Bait and switch cruise price and # of occupants

[p27159]

When I tried booking my cruise, a couple of weeks ago, The website showed a price of approximately $3000 for an ocean view room for four passengers for 7 days (a perfectly reasonable price), and it continued to show this all the way through the page right entered the names of the passengers, and then the credit card information.  As soon as the booking was successful, I jumped to another browser window, where I booked my nonrefundable flights.
 

I later checked my email confirmation, and it only showed only TWO passengers.  When I called customer service, they told me that to get a room for four passengers, it would more than DOUBLE the price.  I went through the menus a second time and took screenshots of each step along the way.  I called back customer service and asked if this second reservation goes through for four passengers, would they cancel the first one I made, and they said yes.  But the same thing happened again, so now I’m holding two reservations for two passengers each.  Obviously, the total cost is double what I originally planned to pay, and yes, I do have two rooms, but it’s still better than the MORE than double they offered me for ONE room.  But I was stuck because I had the nonrefundable flights.  I feel that their website made a reasonable offer that was accepted, and therefore a contract was entered into.  I feel as though they breached this contract, and now I have screenshots to prove it.  Customer service has been less than helpful, and I have written a letter to the legal department, we’ll see how it goes.

I just wanted to say that people should be aware of their website when booking cruises, and beware that their customer service is not exactly sympathetic or reasonable.

[Smokey79]

Can you give more details as to your booking? Ship, sailing date, and cabin class would be helpful. I know first hand that there can be issues with the website but there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this board that are more than willing to help. 

[smokeybandit]

Drive by in progress?

[HeWhoWaits]

1 hour ago, Smokey79 said:

Can you give more details as to your booking? Ship, sailing date, and cabin class would be helpful. I know first hand that there can be issues with the website but there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this board that are more than willing to help. 

I believe we can all agree that much of the first post by the OP is bogus. Booking for four in a stateroom will NEVER be double the cost of booking for two, unless the comparison is apples to bicycle chains (four person interior on Grandeur to a suite on Icon, for example).

The drive-by bots aren't getting any smarter. 

Note: in the unlikely event that the OP is a real poster with a real problem, I apologize in advance. Just seems too conveniently fishy as a first post to be real.

[Smokey79]

9 minutes ago, HeWhoWaits said:

I believe we can all agree that much of the first post by the OP is bogus. Booking for four in a stateroom will NEVER be double the cost of booking for two, unless the comparison is apples to bicycle chains (four person interior on Grandeur to a suite on Icon, for example).

The drive-by bots aren't getting any smarter. 

Note: in the unlikely event that the OP is a real poster with a real problem, I apologize in advance. Just seems too conveniently fishy as a first post to be real.

 

12 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Drive by in progress?

I agree that it’s most likely just a drive by so I put out a feeler to see. I’ve also noticed that most of these never have actual details on them whereas legit posts often do. Maybe they’ll be back with some details and can get help but I don’t expect it. 

[CrimsonCruiser]

7 hours ago, p27159 said:

  I went through the menus a second time and took screenshots of each step along the way.  I called back customer service and asked if this second reservation goes through for four passengers, would they cancel the first one I made, and they said yes.

I have to ask...if you were already on the phone with customer service before booking the second one...why not have them do it to ensure there was no mix up again?

[TXcruzer]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

Drive by in progress?

No question! 
 

Why is it the drive by poster never know the definition of “bait and switch”??

[Crown&AnchorEsq]

The screenshots would be informative if they can be linked...

I too expect this is a drive-by, though the detail is more interesting than the usual people-not-understanding-how-pricing-works sort of deal. The fact that they recreated the error also makes me wonder if this is  plausible Royal IT foul up scenario.  They seem to be in rare form at the moment. 

[USCG Teacher]

7 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

I believe we can all agree that much of the first post by the OP is bogus.

I am personally offended that you believe this heartfelt story of the trials and tribulations of the 27159 family may not be genuine.

[p27159]

Sorry, this was not a drive-by, I happened to be quite busy the past couple of days and will supply more information shortly when I can dig it up

[p27159]

16 hours ago, Smokey79 said:

Can you give more details as to your booking? Ship, sailing date, and cabin class would be helpful. I know first hand that there can be issues with the website but there are a lot of knowledgeable people on this board that are more than willing to help. 

Oasis of the Seas March 31 out of Miami, I can’t find what class it is, it is whatever ocean view guaranteed cabin they have. Thanks.

[p27159]

14 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

I believe we can all agree that much of the first post by the OP is bogus. Booking for four in a stateroom will NEVER be double the cost of booking for two, unless the comparison is apples to bicycle chains (four person interior on Grandeur to a suite on Icon, for example).

The drive-by bots aren't getting any smarter. 

Note: in the unlikely event that the OP is a real poster with a real problem, I apologize in advance. Just seems too conveniently fishy as a first post to be real.

You need to do better with your apology.  Sorry I couldn’t rush back here immediately, I have other things going on in my life that I can’t check in on this message board as quickly as you think I should.  Wow, SMDH at the RUDE and OBNOXIOUS comments here.

[p27159]

14 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

I believe we can all agree that much of the first post by the OP is bogus. Booking for four in a stateroom will NEVER be double the cost of booking for two, unless the comparison is apples to bicycle chains (four person interior on Grandeur to a suite on Icon, for example).

The drive-by bots aren't getting any smarter. 

Note: in the unlikely event that the OP is a real poster with a real problem, I apologize in advance. Just seems too conveniently fishy as a first post to be real.

Forgot to say, you completely misunderstood my post.  I said the site said the price was for four passengers, but when I booked it, the confirmation said it was for two passengers, and when I contacted them to complain, they said that to change it to a room for four passengers, it would cost more than double what we paid for two passengers.  This is the truth, too bad I don’t have a voice recording or a transcript to post here, as if I have to prove what I am saying to people like you.  This site is nuts.

[p27159]

14 hours ago, Smokey79 said:

 

I agree that it’s most likely just a drive by so I put out a feeler to see. I’ve also noticed that most of these never have actual details on them whereas legit posts often do. Maybe they’ll be back with some details and can get help but I don’t expect it. 

You expected WRONG buddy.  Why is everyone here such a….( I don’t think this site would let me use the appropriate word I want to use to describe you people here).  Your attitudes are absolutely disgusting.  I don’t know why I expected better on the internet.  I should have known to expect this kind of thing.

[p27159]

14 hours ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

I have to ask...if you were already on the phone with customer service before booking the second one...why not have them do it to ensure there was no mix up again?

I took the screenshots as I went through the menus so I could have proof of what happened.  I couldn’t do that if the agent did it for me? Could I?  When it happened again, I already said I asked the agent to try to fix it but I already told you what their “solution” was.  If they could have started over and given me the fare I was seeing, they would have, wouldn’t they?  Rude vomit emoji noted.  What a bunch of unreasonable individuals on here.  You all should be ashamed and embarrassed but I know you all think too highly of yourselves to realize you were WRONG AND RUDE!

[p27159]

14 hours ago, TXcruzer said:

No question! 
 

Why is it the drive by poster never know the definition of “bait and switch”??

I know the definition of bait and switch.  It’s called offering one thing, and after it is booked, changing the terms.  Pretty simple, but evidently beyond your comprehension.

[p27159]

12 hours ago, Crown&AnchorEsq said:

The screenshots would be informative if they can be linked...

I too expect this is a drive-by, though the detail is more interesting than the usual people-not-understanding-how-pricing-works sort of deal. The fact that they recreated the error also makes me wonder if this is  plausible Royal IT foul up scenario.  They seem to be in rare form at the moment. 

Thanks, finally ONE reasonable person here!  I am new to this site and didn’t realize there actually is way to put attachments here.  The only problem is I can’t post them exactly as is with our personal information on them. I need to find a way to blur out certain portions before posting. I won’t be able to do that until Saturday or Sunday, but I will try to come back and do that.

[p27159]

Ok, it looks like these three screenshots do not have our personal information on them.  Notice one of these three screenshots, in the lower left corner, the prices don’t even add up correctly, but that ends up getting fixed on the screen asked for the credit card information.  On the left pane, it is clear that it is saying one Oceanview cabin for four passengers.  I am not attaching the screenshots with our personal information filled out that shows all four names were entered.  The base price is consistent throughout.  It’s clear that this was the price they were offering for four passengers.
 

I can’t wait for all the rude individuals who responded to admit they acted horribly but I know how the internet is: cue the excuses or “drive-byes” themselves…

[p27159]

8 hours ago, USCG Teacher said:

I am personally offended that you believe this heartfelt story of the trials and tribulations of the 27159 family may not be genuine.

Rude and sarcastic attitude noted.  What is it with you people?  Jeez, I can’t attend to other personal matters for a day or two without a bunch of (insert word I would love to use to describe you people here but can’t) piling on and being unreasonable (and that’s being as polite as I possibly can).

maybe some of you will learn a lesson from this and not be so quick to act like this, but you all want to act so smug and superior to others so this is just what kind of people you are and are probably incapable of change.  You are a bunch of internet know-it-alls that in reality clearly know NOTHING.

[HeWhoWaits]

7 hours ago, p27159 said:

You need to do better with your apology.  Sorry I couldn’t rush back here immediately, I have other things going on in my life that I can’t check in on this message board as quickly as you think I should.  Wow, SMDH at the RUDE and OBNOXIOUS comments here.

If you stick around, you will be surprised (initially) to find that many posts such as your first one are truly one-and-done accounts created to attempt to stir up dissent. The "RUDE and OBNOXIOUS" comments are because those are so common and posters are simply sick of other less-experienced cruisers being poisoned by the bullsh!t.

You think I need to do better with my apology? I've sometimes been called out by others on the board in the past for being too dismissive of such posts. This is the first time that an initial post that appeared to be questionable prompted me to include such a disclaimer. Something correctly told me that it MIGHT be legit. 

[HeWhoWaits]

6 hours ago, p27159 said:

Notice one of these three screenshots, in the lower left corner, the prices don’t even add up correctly,

You have experienced what we all like to call "Royal math." The numbers frequently make absolutely no sense.

[HeWhoWaits]

7 hours ago, p27159 said:

I took the screenshots as I went through the menus so I could have proof of what happened.  I couldn’t do that if the agent did it for me? Could I?  

You are correct. There would be no screenshots available.

However, when booking directly with an agent on the phone you can have them stay on the phone until you receive the confirmation email. We've done this on multiple occasions and in the couple times that something wasn't right, the agent was right there to make the correction.

[HeWhoWaits]

7 hours ago, p27159 said:

If they could have started over and given me the fare I was seeing, they would have, wouldn’t they?

Yes. IF the fare you're seeing online is still available AT THE TIME you're speaking to them, they will see it too. Available fares are a dynamic thing and frequently change.

My wife and I have sometimes logged in on separate devices and unintentionally done (nearly) simultaneous mock bookings and seen two different prices. Whichever one processed first is read by the system as a booking that reduces the number of staterooms available in the category. The second one shows a higher price than the first. The agent on the phone would see the same thing - the one you have open may cause the price available to that agent to be higher.

[Smokey79]

Hey I’ll gladly eat my words. Sincere apologies to OP are given. 
 

Looking at the screen shots provided, since they are booking a guarantee cabin and not specifically picking a room, is the system holding a 2 person cabin since it would be the lowest level cabin in the class but would move to a four person cabin once assigned? 
 

just a guess on my part. I don’t do guarantees just because I like to pick where I’m placed so I have no clue if I’m right or way off in left field.  

[fireclan]

7 hours ago, p27159 said:

Rude and sarcastic attitude noted.  What is it with you people?  Jeez, I can’t attend to other personal matters for a day or two without a bunch of (insert word I would love to use to describe you people here but can’t) piling on and being unreasonable (and that’s being as polite as I possibly can).

maybe some of you will learn a lesson from this and not be so quick to act like this, but you all want to act so smug and superior to others so this is just what kind of people you are and are probably incapable of change.  You are a bunch of internet know-it-alls that in reality clearly know NOTHING.

Anyone who has been on this site for any length of time is aware of the treatment of first time posters who report bad/negative experiences with Royal Caribbean by a small, but very active,  group of members. I'm glad you returned with more information. But you're likely correct that it won't change these posters comments as they race to the keyboard to be the first to type "drive by" or "one and done".

I hope RC honors the price the website showed when you booked for 4 people.  That's an awesome price. 

[smokeybandit]

I do appreciate you coming back to give more info.

But posts that throw out buzzwords like "contract" and  "legal department" and try to supplement the argument referring to nonrefundable flights (in which most airlines allow you to cancel for future credit) are very common among the bots/AI-generated drive by posts.

[CanHardlyWait]

Too often if you're not praising Royal Caribbean endlessly like a sycophant the response can be negative in the beginning. Our bad. It happens because of folks who come to complain but never come back to read helpful replies or answer follow up questions for additional help. That's our bad on this end. Stick around and see what advice for getting the best price etc you can get and other help. Come to vent, but stay for the help. 

[CrimsonCruiser]

13 hours ago, p27159 said:

I took the screenshots as I went through the menus so I could have proof of what happened.  I couldn’t do that if the agent did it for me? Could I?  When it happened again, I already said I asked the agent to try to fix it but I already told you what their “solution” was.  If they could have started over and given me the fare I was seeing, they would have, wouldn’t they?  Rude vomit emoji noted.  What a bunch of unreasonable individuals on here.  You all should be ashamed and embarrassed but I know you all think too highly of yourselves to realize you were WRONG AND RUDE!

Right so...maybe don't think everyone was being rude? I was legitimately asking why you didn't have them do it because, in your shoes, I would have. If I did something and it didn't end up reflecting what I thought I did, I would have called Customer service, explained the situation and asked THEM to rebook, having assumed it was an issue on my end. No, you couldn't have had screen shots of the entire process, but ideally they would be there with you from start to finish and if it repeated the same error  they could see what happened and fix it in real time.

But it sounds like I misunderstood your original post, because I thought you took screenshots, paused, called customer service to explain the situation, verify that they would cancel, THEN hit the pay button. But based on your reply, perhaps that's not what was happening. Instead it sounds like you paid then called? Just checking so I understand.

 

Regardless, that particular action is in the past.

 

I've never booked with kids, perhaps if your 3rd and 4th reservation are young kids they aren't showing? Anyone booking with youngsters know if this is a thing that happens?

Maybe you can provide screenshots (with redacted sensitive personal info of course) of your invoice for those here with more experience to try to help?

[USCG Teacher]

6 hours ago, Smokey79 said:

Hey I’ll gladly eat my words. Sincere apologies to OP are given. 

Break me off a slice of that humble pie as well.  We've been so inundated with the drive-by bots that I have convinced this was one, too.  I'm very glad you returned to follow-up @p27159, and it looks like @HeWhoWaits, @CrimsonCruiser, @CanHardlyWait and others have already provided you with some good information.  Apologies for the cranky welcome wagon and hope you'll stick around in spite of our initial response!

[HeWhoWaits]

52 minutes ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

I've never booked with kids, perhaps if your 3rd and 4th reservation are young kids they aren't showing? Anyone booking with youngsters know if this is a thing that happens?

Kids most certainly DO show. The system has the information regarding age and that is included on the confirmation, just like it does for all of the adults on the reservation. 

[p27159]

8 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

If you stick around, you will be surprised (initially) to find that many posts such as your first one are truly one-and-done accounts created to attempt to stir up dissent. The "RUDE and OBNOXIOUS" comments are because those are so common and posters are simply sick of other less-experienced cruisers being poisoned by the bullsh!t.

You think I need to do better with my apology? I've sometimes been called out by others on the board in the past for being too dismissive of such posts. This is the first time that an initial post that appeared to be questionable prompted me to include such a disclaimer. Something correctly told me that it MIGHT be legit. 

Ok I get what you’re saying.  Hey, at least you had SOME inkling that my post may not have been like the other others you may have seen in the past.  Hopefully, you understand my reaction to what I saw here.

[p27159]

8 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

You have experienced what we all like to call "Royal math." The numbers frequently make absolutely no sense.

That’s funny!

[p27159]

8 hours ago, HeWhoWaits said:

You are correct. There would be no screenshots available.

However, when booking directly with an agent on the phone you can have them stay on the phone until you receive the confirmation email. We've done this on multiple occasions and in the couple times that something wasn't right, the agent was right there to make the correction.

I was hoping that was how it would have worked, except that they weren’t willing to make that correction, even though I emailed the screenshots, and they received it in real time as I was talking to them, and then, even after being escalated to a higher level customer service rep, they didn’t feel any obligation (or at least as a gesture of Goodwill to somebody who has taken a few RC cruises in the past) to do anything either.

[p27159]

6 hours ago, fireclan said:

Anyone who has been on this site for any length of time is aware of the treatment of first time posters who report bad/negative experiences with Royal Caribbean by a small, but very active,  group of members. I'm glad you returned with more information. But you're likely correct that it won't change these posters comments as they race to the keyboard to be the first to type "drive by" or "one and done".

I hope RC honors the price the website showed when you booked for 4 people.  That's an awesome price. 

Thanks for your commiseration.  Yes, it was a very good price, but within the realm of reasonableness, as compared to some other cruises I had looked at.  I am pretty sure that the law treats Internet offers that are OBVIOUS errors differently than those that look like they are reasonable, like this one.

[p27159]

5 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said:

Too often if you're not praising Royal Caribbean endlessly like a sycophant the response can be negative in the beginning. Our bad. It happens because of folks who come to complain but never come back to read helpful replies or answer follow up questions for additional help. That's our bad on this end. Stick around and see what advice for getting the best price etc you can get and other help. Come to vent, but stay for the help. 

Thanks for your remarks. I am definitely sticking around for help, although I can’t come back here every couple of hours or so, I might pop in and out after a day or two with stuff that’s going on.

[p27159]

7 hours ago, Smokey79 said:

Hey I’ll gladly eat my words. Sincere apologies to OP are given. 
 

Looking at the screen shots provided, since they are booking a guarantee cabin and not specifically picking a room, is the system holding a 2 person cabin since it would be the lowest level cabin in the class but would move to a four person cabin once assigned? 
 

just a guess on my part. I don’t do guarantees just because I like to pick where I’m placed so I have no clue if I’m right or way off in left field.  

Thank you.  I had never booked a guaranteed cabin before this time either.  But that doesn’t really sound too good if someone signs up or passengers, and they only hold a two passenger cabin.  Sounds like they’re opening themselves up to people not having a place to stay,  which kind of goes against the concept of a “guarantee”. I know you were just speculating, so thanks for trying to spitball this.

[p27159]

1 hour ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

Right so...maybe don't think everyone was being rude? I was legitimately asking why you didn't have them do it because, in your shoes, I would have. If I did something and it didn't end up reflecting what I thought I did, I would have called Customer service, explained the situation and asked THEM to rebook, having assumed it was an issue on my end. No, you couldn't have had screen shots of the entire process, but ideally they would be there with you from start to finish and if it repeated the same error  they could see what happened and fix it in real time.

But it sounds like I misunderstood your original post, because I thought you took screenshots, paused, called customer service to explain the situation, verify that they would cancel, THEN hit the pay button. But based on your reply, perhaps that's not what was happening. Instead it sounds like you paid then called? Just checking so I understand.

 

Regardless, that particular action is in the past.

 

I've never booked with kids, perhaps if your 3rd and 4th reservation are young kids they aren't showing? Anyone booking with youngsters know if this is a thing that happens?

Maybe you can provide screenshots (with redacted sensitive personal info of course) of your invoice for those here with more experience to try to help?

Not exactly.  I went through all the screens, and before I made payment the second time, that’s when I called them.  They said if that reservation went through for four passengers, they would cancel the first one I did for two passengers.  Except the second one also  ended up being for only two passengers. So I asked them if they could fix it by whatever means they had at their disposal.  Again, their “solution” was to put us all in one cabin, and then charge us more than what they cost for the two cabins were!  Our kids are 18 and 16, not sure if this matters, but none of the agents we spoke to mentioned anything about that.  They may even want to split me and my wife up, so each of us stays with one kid. That’s not an ideal arrangement for us, but they would have no way of knowing if we swap room keys.

[p27159]

56 minutes ago, USCG Teacher said:

Break me off a slice of that humble pie as well.  We've been so inundated with the drive-by bots that I have convinced this was one, too.  I'm very glad you returned to follow-up @p27159, and it looks like @HeWhoWaits, @CrimsonCruiser, @CanHardlyWait and others have already provided you with some good information.  Apologies for the cranky welcome wagon and hope you'll stick around in spite of our initial response!

Thanks, I am still here as you can see.

[jbrinkm]

1 hour ago, p27159 said:

Not exactly.  I went through all the screens, and before I made payment the second time, that’s when I called them.  They said if that reservation went through for four passengers, they would cancel the first one I did for two passengers.  Except the second one also  ended up being for only two passengers. So I asked them if they could fix it by whatever means they had at their disposal.  Again, their “solution” was to put us all in one cabin, and then charge us more than what they cost for the two cabins were!  Our kids are 18 and 16, not sure if this matters, but none of the agents we spoke to mentioned anything about that.  They may even want to split me and my wife up, so each of us stays with one kid. That’s not an ideal arrangement for us, but they would have no way of knowing if we swap room keys.

If you end up with two rooms, you should be able to have the kids in their own room together as long as it is next door or across the hall, but it does require speaking with an agent to make those arrangements. However, the issue arises when you do 2 GTY rooms - then you'd probably have to put an adult officially with each (although, as you said, you can get extra room cards) because the GTY rooms could be very far apart. 

Would you consider using a TA (a good one, recommended by those here on the boards)? I've never paid more by using one, and sometimes less or equal but with better perks, i.e. refundable or onboard credit. Then you end up having someone to advocate for you when you run into things like this. I wouldn't use a travel agent for a land vacation, but I've come around to using one to book my cruises. You end up being able to still manage all of your extras yourself, like drink packages or dining, etc. but you also have someone in your corner for any big changes that may occur. You could always check in with one to see if they also see your same pricing and then cancel the first via Royal as they said they would.

[p27159]

3 hours ago, jbrinkm said:

If you end up with two rooms, you should be able to have the kids in their own room together as long as it is next door or across the hall, but it does require speaking with an agent to make those arrangements. However, the issue arises when you do 2 GTY rooms - then you'd probably have to put an adult officially with each (although, as you said, you can get extra room cards) because the GTY rooms could be very far apart. 

Would you consider using a TA (a good one, recommended by those here on the boards)? I've never paid more by using one, and sometimes less or equal but with better perks, i.e. refundable or onboard credit. Then you end up having someone to advocate for you when you run into things like this. I wouldn't use a travel agent for a land vacation, but I've come around to using one to book my cruises. You end up being able to still manage all of your extras yourself, like drink packages or dining, etc. but you also have someone in your corner for any big changes that may occur. You could always check in with one to see if they also see your same pricing and then cancel the first via Royal as they said they would.

What you said about the room separation is likely the reason for them splitting up the adults.  It’s funny because on our last cruise, the kids had their own room and even though they were next door, we hardly saw them at night so it hardly mattered.  We all had WiFi and could contact each other whenever we needed to.  The kids are mature enough so having them in a different part of the ship doesn’t bother us but I understand why the ship cares for liability reasons.  The problem with swapping room keys would be that the room my wife and I end up with will have 2 twin beds, not exactly what we would want (at least not what I would want lol).

I now see the advantage of a TA.  I never had a problem booking on my own before on several previous cruises so I didn’t see the need.  Now I do, and I learned that maybe the hard way if I can’t get this resolved.  Even if I go to court and win, it’s a hassle.