Royal Caribbean Best Price Guarantee

[Gettinghardertobeloyal]

I have contacted Royal Caribbean (RC) several times to ask what the price adjustment policy is if you book a cruise and the price goes down before final payment. I have been told that we simply need to call RC and our price will be adjusted to the lower price. That is great news and fair however, when I search the RC policy, it states we only have within 48 hours to request a price adjustment. What is the truth? If the RC agents are right, why doesn’t RC update the policy online? To leave this policy posted is misleading and gives RC a way out of lowering the price at any time! Who thinks RC needs to change their policy online if you can in fact get a price adjustment after the 48 hours and before final payment? 

[Ampurp85]

That policy is that policy and not misleading. That policy means if within 48hrs you find a better price, Royal will give it to you plus OBC in the difference. What you are asking about is repricing, which Royal allows you to do until final payment.

[smokeybandit]

Scenario:

Jan 1: Book a cruise for $2000. Final Payment on Feb 1.

Jan 2: Price drops to $1800, Your new price is $1800 and since you're within 48 hours of purchase, you get $200 OBC.

Jan 5: Price drops to $1600. You're outside 48 hours of purchase, so while your new cruise price is $1600, you don't get an additional $200 OBC.

Feb 2: Price drops to $1400, but it's past final payment, so no price adjustment or OBC

[Gettinghardertobeloyal]

@Ampurp85 - Yes, I agree with you that that policy is the policy. However, although there is currently a price adjustment policy with Royal Caribbean at this moment, it is not posted on their website. "The Policy" is the only officially posted policy for customers. This was my point; it would be great if Royal Caribbean could update the Best Price Guarantee policy on the Website to be transparent and synchronize the back of the house policy. If you are aware of any other policy on the website related to price adjustment/repricing, please send me the link, I haven't been able to find it. 

@smokeybandit - When I called RC, they told me that if you were outside final payment, a price adjustment would be offered. If inside final payment, you are offered either an upgrade or a price adjustment (OBC - wasn't mentioned). My point being with these two replies, there are two different interpretations of the Website policy (that I included in my first message) that include details that are not written in black and blue. Again, what I am suggesting to Royal Caribbean is to make their policy on the public website crystal clear leaving no room for individual interpretation. 

[RockerDom31]

I think "re-pricing" is essentially a cancellation of your reservation and re-booking the same exact room at the prevailing rate (which theoretically should be lower if you are willing to go through that process). While I certainly don't speak for Royal (as a matter of fact, none of us can since this is an unofficial and fan-based forum), since anyone can cancel their reservation before final payment date - whether it's because you can't go or if it's because you like the lower price - this is probably why the re-pricing process isn't advertised anywhere.

If you have a travel agent, they can do this whole process on your behalf (so you don't have to sit on the phone with Royal).

And Welcome to the Boards! (I've always wanted to say that but someone else always beats me to it )

[smokeybandit]

Just now, RockerDom31 said:

I think "re-pricing" is essentially a cancellation of your reservation and re-booking the same exact room at the prevailing rate (which theoretically should be lower if you are willing to go through that process).

A repricing is definitely not a cancellation. Be careful not to use that word "cancel" when requesting a reprice as bad things can happen.

 

When you reprice, that does just that, reduces your balance due.

[RockerDom31]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

A repricing is definitely not a cancellation. Be careful not to use that word "cancel" when requesting a reprice as bad things can happen.

Good call!

It's just how I imagined how they do it on the computer side of things.

[twangster]

1 hour ago, RockerDom31 said:

I think "re-pricing" is essentially a cancellation of your reservation and re-booking the same exact room at the prevailing rate (which theoretically should be lower if you are willing to go through that process).

Only outside of North America.

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

When you reprice, that does just that, reduces your balance due.

That applies in North America only.

In the UK or Australia for example, it's a cancellation and loss of deposit, so the price drop has to cover that to make it worthwhile.