Dad2Cue

1 hour ago, FionaMG said:

Yes, you can move it to any other cruise on any date precisely because it is a refundable rate. I checked this exact point with our TA before lifting and switching.

So the only reason to L&S is to price protect.

1 hour ago, FionaMG said:

If you want to protect the price, and all applicable stars align (date one year ahead plus or minus four weeks, same itinerary type, same length, same cabin category) then L&S is the way to go. If you do L&S you still keep the refundable status.

I would have one possible L&S option on a trans Atlantic next fall.  I don't want that option.

1 hour ago, FionaMG said:

Outside of L&S you pay the going rate 

I'm willing to pay the going rate on a new cruise using the existing reservation # as long as I can use my FCC and my $900 cash deposit.  Do they stay with the existing reservation if  the cruise ship, itinerary, and date all change??  Staying on Allure at a future date might be okay.  If the going rate is less than what combined FCC + $900 cash, will that result in a refund or should I book something where the going rate is more.

I mostly would like to avoid refunds and having to reissue the FCC because who knows when they might materialize.

8 hours ago, twangster said:

The challenge to operating from another country in the Caribbean is resupplying the ship.  The volume of supplies that get loaded on turn around day is massive. 

@twangster What about Puerto Rico --- It is a US territory.

18 minutes ago, crisgold52 said:

I've also discovered that its generally easier to get a new booking # as if you call RCL as often as I do to check and modify things the internal notes on one booking can get super confusing so my rule of thumb is to always get a new booking number when switching ship and sail date. Then just transfer any deposits over to the new reservation.

It would seem like a new reservation # is what I need to avoid because that effectively cancels the existing reservation # ... or maybe not.  I mostly want to reschedule my existing cruise to a totally different cruise -- maybe in 2022.   I think that is allowed with a refundable deposit if it is before the final payment date.  I'm just not sure what happens to the FCC but I'm hoping that it stays with the existing reservation # even though the cruise ship, time, etc changes.   I'm hoping the OBC stays too because I repriced the cruise once and the OBC didn't go away.  I booked this cruise a long time ago.

I'm approaching my final payment date on August 4th.    However, my cruise is paid in full thanks to a $2000 FCC.  My cruise was originally booked with a $900 refundable deposit.  After the FCC was applied,  My receipt shows the following:

Cruise Fare   $310      Taxes and Fees  $265      Gratuities     $406      Total Charge   $981

There is also a $200 OBC but I can't remember why I received that because there isn't any promotion listed.    It might have been a next cruise OBC.

I believe I could lift and shift my Allure TA to the Harmony TA next year at the same time.  I'm not wild about the itinerary of the Harmony TA because of 1 port day and 13 sea days.

My question is --- Can I keep the same reservation number and change to  ANY cruise, ANY time and ANY ship and still retain the OBC?   Would I either pay the difference or perhaps even get a refund depending on the price of the new cruise?  

I still would like to do the Allure TA but I just don't see it happening anymore.  Even if the cruise happens, I don't think I need the hassle of going to Barcelona and I doubt the new normal will appeal to me.

On 6/15/2020 at 2:48 PM, BarbieBell said:

The 2020 Presidents Cruise is October 25 sailing on the Allure out of Barcelona for 7 days in the Med. The next cruise following it is a transatlantic from Barcelona back to Miami. There’s lots of us booked on both cruises and as things are right now, we are wondering what’s the possibility that these will sail or be cancelled.

I'm on the trans Atlantic on Allure but not the President's cruise.  The later it gets the more likely I will cancel.  I had my flight booked but it was cancelled.  I'm not sure what is happening in Spain.  Fortunately or not, my trans Atlantic cruise is paid in full because of a FCC from another cancelled cruise.  About the only thing that prevents me from cancelling this cruise is having to go through another ordeal with my deposit and cruise planner purchases being refunded. 

I don't hold Royal responsible for any of this but more communication would be nice.  If so many of us are on these cruises, I would like to know what you are planning do.  

32 minutes ago, PieEater said:

No I don’t want to go on it this year. I honestly don’t see it going ahead to be fair and I booked because of the amplification. I’ve tried calling again - on hold for 45 mins and then said nothing they can do today but the “revenue” team MAY be able to assist me who only work Mon to Fri. 

@PieEater The cruise with confidence rules may apply so if you wait to cancel, you shouldn't lose any deposit money.  Depends if you are booked refundable or not.  I would be reluctant to give them more money even if it is your final payment date.  I would be interested in knowing what happens if you accidentally forget to make the final payment.  (Not suggesting this because I don't know what would happen)  It really seems unfair when they don't cancel the cruises sooner.  I'm sure they are able to project more than 30 days about whether a cruise will be cancelled or not. I wish you luck.

@rjac Thanks for the tip.  I will put that in my Royal Caribbean reference book.

1 hour ago, SPS said:

With the current 2021 sale going on, I was able to see that booking an available cabin RIGHT NEXT TO MINE was $79 cheaper so I decided to call RCCL. (Not a bunch, but, hey, every bit helps!)

It doesn't even have to be a cabin anywhere near yours ... just the same category.  Sometimes it will show that a room in that category isn't available but you still may be able to re-price.  Like you say, every bit helps.  I just re-priced a cruise 2 days in a row.  The first day was a $75 cruise fare reduction. The second day I noticed another $75 discount for something else.  I felt ashamed for calling two days in a row but it was a different person each time so it didn't seem to matter. I don't get many "Iowa" discounts but I watch those "military" discounts very closely.

51 minutes ago, PieEater said:

Nope, they wouldn't budge on anything at all.  I was very polite throughout to the operator and after over 40 minutes on the phone trying to sort it today (because it is my final payment date) they cut me off. I have emailed customer services about it but I don't expect them to change their stance disappointingly.

@PieEater Do you really want to do the cruise this year or would you rather wait until next year?   I don't know what happens if you don't make the final payment.  Otherwise, try calling back and be slightly less polite.  I guess it sometimes depends on who you talk to. I'm in a similar situation and I need to face making the decision soon.  One thing about booking a cruise a year ahead, the price tends to decrease and you can re-price.  However, being in the UK, I don't think those rules apply to you.  I think the Europe cruise season on Allure isn't likely so if Royal cancels they might be more willing to Lift and Shift then as compared to giving a refund.

@PieEater That's interesting.  I think the rules need more clarification.  Maybe they could at least split the difference and offer some OBC.

1 minute ago, Andrew72681 said:

Sounds like you just need to move closer to Des Moines. 

Two hours away but I didn't know Southwest flew out of there.  I thought Omaha was the closest but that is 4 hours away.

1 minute ago, Andrew72681 said:

One correction, most airlines don’t. At any point during the process you can reprice a Southwest Airlines flight.

That's what I hear but they aren't an option for me.  My brother raves about them.  No baggage fees also I hear.  Just like the good old days.

4 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

 

They don't cost you anything, either, and  you'd have a choice of taking a refundable deposit - but it's your gamble

It's a gamble no matter what you do... especially now with the pandemic.  The advantage of booking refundable goes away after the final payment date anyway.  That's when the stakes are higher because they have all the money then. 

When I called Royal the other day about a reprice, I saved some money.  I'm pleased that Royal still does that because airlines certainly don't.  I asked the customer representative if he had any inside information about cruising starting Aug 1st ---he wasn't optimistic.

Now I'm getting more concerned about the following email.  I only have a central park balcony at stake so I'm not too worried.

Dear Guest,

We hope that amidst this situation, you have remained healthy, safe, and optimistic that each day that passes, is another day closer to a more regular day-to-day.

Given the closure of shipyards along with the disruption to the supply chain caused by this pandemic, the amplification of Allure of the Seas, which included renovations and new signature attractions, has been moved to a later date. Currently, Allure is in Cadiz, Spain receiving a routine technical dry dock to ensure she is ready for your cruise. We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise and apologize for this delay in our construction plans. But don't worry, Allure won't disappoint - she will still have next level thrills on every deck. Our adventure seekers can surf the waves on the FlowRider, catch views of the Boardwalk from a vantage point unlike any other on the zipline, or discover new heights as you rock climb at sea. If relaxing is number one on your to-do list, we also have you covered. Enjoy live music as you sip a cocktail, experience world-class entertainment at live production show, or grab a bite to eat at one of our specialty dining venues.

This change does mean that we'll need to make a few updates to some of our stateroom categories in our internal systems. So, over the next few weeks, your stateroom category name for your sailing will show as a guarantee. Once we've completed our work behind-the-scenes, your stateroom category name will be different than what you originally booked. However, please know, your stateroom location, dimensions, and number will all remain the same. The only change will be the name of your stateroom category name.

While we do hope you choose to stay booked on our Allure of the Seas November 1, 2020 sailing, we understand the impact this change has caused on your vacation. Should you choose not to sail, you are welcome to take advantage of our Cruise with Confidence policy. This provides you with the flexibility to cancel your reservation up to 48 hours prior to departure for sailings that depart before April 30^th, 2022 and receive a Future Cruise Credit. To learn more about this program, please visit https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence. If you decide you'd like to cancel your upcoming cruise and receive a credit and you don't want to wait on the phone, please click here to get the process started.

And, should you have any questions or concerns, we are here to assist. Please contact your Travel Advisor or call us at (888) 281-9344 and know, hold times may be a bit longer than usual due to this unparalleled situation.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and cooperation during this situation, and know that together, we will all come out of this stronger than ever. In the meantime, please stay safe. We can't wait to welcome you onboard for an amazing cruise vacation!

Sincerely,

Royal Caribbean International

35 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

Yeah. That’s a different story. The spa balcony would have made more sense. 
It could be that you booked a stateroom that would have been obstructed and thus in a lower category. 

The email gave me the impression that ALL the staterooms would be "guaranteed" for about 2 weeks in order to sort things out.  I think they are anticipating cancellations because it seemed liked they were apologizing for the fact that Allure wasn't going to be amplified.  They also didn't seem to care if I cancelled.  I think this cruise has been mostly sold out for a long time so maybe it is too full for covid protocols. I was encouraged they were trying to work things out and the trans Atlantic would happen.  That may be wishful thinking on my part.

I don't really know if it says anything:

15 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

I was thinking more of the possibility of an American Administration that isn’t exactly into globalization and may continue international travel bans we’ll into the latter parts of this year. You in the UK may be set to get into Spain, but may have more trouble being admitted into the US. 

At least I'm not too concerned about that ... sorry @Jason12  However, I think this American Administration likes Britain!

23 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

Did you by chance have a spa balcony room? Those rooms all went GTY after that category was removed. They are slowly resetting them to their original room selection. It took mine about two weeks. 

Central Park Balcony ... not sure what effect it would have on those staterooms.  

2 minutes ago, Jason12 said:

I think they will do the presidents cruise week before the TA and hopefully sail with guests back to Miami
btw Spain is doing fantastic  now very low numbers all round and some days zero deaths

I hope you are right!  I would think every effort will be made for the president's cruise to happen. On the other hand, Spain may be doing great but do they really want a bunch of Americans and Brits showing up??

47 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

Well that depends on when you are cruising. Estimates say some European ports will open July-ish for cruise lines based in Europe.....possibly with heavy restrictions like 14-day quarantines. Others say that EU ports won't be open until late Oct or even not this year to people from outside the EU.

I really wish we could get more information about the EU because final payment date is fast approaching.  Never mind--my FCC paid that off in full but I want to use the FCC so I don't have to go through that ordeal again.   The cruise is November 1st.  I don't have my flights and hotels booked to Barcelona in advance of my trans Atlantic back to Miami.  There are 2 stops in Spain, 1 in the Canary Islands and one in Coco Cay and about 10 sea days.  I can live with Allure not being amplified.  However, if any port calls are cancelled or I have be quarantine for 14 days anywhere ... that would be a deal breaker.  I just need to begin making some plans soon.

I did receive a long detailed email that my stateroom will show "guaranteed" for the next couple of weeks.  Apparently they need to do some rearranging in stateroom assignments because Allure won't be amplified.  No indication that the cruise will actually happen or not.  They did say I could cancel under the cruise with confidence program.

On 6/6/2020 at 3:25 PM, Katy H said:

can someone let me know if the Jewel will be cruising by November?  We are booked for a transatlantic out of Italy Thanksgiving day!  Do you think it will go?

 

Jewel is currently cruising off the coast of southern Spain and not too far from where Allure is dry docked.  I don't know if that means anything but at some point she will need to cross the Atlantic ... with or without passengers.  At least Jewel is in the neighborhood of where she is supposed to be.

19 minutes ago, marti314 said:

Short term 0% loans for 2-3 months... Should be 100% illegal 

 Especially when I have to pay the entire balance on my credit card because I will have to pay 20% interest if I don't.  

On 6/5/2020 at 1:32 PM, AshleyDillo said:

When you use OBC to make a Cruise Planner purchase, it will be refunded immediately.  You should easily be able to cancel and repurchase if it's with OBC.

Yes ... I really wish that I could just "buy" OBC instead of making cruise planner purchases with my credit card.  When there is a cruise planner sale,  I'm starting to think that saving $20 isn't worth the hassle of waiting and constantly wondering if the refund will materialize---no fun.

4 hours ago, Andrew72681 said:

I think I’m the past others have been able to apply a FCC to a cruise that was already Paid in full and got a refund cash credit back for the debit balance. I’m think it might have been @Lovetocruise2002 who did it. 

I was able to apply a FCC to a cruise that was almost paid in full.  The FCC was more than enough to pay the remaining balance and the net result was a nice refund after the FCC was applied.  That was almost 2 months ago.

At the time,  I asked if I could book a new cruise and use FCC for the deposit.  I was told that wasn't possible.  

Sometimes it seems like they like to make up new rules just to keep us guessing.

I like to check prices online every so often.  I presently have an ocean view balcony but I can't check for a lower price even though the cruise is 10 months away.  There is an ocean view "guarantee" but that isn't quite the same category.  Is Royal  "hiding"  staterooms because there are plenty of ocean view balcony staterooms that cost extra because they are connecting rooms or have sofa beds.

4 minutes ago, Jason12 said:

@Dad2Cue are you on the Allure TA this year.?

@Jason12 Yes ... I'm trying to be optimistic about it.  My wife says she isn't going unless things get better so I need some good information.  Anything related to quarantines and masks is bad.