cellyn

Thanks all! L454S, that's how I understood it to work too but I specifically asked if she was unable to move me to a room that cost less even though I wasn't asking for a refund and she confirmed that was the case. I'll keep an eye out and try again. I do have a RoyalUp bid too!

Sorry, I know this is a basic question but I feel like I must be nuts. My cruise is in 36 days and I'm currently booked in an inside cabin but we're thinking some fresh air might be nice, so I've been keeping an eye out for price drops on balconies, but it seems like Royal Caribbean is determined to not give us one. Also I'm starting to learn the value of a travel agent but it's too late for this cruise! Here's what's happened so far: Last month there was a big price drop overnight, so I called up and asked to upgrade, but they were unable to match the price I found online. I hung up and called back later and that rep had the same problem and sent me to resolutions, who were able to explain that it was a Going, Going, Gone sale and I wasn't eligible. A quick google search confirmed this policy and I was on my way. This morning there was another price drop and it's not listed on the GGG flyer so I thought I was all set. I called and this time the rep told me that I would lose my $50 OBC (ok, fine), but that also the balcony guarantee was now a bit LESS expensive and she can't move me there because I have to choose a room that costs more so that she can charge me the difference. I'm pretty new to cruising but I've searched around a little about room upgrades after final payment and this is the first time I've seen this situation. Is this really the case? I was looking at a guarantee room and the non-guarantee are several hundred dollars more so I didn't want one of those. The rep said that she can't do a "downgrade" after final booking and I asked if moving from an inside room to a balcony is a downgrade and she affirmed that it was because of the pricing. I also told her that I wasn't expecting any money or credit to be refunded, but she wouldn't budge. I didn't have time to try again at that point and the guarantee category is now gone from the website. If it does come back, and if it is an appealing price, is this something that a different rep is likely to handle without issue? Would appreciate guidance from the experts!

Thank you! This info is so helpful and I appreciate you answering my questions! I was already wavering on $600 for "refreshments" over the course of the cruise, and I think the news about the specialty coffee confirms my decision.

We're booked on the 13-night Ultimate Scandinavia/Russia on Serenade this summer. I'm thinking about the refreshment package but it really adds up on such a long cruise and I want to make sure we'll get value from it, so I have some specific questions I'm hoping the experts can help with! We only have one sea day so I think breakfast will usually be at Park Cafe or Windjammer. Is there a convenient nearby location for fresh-squeezed juices and espresso? I'm not clear on what exactly the Park Cafe itself offers in terms of beverages. Along the same lines, is there specialty coffee anywhere besides Cafe Lattitudes? Does Serenade have milkshakes anywhere? Is canned soda included since there's no freestyle machine? Do they have bottled water stations set up where we could grab 2 bottles each before heading out into the port each day? Can we also stockpile a few in our room? How much of a savings is it to order a virgin cocktail with the package and then pay for a shot of alcohol to add to it? Are we better off getting a drink card or sticking to the drink specials when we do want alcohol? I know we won't drink enough for the unlimited package. I recently read a review that described RCL coffee as "brown water" and the Windjammer orange juice as "flavored water with food coloring" so I'm suddenly nervous about the included beverages. We're mainly into coffee and I've heard that Serenade is one of the ships that isn't good for the coffee card. I do like the thought of unlimited bottled water and being able to order virgin cocktails for shows and that kind of thing, but with so many port days, it's really hard to say whether it'll be worth it. Appreciate any thoughts you can give! This group is so friendly, I love it.