UK/Europe New Cancellation,Transfer Policy & Deposit Increase

[Elizanessie]

I was browsing through RCCL UK Booking Conditions and spotted this info with regards to deposits made here.

 

From June 1st 2009 onwards, all bookings created will pay a deposit of £150 per person (or full payment if booking within 56 days

of departure). Your full name as it appears on your passport, as well as your date of birth, must be given at the time of reservation.

Please note that any payment you make to us using a debit or credit card will be settled via a bank in the US, and therefore

your card issuer may chose to apply a foreign settlement fee. Please refer to the terms and conditions of your debit or credit card

for details.

[Cymro1953]

Hi Liz,

That last bit might be enough to discourage a few UK prospective cruisers.

Berwyn

[Elizanessie]

Hi Liz,

That last bit might be enough to discourage a few UK prospective cruisers.

Berwyn

 

 

Hi Berwyn

 

I am trying to remember if the bit about "foreign settlement" was there before or not :confused:

 

Got to say I am not amused they are increasing the deposit amount from £100pp to £150pp :( grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[ShipsInBergen]

Why do they think it's ok to take the p*ss like this with people booking from the UK?

 

You'd think, if anything, that they'd be looking to DECREASE deposits at a time like this to encourage more bookings. It really seems ridiculous- one set of rules for the US, one far harsher set for the UK. They need to sort this out and stop treating us like crap.

 

Thanks for posting this Elizanessie, it's very interesting information!

[Cymro1953]

Hi Liz,

I was working on the thing in the Set Sail pass where it said to make sure you got your C.C. company to sort out the currency conversion. Rather than RCI where it worked out more expensive. I picked that up off here

 

Berwyn

[kernow]

Hi Berwyn

 

I am trying to remember if the bit about "foreign settlement" was there before or not :confused:

 

Got to say I am not amused they are increasing the deposit amount from £100pp to £150pp :( grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

 

I've just checked a Worldwide 08/09 brochure that I still have and the wording about the 'foreign settlement' bit is exactly the same. I don't think any of us have ever been charged though, I think that would have caused a major outcry on here!

 

 

Julie

[Cymro1953]

I agree wiith your point UK cruise,

Come over and join me and the family on Thomsons. Included A.I. on beer, wine and spirits rather than the extortionate prices RCI charge for their alcohol.

 

Berwyn

[filangood]

I agree its not good news for UK travellers.It was the same when i went to the TA the other day and got them to ring RCCL about the price drops on balcony suites ....They wanted to charge me £1100 extra to upgrade?? The balcony suites were cheaper than inside cabins:confused: Not good customer service.Some letters need to be written ;)

[Cymro1953]

I agree its not good news for UK travellers.It was the same when i went to the TA the other day and got them to ring RCCL about the price drops on balcony suites ....They wanted to charge me £1100 extra to upgrade?? The balcony suites were cheaper than inside cabins:confused: Not good customer service.Some letters need to be written ;)

 

We're only on RCI for our June cruise as we were booked with Island Cruises but RCI who owned half of Island sold their share to Thomsons and our cruise got cancelled. So we ended up on Legend O.S. as it had a very similar itnerary to our lost cruise.

 

Berwyn

[Elizanessie]

I've just checked a Worldwide 08/09 brochure that I still have and the wording about the 'foreign settlement' bit is exactly the same. I don't think any of us have ever been charged though, I think that would have caused a major outcry on here!

 

 

Julie

 

 

Thanks for checking that Julie..I have my older brochures filed away(in shed) and my current brochures, some friends have just now.

 

I was all ready to book Indy 2011 on June 1st when booking opens but mmm...kinda peeved at this increase. Yes before anyone says..what does it matter it makes final payment less...please remember we lose our deposits here if we cancel.

[filangood]

We're only on RCI for our June cruise as we were booked with Island Cruises but RCI who owned half of Island sold their share to Thomsons and our cruise got cancelled. So we ended up on Legend O.S. as it had a very similar itnerary to our lost cruise.

 

Berwyn

Oh i didnt know that had happened! My inlaws have cruised with our daughter on the NO Seas 2 yrs ago and recommended RCCL to us.I am looking forward to it alot but i do feel the more i read about RCCL the more i feel there are 2 lots of rules?

Enjoy your cruise

Sharron

[Cymro1953]

Thanks for checking that Julie..I have my older brochures filed away(in shed) and my current brochures, some friends have just now.

 

I was all ready to book Indy 2011 on June 1st when booking opens but mmm...kinda peeved at this increase. Yes before anyone says..what does it matter it makes final payment less...please remember we lose our deposits here if we cancel.

 

I bet they're all damp now Liz :D.

DW would like to go on one of the bigger ships for the experience, but it takes us 8 hours by coach to get to Southampton, we could be in Machester airport and out to the Med and onboard in just over half the time.

With our U.S. friends getting different deals and price drops etc. I don't think they realise the difference in the booking regulations.

 

Berwyn

[peteukmcr]

Thanks Liz for posting this info. It's just another way of increasing cash flow. Most of the tour operators are trying it. One of the big 2 UK tour operators are now avertising a low deposit for long haul holidays of £100 per person for departures in 2010, but an additional £150 per person is required 8 weeks later. That's a total of £500 for 2 people and amounts to 20% of a £2500 AI holiday you have to pay 18 months before travel!

 

You would think in these economic times they would be a little more lenient.

 

Sure has put us off laying out that amount of money so far in advance, especially as plans may have to change due to unforeseen circumstances. We have had to lose £200 before in lost deposits, but losing £300 for RCI and £500 for the other, forget it.

[wrp96]

I was all ready to book Indy 2011 on June 1st when booking opens but mmm...kinda peeved at this increase. Yes before anyone says..what does it matter it makes final payment less...please remember we lose our deposits here if we cancel.

 

 

Yes I was remembering that and wondering what the exchange rate is on 150 pounds? Is the deposit the same for all cruises there in the UK or is it like here and varies based on length of cruise?

[kernow]

I found out about the increase last week when I rang up to enquire about an April 2011 cruise. I asked if there was any early booking discount and was told they currently only go up to Jan 2011, but if I wait until June/July there may be one, but btw the deposit is going up from June 1st.

 

As everyone else has said, it seems a strange thing to do when they are trying to expand here.

 

Julie

[peteukmcr]

Thanks for checking that Julie..I have my older brochures filed away(in shed) and my current brochures, some friends have just now.

 

I was all ready to book Indy 2011 on June 1st when booking opens but mmm...kinda peeved at this increase. Yes before anyone says..what does it matter it makes final payment less...please remember we lose our deposits here if we cancel.

 

Well said.

[Cymro1953]

Oh i didnt know that had happened! My inlaws have cruised with our daughter on the NO Seas 2 yrs ago and recommended RCCL to us.I am looking forward to it alot but i do feel the more i read about RCCL the more i feel there are 2 lots of rules?

Enjoy your cruise

Sharron

 

Hi Sharron,

Yes TUI (who owned First Choice and Thomsons) bought out RCI and in the deal the Island Escape went to Thomsons Cruises and the Island Star (that we were sailing on) went to RCI and they passed it on to their Spanish subsiduary Pullmantur. So our ship and cruise went. We got full refund of deposit but the only itinerary similar to the one we lost was on LegendO.S. We had to re-arrange holidays with work. And we had to pay £ 500 more for a cabin on a lower deck with RCI

Sorry it's long winded

 

Berwyn

[Cymro1953]

I don't think it's down to RCI, but probably down to the difference in trading regulations (if I worded it right) between the USA and us.

[Elizanessie]

Yes I was remembering that and wondering what the exchange rate is on 150 pounds? Is the deposit the same for all cruises there in the UK or is it like here and varies based on length of cruise?

 

Hi Wrona

 

With todays exchange rate it works out at $225 per person..though by June 1st the exchange rate might be higher.

 

Also we cannot just give one name and pay one deposit,we always have to pay for a double. Whereas with US TA I can book a single and pay one deposit,which is what I did for Oasis cruises.

 

It doesnt matter how long our cruises are we always pay same deposit.

[firsttimer57]

I agree its not good news for UK travellers.It was the same when i went to the TA the other day and got them to ring RCCL about the price drops on balcony suites ....They wanted to charge me £1100 extra to upgrade?? The balcony suites were cheaper than inside cabins:confused: Not good customer service.Some letters need to be written ;)

 

Same with us a couple of weeks ago. Balconies came on offer at under £1100, tried to upgrade our booking to it and drew a blank unless we wanted to pay over £1200 for the two of us. Sadly we had paid up our final invoice so wasn't worth cancelling. Out TA was a waste of space as well. That is one cold TA we won't be using again. RC just don't help the Brits. I think this may be our last cruise with them

[wrp96]

Hi Wrona

 

With todays exchange rate it works out at $225 per person..though by June 1st the exchange rate might be higher.

 

Also we cannot just give one name and pay one deposit,we always have to pay for a double. Whereas with US TA I can book a single and pay one deposit,which is what I did for Oasis cruises.

 

It doesnt matter how long our cruises are we always pay same deposit.

 

Thanks for helping me out as my brain wasn't working on the conversion. Yep, $225 is a lot of money to be giving up if it's non-refundable. I would think a lot harder before booking myself. And that's terrible about not being able to pay a single deposit if you are a solo traveler.

[kernow]

Same with us a couple of weeks ago. Balconies came on offer at under £1100, tried to upgrade our booking to it and drew a blank unless we wanted to pay over £1200 for the two of us. Sadly we had paid up our final invoice so wasn't worth cancelling. Out TA was a waste of space as well. That is one cold TA we won't be using again. RC just don't help the Brits. I think this may be our last cruise with them

 

I don't understand why you couldn't do this unless the price was for new bookings only. To be fair to RCL we've never had any problem getting price drops or upgrading. Are you sure it was RCL refusing and not your TA?

 

Julie

[Cymro1953]

I don't understand why you couldn't do this unless the price was for new bookings only. To be fair to RCL we've never had any problem getting price drops or upgrading. Are you sure it was RCL refusing and not your TA?

 

Julie

 

Hi Julie,

We had same experience as Kernow. While we were sure there had been price drops they were not passed on by TA. From what I have read from others from the UK, you are lucky if you get a TA who passes on RCI price drops.

 

Berwyn

[NorbertsNiece]

Hi,

Sigh.

Shakes head.

Just not a good marketing ploy at all is it?

It's asking a lot of money up front, for a family especially. I think this will cause a major slow down in early uptake.

FYI: Past 2 RCCL cruises, 2 different TAs based in the UK, both honoured price drops.

[Cymro1953]

Hi,

 

Sigh.

Shakes head.

Just not a good marketing ploy at all is it?

It's asking a lot of money up front, for a family especially. I think this will cause a major slow down in early uptake.

 

FYI: Past 2 RCCL cruises, 2 different TAs based in the UK, both honoured price drops.

 

Hi Linda,

You were lucky there.

Also thanks for your packing list that I saved off here also.

 

Berwyn