??? what if your cabin price continues to drop????

[jayne]

I noticed that my cabin price has dropped $50.00 per person based on double occupancy. I understand from that I can call the cruise line which I booked my cruise and ask for that credit to be refunded. What happens if the cabin price drops again? Has anybody ever dealt with this issue before?? thanks for help

[JIOL]

Hi Jayne,

When we originally booked with our TA, we asked and paid for a catagory 8A deck 6. During the actual booking, our TA told Carnival she did not want us located above the casino. Carnival upgraded us to a catagory 8C deck 8 at no charge. Then when we made the final payment, both cruise and airfare dropped, $490 was subtracted from our balance. Carnival offered another upgrade, we took the credit instead. Once our docs arrived, the cruise rates dropped agian, this time however, we were told (in so many words) that we would not get another reduction. We did not complain.



Post Edited (01-25-03 01:07)

[MaryLou]

Jayne: This is where a good travel agent comes in. On my last cruise, the price dropped two or three times...and my travel agent was aware of each decrease and passed them along to me. There are instances that you might see a really great price advertised. But it could be for "new bookings" only. Keep an eye on the prices and if you have a TA, ask him/her to get you the better price. If you do not have a TA, then I would try calling the cruiseline. Good luck.

Be careful with who you book!!!

I booked a cruise a year ago with RCCL through icruise.com. Prices went down at RCCL. I called RCCL and they said "No problem, tell your travel agent and you will get the lower price".

Icruise.com said, too bad, so sad. You are within 71 days of cruising, no refund. Well I finally did get a refund ($370), but NEVER again through Icruise.com. Their quote "There will be no further compensation for price drops!".

Everyone knows that cruise prices go down towards the end. What's the incentive of booking with icruise.com? Poor pricing, bad attitude, headache.

If I book through Icruise, and the price drops at the cruise line within 71 days, I cannot get the lower price through Icruise even though I could get it if I booked at the cruise line directly.

Booking directly through RCCL would have been easier, or another travel agent. After all was said and done, the price I paid was the same as booking through RCCL. I thought on-line booking was supposed to be cheaper! Actually, it was a bit at first, but now that I know this, I will be avoiding icruise.com.

I booked a cruise at cruise.com a while ago, and they were much better. But I am not endorsing them either.

[Jim Bragg]

Erik,
It may have been for new bookings only and/or the penalty for cancellation may have been more than the reduction. I don't know, wasn't there but do know that that agency is usually pretty cooperative whenever possible. I also see that you did get a refund so maybe they did work to make you happy? I don't endorse or condemn them or any other agency either but looking for a possible explaination for an agency I have seen fewer complaints about than most. The part about prices always going down as the date gets closer isn't really true. Yes lately there have been a number of last minute fantastic deals but there are times when prices have gone up and up on a number of sailings.
Jim
Community Staff Leader

I received a refund, but it was under protest from them, so to speak. How is it that RCCL says they would have given me the lower price if I booked with them, but Icruise.com cannot?

Penalty period or not, RCCL wanted to please me.

I just found out that cabin prices on the Norway dropped about $100 per person. 4 in our group booked yesterday at the lower price. 4 others who booked with me but only paid half down also got the better price even though we initially paid the higher price. Since I paid in full when I booked at the higher price they told me I can't get the refund!!???? I was not very happy since I talked 10 people into going on this cruise. The company I booked with is trying to get me the discount or an upgrade to a balcony room, I am supposed to find out today.

When you book a cruise with Norwegian DON'T pay in full until you have to. If the price drops you will get a refund only if you still owe a balance. I paid in full and get no refund. 8 others in our party get it because they still owe them money! It's crazy. They will only upgrade my room to an obstructed view window that I could have paid $67 more for but decided against. Now they claim it's a great upgrade so they changed me to that to make up for it. The others get back $110 each while I get a room I didn't want worth $67 more. Makes no sense.

[Jim Bragg]

You are right, it doesn't make any sense. If you are outside of the penalty timeframe simply cancel your cruise and re-book. There is nothing they can do about that. I have to wonder if the TA is giving you a song and dance about this and not NCL. Just doesn't seem right.
Jim

I called Norwegian myself and they confirmed it. He told me if I cancel and re-book they will penalize me half the amount I paid. I am insisting my TA fix this with a better upgrade or a refund of my money.

[Thomas]

That's why it (sometimes) pays to wait and book at the last minute. If you can do this it is something I would recommend. The problem comes in when you have to book air fare. Those prices go up the closer it gets to your flight day.

What I've heard the cruiselines are now doing is "creating" a new category for late bookings and discounts. In other words, you booked a category "B" for instance and paid $900 for it 10 months ago. It is now 1 month away from sailing and the cabins next to yours are not filled so they "create" category "B1" and discount these rooms to $600 to try to fill them before sailing. When you try to get a refund they say you can't because the discount only applies to category "B1" even though it is the same cabin as you have. This way they don't have to refund money to the hundreds of people already booked in category "B".

It is a deceptive practice. But with the soft market and overabundance of cabins I'd recommend getting your airfare early and booking the cruise late. If you do get shut out of your cruise you'll know a month in advance and the penalty for cancelling air fare is much less than cancelling a cruise.

Regards,
Thomas

What makes me mad is they offered it to the others on their own. We never went looking for the discounted price. If they can give it to them why shouldn't I get it? Because of me they got business from 10 people.

[Thomas]

You're exactly right and it doesn't seem fair. The same rate should be paid by everyone staying in like cabins. But that's not the way the cruiselines think. It's not only Norwegian either.

It's my opinion that the cruiselines have overbuilt, with new and bigger ships still in the yards under construction, that they have glutted the market and need to increase revenues any way they can to stay afloat (pardon the pun). Discounting fares to sell the remaining cabins will get more sold but only irritate the other customers who've paid more. And worse yet, they've held onto the early birds' money for much longer.

Regards,
Thomas

[Rick]

I monitor a few online cruise sellers and have always found their price the same as the celebrity website. Why?

I don't expect that I would pay the same price as somebody who booked the day before the ship leaves, but, 6 of us booked within minutes of each other. The only reason I don't get the cheaper rate is because I paid in full, the others paid half and still owe a balance.

[Thomas]

Because the online cruise sellers KNOW you Rick and want to squeeze every dime out of you they can get. <grin>

Regards,
Thomas

[Jim Bragg]

That is completely unacceptable if you are outside the penalty timeframe and actually does not sound legal, but what do I know. I would be screaming at the top of my lungs if they tried it on me and I hope you are also in the high decible range right now. Complain, complain, and complain some more. Let them know your feelings and what you have done for them and what the results will be from the bad publicity they will be receiving from this unreasonable stance. Your TA should also be screaming at them for this behaviour. Please let us know what the end results are.
Jim

Norwegian flat out refused to refund the money to me since I paid in full. I think it's a stupid rule but rules are rules. The travel agency was very helpful and tried to get me upgraded to a balcony room but they are sold out. They agreed on a Cat CC upgrade from my original II. I got room V124 on Viking deck next to the other 4 we booked. I'm very happy, it is twice as big (253 sq. ft.) and has a bathtub, fridge, sitting area, vanity and two large portholes. I suppose Norwegian did what they could to fix the situation while following their rules. I am happy with the turn out. Next time I won't pay in full until I have to though.

[Jim Bragg]

What I still haven't seen is when the sailing date is. That could have a great deal to do with penalties etc. Glad you are satisfied though.
Jim