sk8erguy1978

I did a reprice once that eliminated an OBC, Royal gave me a week or two to pay the difference, and kindly reminded me daily with an email.

I was under the impression it would be a new booking, but guess it makes sense to just be a reprice.

I have a similar question as @Ian T mentioned earlier with re-pricing a refundable to non-refundable: If I booked a refundable rate and saw a "too good to be true" cruise planner purchase like an $18 dollar drink package, would that drink package be lost in the conversion to a non-refundable rate? My assumption is yes, they would be cancelled since it's not a re-price but a re-book.

@steverino I'm sorry you're going through this stress with refunds. If you take an hour or so out of your day and flip through various threads here you'll see many of us are all in the same ship (pun intended but pet peeve, it's a ship, not a boat) with slow refunds. I am personally waiting on around $1500 USD for cancelled cruise planner purchases and another $500 FCC (future cruise credit). It's a bit unclear if you requested a refund/credit before Royal Caribbean announced the 125% FCC but, if you did, I'm sorry to say, they aren't Bed Bath & Beyond and going to honor expired coupons. If you requested the 125%, you might have to wait a bit longer. Keep calling, be polite, kill them with kindness. This is where a travel agent is worth their weight in gold. If you're waiting for a refund, since March, it's time to call your credit card company. As far as class action, I'm sure in time there will be some, but [hate this expression] at the end of the day, Royal is honoring refunds, just unacceptably slow. FWIW: I had to fill out a form, provide documents and a written statement to get United Airlines to refund me some things so ... it's everyone.

I've always made reservations. It's a restaurant only for suite guests. As a Jr. Suite you'll have access for dinner only. I've found the food delish and the ambiance similar to specialty restaurant but it's included. Doesn't cost anything extra, go check it out.

As the saying goes... no news is good news.

In the past I've seen refundable fares increase the cost by $400 dollars or so, paying $400 to protect $500 (really $200 for change/cancel fee) isn't something I am interested in doing. However, just did a mock booking on an upcoming (well not soon :() sailing and the refundable option raised the fare $206 dollars. Normally I still wouldn't because again I am paying $206 to protect a $200 change fee. (Personally wouldn't mind a FCC if I cancelled and we think long and hard before pulling the trigger so not planning on changing ship/sail/etc). However, if I was booking today and had the option of anything under the deposit, I'd strongly consider it, especially if booking after August 1st, 2020. Sadly, my only booking left, was a change to later date (without fee due to CWC) so no option for refundable.

@crisgold52 I'm so sorry your agent has put you through this, I too am a control freak and the vacation planner (I joke that's why my wife married me, outsource her vacation planning). I've mentioned this before, but my wife and I planned a group cruise for our wedding in 2016. I was the group contact. Never again. I had to direct my family and friends through the groups department to pay (with restricted hours), nothing could be done online, I received 5 different answers to the same question from 3 different group "specialist" and had to manage the entire thing. Way more stress than a groom needed. When we decided to do another group cruise for my wife's bday, I immediately hit the affiliate link here as everyone raves about MEI. I was randomly assigned an agent and she's been great. She has been invaluable. I knew immediately I wanted to be #teamtravelagent and passed along another booking I made (not group related). Due to COVID-19 both sailings are being cancelled and sorta combined into one for next September. She's handling it all. I get one correct answer with possible ideas / solutions I never even thought about. Hopefully, some day you'll give the travel agent route another try.

I'm talking the wife into upgrading now, at current prices, as I think they're good and that "prices going up" worked on me LOL. I agree, possible tactic, but I'm not taking the chance.

Phew. I'm not alone.

They don't make comedy like they did in the 80's and 90's!

Don't Tell Mom The Babysitters Dead! Edit: 1991 just checked IMDb.

I would have done the same in that situation. Good Luck! For the record, I was thinking 10 or 11 would have been that sweet spot, little away from the floor but not so far away you lose the ambiance.

Two days ago I looked in "upcoming cruises" and had one ~90 days away and other ~166 days, now I see just one for 452 days ?

I feel you there. Just had my agent mix two into one and now after seeing @Matt's blog about price increases, I have my spreadsheet out deciding about an upgrade now... If it's a yes, she's going to kill me :). (of course there is only one left on the floor I want too). In your shoes, I'd do a mock booking and see how many rooms are available, maybe enough that you can wait a few days, then bug him :).

Don's rant at the end of the video is what is upsetting to us all (at least me) ... even a simple "I'm right on top of that Rose!" just so we know there is conversations happening.

Phew on only a few bucks! Surprised to hear all about the price differences, thought the entire point of L&S was to preserve price, but guess it wouldn't be fair to have Royal pay a tax or port fee so it makes sense. I've never stayed in a Central Park Balcony but looking at floor plans that does put you under the pool deck. I'd want to be a few floors lower, personally... Again, never stayed and don't even have the desire, I just share your "too high" (<-- Major League anyone?) concern.

I'd love this, similar to NCL's Pride of America. However, as @twangster points out here it's not going to happen with Royal's current fleet.

Any on the new Icon Class. Have not sailed on a new ship since Oasis of the Seas in January of 2010, believe we were the 7th or so sailing.

This is what I was implying having seen a few response of some feeling like they are "lost in the shuffle" ... Given the situation, Kathy took care of all my change requests faster than I could have hoped. MEI & Kathy have been good to me since I transferred my 2020 bookings last year. I feel bad I don't officially complete a cruise with MEI & Kathy until NEXT year because of all this.

So glad to hear of a positive experience given so many negative ones, especially with casino comps. I too feel lucky with my latest changes. We had two cruises booked this year, September 20th on Oasis (OV Balcony) and December 6th on Harmony (Jr. Suite). We decided to cancel both (not all COVID-19 reasons) and combine to September 19th, 2021 in a Jr. Suite. WELL. September is cancelled and I'm waiting for a FCC and December was moved to September and the Jr. Suite was CHEAPER. Looking at the balance and time I have to save, thinking Grand Suite or Owners Suite upgrade.

I have been using Kathy since September of 2019. She was randomly assigned to me via the affiliate link here. She has given me great guidance through all this with the two cruises I had booked with her and trying to consolidate them into one for next year. As @AnnetteJackson stated, they are swamped, getting delayed responses themselves, so please forgive any delays. I have to assume they are in triage mode, some things are more important than others. Now if I can just complete a cruise with her!

Honestly, I don't think you're an idiot, in my opinion putting cash back in your bank account is the better option. I was on the September 20th, 2020 sailing of Oasis and while not technically cancelled I wasn't about to pay money in hopes they do cancel and I get an extra 25% of Royal's "funny money" (we weren't planning on going). If it gets cancelled and I could have turned my $726.88 drink package price (for two with 18%) into a $908.60 FCC that could have helped pay for a more expensive drink package, well ... I'll still not regret anything. The cruise is currently 25% more, at least. At this point, the less Royal has of my money the better.

UGH!

Maybe your MEI agent can fight for the shift - fingers crossed for you! I couldn't lift & shift my September cruise because I wanted to upgrade along the way. My MEI agent is working behind the scenes to make it all happen (consolidate 2 cruises into one) while I just keep hitting refresh on my inbox. Hopefully it works out for you in the end.