you can get flights on your own for around $300 per person (or less). It looks like RCCL is charging $649 per person for cruise air from Des Moines for Independence if I'm reading the website correctly. For that much savings you could all fly in a day in advance, each have your own hotel room, pay for individual cabs to and from the port, and the hotel, and still save money.